St John The Divine Pupils Runners-Up In Brixton Poetry Slam!

I am delighted to announce that the group of eight Year 5 pupils with whom I have been working at St John The Divine Primary School in Brixton were runners-up yesterday in an inter-school poetry slam! Over the last two months I have been working with the group to compose and rehearse a group poem, which was then pitted against poems by nine other groups of children from schools in Brixton. The competition, which I had the pleasure of attending yesterday, was inspirational: the children were all clearly talented and brave writers and performers, but more importantly they were all fantastic team members, and hugely supportive of each other.

St John The Divine pupils wrote a lovely poem based on identity, about all the different things they are 'made' of. Here, then, is the text for their poem, posted with the permission of the writers and performers - Bilen, Etyfela, Chi, Charis, Yemi, Sahidat, Saddiq and Ojei:

I’M MADE OF

I’m made of beautiful clothes that shimmer like clean glass.

I am made of colours that wrap around me like a warm, cuddly scarf.

Blue, red, orange and green reminds me of a rainbow that crosses me to a magical land.

I am made of the time when I wore my mum’s clothes instead of wearing my clothes, and got into trouble.

I am made of laughter and giggles and my family and friends.

What makes me me me? My sister makes me me, with her kind nice heart.

She is always there for me.

What makes me me? My sister makes me me, with her... and her... she is always there for me.

What makes me me me? My sister makes me me, with her Converse and her Vans that she got for me.

We are made of friendship that helps us to create a big family.

I’m made of helping my teacher to be respectful.

I’m made of shining like the sun to make people happy.

I’m made of keeping secrets to be loyal.

I’m made of being loyal and respectful to my friends no matter what,

For I will do anything for my friends.

I am made of Nigeria.

Nigeria is awesome because it’s sunny.

I get to see my family,

But I most like, no I LOVE,

Nigeria’s awesome food like eba, fufu, fried rice, ayamase and egusi soup.

I’m made of rhythm and drumbeat

Smiling twisting turning happily

Getting together, having celebrations,

Birthdays, weddings and any excuse

We jig and jingle and jangle to music.

We are made of different cultures coming together. However,

I feel that my friendship might fall apart.

I am made of angry energy building up like a volcano exploding in my belly.

I worry that all the arguments with my family might come together in my SATs and make me fail.

I have a side of me that can change any second of any day.

I am made of my heart, a rhythmic drum, always keeping to the beat.

I am talkative, but I have a hidden side.

I am a small enigma. No one knows who I really am.

WHAT ARE YOU MADE OF?