Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Write On Magazine | Highly Commended
Monday, 18 November 2024
NZ Poetry Society Anthology | Published Poets
From over 1500 entries by experienced authors and young writers, 160 were selected to be published in this international anthology.
Thursday, 26 September 2024
Year 4 Given Word Poems
More Given Word Poems
PHANTASMAGORIA AT THE GOLF COURSE
Purple dazzling feathers
Happily falling from the
Aquarium roof in the
Night sky
Ticking off time
As we eat
Spinach with a lovely scent of
Mild mint sauce, all
At the
Golf course cafe
Observing every little thing while my dad is
Racing my sister
In
A one hundred metre spring race
by Brodie M
As Night Ate the Day
As night ate the day
And the sun went away,
While looking up there
In the world where,
I remember a story
In my history.
Where stars twinkle and dance
I hear a whisper
with my lovely sister,
We’re having a magical time
We feel like birds in warm feathers
in a phantasmagoria dream
by Victoria K
Wednesday, 25 September 2024
A Phantasmagoria of Poems
The Swimming Pool | by Aiden W
Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Phantasmagoria | by Ella K
Monday, 23 September 2024
In the Box! | Poetry Box Poets Published
We used the famous poem by Kit Wright, The Magic Box to inspire our own imaginings about what kinds of things we could "put" into a box. We had magic boxes, treasure boxes, secret boxes and even lunch boxes! We thought of things you can't see or touch, or physically "put in a box". We used our senses to describe sounds or smells or feelings. We thought about weather, seasons, time. Some described sounds or characteristics of people or pets that are special to us.
Some of our poems were picked by Paula to be published on the Poetry Box website. You can read them here:
Congratulations to: Isabelle N, Bella Z, Hayley C, Mason O and Lucy P. All of you can consider yourselves e-published poets!
My Favourite Memories Box
I will put in my memory box
a melting hot medal I’ve made
the stuffy but sweet smell of a grandma’s house
the view of a velvety violet field.
I will put in my memory box
ball-like bright little daisies blooming in the sunny spring,
the lovey little laugh of a delightful old grandma,
the puffy powerful pictures of the world.
I will put in my memory box
the chilling cold days of winter,
the powered blazing snore of a great nana,
the smell of the smoke from a roaring motorbike.
I will put in my memory box
the sizzly hot sun in summer,
the sound of my favourite family playing,
the comfort of my rusty old bed with covers.
My favourite memories box
is green with a pink and purple marble lid
and bright pink ribbons all around it
and secrets within its depths.
I will hide my favourite memories box
under my bed with eighteen million blankets on top,
I will jump in and climb a tree, sing with
the birds and last of all,
jump off a cliff into the deep, deep, green pastel lake.
Isabelle N, age 10, Year 6, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
My Memory Box
I will put in my memory box
a piece of peaceful piano music played by Jess
the sweet taste of bubbly boba tea
the scent of large hot yellow chips
I will put in my memory box
the feeling of icy cold crystal clear ocean water on my toes
the cold breeze and the crunchy leaves of autumn
the splash of raindrops dropping on the ground,
forming into puddles
I will put in my memory box
the bright yellow sun burning on my back
the sound of thousands of children laughing happily
I will put in my memory box
a witch riding her magical broom and her fat black cat
silky multicoloured scarves flowing in rhythm in the cool autumn breeze
the sound of music flowing through my ears
I will put in my memory box
a treasured pink pen
the harmonic sounds of flutes and recorders
the fresh and juicy taste of strawberries
I will put in my memory box
the sweet taste of mango ice cream
the sound of ocean waves crashing together
the sweet smile of a red panda climbing
the great wall of china
My box is made of tiny little pieces
of my happy little memories
I will take my memory box into space,
the deep ocean, the hardest moments in life
and the happiest.
I will take my memory box
wherever I go.
Bella Z, age 11, Year 6, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
My Sparkly Box
I will put in my box
my favourite book, the babysitters club,
and gently place it down.
My red and black t-shirt
my sparkly orange basketball
I will put in my box
a colourful surfboard
a witch and her dusty broomstick
a dragon breathing fire.
I will put in my box
a horse eating hay,
peppa pig snorting
and a minion laughing.
My box is a sparkly gold
with bright red hearts,
My box is made of cardboard.
I will run around with my box
then I will stuff my sparkly gold box
in a bush.
Hayley C, age 10, Year 5, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
My Secret Box
I will put in my box
the swish of an orange, sparkly basketball,
my old, dusty football boots,
my favourite football top with letters spelling HAALAND.
