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Monday 1 September 2014

LIST POEMS - fun workshop activity

List poems are the easiest type of poem to write, and websites like Buzzfeed have rendered itemized lists a part of children's cultural repertoires. A fun, simple workshop idea involves writing wacky, imaginative lists. Inspired by Brian Moses' poem 'Reasons Why I Don't Play Air Guitar Anymore', published in his book A Cat Called Elvis, I wrote my own silly list poem:

Ten Reasons Why I Shouldn’t Go to Bed

1          There is some kind of yeti in my room. It’s been threatening me.
2          I’ve been studying philosophy, and I’m not even sure if my bed exists anyway.
3          Sleep is for the weak, and I am strong, from which it follows that sleep is impossible. It’s a simple matter of logic.
4          James from school says you swallow spiders when you sleep. I don’t want to swallow a spider.
5          I found out that I have a deadly disease – beditis – which means that I am allergic to beds.
6          I’m afraid that Justin Bieber might come after me with an axe while I’m sleeping. He looks like that kind of person.
7          This television programme about donkeys is just sooooo interesting.
8          Oh, I forgot to say, our topic for the whole of this year is donkeys! I need to watch this programme!
9          I need to stay up so I can write a letter explaining how much I love you. Did I ever tell you how much I love you?

10        I’M NOT TIRED!!!

The list could either be silly, like mine and Brian's, or it could be a bit more serious, like this one from poet Dean Atta. This will depend on the age of the children and the aims of the workshop. It could even be a really, really weird list poem, like this one by A. F. Harrold, entitled 'Cats are Better Than Fish':