National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day is on 6 October 2022
by Philippa Rae
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To use poetry as a way of understanding the power of words.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (National Poetry Day) and the means to display them.
- Optional: you may wish to invite the children to read a selection of their favourite poems.
- Optional: you may wish to download poems from the National Poetry Day website. The theme this year is ‘The Environment’. Further information is available at: https://nationalpoetryday.co.uk/about-npd/
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Explain that 6 October 2022 is National Poetry Day, which was set up to bring people together to share and appreciate poetry. Poetry is an artistic form of communication; through it, we can appreciate the power of words and the impact that they can have on others, both for good and for bad. - Show Slide 2 and read out the quotation by the American poet Emily Dickinson.
Point out that poets combine words in many different imaginative ways. Poems can portray all sorts of moods and make us feel all sorts of emotions. A poem can tell a story, or it can deliver a message. A poem can also be simply a collection of nonsense words that produce a musical sound or contain clever word play to engage the ear. - Show Slide 3.
Ask the children to have a go at saying the rhyme quickly. Ask the children whether they think that there is a meaning or story behind the rhyme, or whether it is just a bit of fun!
Listen to a range of responses. - Show Slide 4.
Ask the children, ‘Do you agree with this famous rhyme?’
Listen to a range of responses. - Tell the children that you are going to read them a poem, and you want them to think about what message it is trying to get across.
Read the following poem to the children.
Gossip
‘I’m all agog,’ said Susie. ‘Do tell me more.’
‘Shush! It’s a secret,’ whispered Jamie. ‘Come in and close the door.’
‘Well I never!’ laughed Liza. ‘Who would have thought?’
‘I sort of guessed,’ replied Susie. ‘I can usually tell the sort!’
‘Spill the beans,’ demanded Deli. ‘I’ll pour you a hot brew.’
‘Perhaps I shouldn’t,’ questioned Jack. ‘But then, it’s only telling you.’
‘You can trust me,’ declared Jane. ‘Hand on heart, here’s my word.’
‘I’m sure she was right,’ confided Deli. ‘I think that’s what I heard.’
‘This morning has been awful,’ moaned Patty. ‘Can you cheer up my day?’
‘You’ll just love this,’ giggled Jane. ‘You’ll just love what I have to say!’
‘I’m not one for gossip,’ insisted Helga. ‘Imagine if that was you.’
‘I was only worried,’ protested Patty. ‘I mean, I’m not sure yet if it’s true.’
‘Share the news then,’ smiled Winnie. ‘I’m listening with all ears!’
‘Glad you could join me,’ said Helga. ‘I’ve been really bored to tears!’ - Ask the children what they think this poem is saying.
Listen to a range of responses.
Explain that the poem is all about gossip: spreading rumours about other people and talking about them behind their backs. - Ask the children how they might feel if they found out that someone was spreading lies about them. How would they feel if they confided in someone, and then their secret was spread around?
Listen to a range of responses. - Explain that everyone has the power to stop gossip going any further, especially if they haven’t witnessed something firsthand and don’t know whether it’s true.
Being trustworthy is an important quality: it means having the control to stay silent. It might seem fun when we are with our friends and we are the first to tell everybody some information, but doing so can be destructive. - Explain that words can also be used for good. We can inspire and encourage others by the words that we choose to say to them.
A kind word can make a big difference to someone’s day. If someone we know is upset about something, taking the time to talk to them can be uplifting and healing. - Point out that if we want to find the right words to say, we must listen first before we respond. Many of us have said things and then regretted it afterwards. Once words have been spoken, they can’t be taken back.
- Optional: invite the children to share some of their favourite poems.
Time for reflection
Let’s think about the poems that we have heard today.
Let’s remember how poems combine words for their effect, and consider the importance of the words that we speak in our everyday conversations.
Poetry can help us to understand and appreciate the world around us more effectively. It enables us to view the world in a different light.
Poetry helps us to share our ideas and thoughts with others. It also helps us to connect with others by sharing our emotions, which remind us that we are not alone.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us the gift of language and the means of creative expression through writing and poetry.
Please help us to remember the importance of words in our interactions with others.
Please help us to use words for good and not for harm.
Please help us to use words to encourage, uplift, inspire and heal.
Amen.
Song/music
‘Surface pressure’ from the film Encanto, available at: https://youtu.be/tQwVKr8rCYw (3.30 minutes long)
‘All of you’ from the film Encanto, available at: https://youtu.be/hrMxx8EV4JU (4.32 minutes long)
