What children are writing about

[David Campbell]

If you’ve got some spare time it’s worth having a browse through the children’s poetry from the Ipswich Poetry Feast…the awarded poems are listed in the Events & Results section of our Home Page and there’s a direct link to the poems themselves. The quality of some of the work is quite remarkable, but what struck me was the apparent gulf between what they’re writing about (and the style they use) and traditional bush verse.

Of the 47 awarded poems (from about 500 entries) there doesn’t seem to be a single one that could be regarded as a typical bush ballad of the sort that took out the prizes in the Open Age Bush Poetry section. By my reckoning, about 15 of the children’s poems have elements of rhyme and 5 have what might be called “bush” content, but the overall impression is that, given a choice, free verse dominates and there’s little interest in writing about the subject-matter that has historically been the focus of much bush poetry.

If the published poems are representative of all the entries (which came from all around Australia), then there are challenges ahead…which is not exactly news, but the evidence here suggests a pretty large bridge to be crossed. Have a look, for example, at “History Rewritten”, which won the 14-15 age-group, and “The Cry of an African Heart”, which came second (and has rhyme). Or a couple of the HC awards… “Yggdrasil” and “The Lady Who Went for Afternoon Walks in High Heels”. Then there’s “Wholly in the Deep”, which won the 16-17 age-group, and “Marri Yataria”, which was Highly Commended. That’s not all by any means, but they’re examples of the considerable maturity and perception evident in these entries...however they’re a fair way from being bush ballads.

Food for thought.

Cheers
David

[vwalla]

David
Not much sign of fun or laughter either!!
Val W

[Neville Briggs]

They were very impressive David. Wonderful stuff from young people. Very contemporary, but nothing that anyone could say was obscurantist or literary navel gazing.

I read the judges comments. To me, they were right on the issues. I thought they were useful for understanding the judges view of the poems and constructive critiques.

I don't know if fun and laughter are significant for a poetry contest. Val.

I am not sure what you mean David, by a large bridge to be crossed.

[David Campbell]

Good point, Val. Apart from "Happy Holidays" (13-15) it's mostly pretty serious...as is the adult poetry. But then humorous pieces tend to struggle a bit unless they have their own section.

Neville and Matt, my “bridge” reference relates to expectations. Let’s assume, for argument’s sake, that bush poetry is typified by those poems that won awards in the Open Age bush poetry section. On the evidence of this competition, that’s not what most children are choosing to write. So do we expect them to change their approach and use their obvious talents to write traditional rhyme and metre? And what would encourage them to do so? Or do we change our expectations about the younger generations and poetry?

Most of us were brought up with traditional rhyming verse. It was the only poetry we knew at school. Alternative forms of poetry came later in life and, judging by regular comments on this site, they were often rejected quite strongly. But, for most of these kids, the reverse is the case. If there’s any exposure to poetry, the default form seems to be free verse, so they may know little or nothing about what we call bush poetry.

There’s no point trying to convince them that what they’re doing is not ‘proper’ poetry because it doesn’t have strict metre and rhyme. (An argument that's been directed at my free verse often enough!) Telling the girl who wrote the Theseus poem that it’d be “better” if it rhymed and was about Ned Kelly would be laughable. If they’re writing free verse well, enjoying doing so, and having success, then what does bush poetry have to offer?

There’s a gap between what they’re doing and what we might hope they’ll do if our craft is to be preserved…and that’s the bridge to be crossed. From both sides. If they’re going to add traditional rhyming verse to their repertoire, they need to see reasons for doing so that make sense to them. They need to see the advantages, to appreciate the circumstances in which it could be a more effective means of expression. It’s not a case of one or the other, or of imposing rhyme and metre, but rather providing encouragement to make the best of both worlds.

We should applaud the fact that they’re writing poetry at all (and very good poetry at that!), and help them to broaden their horizons. As we broaden ours.

David

[David Campbell]

As an added note, the first and second place-getters from the various sections of the 2014 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards can be read online in the Presentation Booklet at: http://www.dorothea.com.au/wp-content/u ... EVISED.pdf

Of the 14 poems, only 3 were rhyming verse. Check out, in particular, "Breathe", which won the Senior Secondary section, "Underage Marriages", which was runner-up in the Junior Secondary, and "Death's Kaleidoscope", which won the Upper Primary Section. I don't know about anyone else, but these are light-years beyond anything I was writing at a comparable age.

