Kennings are alive and well and living in Rochdale. I quickly put together a Canny Kennings competition to celebrate the launch of the new Rochdale Central Library at Number One Riverside. here are some of the entries. Hollie won with this incredibly imaginative Kenning play together nasty never growing stronger something sweeter never better friends forever what am I? friendship I've never seen a Kenning that has used emotion for its theme. Usually we have objects, people or animals. What a brilliant twist. Libby contibuted one about my favourite amphibian big jumper loud croaker green hopper pond swimmer fly eater non drinker what am I? a frog! Anum gave us eye sighter blue tweeter game keeper name signer large facer time holder what am I? a computer Zak's Kenning goes like this green monster fire breather tail swisher loud roarer scaly eater terrible man muncher sharp scratcher what am I? a dragon Rochdale has very talented young people who enjoy playing with words
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Saturday, 13 November 2010
National Poetry Day
We teamed up with the Youth Bus and created poems at the secondary schools on the theme of "Home" for this year's National Poetry Day.
Rochdale's take on the theme was "Home Is Where the Art Is" Siddal Moor and Redwood schools produced some fantastic poems which have been printed in a booklet to mark the day.
here's "Our Tin Can" from Redwood afternoon group
From a mass of people
The grey Beanie-Genie
Magics out of the tin
Wearing a very fetching
Carmen Miranda fruit salad
On his head
for a full explanation you will just have to get in touch!
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Ian Bland comes to The Wheatsheaf Library
I'm really looking forward to Thursday 3rd August. That's when Ian Bland is coming to The Wheatsheaf Library.
He's a poet in the mould of Craig Bradley and you may have seen him at your school as he has visited loads in Rochdale.
It's his first visit to our libraries, though. He will be here from 11.00 a.m. for about an hour.
I hope you can come along and join in. There will be time to listen to his poems and join in a poetry workshop too.
No need to book - just turn up on the day.
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Boys Into Books, Craig Bradley and a BIG BAG of Leeks
I had some money left in the pot from the Boys Into Books project and was able to book Craig Bradley, performance poet, for two days. 
I booked him for Alkrington and Heywood libraries for Monday 11th May and The Wheatsheaf Library for Wednesday 13th May before I realised that was SATS week! Anyway, we had St. Thomas More, St. Michael’s, Deeplish, Greenbank and Heybrook schools coming along and they all had a great time: “POETRY IS NOT PANTS!”
Try this tongue twister:“One smart fellow, he felt smart;
As for the big bag of leeks... One of Craig’s poems is called “56 ways of looking at a leek.” In rhyming couplets and with a couple of helpers wielding leeks to join in with the actions, Craig shows us how to look at everyday objects with a poet’s eye.
Two smart fellows, they felt smart;
Three smart fellows, they felt smart;
They all felt smart together!”
I was left with a big bag of slightly dog-eared leeks. Or, with my poet’s eye, I had a pile of poet-tenderised fresh vegetables for a gourmet delight. I made a huge pan of leek and potato soup and there were still enough leeks for a cheese and leek loaf to accompany it. The verdict? Delicious!
I love poetry – especially poetry you can eat!
Friday, 26 October 2007
What makes you happy
What goes "Ha! Ha! Bonk! ?
A man laughing his head off!
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
The Truth About Teachers
Shhh!!! Don't tell anybody, but we've got some books telling you about the secret lives of teachers. The secrets are disguised as a bunch of hilarious poems and rhymes that had us giggling for ages. See if you can read one out loud without laughing!
Remember: don't tell anybody we told you!
