Group Poem from Cornwall Tour
April 2, 2013 by angelatopping | Leave a comment
Working with young children on a theme of Forest (Environment brief), I led a drama reflection on what experiences and life cycles trees have. This poem came out of a warm-up session which preceded the process drama. I simply asked the children what they knew about trees, and we chose the best words and order. The schools involved were St Uny and St Erth, and the project was with Falmouth University, whose art department will work with the children next term using their own individual poems on this topic.
Trees
Dark forests where trees block the sun.
Cherry, plum and apple trees grow fluttery blossom.
In autumn, fallen leaves are brown, yellow, orange and red
but the pines stand tall and proud, unchanging.
In winter, oak leaves fall but cedars stay everygreen.
Forest animals feel safe here: hedgehogs, foxes,
squirrels and badgers make homes here.
Listen to birdsound. Owls hoot at night,
woodpigeons coo coo, woodpeckers tap
and robins sing from branches.
Insects make small lives in the trees.
Trees keep animals safe and help us to breathe.
Angela Topping 