David

[Neville Briggs]

Like you I was taught by my English master ( they had masters in those days ) the traditional formally structured verse from Shakespeare to Byron to Paterson and Lawson. But the modernist
so- called free verse has been around for a hundred years . We just didn't get taught it. Though I have a copy of my old school magazine and one of the boys won a prize for an abstract type modernist verse.

If there is any gap that needs bridging I suspect that it is not about some alleged polarity of free and formal structure. It is about technique generally. Those young people focused on good poetic technique ,it is evident. If we want to engage their interest we need to show a good grasp of technique.
More than just rhyming couplets in end stopped , unvaried iambic.

Plenty of modern poets use rhyming schemes and formal metric construction (as well as the informal.)
It is their creative approach to traditional technique that makes them modern.

As Matt suggested , our job is to keep up. We don't want to be left behind still fussing over supposed good rhyme and consistent metre ( whatever that means ) Open the window let some air in before we choke.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Interesting to note that the young 12 year old lass who won a section in the Dorothea Mackellor award was an asylum seeker who has only been speaking English for 9 months. Maryam Sathat Sobhani took out first place in the Learning Assistance and Special Education Primary category.

One group claim there is no shortage of poetry lovers out there and if their Facebook page is anything to go by they are right having just clicked of to 10,046 pople who LIKE their site - https://www.facebook.com/AusPoetry ... they are based in Melbourne and this is their aim -

Australian Poetry has a clear national strategy to assist with how we make decisions and select projects. We aim to:

1. promote excellence in Australian poetry
2. develop a diverse, inclusive program, providing opportunities for all Australians to engage with Australian poets and poetry
3. build new audiences for Australian poets and poetry nationally, internationally and in the digital space
4. develop a strong organisational plan, as a foundation for growth

It's official: Australians like poetry. A whole 10,000 of them! Thank you to all our supporters.

Try as we might our own site has only 331 and every one of those hard fought for - that is a huge difference in anyones language and that group has only been going since 2011as a merger between the Australian Poetry Centre and Poets Union. .

So what are they doing that we aren't?

[Neville Briggs]

So what are they doing that we aren't?

As Hamlet would say " That is the question "

[Neville Briggs]

I think there is a lot of truth in some of your observations there Matt.

I have to remind myself often, art is the first three letters of the word artificial, so art including poetry is a thing made to some design and we have to have some agreed design or we won't recognise what we are looking at. Li'l ole spontaneous me ,anything goes ,doesn't do the job. On the other hand, all marching in time in the regimental uniform kills it stone dead.

I think pondering is important for art as long as we don't just ponder, at some stage get on with the job and realize the fruit of our pondering. The French artist Corot berated his fellow artists for sitting up all night in the café discussing art, he said they should go to bed early so they could get up first thing in the morning and have plenty of time for a days painting.

Your observation about the human desire for control I think is spot on. The sticklers will emerge in any human endeavour. Les Murray had to battle that with the modernist push. He resisted their oppression and calls himself " a party of one ".
Perhaps you are right , art is too broad for those who are afraid of freedom.
But how does one be a party of one and at the same time be in a community. I don't want to be a hermit

Meanwhile, perhaps we should just let the children go.

[Bob Pacey]

No amount of navel gazing is going to change much.

Davids Heading

What Children Are Writing About

Says it all really, isn't the fact that they are writing the thing we should rejoice over ?

I do not always like what is written, that is subject matter or format but appreciate the fact that they are writing in what ever style they feel comfortable with. So many times I get teenagers coming to me to tell me that they also write poetry but would never be game enough to share it with others and that is a sad thing in itself.

It does seem however that those who start out writing rhyming poetry do at some time have a dabble in free verse and may continue to write both but ( correct me if I'm wrong ) it does not seem to be the case in the other direction ?

Perhaps writing rhyming verse is harder to grasp and I will say that a poorly written rhyming poem stands out like the proverbial ( except when it is my own ) where as free verse does seem allow a lot more self expression with less structure. ( oh I know Nev is going to like that one )

There was a comment as well about humorous verse struggling outside of a separate section and that to me is a sad fact in itself for to me there should be no difference.

I never stress over or try to convert anyone but if I can assist or encourage them on their poetry journey so be it.

Bob