It was good to see poetry and literature feature in both the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Olympics. As the Crown Street library summer writing sessions come to a close we looked at the shapes hidden within photographs of Olympic events. Circles, triangles and rectangles were the most common – in the rings, medals, clocks, torch, flames, and flags.
Participants selected one of these shapes and mindstormed lists of words associated it. Words were both themed and non-themed around sports. The circle proved to be the most inspirational shape to work with. Once the young people had gathered their lists of words, they shaped them into poems, then collaged them in a variety of ways as demonstrated in the photograph. One young lady set herself the challenge of creating a story cube out of her poem so that the lines are read out as numbers would be on the roll of a dice. I believe dad is helping with the final construction of that piece.
Poppy wrote Silver Glory
Shining bright
day and night
a silver disc
not the moon
throwing out light
around your neck.
The triangle shape reminded me of the Poetry Pod installations that are touring selected coastal locations around the country:
They sit in the field
waiting for nightfall.
As the sun dips
below the horizon
lights come on within.
Dimmed at first,
then brighter and brighter
until the field look like
ten thousand fireflies
have landed for the night.
Hopefully the work we have been doing with young people during this project will have ignited their creative sparks.
I look forward to hearing the final version of the Renga Relay which has been touring primary schools and libraries in the region, and to the presentation of Special Edition Bronze Arts Awards to young people of secondary school age who completed poetry/theatre portfolios as part of the Winning Words project. These are two of the items planned for a Celebration Evening at NeST on National Poetry Day.
winningwordsatbarnardcastlenest 