List Poems

by Jan Dean

List poems can be good fun. First choose a big idea.

• Things to take on holiday/ things to take to the beach/ the caravan/ camping

• To-do list for Friday/ before turning off the light / planning the party

• Shopping list / Christmas presents to buy list

• Top days out list / worst days out list

… any list will do.

Now begin with some real things that make sense on the list you chose.

For example - Animals I’d like to be – in order:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Some kind of lion. A dolphin. A bird (such as Gibson’s Wandering Albatross – because it’s a great name and I've actually seen one).

An Irish Wolfhound

Dragon (who says it has to be a ‘real’ animal?)

Next play with the ideas that you’ve come up with. It can be really simple.

Animals I’d like to be – in order.

A lion – no-one would mess with me then.

A dolphin – best swimmer ever.

A bird – lots of birds - I’ll try out sparrowing and parroting,

eagling and puffin-ing.

An Irish Wolfhound – big as a donkey.

A dragon, a dragon, a dragon

Red as fire and fierce as a volcano.

Or write a picture of each creature you chose

I’ll be…

I’ll be a lion. Some kind of lion,

a black lion that roars like the night

or a silver lion with claws like crescent moons.

Maybe a mountain lion

high over a golden canyon

yellow eyes watching

lizards skitter in the sand.

I’ll be a dolphin

not a bottle-nose or a porpoise

something bluer and more beautiful

the sea become skin and muscle

waves leaping.

I’ll be a dragon

and carve the air into winds,

ride the light.

Now play again. keep working, changing and rearranging your list and your ideas until you're really pleased with the result.

I want to be a bird

I’ve heard

it’s good to be a bird

word on the street

says being a bird’s sweet.

You could tweet that….

And again: 

I’d be a lion, but I couldn’t eat raw meat

I’d be a dolphin, but I’m seasick

Gibson’s Wandering Albatross could be good

but would I stray too far?

- fly too far south, past icebergs

over white Antarctic frost -

Would I get lost?

I’d be a wolfhound – wild and lairy

kind of smelly, kind of hairy.

I’d have to wear a lead and collar with a tag on…

Don’t fancy that

I’ll be a dragon.

Have a go. See what you come up with. And send us your poem!