Education Website

As part of Bedford's Book and Film Month in October 2004 Year 4 pupils from Camestone Lower School enjoyed a poetry workshop with poet Richard Tysoe at the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery.

Richard read and discussed with the children poems he had written in response to the collections and atmosphere of the galleries. He then helped them to write poems about the objects and room sets in the Gallery that particularly inspired them. The pond in the Decorative Arts gallery proved very popular!

Some of the children's poems, just as they wrote them, are included below, alongside images of the objects and rooms to which they refer. Richard's own poems can be found at the end.

The Magical Bed It is red and high and hard Dark and deep It has lions leaning On the dark bed The clock is clicking Over the dark bed
Chest I wonder what is in the chest To look would be the best A mat from Mexico Or a violin bow I wonder if it will jump out at me I wonder if theres something to see It may have a baby doll Or a glass ball Maybe a clock Or a smelly sock!
*The Treasure Chest* I wonder what is in the chest, The treasure chest, I think there is a lot of gold That should be for me Because I am bold
Building Blocks Building Blocks with pictures on of cats and cows. Horses and Cockerels. And last of all a goat. Within the room. A cheerful child Giggling upon a chair. Swaying to the rhythm of the piano. Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep. Goes the bird in the cage. In came her dog, in a big rage. Knocking her off her chair.
Flower Fairies Flower fairies flying high, Drawing pictures in the sky. Round, round, round they go, when they stop nobody knows, Down, down, down they go Inside flowers down below. Fairies are calm They do no harm.
The Garden Pond The water of the garden pond is pattering Also it is chattering, The water is breaking through the top. It is also making the bubbles pop. The pond is fun You can see some Bubbles when you get nearer.
The Sorceror’s Pond The water ripples with laughter The fountain trickles with happiness At night the pond comes to Life with frogs and tadpoles The bubbles scatter with happy sounds The ripples spread out With happiness.
The Waterfall The waterfall is splashing about The waterfall is waving gently you can hear the sounds Growing bigger and bigger It is Swishing down the steps Bubble Sploshing together splashing, Swishing, sploshing water.
The Saurceres Pond At night the pond comes to life, Stars up above brighten the pond, Ripples from the middle, Fairies with laughter, with bouncing water, Cats and mice sitting on the side, Watching the happiness, Fountains chatter and come to life, Orange and pink dawn is breaking and everyone scatters Later on tomorrow night we will meet again.

Sneaking Apples The snake slithers through the sticks Towards the top of the tree To grasp at apples - great, green apples Hanging, swinging there to see. Through the twigs and branches gliding Through the tangles twining, sliding, Perfect apples she may pick. You or I would need a ladder To perform that trick.
Sky Rover I lie abed, The stars above me: Lights in the dark through deepest space. My body lies But my mind goes winging! Flying to far-off worlds I race: Back of the moon, The stars, the planets Waiting for me to explore each place!
Clock Swing Forwards, backwards, Girl on a pendulum Swinging to time, Little girl in a frock; Girl on a swinging seat Forward, now back again, Keeping the time By the swing of a clock.
Fireguard Don’t go near the fire! The fire licks its yellow tongues: Mind it doesn’t bite you! Stand outside the metal rail. Fire can crackle shooting cinders! Fire can spit bright burning sparks! Keep him caged, that red-hot rascal - Don’t go near the fire!
The Sorcerer’s Garden Here in the garden, The lifeless winter garden, Water trickles, liquid trilling: Water runs, alive and laughing; Bubbles crowd in a cage of water Quivering, as rippling rings run wide. Nothing other moves. Here by the pond The stone birds stand: Songless and still by the singing water. Leaves, as though living in this place, Pictures of plants on plates hung round Are found there fixed, forever green; They hang in cases, caught for all time, While the water laughs and sings.