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Your chance to ask questions or air your views about The Poetry Zone. Send your comments to feedback@pzone.freeserve.co.uk Or send them along with your poems. I will try and answer as many of your questions as I can and publish some of your thoughts about poetry and this site. HELP SECTION - CLICK HERE Keith Daniels, a grown-up from Australia, writes: To all those people out there with nostalgic sentiments. About 1929 at age 4 I must have had a speech problem because my parents had occasion to call in a lady teacher to teach me elocution. A few poems have stuck in my memory to this day. I Couldn't Help it, Could I? My Granny used to live with us but now she's in th sky. Do you know how she got there? Twas all through a little fly That settled on her cheek one day When she was ill in bed And I got my Daddy's walking stick and tried to biff him dead. But I didn't kill that naughty fly But I broke my Grann's jaw And the doctor couldn't mend it So she don't live with us no more But I couldn't help it, could I? No because I'm sure. (2) Fishes If I had my wish I'd be a small fish And swim where no-one could catch me I never would look at a worm on a hook Or some naughty boy might snatch me. I'd frolic and play with the fishes all day I'd not give a bean if my neck wasn't clean Or if both my ears should get dirty. (3) Vespers This was a poem written I think by A. A. Milne, a well known childrens' writer. Just a little....starting Little boy kneels at the foot of his bed… These poems were written in a fairly thick black exercise book which my mother co-opted to write her favourite recipes in. It was of great sentimental value but disappeared some years after her death in 1971. Michael (aged 12) writes: This is the best place for me to read poems because that's what I'm about. Thanks, Michael. And you write great poems too. Keep it up. - RS S. Anuradha writes: This site is very good. My dream was to publish my poems but I didn't know how. This site has helped me a lot in changing my dream into reality. I haven't seen many sites like this. Thank you - RS More on the Halloween Theme Amber
Zuniga (aged 14, going on 15 on
Halloween!) writes - More Thoughts on Halloween by Clara Gaddie (aged 12) I
disagree with Hanna about what Halloween is. (See Hanna's letter and
poem below) People don't encourage or use Witch Craft, but dress like
other things, creatures, or people. Halloween is simply a day to have
fun- and possibly scare some people while we're at it. You sound like Halloween is just "oh kids ghosts and witches are real and they're going to come into beds at night and chop off your head". That is not what Halloween is about, nor is it how people make it seem. Halloween is a day that you get to not be yourself for just one day-whether you're "scary" or not. You get to go around and receive free candy. FREE!! It's just a fun, scary holiday - not some evil spiritual celebration. Why I Hate Halloween Dear Any People Who Will
Be Reading This Letter, H alloween This is it! If you agree with Hana - or disagree - send your comments to Feedback. We'll publish some of them here. I love your website! :) You don't have to send in just one kind! You can send in all kinds of poems!!! I can send my poems knowing maybe, just maybe, someone is enjoying my poem right now! - Emily Phillips (aged 12) I just want to say that I think Robert's poem 'Perfect' in the 7 & under section is really cool! - Maria English Joanna Taylor writes: I'm helping my nephew with a poetry project for school and came across your site and a few others. It was great reading the interviews, your poems and the kids' poems. What a great tool for kids to "vent". I agree with Ted Scheu, poetry curriculum in schools would be a great asset to our youth. Thank you for your contribution to our society and our future leaders. Thank you very much - RS Nicole Braganza writes: "November
Love" by Heather is such a sweet and romantic poem. Syd (aged
10) writes: Marwan writes: My daughter,
aged 11, writes poems, and greatly enjoys reading them to me and her
mum. She spends long constructive hours writing them, and I would like
to encourage her to keep up with this great gift. Does anyone have any
information that might help her? We live in Long Island, New York State,
US. If
you do - please e-mail The Poetry Zone at the usual address Teachers bye: Amy Danielle Todd (aged 12) writes: I really like reading the poetry put on this site. It is a good way to put poetry to kids eyes. When I am older I would like to be a poet. This is a good way for me to see the other poetry the other kids in New Zealand write because I just find it interesting. April writes: I believe in your cause. I also think you should start a poem board for people affected by suicide. Some - many of us teens are depressed and we need some way to vent our feelings so they don't actually go that far and not get adults freaked out by it. That's a great idea, April. Unfortunately I don't have time to do that. Maybe you could interest someone else in the idea - RS Thomas Szakacs writes: Can I just say that Void by Nicole Anne Braganza was absolutely excellent. Is there anyway that people could make comments or get in touch with other contributors to your site? I'm afraid we can't give out e-mail addresses. But I'm happy to pass your comments on. It's a good poem, isn't it? - RS Maria (aged 12) writes: Thanks! I just want to say thank-you for making such an awesome site, its really cool to read poems by other young people, and to be able to have your own poems where other people can maybe enjoy them too. Rikita
writes: I'm
often asked this question. It can be difficult to find places to be
published and I can't really help. Very few books or magazines publish
poetry, especially by young people. And there are thousands of young
