(Photo by icon0.com from Pexels) What is it to be free? What does it look like, for you? This week with my young writers, we had freedom in mind. We talked about personal freedoms. We discussed free verse and poetic form. We read a poem that’s overflowing with freedom in its use of language, music and powerful self-expression.Continue reading “The Universe and Us”
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I’m a writer. Do I feel inspired?
We’re now on week 3 of our Young Writers’ Mentoring programme 2018/19, which I run as part of my Patron of Writing role at Didcot Girls’ School, so it’s high time I posted an update, methinks! I guess what impressed me most at first about my new cohort of 23 year 9 and 10 students,Continue reading “I’m a writer. Do I feel inspired?”
Patron of Writing: Looking forwards. Looking back.
Photo by Rakicevic Nenad from Pexels I have the best job in the world. I spent three weeks in November feeling right at home at DGS – huge thanks to the English team, who made me feel so welcome, and a special INCREDIBLY BIG thank you to the Year 9 students (all 270 of them),Continue reading “Patron of Writing: Looking forwards. Looking back.”
‘those so-called/ exams’
This blog is a platform for sharing many things, one of the most vital of these things being: excellent writing created by some of the talented students I work with in my role as Patron of Writing at Didcot Girls’ School. And here’s a poem by one of those talented students, Seth Gay (Year 9).Continue reading “‘those so-called/ exams’”
Ask a Creative
I’ve reached the end of my poetry writing workshops with Year 9 students at Didcot Girls’ School. It looked a bit like this: 3 weeks 270 teenagers a storm of unique voices dozens of mind-freeing doodles a symphonic display of ideas & imagery hundreds of doors opened AND a flurry of post-it note questions posed.Continue reading “Ask a Creative”
Poems to remember, by the DGS Poets Laureate
I’m delighted to be able to publish two poems, specially commissioned for the 100 years of Remembrance, written by the Didcot Girls’ Poets Laureate: Kat Richards and Nina Winstone. Please take a moment to read. Reflect. Remember. *** Poems are copyright of Nina Winstone & Kat Richards ©
Open the door
‘I open the door and then I see a lonely man as lonely as I was when I got taken away I went up to him and said Do you need a friend and the wind started to blow I was cold he was cold but there was nothing there…’ (Text © of the author,Continue reading “Open the door”
Delight
I’m at the end of my first week of poetry workshops with Year 9 at Didcot Girls’ School and just couldn’t be happier. The responses to the sessions have been absolutely glowing! So before I take the weekend off, and get some R&R in preparation for week two, I thought I’d share some of theContinue reading “Delight”
Introducing: The DGS Poets Laureate!
I was mightily proud of Kat Richards (Year 11) and Nina Winstone (Year 8), who captivated the 1000+ strong student and staff audiences at Didcot Girls’ School this morning with their poems, on the theme of ‘Freedom’. And what better way to introduce these poets to the world than through their poems? ‘Butterfly’ by NinaContinue reading “Introducing: The DGS Poets Laureate!”
Patron of Writing Update #PoW: Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads
At DGS my job is to shine a spotlight on creative writing (and in particular, poetry) in this community.
Elaine Baker - Poet 