Joseph Coelho encouraged children to whisper, shout and dress up in bizarre costumes when they perform poems they have made up themselves, and told them it should be fun to write and not like homework at all!
The poet and playwright opened the free Programme for Schools on 24 May 2021 with his anthology Poems Aloud and gave plenty of advice on how to write about any subject, real or imagined. You can watch the event again on Hay Player.
He was so enthusiastic that after his event, some children in the digital audience sent Hay Festival their poems, hot off the press. Here is a selection from his session:
From Archdeacon Griffiths Primary School in Llyswen, Powys (pictured):
I am as stinky as can be,
I will give you a big stare,
If you have hay, I will take it!
I like to whip the flies away with my tail,
I can give you a big KICK!
I make a very loud noise with my nose!
I can give you a drink.
Who am I?
‘Cow’ By Cari
I am so cute, I mean sooo cute,
I am very small,
I am very fast,
I bite people,
I live in a cage,
I have a short tail,
I am very fluffy!
‘Dwarf Hamster’ by Tia
I am silly,
I am dumb,
I am normally in a flock,
I like corn
And I live outside,
I am a pet
And I can be a fox's dinner.
‘Chicken’ by Freddie M
And from Catherington Church of England Infant School, Hampshire
Creeping, crawling
Making webs
For storing.
Creeping, crawling
Eating flies.
Not afraid.
Brave as brave can be.
Scared?
Not I.
Behold
The legs of me
Not 1, not 2, not 3
But 8 legs for me.
For I am
a…
Spider.
Behold me!
I do not like the sea.
‘Spider’ by Alice Fennell
When I paint
It gets all over.
It stays on my fingers
Until I’m older.
It spreads on my bed
And never comes off.
It stays there for years.
‘When I Paint’ by Tito Aburime
Simon Mole's event resulted in these poems and more, also from Catherington:
My skateboard is really amazing
My skateboard is really booming.
My skateboard has got some stickers on the bottom and it has glowing wheels.
My skateboard has 20 gears
My skateboard make me go Wooooooooooooooooooooooo
My head is all flipperty blue.
My skateboard is called Disney
I am going to go to Africa on it.
I love my skateboard it’s the best.
By Isla Bryson
My bike is remarkably tremendous
My bike is mega speedy
My bike has a rocket on the back
My bike has a red panda on the back seat
My bike can go 20 times around the world
Woooooohoooooo
My chest is zig zag wobbly
My bike is called Dr Pepper
I will go to the moon to collect moon rock.
By Oscar Murdoch
My scooter is extremely rapid
My scooter is tremendous
My scooter has red spots on the handle bars and red flames on the frame.
My scooter can jump over 20 birds.
Whipeeee I shout.
My foot is all stripy red.
I call it Leopard.
I’m going to my secret base and I’m going to make an iron sword.
By Riaz Islam