I will put in my box
black thunder clouds that make me shiver,
the smell of McDonald’s chips,
the orange-yellow sunset going down at the beach.
My box is made from shiny suns that turn to gold.
At the edge of the box sleeps green roaring dinosaurs
snoring very loudly.
I will got to a football match in my box
and see the big, popular football teams
and get signatures
from all the players.
Mason O, age 10, Year 5, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
Lucy’s Poem
I will put in my box:
The loud crash of the gold ride cymbal
The click of a label machine
The cold wind brushing against yellow green leaves.
I will put in my box:
White fluffy clouds in the bright blue sky
Hot pink camellias dropping delicately
Pieces of paper with Chinese words on them.
I will put in my box:
The sweet taste of honey pork
My boxer dog who is turning 12 this year
a jar of caterpillars with leaky bottoms.
My box is made from silver patterned with iron swirls.
The inside is padded with soft toys.
I will dive into my box,
landing softly and play
with ALL my things.
Lucy P, age 7, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
My Grandad is a Wizard | by Bhaarati
Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Bhaarati | Published Prizewinning Poet!
Our Russley Writers' Club students worked incredibly hard on their entries for the Given Words Poetry Competition. Their poems had to include the five 'given words': feather, whisper, eat, time, phantasmagoria. We were beyond excited to learn the results of the Given Words Poetry Competition this morning.
There were 250 entries for the Poetry Competition and the judges awarded one winner in the adult's category, a winner in the Under 16 Category and one Special Mention.
The Special Mention was awarded to one of our Russley Writers, Bhaarati Sharma, for her poem My Grandad is a Wizard. Congratulations Bhaarati, on this fabulous achievement!
The winning poems and a selection of judge's picks have been published on the Given Words website. The winners will also receive books courtesy of The Cuba Press and Massey University Press.
Another two Russley Writer's Club authors also had their poems selected to be published on the website: Ella Kang for her poem titled Phantasmagoria and Aiden Wong for The Swimming Pool.
You can read Bhaarati's poem and the judge's comments here and read Ella's poem along with other selected Under 16 entries here.
Well done to everyone for having the courage to take the leap and enter!
Friday, 6 September 2024
Given Word Poetry Wall
The poems had to include all five given words. The words were: feather, whisper, time, eat and phantasmagoria. Some of our students were involved in the choosing of the words and helped to create the promotional video for the competition. (See link below).
Thursday, 5 September 2024
Ethan, published author!
Monday, 26 August 2024
Elephant, by Lucy P
Check out some awesome animal poems on Paula Green's blog, Poetry Box. Lucy P wrote a fabulous poem about an elephant, which Paula has published on this post.
https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2024/08/26/poetry-box-poems-by-children-animal-poems/
Elephant
white, curved tusks,
rough, wrinkly skin
long, wavy trunk –
sucking like a straw
big, floppy ears
skinny, straight tail
always one foot
on the ground
they walk on their toes
like the kids in room 13
tiptoeing into room 12
Lucy P, age 7, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
Friday, 23 August 2024
National Poetry Day
Oh, how I love the way you grip!Blue spikesfast spikesgood spikescleaner than a new car spikessprinting, turning, bolting spikesrushing, trotting, racing spikes!
Wednesday, 14 August 2024
Spooky Poem published on Poetry Box
Congratulations to Lucy P, who wrote a poem for Paula Green's Spooky Poem Challenge on Poetry Box. Lucy's poem was published on Poetry Box and Paula has picked Lucy to send a book to.
Winnie the Witch
green skin
pointy nose
black outfit
stinky toes
crooked wand
black cat
stripy tights
small hat
by Lucy P (7 yrs), Russley School
Click HERE to view Lucy's poem on POETRY BOXNZ Poetry Society Anthology
Last term in Writing Club some of our Russley Writers worked hard to create some strong entries for The New Zealand Poetry Society Te Rōpū Toikupu o Aotearoa, an international poetry competition. They wrote ekphrastic poems (a poem inspired by or in response to an artwork). These poems were entered into the Open Junior category (17 years and younger) - so they would have had some tough competition!
We are thrilled to announce that three Russley Writers' Club students had their ekphrastic poems selected for the 2024 NZ Poetry Society anthology to be published in November.
Congratulations to:
- Leyan Abdelfadil The Red Hat
- Lucas Yee The Pearl Earring
- Henry Elkins Fanfare
Wednesday, 7 August 2024
Two Poets Published on Poetry Box
Roar, Squeak, Purr!
