Little Laureates

[shelley bda]

It's really exciting! there was a letter waiting when I got home from work with my Sons name on it so he opened it, I asked what it was about and he said some competition or something, gave it to me then went to play with his mates. So I picked it and and it was from the Editors of Young Writers said that Lukes School had submitted some Poetry to their Little Laureates competition and that lukes Poem he wrote called
Darkness has been chosen to be published in a book called Little Laureates Central England Verses he was also sent a certificate, and I have to sign a copyright form to allow them to use his work and send it back.... he was over the moon when I told him to read the letter properly.

Darkness

Darkness is black like the shadow of a gargoyle
it reminds me of the black night floating in the air
it tastes evil like the air blowing hard in my mouth
it looks like a face staring back at you in the mirror
it sounds like screaming from the corner
of a darkened room
it feels like skull from the bottom of a grave.

Luke Powell ( 11 )

Luke actually said it was rubbish because it didn't rhyme, he then said he didn't really want it rhyme he wanted the reader to be able to use their imagination with the words...

Soooo happy for him!

[dave87]

Aww congrats to the little man

[IBM]

That poem is really quite scary. Watch out Shelley, you'll have the Social Services round checking for bodies under the floorboards...

On a plus side, it's very well written with some great imagery.

[jon bda]

I think he's going to turn into Johnny from the Fast Show when he's older...

[kickstart 1]

Ahhh how sweet , a 'Goth' in the making.

[Funkstar]

well done to him

[BlindMelon7]

"My First Emo Poetry" Check for razor blades

No seriously its really good. Well done him

[smiggers]

Hi - I'm a school governer - I wouldn't get too excited about this. Most of the pupils in the class will have won a prize as well - in fact , probably them all!

The company hope that you will buy a book at "pre-publication price" (in actuality it never gets published to the general public - you will notice that the book doesn't have a ISBN number)- they only run off enough copies for the initial order. The company hopes that you will order a few copies for family and friends - I know one parent who ordered 15 copies - I didn't have the heart to tell her that every child in the class would have a poem published as well.

In fairness , it isn't a scam as such - the school gets a cut of the profits (about £2 per book) , the child is delighted to see his/her name in print and the parent is very proud! So everybody is happy - especially Forward Press who make a lot of money out of this.

Incidentally , if you want a poem published yourself - send the company an email - look on forwardpress.co.uk.

No matter how duff the poem is , you will be "delighted" to learn that you will be a published author!

[TeePee]

I've heard of this as well, I just didn't want to spoil the joy... It's a good poem and you should be proud!

[stytagm]

In fairness , it isn't a scam as such - the school gets a cut of the profits (about £2 per book) , the child is delighted to see his/her name in print and the parent is very proud! So everybody is happy

Until some miserable bugger rains all over their parade that is

[Whiternoise]

Hah nice poem

Bit dark for an 11 year old ain't it?

[jamin]

Wow, striking poem for an 11 year old. Theres definitley talent there, but you had better watch out for gothic tendancies in the next few years! Lol! I remember the look on my folks faces when I first went out with black eye makeup! (16 years ago now!)