Christian Poetry and Spoken Word Media for Churches and Faith

Word Clouds

18.08.2019 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Wind scuffed clouds
Shadowed and formed
illusions of thinking
Ethereal realities
in a tired mind,
Words that float
hazily dreaming
of a day they will coalesce
into brilliant thoughts
and masterful phrases.

Starting Thoughts:
How do thoughts form in our minds? Maybe with wispy clouds so easily blown away.
Poem Topic Tags: #clouds, #creative, #metaphor, #poetry, #process, #words, #writing,
Posting Tags: #artist, #creativewriting, #edapp, #edchat, #edtech, #elearning, #GlobalEd, #god, #instawrite, #jesus, #lrnchat, #mlearning, #poems, #poetry, #poetrycommunity, #poetryinmotion, #poetryisnotdead, #poetsofinstagram, #schools, #spilledink, #spokenword, #teaching, #TT, #typewriter, #videos, #wordsmith, #writing, #writinglife

word_clouds_children_pupils_school_poetry_creativity

Frog and Slinky

06.04.2019 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

“Whoah," croaked frog
as he googled shiny slinky
perched on the steps by the pond,
in a puff of breeze
the slinky slinked down
and trapped the frog in its bounds,
“I had no idea,
how smooth you could move,”
said the totally smitten frog
Trying to hope for
closeness of love
but it was a one-way monologue.

#connections, #frog, #nature, #pond,#poetry, #pupils, #slinky, #spokenword, #toys

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tags: slinky, toys, pupils, rhyming, objects

Robotic Mountains

06.04.2019 Filed in: Poetry |Pupils |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Starting with
a step towards the mountain
footfalls of moments
ideas and design
listening and redesigning,
a plan emerged
for our robot code,
building and rebuilding
coding and testing
and recoding,
we climbed the rocky
face of robot soccer.

Competition clambered ahead
passing us on
belays and pinions
points and strategies
and we stood second
on the first peak.
Mount "Canterbury Regionals"
So, we planned to ascend again.

New energy, new ideas
hard decisions,
hundreds hours of practice,
muscles, minds and hearts
leadership
stretched again and again,
equipment changed
hardware, software prepared
ready for the new challenge;
New Zealand RoboCup.

Breathing thinned
in the expectant
finals atmosphere,
we took the last step
points in balance
hearts beating
sweat cooling our brows
and approached
the peak of our
achievement
always thinking
mindset strategies to beat
the last climbing competitors.

Tension high
heights of achievement
we trooped,
team member
after team member
up the final steps
Finally,
we stood tall
Kings of the
N.Z. Robotic Soccer mountain.

#robotics, #spokenword, #poetry, #analogy, #poem, #coding, #pupils

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Circle Cross

09.06.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Outside
floating life
shouting and silence
loving and laughter
coffees and carefree
anger and angst,
working and waiting,
drugs and dilemmas,
hugs and hell,
Facebook friends
Instagram insincerity
distraction demands.

But in our house
the World is different,
exciting energy
family friendships
christian colours
threaded together
soul saviour
connected collective.

Still human
Never perfect
Softly placed
We stand,
Christ centered
Faith freed
Resurrection realness
Hearts held
Living loved
Adoration awe
Graced glory.

And deep
in this love,
activated authority,
we cross streets
of life,
vulnerable,
to workmates,
to friends,
neighbours
inviting intimacy into
God's closer.

Cross to be blessed blessings
Cross to help hope
Cross to heal hurt
Cross to mission ministry
Cross to lift life
Cross to live love.

Tags: evangelism, church, bodies,

Traffic Haiku

29.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Seeker Written by: W Grieve

Scrap dealers car yard
tired rust friends reminiscence
about good old days.

Saw a traffic light
couldn’t make little mind up
red, green, orange, red green…

My new bicycle
shiny, modern, sparkling clean
then I rode in mud.

Frost hardens the ground
car coughs, shivers and decides
to go back to sleep.

Truck adventures gone
Rust replaces flaking paint
Alzheimer field.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tags: cars, transport, haiku, kids, pupils

Drizzle Soak

11.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Wet cold,
rain fingers
find holes,
clothes tightened
hunched smaller
head down
hair trickles,
eyes watch
Feet cautious
puddle captured,
Winter drizzle.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tags: rain, winter, cold, pupils, two-words

Quatrain Fun

11.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Basketball dribble, intercept dodged - a
Feet fake left, body drifts right - b
Lining the basket, opponents dislodged - a
Layout jump, score from height - b

Star hung vastness universe - a
Mind thoughts expand and disperse- a
Time drifts away in darkness view - b
Leaning skyward, quiet night statue - b

Two different rhyming schemes are illustrated in these poems. Can you spot the rhymes? The quatrain is an easy way to have fun with rhyme for a 'starter' poet.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tags: quatrains, night, stars, pupils, sport

Lazstones

10.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Lazstones
hide in rivers
rolling in currents,
seaward slow,
taking years off,
reluctantly grinding edges
to semi drawn-out curves.

