Nobody Really Owns Anything

These words aren’t really mine – 

I’m just renting them from the pencil.

And the pencil doesn’t own the wood – 

it merely rents it from the trees.

And the trees don’t own their roots – 

the ground simply leases it to them. 

And the ground doesn’t own the earth – 

it’s just borrowed from the universe.

And who owns the universe, you ask?

Child, you don’t even own the question.

Joshua Seigal

Wonderful poem from Sophie at Manorside Primary School

Last week I was lucky enough to visit the fantastic Manorside Primary School in Finchley. The school is less than a ten minute walk from where I live, which was nice. I am really happy that Sophie's parents have given me permission to share the poem below, which was written during one of my workshops. Sophie is someone who does not always find school easy, and I think she can be so, so proud of what she has been able to achieve with her marvellous poem. Well done Sophie!

Just Like Me by Sophie

Blue describes me.

It is an ice cream – 

sweet, cold and a treat. 

Blue is a sparkly dress,

a plastic cup,

a rainbow hairband. 

Blue is my favourite colour. 

Blue is the ocea at the beach

on my holiday.

Blue is the sky.

Blue is the peace and quiet. 

I love blue!

It Was Like That When I Got There

after Homer Simpson

The telly’s lying on its side

The shards of glass are hard to hide

The window’s smashed, the hole is wide

But it was like that when I got there. 

Tomato stains are on the rug 

And sparks are flying from the plug 

It wasn’t me who chipped the mug – 

It was like that when I got there.

The goldfish isn’t in her bowl 

The hamster has gone for a stroll

My shoes have dog dirt on the sole

But it was like that when I got there. 

The vase has fallen from the shelf

I know you left me by myself

But it must have been some sort of elf

Since it was like that when I got there!

Joshua Seigal

Fantastic poems from Ellacombe CE Academy, Devon

 A lovely teacher recently got in touch with me to say the following:

"Inspired by you, before the children broke up for the summer holidays, we spent some time as a whole school exploring your poetry and read many of the poems on your website. The children, from year 1 to year 6, then wrote their own poems, using yours as a guide. We were blown away by the creativity shown by our children and wanted to share some of our favourites with you. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did!"

 In the light of this, I am delighted to share a selection of fabulous poems from the children at Ellacombe Academy, inspired by my poems. I hope you love their efforts as much as I do!

Be Kind

“When I was young, I admired clever people.

Now that I am old, I admire kind people” - Abraham Joshua Heschel

Some of the worst people I’ve ever met

have also been the smartest. 

They say Eichmann had an IQ of 138.

Clever people build bridges

but they also wage wars. 

Without kindness what’s it all for?

What need would he have

for bridges, or cures for diseases?

We may as well die. 

Nothing else in the world would be worth a damn 

without a genuine smile and a gentle hand;

the feeling of skin on skin. Love. 

Love knows no measurement or test. 

It can’t be captured in a number. 

Fancy scientists say intelligence matters 

because it correlates with wealth. 

However, the truly wise people

know that the kindest people

are also the richest.

Be wise. Be kind. 

Joshua Seigal

A Dance

Every marriage

is a unique combination

of two unique people.

Doubly unique.

.

In a dance to music

which has never been played before,

we have to find our steps

with nothing to guide us.

So let’s follow our feet

where the melody takes us,

knowing we may step

time to time

on each other’s toes.

Joshua Seigal

The Moon is Made of Cheese

Mars is made of marzipan

and Mercury from peas. 

Venus is pure candyfloss,

and the Moon is made of cheese. 

Saturn’s made of soft-boiled egg

and Jupiter from fleas. 

Neptune is a ball of wool, 

and the Moon is made of cheese.

Uranus is a giant splash

of lemon, freshly squeezed. 

Pluto is a pickled plum, 

and the Moon is made of cheese. 

The Solar System’s super strange

and everyone agrees

the Earth is made of crackers, 

and the Moon is made of cheese.

Joshua Seigal