A Quiet Poem

 

Home 

remnants of sun 

cast shadows on my face

like torchlight at midnight

emerald grass 

sways slightly in the cool breeze

blackbirds chirp joyfully in the treetops

“follow me!” a child shouts playfully

gravel crunches 

under my feet every step I take

like potato chips

bubblegum pink

bumblebee yellow

crimson red, and tangerine  

are smeared across the sky 

smile plastered on my face

I become a silhouette 

in the distance

-Ava Mackay 

Year 8

This beautiful poem and artwork were created by Ava for the Poetry Box Quiet Poem Challenge and Lockdown Poem Challenge.

Introducing Russley's Latest Published Authors!

 Congratulations to these four talented writers, who have had their work published in Toitoi 24:

Isaiah Collins-Polata - My Best Friend, My Hero

Kru Reid - My Dad, My Hero

Ryan Reid - A Family Day at the Beach

Ava Mackay - My Mum, My Hero

 

Their poems and stories were selected from hundreds of submissions by students all over New Zealand.  These students each received two copies of the journal to share with their families. We have a copy in the Russley School Library, and there is a class set for teachers to use in the classrooms.

 

Writers picked for Toitoi

Congratulations to these four talented writers, who have had writing selected to be published in the next issue of Toitoi:

Ryan Reid, for his poem 'Golden Sand' 

Isiah Collins-Polata, for his piece titled 'My Best Friend Howie' 

Kru Reid, for his piece titled 'My Hero / My Dad' 

Ava Mackay, for her piece titled 'My Mum is My Hero' 

Toitoi 24 will be published during term two and delivered to schools around NZ at the beginning of Term 3. We look forward to seeing these authors in print!

fingers comma toes

Congratulations to the following writers who have had their work published on fingers comma toes:

Ava Mackay, New Zealand Fairy Tern
Kimberly Currie, The Whisper of the Wind
Eliza Sellier, Things that Bugged Bob
Charlie Knight, Keep Calm and Carry

fingers comma toes is an online journal for children and young adults created by Lola Elvy and Tristan Deeley in October, 2015, in Nosy Be, a small island to the west of mainland Madagascar.

Toitoi 11 is here!

Congratulations to author Jack McKay whose poem 'Tiny Things' was published in the latest edition of Toitoi. Artist Amy Schonert was also selected as an illustrator for this edition. Amy illustrated the poem 'The Sister Puzzle'.

They are pictured below with artists and authors published in Toitoi 10; Chloe Kitchingman, George Grundy, Ava Mackay and Ruby Kitchingman.

Members of our Russley Writers' Group devouring the latest issue of Toitoi.

Tiny Things

ants creeping in between cracks

of an old house

cookie crumbs sticking

to stinky feet

clear lego spuds

sucked up by a vacuum cleaner

rattle, tap, ping

pins fallen on the ground

right side up

one letter words

specks, spiders, molecules

by Jack McKay

Toitoi 10

 Toitoi 10 is here!

Congratulations to student authors George Grundy and Ava Mackay, who both have poems published in the latest issue of Toitoi.

Ava's poem, 'Treasure Island' features on page 84 and George's poem, 'Do Journeys Ever Really End?' is on page 107.

Student artists Ruby and Chloe Kitchingman were both selected to be illustrators for this issue. Chloe illustrated 'Something Fishy' on page 47 and Ruby illustrated 'Aka's Journey' on page 87. They were given stories written by students from schools elsewhere in New Zealand, and had to create the illustrations, in a process similar to a partnership between an author and illustrator in making a picture book.

Illustration by Chloe Kitchingman

Poem Treasure Island, by Ava Mackay
illustrated by Eve Lester

Illustration by Ruby Kitchingman

Illustration by Ruby Kitchingman

Poem Do Journeys Ever Really End? by George Grundy