Wow, what a week! We’ve been exploring poetry and performances from noted poets such as Benjamin  Zephaniah and Michael Rosen. It was challenging to let go of writing rules and constraints at first, but it wasn’t long before the children began to let go and write some amazing free form poetry! For our performance, we had a go at writing Space themed couple poetry. The class voted to perform Abdullah and Alicia’s brilliant poem, I’m Fine With Mine. The poem is in two halves – one half about an alien wondering what Earth and humans are like, and the second half is all about how they don’t want to visit at all after finding out about how we treat our planet and each other. What a poignant message. The children worked hard in pairs and in groups to explore ideas of how to make the poem come alive. Jamaica Class, you were the cutest aliens ever! Here is the fantastic performance and the poem below, enjoy!

I’m Fine With Mine

What’s on Earth? I wanted to know

What do they eat? How do they grow?

Humans, do they live forever?

Do they weigh as light as feather?

Are they small or are they giant?

Are they big and very violent?

Are their feet as big as ours?

Do they sleep a hundred hours?

Now that I have found my answers,

I wouldn’t visit there, I’d never.

Humans have destroyed their Earth

Why would we go, don’t be absurd!

They’ve polluted their fresh, clean air

They kill their birds, they torture their bears.

They cut their trees, they poison their bees

They throw their rubbish in the seas

They don’t treat each other with respect,

They’ve turned their planet into a mess

For all the damage they have made

If I was Earth I’d feel betrayed.

We laugh when they say we visit

Earth is no holiday now, is it?!

Until they learn to love their home

Thanks, but we’ll leave Earth well alone.