Flintshire school launches poetry initiative to create a record of life in lockdown

A Flintshire high school has launched a new poetry project to create a record of students’ life experiences during the lockdown period.   ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Literacy coordinator Nicola Paulson came up with the idea for the project, as she explains: “Many of us will be experiencing a range of emotions as we try to navigate our way through these challenging times, and writing poetry can be a wonderful way of expressing our views and giving ourselves a voice.   ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We wanted to give the students of Flint High School together with their parents/carers, our staff, and any members of the local community who wish to get involved, an opportunity to document their thoughts and feelings about the current situation in the form of poetry.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Our ultimate aim is to create a ‘Lockdown Anthology’ which we would like to get printed to keep for posterity as a mark of this unprecedented time.  The hope is also to celebrate and share the efforts of everybody who has submitted their poetry by hosting an evening to showcase their work once we are all back together.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This is a great opportunity to unlock creative writing potential and we hope as many people as possible will participate.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

They could write about social distancing, missing family and friends, things they now appreciate more than ever before, or their hopes for after this period is over.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

To get started, Mrs Paulson has the following suggestions: Create a mind map and fill it with your ideas and observations about this time then consider which form you would like your poem to take. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

For example, this may be a shape poem in the form of one of the most powerful images of this time – the rainbow. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Alternatively, you may choose to write a blackout poem using a page from an old book lying around your home and give it new meaning.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

As to whether the poem rhymes or not, that’s up to you, there are no limits. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

After sharing their idea for the project with The Poetry Society, the English department received this message: “Please pass on ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Poetry Society’s warmest wishes to your students, and let them know that poets around the world are reading, writing and sharing poems to help them make sense of this frightening time, and to help them connect to their friends and families.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Further information about the project, together with a range of resources and inspirational tips, is available on the school website and within the literacy folder on ‘itslearning’.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Once you have finished your poem, you can upload it via the website too. Please visit www.flinthighschool.wales ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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