R is for Children’s Poets John Rice, John H Rice, Rachel Rooney, Michael Rosen, and Coral Rumble #AtoZChallenge #ZtoA
Coral Rumble
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Coral Rumble
Coral Rumble has worked as a poet and performer for may years and now specialises in writing and performing for children. She has three collections, Creatures, Teachers and Family Features, Breaking the Rules, illustrated by Nigel Baines, and My Teacher’s as Wild as a Bison, also illustrated by Nigel Baines, and has poems in over 100 anthologies for young people. She performs and gives workshops art centres, books shops, libraries, theatres and festivals, has worked as a writer and poetry consultant for the BBC, and is one of the writers for the CBeebies TV programme, Poetry Pie. Her website is here.
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Here is a favourite poem of Coral’s:
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RIDING A LION
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I dreamt of riding a lion, a fast one,
A fierce one, with a flash of wildness in his eyes.
I could feel his tented ribs with my clinging knees.
I dreamt he leapt and flew, huge wings spreading,
His deep growl rumbling like a well-oiled engine.
My fingers curled into a tangle around his mane.
I dreamt he swooped a deep dive, a daring dive,
A dizzy dive, against the roaring wind,
And I didn’t even close my eyes in fear.
I dreamt he landed on an island, a golden one,
Where all the lions fly, and children ride
On their warm backs, clutching the edge of danger.
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© Coral Rumble
Michael Rosen
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Michael Rosen
Michael Rosen was born in 1946 in Harrow, Middlesex. Many of Michael’s early books were about his life between 2 and 12, and his son Joe filmed Michael performing all the poems from The Hypnotiser; see here. His first book for children in 1974 was called Mind Your Own Business, and was illustrated wonderfully by Quentin Blake. Michael is still writing books, performing and running workshops in schools, libraries and theatres, as well as many other activities such as teaching teachers to teach poetry. His latest children’s poetry book, Jelly Boots Smelly Boots, illustrated by David Tazzyman, is here. His website is here.
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The first thing I think about when I think of Michael Rosen is chocolate cake, because of his wonderful poem. What a fabulous thing to be associated with! Here is another of his amazing poems:
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Heathrow
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I’m a suitcase
in the attic all year
I’m a suitcase
stuffed full of gear
I’m a suitcase
crammed in a hold
I’m a suitcase
freezing cold
Well yes…
I may be a suitcase
but I want to be free
I want to go to the beach,
and swim in the sea
I want to go to the mountains
and learn how to ski
I want to hear music
dance and shout
You leave me in the room
when you go out.
But I don’t want to be baggage
It’s not what I want to be.
I’m a suitcase
and I want to be free.
Next trip you take
you’re in for a shock
I may be quiet
shut tight with a lock
But while you’re out
enjoying the sun
I’ll escape
I’ll be on the run
A suitcase on the move
looking for fun.
I’ll be that suitcase
Yes, that’ll be me
I’m a suitcase
who wants to be free.
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© Michael Rosen
Rachel Rooney
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Rachel Rooney
RacheI Rooney’s poetry collection The Language of Cat, latest edition illustrated by Ellie Jenkins, won the CLPE Poetry Award and was long-listed for the Carnegie Medal. Her second collection My Life as a Goldfish, Illustrated by Ellie Jenkins, was shortlisted for the CLiPPA 2015. Her forthcoming book A Kid in My Class, illustrated by Chris Riddell will be published by Otter-Barry Books in 2018. She visits schools for workshops with pupils and has performed her work at festivals and for The Children’s Bookshow. She was Chair of Judges for the CLiPPA 2017 and the Betjeman Poetry Prize. Her website is here.
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Here is one of her wonderful poems:
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Who?
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Who cast the P from a spell
sold it for profit as sell,
then kept what was left
in a locked letter chest?
And who sucked the O from a hoop,
hopped off with that loop
which she balanced for fun
on the tip of her tongue?
Who stole the E from a cheat
in the street when they met for a chat,
slipped her hand in a bag
and made off with the swag?
Then who plucked the T from a thorn,
carved an ivory pen out of horn
and dipped it in ink…
Well, who do you think did that?
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© Rachel Rooney (From The Language of Cat, Francis Lincoln Books)
John H Rice
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John H Rice
How many children’s poets called John Rice do you need? It turns out it’s TWO! J. H. Rice has spent thirty years working in primary education. He has worked as a teacher, headteacher, assessor, teacher trainer and writer in education and has long held a passion for children’s poetry. Appearing in anthologies published both nationally and internationally, he thinks of his own poems as small creatures: some are quite tame but others are not entirely trustworthy. His website is here.
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Here is a great hippopoem by him:
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Hippopotamouse
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Beware the hippopotamouse
Ignore his toothsome grin
If you ever hear him knocking
You must not let him in
He’ll soon invite all of his friends –
They’ll be there in a trice
And no-one wants a house that’s full
Of hippopotamice
They’ll seize your cheese, they’ll gnaw your floor
They’ll make a dreadful fuss;
Worse than this, the holes they make are
Hippopot-anormous
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© John H Rice
John Rice
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John Rice
John Rice is a Scottish poet who writes for both children and adults. He has published 12 collections including Bears Don’t Like Bananas and Dreaming of Dinosaurs which were illustrated by Charles Fuge. His most recent book for children was Guzzling Jelly with Giant Gorbelly. He is a regular contributor to anthologies and his poems have been used in educational exams all over the world. During the Robert Burns 250th anniversary celebrations (2008-2010) he was Poet-in-Residence in Glasgow. He has been Chair of the Society of Authors’ Authors North group and a member of the Society’s Poetry & Spoken Word Group. John’s website is here.
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Here is one of John’s lovely poems:
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Dazzledance
I have an eye of silver,
I have an eye of gold,
I have a tongue of reed-grass
and a story to be told.
I have a hand of metal,
I have a hand of clay,
I have two arms of granite
and a song for every day.
I have a foot of damson,
I have a foot of corn,
I have two legs of leaf-stalk
and a dance for every morn.
I have a dream of water,
I have a dream of snow,
I have a thought of wildfire
and a harp-string long and low.
I have an eye of silver,
I have an eye of gold,
I have a tongue of reed-grass
and a story to be told.
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© John Rice
- Posted in: #AToZChallenge2018
- Tagged: #AtoZChallenge, #AToZChallenge2018, Best Children's Poets, Children's poets, Coral Rumble, John H Rice, John Rice, Michael Rosen
Another fabulous collection! I’m enjoying your Z-A.
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Thank you, Celia!
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All these poems reminded me why I liked poetry in the first place. Direct and fresh, full of delight and wonder.
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The joy of writing for children – seeing through their eyes.
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All lovely, every one so different – worth all the effort you’re goind to.
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Thanks, Liz!
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