World Poetry Day | KS2 | Ages 7-11

What is the purpose of poetry?

Sometimes poems are short and rhythmic like a song. Sometimes they are long narratives with characters and plot lines like a story. So why do we read and write poems?

For the writer, a poem is a way of expressing themselves. Often, people choose to write about subjects that they are passionate about or experiences they have had.

For a reader, poetry can be a way of connecting with a particular topic that you feel strongly about.

Sometimes though, poetry can simply put a smile on your face or make you laugh which is another great reason to read it.

What is poetry about?

The fun thing about poetry is that it can be about anything.

Poets are inspired by all sorts of different things and you can be too.

Have a look at the different images below. Think about how the images make you feel and what words come to mind when you look at them. This could be the start of your next poem!

Inspiration

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Image caption,
Astrolabe. An ancient islamic invention used to track the position of the moon and stars.
Image caption,
Mount Etna in Italy errupting.
Image caption,
Emperor penguins in Antarctica

Activity: Brain storm

A drawing of a boy creating a brain storm of ideas for a poem.

Coming up with ideas for a poem can be hard. Here is an activity to help you get started. Think of a time when you have had strong emotions. It can be any emotion; sad, angry, excited, joyful. Here are some ideas to help:

Watching a football match with a family member
Being blamed for something you didn’t do
Saying goodbye to a loved one
Winning an award or prize when you have worked really hard

Write down your event in the middle of a piece of paper. Now, write down all the words that come to mind around your event in a spider diagram. These words can be the start of your next poem!