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To thine own self be true...

Nina’s Poem, Winner (Joint), Key Stage Two Schools

WINNER (Joint) of the Key Stage Two school entry

 

Who created it?

Nina, age 11 

 

Biography

”I am Nina, I am eleven years-old and I love to do energetic sports and have fun with friends. I am very opinionated and love to argue about things I am passionate about. I love writing short stories but usually get stuck after the introduction."

 

My creative response

Nina’s Poem 

Scared to show who I am

I am not 

Free to express myself

But always

Shying away from the things I truly adore 

Because I am not

Ready to spread my wings of love and fly 

Now I am 

Broken and defeated 

Amidst the

World of colour!

I believe in 

hiding your true self  

Don’t have a life of

Trying, trying 

“Express yourself, let them know 

They will like you, whatever your beliefs”

All that’s a lie

People will not like your true colours

How do you know that 

Grass is always green

And 

the sky is always blue

In a happy world 

Now read from bottom to top 

 

About my creative response

”I really loved the idea of reverse poems that could be read both ways. I like the uplifting feeling when you read it backwards because it is like bursting out of a nightmare and into a dream.

“I read a few examples to understand the format and then I started writing standalone sentences and tried to make them work. I wrote lots and chose my favourite ones, then added phrases in between to make the poem flow.” 

 

When have you been ‘true to yourself’?

“I love to play football in a club where I am practically the only girl even though I have had people tell me that football is a boy thing. I also stood up for a friend once when she was being teased at school. It made me angry that the other person was taking advantage of my friend’s shyness.”

 

What is your favourite Shakespeare play, character and quote?

“My favourite play is A Midsummer Night’s Dream because it is complicated and hard to follow, but funny at the same time.

“My favourite character is Lady Macbeth from Macbeth because she is strong willed, ingenious and clever in the way that she manipulates people.

“My favourite quote is ‘A horse! My kingdom for a horse!’ because I love how dramatic it is!”