Lovely Little Poem, for Discover Centre's 'Catching Words' Project.

I was privileged last year to work as a poet on Discover Children's Story Centre's Catching Words project, a literacy intervention project for Year 2 children. I am delighted to say that it is once again that time of year, and I am looking forward to working on poetry skills with a new batch of Year 2 children, this time at various schools in Hertfordshire.

Catching Words was devised in part by poet Joe Coelho. Joe has invented an acronym - MORERAPS - to explain some of the poetic techniques that help children (and everyone else!) to write effectively. The letters stand for Metaphor, Onomatopoeia, Rhyme, Emotion, Repetition, Alliteration, Personification and Simile. As my first contribution to this year's project, I have written a bespoke poem, which I hope to use to introduce Year 2 to each of these techniques. I will perform the poem, and see if they can identify where I have used them.

Lovely Little Poem
 

I’m a lovely little poem.

I’m as timid as a mouse.

I’m squeaking and I'm creaking

through the pages of my house.
 

I’m a lovely little poem.

I’m asleep inside your book.

I’m like a dainty dragonfly –

come and have a look.
 

I’m a lovely little poem.

I help you when you’re sad.

I’m a cute and cuddly kitten.

I’m the friend you never had.
 

I’m a lovely little poem.

I’m a whisper in your dream.

Come on in and wake me up…

listen to me SCREAM!

 

Here is a video in which Joe explains MORERAPS: