06/10/2011 Poem 2 Dave Cryer The Ballad of Daisy Dean http://www.davecryer.co.uk/

[WP Central]

Writing tips from Dave – follow the rules or break the rules – you’ll have a poem either way:

 

• A ballad is a poem that tells a story
• Each stanza is a quatrain – four lines
• Lines one and three have eight syllables – they don’t rhyme
• Lines two and four have six syllables – they do rhyme
• Mine is written in the past tense
• My idea for Daisy is that she would want to get into the school team and eventually play professional football in a male team, not just professional women’s football – maybe even to make it to the England squad

 

 

The one thing Daisy always loved

When she was only small,

Was running round her small back yard –

And at her feet a ball.

 

At break-time when she went to school,

She always had that itch –

To join the gang of mostly boys

Out on the football pitch.

 

 

[Janet Rothwell]

Adrenaline rushed down her spine
Her game face she portrayed
As the ref blew the starting whistle
She appeared unafraid

Her biggest fear was not the match
Her fear stood in the stands
The scouts sat there with blank faces
Her future in their hands

She’d dreamt of this for many years
And now it had come true
This was her chance of a lifetime
Her last chance to breakthrough

Amrita, Shadia & Sofia, Langley Grammar School

 

[Ruan Peat]

she took her chances and now its here

all her worries are faded also her fear.

[WP Central]

She had longed to play with the Tigers!

Her favourite team of all,

kicking the ball into the net

buth then she had a fall

 

Was she to be defeated... No!

She dusted herself down,

and ran to score the winning goal

Goal! Screamed the entire town!

 

Monks Walk School

[Rosie Pike]

She took a mighty great wallop

It reached the top corner

The keeper dived and missed the ball

Scored a mighty scorcher

 

They spotted her from a distance

Manchester United

They bought her for a record fee

And they were delighted

 

This day changed her life forever

They threw a huge dinner

Her family were very proud

Our daughter: a winner.

 

Poem By Benedict , Linus , Adam , Alexander .

Bishop's Stortford College

[Coral Ross]

The studs on her boots tore through the ground

Manoeuvring through the defenders

Her heart skipped a beat and started to pound

As she dodged past the last few contenders

 

Her mind filled with panic as a striker appeared,

Stealing the path she intended to take,

The crowd went silent and ceased to cheer,

As she tripped over and felt her leg break

 

Choked by her own pain and despair,

Both her leg and her dreams shattered,

She closed her eyes and said a small prayer,

For the game, the only thing that mattered.

 

By Serena and Isobel

[Dave Cryer]

Wow - I'm amazed at what you've all added to my starter - some excellent rhyming and careful syllable counting to make the rhythm work. Well done everyone - a nice way to start my Sunday after a very busy week of workshops around the country.