Poetry and pictures

In the poetry shed you will find animated poems as well as poems, read by actors and authors along with written poems and teaching ideas.

Poets In The Spotlight (Closing Date: 26th April 2013)
There's a £100 prize to the winner.

National Poetry Anthology 2014 (Closing Date: 30th June 2013)
The competition aims to encourage more people to write poetry. It’s open to all UK residents, young or old. Over 250 winners are selected every year, each one representing a different UK town or area.

All winners are published in the anthology and all receive a FREE copy of the book.

Libraries in North Somerset will be marking World Book Day with special events for  pre school children.World Book Day is on Thursday, March 7, and is a celebration of books and reading marked by...

Writers Seamus Heaney and Simon Armitage have been speaking to the BBC about their love of poetry.

In an interview with the Today programme's James Naughtie, Seamus Heaney remembered how he felt when he first discovered poetry.

"It was the voltage of the language, it was entrancing," he said.

Author Simon Armitage added: "I knew I wanted to exist in a world of poetry, but I didn't want to write it [to begin with], I just wanted to read it.

"All I knew was that it felt like a marginal activity, and that it was the place I felt I could be strong and happy, in those margins."

With regard to teaching poetry in schools, Armitage said: "Learning poetry is a good idea as long as it doesn't turn into elocution lessons. It's about giving students poems which excite them, and don't embarrass or humiliate them because they can't find a way into the language."

Guyana-born poet John Agard has been named as the recipient of The Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry for 2012.

The award is presented for excellence in poetry, with previous recipients including WH Auden, John Betjeman and Philip Larkin.

Agard, who writes for both adults and children, moved to the UK from Guyana in 1977.

He said he was "touched" to be the winner of an award which had been won by such illustrious names in the past.

Writers aged 8 to 18 are invited to submit poems about the way Brighton is changing to the 2013 Peacock Poetry Prize.

The theme – The Changing City – was chosen by Brighton Festival Guest Director, Michael Rosen and as senior judge Michael will be inviting the 12 lucky finalists to join him for afternoon tea.

The competition is open to residents of Brighton & Hove, East and West Sussex. There are three age categories (8–11; 12–15; and 16–18); poems should be no longer than 40 lines. Entry is free and the closing date is Mon 15 Apr, 5pm.

On Monday 25th February 2013 poet Bernard Young came into our school. Bernard Young is a poet who helps pupils learn about road safety in a fun and innovative way through the medium of poetry.

He began the day performing a selection of his own poems and talking to us about the different styles of poetry. For the rest of the day each class were working on class poems with help from Bernard Young, ready for a presentation in the hall at the end of the day where each class would present their poems to the rest of the school.

We also had a visit from the Area Road Safety Officer to give us a road safety talk, accompanied by the Junior Road Safety Officers.

Everyone had lots of fun and really enjoyed the days activities and there were some fantastic poems created throughout school!!

To celebrate this 400 year anniversary, poets and writers are holding a workshop at Polesworth Abbey on Tuesday, April 2nd, which is the date of Good Friday in 1613.

Links with many famous poets and writers have been found at Polesworth, from Shakespeare to Michael Drayton, and the workshop will also look at other writings, including a new, previously undiscovered piece of writing from the medieval period.

Want to inject some adrenalin into your English lesson? Try a bit of guerilla poetry

Poetry in Stitches was first launched in 2004 as a collaborative project between The National Needlework Archive and another charity, Poems in the Waiting Room. The objective is to combine textile art with poetry such that each form complements the other and promotes both to new audiences. Professional and amateur textile artists are asked to interpret poems of their choice as pictures, which are then exhibited together with the poem which inspired them. Initially the pictures are exhibited as a complete collection around the UK, creating a stunning feast for sight and mind. Subsequently, they are exhibited in smaller groups, or individually, in public places such as hospitals. It is wonderful, when visiting a hospital waiting room, to have the opportunity to view these amazing partnerships of colour and form, and to read the accompanying poem with a fresh perspective.

There are lots of resources on the World Book day website for planning a great day, but you cannot beat getting in an expert.  To find one for your school in the UK have a look at http://www.authorsalouduk.co.uk/

Ever wondered what chessmen get up to in between games? Well, here’s your chance to find out in Celia Warren's new book SECRET MOVES – Adventures of the Chessmen. It’s a novelty hardback of humorous verse, illustrated with full-colour photos.

If you have even a passing knowledge of the ancient game of chess, a whimsical sense of humour and a love of words, you’ll enjoy the poems and pictures in this delightful little book. The perfect Christmas present for anyone from 8 to 98!