Overview

This book is the second anthology of poems in the series written by the students at Ernest Bevin Academy. Too many teachers up and down the country will have the phrases such as, 'poetry is impossible and pointless, ' resounding and reverberating around their ears from the many struggling young people they have dedicated themselves to teach. From the moment students enter Ernest Bevin Academy, our English teachers set to work at dispelling and dismantling all the damaging preconceptions that tragically so many students pick up when they first look at a daunting poem. Our students spend a half term studying poetry every year, and what is more...they courageously try their hands at forming what at first seems so difficult. Here is a collection of that toil and endeavour. It is something that will be held for them for their lives...we hope it might enrich yours. We are proud of our students and the hard work that they do and to celebrate their success we share their poems with you. This book is a compilation of the winners from the whole school creative writing Phoenix Competition and a combination of the works of students from the weekly running Poetry Club and creative writing workshops run by the English Department. It is through their poetry that they share their voice and from their voice that they are empowered to make a stand and speak out for all that they believe in. They have considered the many challenges that we can face and like our school motto and logo, no matter what happens, we will rise like the phoenix.