I recently visited an RE
class with Year 7. The class had been looking at the idea of philosophical
questions, and the issue of different types of truth. I used this as an
opportunity to explore the notion of lying, and in particular the ethical issue
of whether it can ever be OK to tell a lie. I asked students to think about
times in their lives they have ever told a lie, or been lied to. The poems that
results were heartfelt, funny and imaginative. I’d like to share a few
examples. (The last poem is by me.)
Chocolate by Zainab
My sister asked if I ate her chocolate.
I said no, dad ate it.
So she ran to dad and said dad, have you eaten my
chocolate?
He said no, mum ate it.
So she ran to mum and said mum, have you eaten my
chocolate?
She said no, your sister ate it.
She ran to her sister.
Her sister ran away.
Who ate the chocolate?
Nobody knows.
They Told Me by Ameesha
They told me she was fine,
that she’d gone on a little holiday,
I knew they were lying,
she wasn’t fine,
she was ill,
and there was nothing I could do about it.
I knew she wasn’t coming back,
but I would love her all the same.,
her large flappy ears,
her deep brown eyes,
I hope she will remember me,
I know I will remember her.
My Poem by Hafeeja
She told me about a place where fairies
roamed about.
“Beware the bad boy”, she used to scream
and shout.
She showed me a world with magic at
every corner
And about a girl with golden hands,
called Luna.
She spoke to me in a gentle voice so we
could not be found
For the bad boy was around and we
couldn’t make a sound.
She introduced me to the monsters that
fought in the rink
We couldn’t move when they were fighting,
we couldn’t even blink
She warned me about the ferocious lion
always on our trail
And the old witch with wrinkles
who sent us out to sail.
She lied to me about the world where
adventure lay in wait.
She closed for me all my dreams behind
a golden gate.
Now I remember all her stories, myths
and legends,
And when I think about it, that amazing
world is sent.
They Told Me by Joshua Seigal
we
were going on holiday.
They
wrapped me in a blanket
and
bundled me
in
the front seat of the car,
with
my favourite toy.
They
told me
it
would be OK
as
they patted me, kissed me
and
stroked my fur.
They
fed me biscuits
made
of warmth and love.
They
told me
we
would play the best games,
and
I would have the best treats.
They
said that, where we were going,
the
cats would be fat
and
slow.
But
now I’m sitting
in
a strange white room.
Who
is this creature
in
the clean white coat?
What
is she holding?
Does
she have treats?
My
humans are here,
but
why aren’t they smiling?
Why
are they sobbing
and
saying goodbye?
Where
am I going?
Are
they coming too?