Friday, 5 July 2024
A cluster of poems
Congratulations to these fabulous writers, who have all had poems published on Paula Green's Poetry Box website!
- Lily H
- Sunny
- Evie
- Bailey
- Florence
Thursday, 4 July 2024
Thank you, Paula Green!
Thank you, Paula Green for the copy of My Matariki Colouring & Activity Book, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. Mushal was very happy to receive this, after having her Matariki poem posted on Poetry Box and Poetry Shelf.
Thursday, 27 June 2024
Matariki Poetry
Some of our students have been writing poems for Matariki. We were delighted to see Paula Green has posted two of ours on Poetry Box. Congratulations to these e-published poets, Mushal and Oliver.
You can read their poems on Poetry Box here.
Paula has picked Mushal to receive a copy of My Matariki Colouring & Activity Book, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. Yay!
Dear Grandad (a poem for Matariki)
Dear Grandad,
The bed creaked
as you turned
your fragile body
You scratched your sandpaper-like skin
your joyful smile
enlightened the room
while the soft wind
kissed your cheek
you got older day by day
while telling your priceless stories
you loved to tell
you loved eating
thick ice cream
that made your teeth sting
your memory
was like dust
easily swept away
I wish I could’ve said goodbye
I love you, Grandad
by Mushal F, Year 8, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
Hiwai-i-te-rangi | Star
i can see you
through the night
glistening
twinkling
waiting
watching from above
are you
part of one of those many
clusters
we learnt about
in class?
i wouldn’t have
a clue
but
you are
glamorous
i open up my arms
and wish
to you
star
Oliver P, Year 8, age 13 yrs Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
Monday, 24 June 2024
Stone poems published on Poetry Box
Congratulations to these fine poets, who have had their stone poems published on Paula Green's Poetry Box website.
click here to read on Poetry Box
Wednesday, 27 March 2024
A Word Film
Tuesday, 5 December 2023
Earth Poems for Paula Green
Over the past few weeks our writers have been creating poems for Paula Green's Earth Poem Challenge. Paula received so many poems from students all over Aotearoa, and she said it was very difficult to pick just a few.
Congratulations to the following poets who have had their poems selected and published on Poetry Box and a special celebration for Bridget and Mason, who Paula has picked to send a copy of her poetry book to. Fabulous!
I Dreamt …
I dreamt I was moana
and I was clear and clean.
I dreamt I was a kiwi
and I was small, brown and soft.
I dreamt I was a clean stream
and no one threw plastic bags at me.
I dreamt I was an elephant
and no one hunted me.
I dreamt I was a forest
and no one cut down my trees.
I dreamt I made a picture
with flowers
for all to see.
Bridget I, age 8yrs, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
Pīwakawaka
as brown as cocoa pops
legs just like twigs
(really skinny)
wings move so fast
you can’t see them
they hop
and fly
their tail is just like a fan
blowing on my face
Hollie B, age 8, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
My Mother
shiny, brown hair flows in the wind
her cold, ringed fingers grip my hand
and I shake, walking along the grey, bumpy path
her shoes glisten like crystals
her light blue nails shine in the soothing sun
her favourite red handbag sits beside her
on the seat of her grey car
Anna F, age 7, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
My Best Friend, Celia
Her soft, curly hair
pokes out of her head like springs.
She does amazing headstands, for ages.
Her smile lights up my face
with happiness.
Her favourite colours are the same as mine
black and blue.
Bridget, age 8, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
My Mother
Her long fingers glide
across the calculator
Her colourful scarves change
throughout the week
She cracks the egg
with one hand
and mixes it into the family recipe
orange cake that
lingers in your mouth
for days
Her help is in every corner
of the house
when you need it
Her kindness is
everlasting and
will last a lifetime
Moaz A, age 12, Year 7, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
Joshua
His sense of humour really gets me cracked up
his maths skills are divine
playing games with him is the best
his generosity is super nice
he has black, short hair
and usually wears a long sleeved t-shirt under his clothes
Joshua is a good friend
and trust me when I say that
he’s a good friend
Mason, age 9, Y 4, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School
I Wish
I wish I was walking through a beautiful, healthy rainforest
I wish I was breathing fresh, cold air
I wish I was swimming through clear, flowing water
I wish I was wearing a crop top and shorts without anyone judging
I wish the world was a better place
Gemma C – age 11, Te Parito Kōwhai Russley School