Children at play
often mistake
lazstones for skipstones…

When excitedly thrown
lazstones complain,
spin sluggish petulance
heavy indolence
in skipping stone play,
sinking quickly
(the only fast they grasp)
to shiftily doze again.

I can't help but read this and remember stone throwing with my family on the Hurinui River in North Canterbury. Trying to skip across the river was the challenge taken up by many generations and finding just the right stone was a fossicking mission in itself. Jumping off cliffs into the swirling pools avoiding breaking something on massive rocks, the challenge of going higher.. hmmm fun at 'Jump Rock'.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Skipping Stones - Writing with students Poem

Reverso Poetry

10.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Pickup
hot chips
Cruising the
tar black road
Eating

Eating
Tar black road
Cruising the
hot chips
Pickup

Death
danger threats
for brave hearts
failure moment
exert again
Win life’s prize.

Win life’s prize
exert again
failure moment
for brave hearts
danger threats
Death.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Christmas Contrasts

10.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Snow falls
Cold creeping
Enveloping coats, boots, woolly hats
Inside gathering Christmas
Shut darkened windows
Hot turkey, ham feasts
Heart warming eggnog
Decorated evergreen, colourful gifts
Glitter tinsel, flashing bulbs
Starry winter crisp nights
Family, close friends
Celebrate Northern Christmas

Sunshine beach balls
Heat seared beaches
Sunscreen Skin, jandals, board shorts
Outside expanding Christmas
Open light soaked doors
BBQ sizzles, chilled salad
Throat quenching cold water
Decorated evergreen, colourful gifts
Glitter tinsel, flashing bulbs
Starry summer balmy nights
Family, close friends
Celebrate Southern Christmas

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

White Angel

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Masquerading Killer
Poison vein propaganda
Death angel white cross

Software used: iMovie on Mac

WALT:
To write in the style of "Haiku Poetry" incorporating another literacy device that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• You have successfully made the pyramid shape.
• You can explain your application of one other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tower Trees: Triangle or Pyramid Poetry

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

T
Trees
Towering trees
Towering trees telescoping
Towering trees telescoping taller

Software used: Draw and Tell on iPad

WALT:
To write in the style of "Pyramid Poetry" incorporating another literacy device that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• You have successfully made the pyramid shape.
• You can explain your application of one other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

favela_poverty_poetry_children_issues_topic

Falevas Lost

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Faleva houses
dappled paint skin
buried in bush pockets
friends for twenty years
leaning drunkenly,
shoulders rubbing,
rubbish skipping happily past,
Mates
sheltering the disenfranchised
home for the poor,
erratic power
toxic water.

Trapped in the corner
surrounded by politics
and rich people power decisions.

The bulldozer chuckles forward
teeth glinting
Scars rusty
flexing bully muscles,
Carving swathes of pain
through the falvela,
Crushing hopes
nightmares breaking bones.

Either take our money and run
or pay the price,
of our batons
riot police advancing,
Pay the price of our
Olympic dreams.

WALT:
To write in the style of "Protest Poetry" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• I have successfully used the Protest Poetry style.
• I can explain your application of two other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• Creating not just a random set of lines but using craft.
• I have correctly punctuated with complex sentences with comma/s.
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Integrity

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

In grit
of life,
There are
moments unwatched
by others,
small heroisms unseen,
thoughtful touches,
an honest thought,
a definite decision
to truth-give.

Courage's genesis
a straightforward heart,
Strength of, "No"
Power of, "Yes"
No guilt,
just assurance,
Not other's images
just yourself,
Your public face
mirroring private skin,
character beauty unfading.

In calamity
integrity tested,
In fear
integrity trialled.

Not slaves to ordinary,
walk,
stand tall - integrity.

WALT:
To write in the style of "Free Form" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• I have successfully used the Free Form Poetry style.
• I can explain your application of two other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• Creating not just a random set of lines but using craft.
• I have correctly punctuated with complex sentences with comma/s.
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Summer Senses

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Seeker | |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Sweat trickles, sticky shirt
Hot air sears nostrils,
Shimmering fried yellow hills in distance,
Cicadas, a thousand chirps pressing in,
Relief, cool ice-water laughs down my throat.

summer_sweat_five_senses_poetry_christian

Form I followed here:
Line 1: Touch - Feel
Line 2: Smell
Line 3: See
Line 4: Hear
Line 5: Taste

WALT:
To write in the style of "5 Senses Poetry" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• You have successfully used all 5 senses.
• You can explain your application of two other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Place in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• Creating not just a random set of lines but using craft.
• I have correctly punctuated with complex sentences with comma/s.
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

#children, #cool, #education, #fivesenses, #hot, #ideas, #kids, #literacy, #poem, #poetry, #senses, #summer, #sweat, #writing

Images Credit: 5 Senses from Wikipedia, Summer adapted from Pixabay

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

If Kiwis could Fly...

