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Can anyone recommend an age-appropriate poem for a 10-year-old to recite for a drama exam?

74 replies

ILikTheBred · 06/02/2020 20:10

DS (10) has to pick a poem to recite for his school drama exam next month. We have been googling but nothing seems to appeal to him. Can anyone recommend a not-too-long poem for a nervous 10-year-old ? Would welcome any suggestions! Thanks

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BikeRunSki · 06/02/2020 20:14

I did I Remember for a similar thing at a similar age, and Jabberwocky for round 2.

DozeyTwonk · 06/02/2020 20:16

Night mail by w h Auden. Great rhythm.

sleepismysuperpower1 · 06/02/2020 20:18

I'm not sure if it is long enough but 'The Cow' By Robert Louis Stevenson might appeal?

The Cow
by Robert Louis Stevenson

The friendly cow, all red and white,
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with all her might,
To eat with apple tart.

She wanders lowing here and there,
And yet she cannot stray,
All in the pleasant open air,
The pleasant light of day;

And blown by all the winds that pass
And wet with all the showers,
She walks among the meadow grass
And eats the meadow flowers.

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Lailaha · 06/02/2020 20:27

I wasn't much younger when I did a Man of Words and not of Deeds - would that work?

m.rhymes.org.uk/a4-a-man-of-words.htm

BikeRunSki · 06/02/2020 20:32

How about AA Milne -The King’s Breakfast

The King’s Breakfast, by A. A. Milne
The King asked
The Queen, and
The Queen asked
The Dairymaid:
“Could we have some butter for
The Royal slice of bread?”
The Queen asked
The Dairymaid,
The Dairymaid
Said, “Certainly,
I’ll go and tell
The cow
Now
Before she goes to bed.”
The Dairymaid she curtsied,
And went and told
The Alderney:
“Don’t forget the butter for
The Royal slice of bread.”

The Alderney
Said sleepily:
“You’d better tell
His Majesty
That many people nowadays
Like marmalade
Instead.”

The Dairymaid
Said, “Fancy!”
And went to
Her Majesty.
She curtsied to the Queen, and
She turned a little red:
“Excuse me,
Your Majesty,
For taking of
The liberty,
But marmalade is tasty, if
It’s very
Thickly
Spread.”

The Queen said,
“Oh!”
And went to
His Majesty:
“Talking of the butter for
The Royal slice of bread,
Many people
Think that
Marmalade
Is nicer.
Would you like to try a little
Marmalade
Instead?”

The King said,
“Bother!”
And then he said,
“Oh, dear me!”
The King sobbed,
“Oh, deary me!”
And went back to bed.
“Nobody,”
He whimpered,
“Could call me
A fussy man;
I only want
A little bit
Of butter for
My bread!

The Queen said,
“There, there!”
And went to
The Dairymaid.
The Dairymaid
Said, “There, there!”
And went to the shed.
The cow said,
“There, there!
I didn’t really
Mean it;
Here’s milk for his porringer
And butter for his bread.”

The Queen took
The butter
And brought it to
His Majesty;
The King said,
“Butter, eh?”
And bounced out of bed.
“Nobody,” he said,
As he kissed her
Tenderly,
“Nobody,” he said,
As he slid down
The banisters,
“Nobody,
My darling,
Could call me
A fussy man –
BUT
I do like a little bit of butter to my bread!”

lljkk · 06/02/2020 20:32

What about a song, esp. a popular song? Lots of song lyrics rhyme or have internal rhythms. What's he into -- I bet there's a poem out there about Minecraft or FIFA.

lljkk · 06/02/2020 20:33

... I tried Jabberwocky & was told to stop early! Such a boring poem.
That's my advice: shorter rather than longer & something intelligible.

Butterymuffin · 06/02/2020 20:36

If?

YogaLite · 06/02/2020 20:36

Skimbleshanks the railway cat by TS Eliot

missyB1 · 06/02/2020 20:38

My ds is year 6 and reciting “A teacher’s lament” by Kali Dakos for his exam. It’s fun and not too long.

bingowingsmcgee · 06/02/2020 20:38

Be nice to your turkeys this Christmas

MovingBriskyOn · 06/02/2020 20:40

This be the verse GrinGrinGrin

Scubalubs87 · 06/02/2020 20:42

Jabberwocky

SquitMcJit · 06/02/2020 20:42

The Poison Tree by Blake

YogaLite · 06/02/2020 20:49

Or this one, from last year's Remembrance day, link in the link, it's called One thousand men are walking (goosebumps all around):

www.forcesreunited.co.uk/news/2019/11/05/school-boy-joshua-dyer-remembrance-poem

ChilliMayo · 06/02/2020 20:50

What about Walking My Iguana?

isseywith4vampirecats · 06/02/2020 20:50

one of the passages from T. S. Eliot's poetry book "Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats",

Toddlerteaplease · 06/02/2020 20:52

I was also about to suggest Nightmail. There is an original film of it on you tube. My most favourite poem. The rhythm is supposed to mimic a steam train.

gingercat02 · 06/02/2020 20:52

I did Stopping by woods on a snowy evening by Robert Frost for elocution exams at around that age. Still one of my favourites

Lordfrontpaw · 06/02/2020 20:54

Did they not give a theme? Ds used to do this every year at his old school and there was always a theme (thank goodness).

Suewiththeredford · 06/02/2020 20:56

Matilda, by Hilare Belloc. Love it.

Tidypidy · 06/02/2020 20:56

Oh I wish I'd looked after me teeth by Pam Ayres
On the ning nang nong by Spike Milligan
Matilda who told such dreadful lies and was burned by Hillaire Belloc

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 06/02/2020 20:57

Oh, I wish I’d looked after my teeth, Pam Ayres