people trying to get their poems published. The Poetry Zone used to
publish every poem sent in - but can't any more - we just have too many
poems sent to us. One thing you could do is to publish your own book
of poems. Write them on a computer. Make the printed-out pages into
small book. (Important - Get a friend or teacher to check them
through for mistakes, spelling and punctuation. Always get someone
else to do this as you miss your own mistakes - this is called proof
reading.) Illustrate them - or get an artist friend to. Then make photo-copies
of the book and sell them to friends and family. You might like to give
your profits to charity. That's how I started many years ago. One important
thing to remember is - NEVER pay anyone to publish your work. Allison
Tyler (aged 11) writes: Emma Jarvis writes: I think The Poetry Zone is brill, the teen poems are so good and it is so satisfying that people can write really good poems - unlike me, but I enjoy reading them. I thought maybe you could please put up a sign in the website for me to get a penfriend? I'd love to be able to do that, Emma. It would be good for people who like poetry to be able to write or e-mail one another. Unfortunately I'm not allowed to pass names and addresses on. Perhaps there are other ways to find pen-friends? Samone
Reeder (11) writes: I always put your age up to 12. (Of course, some people forget to include it when they send me their poem.) Sam
(9) writes: Well, Sam. A lot of young children visit this site. So if it's a mild swear word I might change it. Or I might decide not to publish the poem at all. Alice
(12) writes: Yes you do. But we never publish your address. And we'll only print your surname name if you want us to. Emily
(13) writes: Thank
you. Lots of people write to say they like it. We could - but really, it's the poems that are important, isn't it? Allison
(11) writes: Have
a look at my book - How To Write Poems by clicking
here. I'd love to. But I can't make other publishers publish your poems. All you can do is try to find other places to send them. I do publish the very best in "Best Poems" in the Gallery, though. Take a look.
If you need help finding a poem or poet we're happy to lend a hand. Send us your queries. If you think you can help then send your reply to The Poetry Zone and we'll pass it on. Miguelangel Tapia P. writes - I am not very good writing in English yet; so you'll have to excuse me is this letter shows serious flaws. I write to make a request. A quite odd request maybe. You see, long ago I heard a poem on TV. I think it was a documentary short movie about toys. I never came across the poem again, and, as I recall, it was one of the most beautiful and sad pieces of child poetry. I have done my best to find it on the net, but I don't remember it well enough. So I'm writing to you in the hope that you may know about it. It was the tale of a little teddy bear who was all day on the attic. Every day at five o'clock the little girl who lived in the house came to have tea with the bear. One day, the family moved away and the bear was left behind, alone in the attic. The little bear was facing a wall where a clock were hanging. Eventually the clock broke and stopped working, and stuck a few minutes before five o'clock. So, for the little bear, tea time is for ever near. It will be always almost tea time. That may be not enough, but I can't remember much. And I can't recall it without letting a few tears go. So please, let me know if you have any information about it. I'd love to read it again and, some day, share it with my children. Thanks for your time and for your lovely website. Yvonne Smith asks us - I have been searching for some time for a poem which I came across in a children's book in the late 1950's. I think it had about 6 verses, but I cannot remember the author. I can remember some of the verses, which are shown below: 1st verse 2nd verse 3rd verse Penultimate verse Last verse I would be most grateful if you could find this one for me and fill the gaps in my memory. Thanks Glenys Lovell writes: Do you know
a poem called "I couldn't help it, could I?" (15/03/06) David writes: Child's Poem from the 30's Can anyone
help please; my mother learnt this at school. (10/02/06) Can anyway help me trace a poem called Moonman? It's a rather dreamy poem about the night-time with a sea theme and with the repeated line; "But why the moonman fishes the sea only the moonman knows." The poem is at least two generations old. My mother used to read it to me, but she can't remember the author, either. Audrey writes: I would like
the collection of Gibran's works in poetry which If you can help please let us know and we'll pass it on! Sheena Writes: When I was
at school (ages ago in 1990) I loved a tragic poem about a teddy bear.
I think it went something like this; If you recognise the poem - please drop us an e-mail and we'll pass the details on. Thanks - RS Bev Tait writes: I am looking for a poem that was popular about 50 years ago - What I can remember is: The
other day when I was playing with my little brother Fred, I didn't
know poor pussy was coming through the door - There are several verses,
all finishing with the line, "But/so I couldn't help it, could
I?" If you can help e-mail the Poetry Zone and we'll pass it on. Thanks!!! Michelle
McNeice Writes: POEMS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH CHILDREN Tracy Janiga writes: I am interested in poems written about people who work with children - more specifically those who work in public schools. We have a luncheon to honor the staff at our school and I would like to read a poem instead of beginning the meal with a prayer. Some people are not comfortable with prayers. Any suggestions? Can you help? If you can help email us and we'll pass it on. If
you have a poetry query or you need poetic help give
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