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Seeker | |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Brown puff balls
would meander
blue skies,
Yellow trolling feet
and blinking sharp eyes,
Swooping slowly
with fluffy brown feathers
to raid fruit orchards
in all sorts of weathers,
they spear juicy morsels
with long spiky beaks,
and float away
to eat their treats,
Building nests on thin branches
from feathers and mud,
Safer from possums
spilling their blood,

The only problem they
face every day
is how to land
and make sure they stay,
Like the monkey
with clever grippy tails,
they simply hook beaks
on umbrella branch rails.

WALT:
To write in the style of "If Poetry" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.
Success Criteria:
You have successfully explained the change in our world to your reader.
You can explain your application of two other literary devices.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Salty Children

02.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Seeker |Pupils |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Salty Children are classroom spice
important flavour in our life,
Salty Children turn white when shaken,
and enjoy sizzling bacon,
Salty Children like small spaces
but grind their teeth with angry faces,
Salty Children love melting snow
dancing in drifts makes them glow,
They love sunbathing on hot beaches
leaving white outlines
where their body leaches,
Salty Children are often
misunderstood
when people expect
sugar sweet good,
Adding weight is not
their thing
Zest and zing
is what they bring.

WALT: to write a strong poem in the style of the "mismatched poetry" form and demonstrating command of some literary devices.

Success criteria:

To choose a mismatched noun paired with an adjective or verb.
Able to deliberately use and describe two literary devices within my poem.
Create a list of mismatched phrases and choose the best 6-8
Able to craft the phrases together and break lines in well thought out places,
Be able to publish the poem with illustrations that follow creative commons zero guidelines.

I used the literacy devices of metaphors, alliteration, repetition and finished with simple rhyme to emphasise my final point.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Misted Minds

28.03.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Seeker |Christian |Spoken Word |Video Written by: W Grieve

Tags: minds, pupils, beauty, sex, pain

Light

04.03.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Emitted and absorbed
light,
obvious and mysterious,
These glimpses
create more questions.

Surface afterglows,
in evening air
Sunset,
now
gloomy place
colours removed.
City lights glow
sky masking
three thousand
hesitant pinpricks,
Cosmic energy
flung
clusters and scatters
Universe wide.

Particles float on
turbulent atmosphere,
Light is bent,
Stars twinkle.

This poem came from a search at first on light, then sunrises and finally stars.
WALT: To write a poem that communicates creatively my thoughts.
Success Criteria:

The words we pick fit together
The ideas work together line by line
To use punctuation to enhance the meaning and help the reader.
I have added my own thoughts to put in my voice.
To credit the sources that I used.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Storm Tent

04.04.2017 Filed in: Poetry |Seeker | |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Scattered red, grey nylon tents,
cheerful on grass patch clearing,
surrounded by shadowy native bush,
thin five millimetre pegs
gingerly gripping stony soil.

BBQ burger eaten,
Sleeping bag ready,
Pillow ready,
Snooze ready,
And the grey sky
begins its torment.

Bare foot through puddles to outdoor sink
Teeth now toothpaste fresh ready,
Paddle back to tent,
mud flecks appearing on toes.

Carefully creep into tent,
trying to avoid dragging
rain water inside,
but drops gather
holding hands
on doorway floor entrance,
laughing at my attempt.

Cocooned in sleeping bag,
only pummelling rain can be heard,
the "haven't had rain like this
in ten years" deluge.

I smile,
snuggle deeper
mind embracing the storm,
I will survive
wind ripping at tent,
rain, ground water searching
seeking to drip inside.
Sleep envelops my thoughts,
the storm backgrounds
to dreams of mountain biking
through brown water puddles!

WALT:
To communicate an experience, with descriptive language, so that others can feel they are there.

Success Criteria:

Others can feel they are there, remember times like this themselves.
Short simple thoughts, one per line
Unnecessary and small words cut out.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Matrix Moments

Media Moments: Question, reflect, connect

Privacy Settings

Word Clouds

Frog and Slinky

Robotic Mountains

Circle Cross

Traffic Haiku

Drizzle Soak

Quatrain Fun

Lazstones

Reverso Poetry

Christmas Contrasts

White Angel

Tower Trees: Triangle or Pyramid Poetry

Falevas Lost

Integrity

Summer Senses

If Kiwis could Fly...

Salty Children

Misted Minds

Light

Storm Tent