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Award-winning poet Thembe Mvula came to HAB recently to deliver an inspiring workshop for a group of Year 8 students.

The workshop was organised by The National Literacy Trust as part of their brilliant Young City Poet’s programme.  

During the sessions, Thembe helped students develop ideas for their dramatic monologues and demonstrated the editing process that she uses as a poet.  

Using her novel Humbaba as a model, Thembe helped students consider important decisions they would need to make about language and structure.  

Students and staff alike had a great time getting to know Thembe and her inspiring approach to poetry.

"I didn’t think I could write a poem but I actually wrote a whole poem all by myself!" said Temi.

Check out some of the wonderful poems written by the Year 8 students below.

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Tower Bridge, by Amaris A

For 137 years I have been serving monarchs, citizens, vehicles

Transporting them side to side,

Serving miracles

Unable to move, I mustn't ruin their groove

While clouds waltz, the cars shall halt

Buildings growing, boats approaching.

 

See the view and catch up with my crew

 

I open my bascules every day

I wish I could get up and just play

I thrive on coal; my cogs roll and toil

My towers watch, my paintings top-notch

 

See the view and try something new

 

After day comes night

But don’t be scared of my lights

standing tall, free for all

Don’t be frightened u won't fall

 

Over the waves is where I remain

Counting planes day to day.

 

I am Tower Bridge, by Nma M

137 years I have towered over the River Thames.

As the tourist look up at me with awe,

The commuters look up at me with annoyance,

The locals don't care,

As the children run around, it fills me with annoyance:

They’re unbearable.

The thing that calms me down is the sound of the tides of the Thames splashing onto the shore,

it fills me with peace.

I look around me.

I see the shard which gives me shade.,

I see the cathedral in the distance,

Then I see a group of buildings...They’re together.

I want to go to them, to walk up to them.

But I cannot,

For I am Tower Bridge,

and I cannot move.

For I am Tower Bridge,

And I shall stand alone for as many years as Time says.

For I am Tower Bridge,

And I must be alone for as long as I last.

For I am tower Bridge,

And my one wish is to be with others

For I am Tower Bridge,

And I have to stay here and look down at the people and the brown glistening ribbon of water under me.

For I am Tower Bridge,

The Tower Bridge that commuters find annoying.

The Tower Bridge that tourist love.

The Tower Bridge that the locals don’t care about.

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Tower Bridge, by Natalliah S-G

I stand alone,

No parents to care when I'm all alone,

They say I'm old to the brick,

While they ignore my “Hello!”,

As I tell the guards to “search ‘em”

The air is strong,

And the day is long,

I tower over the Thames,

Not knowing where I belong.

 

I wasn’t like this a century ago,

I never, EVER felt so low,

No one telling me where to go,

Oh, how it is to be on my own.

 

I was happy,

When I was young and chatty,

Now they’ve forgotten me,

Oh, just wait and see.

 

As it hits dark,

Big Ben makes his mark,

The workers shut me down.

 

All I see is brown,

I’m so, so sick of the “wows”,

Just because they’re so loud.

I used to feel like I was with the crowd,

Now I feel like a runaway cub,

With nobody to love.

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Tower Bridge, by Jaya A

I stand alone and I stand still.

In one place, I always will.

Standing tall, standing strong for 137 years long.

Air brushes against my arch. Paint crumbling as I laugh.

The river sways like palm trees in Malibu.

Don’t fall in as I won’t be able to catch you!

I am old but I am new to tourists.

They watch me move my bascules up and down and all question, “How?”

I am a relic of the past, though I am still here.

I hear music and sounds that are new to my ears.

I taste sweet and savoury all day long, it’s hard to tell if I belong.

As I look into the eyes of visiting pupils,

I find a reflection of me, stationed like a tree

replaceable and recyclable but that’s too cheap.

I've been here for too long; you can’t get rid of me.

So, I stand here alone and still like before.

In one place for many years more.

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Tower Bridge, by Sanjidah A

I am iconic, I am sensational, I am adored, I am the zeitgeist of your visit.

You’ll find me siting above the River Thames in South London

I adore the flashes of the cameras when they get my best angles

I get even more attention when I open, letting ships pass by

Been doing this for 137 years yet they still get amazed

You just can't help but notice me!

 

However, I'm getting tired of it.

Tired of the bright flashes,

Tired of the constant company,

Tired of having to open myself even when I do not wish to,

And no one notices.

Starting to envy the other bridges like they’d once envied me

But if they understood, would they still feel the need to be me?

Would they yearn for the attention I receive?

I feel lonely, I feel exhausted, I feel hopeless,

And nobody notices.