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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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2stepsonthewater · 06/02/2020 21:36

What about this one - definitely age-appropriate. Not silly.
A Small Dragon by Brian Patten
childrens.poetryarchive.org/poem/a-small-dragon/

ImTheCaddy · 06/02/2020 21:37

The owl and the pussycat.

RaingodsWithZippos · 06/02/2020 21:53

We were taught This Be The Verse at school in second year (Philip Larkin was an alumni of our school) and I horrified my mother by reciting it at a holiday park talent show Grin

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FlamingoAndJohn · 06/02/2020 21:59

I did Matilda. It’s a great one.

Frenchfemme · 06/02/2020 22:02

My vote would go to Matilda - good story and great scope for interpretation. Also love The One-Eyed Yellow Idol.

mathanxiety · 06/02/2020 22:03

The Naming of Cats, by T.S. Eliot.

KindKylie · 06/02/2020 22:10

I did Matilda when at primary school and can still wheel it out to amuse dc if desperate 😂

Was also going to suggest Please Mrs Butler. I think I also did one that began, 'see the kitten, on the wall'

FlamingoAndJohn · 06/02/2020 22:56

Oh yes. Yes about anything from Please, Mrs Butler.

PulyaSochsup · 07/02/2020 01:22

Invictus.

MotherFluffyBottom · 07/02/2020 01:36

I would recommend Shel Silverstein's poems too; 'Hungry Mungry' is a popular one with my DC, as are 'Dirty Face' and 'Sick.'

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 07/02/2020 04:46

The lady of shallot? Possibly a bit long but great!

GinnyStrupac · 07/02/2020 05:38

What a nice thread to read through.

Like two pps, DS here suggests Invictus.

sashh · 07/02/2020 06:27

I'd be tempted to do Baldricks, 'Boom, Boom'.

I've always liked 'the first Yorkshire pudden' ' but if you are not from Yorkshire he'll need to practice the accent.

monologues.co.uk/Stanley-Holloway/Yorkshire-Pudden.htm

NoPinkPlease · 07/02/2020 06:34

Matilda

GrumpyHoonMain · 07/02/2020 06:44

Early rap would be good. I quite like Grandmaster Flash’s The Message

TalaxuArmiuna · 07/02/2020 06:59

"Jim" by Hilaire Belloc

There was a Boy whose name was Jim;
His Friends were very good to him.
They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam,
And slices of delicious Ham,
And Chocolate with pink inside
And little Tricycles to ride,
And read him Stories through and through,
And even took him to the Zoo—
But there it was the dreadful Fate
Befell him, which I now relate.

You know—or at least you ought to know,
For I have often told you so—
That Children never are allowed
To leave their Nurses in a Crowd;
Now this was Jim's especial Foible,
He ran away when he was able,
And on this inauspicious day
He slipped his hand and ran away!

He hadn't gone a yard when—Bang!
With open Jaws, a lion sprang,
And hungrily began to eat
The Boy: beginning at his feet.
Now, just imagine how it feels
When first your toes and then your heels,
And then by gradual degrees,
Your shins and ankles, calves and knees,
Are slowly eaten, bit by bit.
No wonder Jim detested it!
No wonder that he shouted ``Hi!''

The Honest Keeper heard his cry,
Though very fat he almost ran
To help the little gentleman.
Ponto!'' he ordered as he came (For Ponto was the Lion's name), Ponto!'' he cried, with angry Frown,
``Let go, Sir! Down, Sir! Put it down!''
The Lion made a sudden stop,
He let the Dainty Morsel drop,
And slunk reluctant to his Cage,
Snarling with Disappointed Rage.
But when he bent him over Jim,
The Honest Keeper's Eyes were dim.
The Lion having reached his Head,
The Miserable Boy was dead!

When Nurse informed his Parents, they
Were more Concerned than I can say:—
His Mother, as She dried her eyes,
Said, ``Well—it gives me no surprise,
He would not do as he was told!''
His Father, who was self-controlled,
Bade all the children round attend
To James's miserable end,
And always keep a-hold of Nurse
For fear of finding something worse.

exLtEveDallas · 07/02/2020 07:06

At that age I did:
allpoetry.com/Colonel-Fazackerley-Butterworth-Toast

mathanxiety · 07/02/2020 07:13

What a trip down memory lane that is, TalaxuArmiuna.

BikeRunSki · 07/02/2020 07:23

If you’re in Lancashire, dome or all of Albert and the Lion:

Albert and the Lion

Thurs a famous seaside place called Blackpool, thats noted fur fresh air an fun, an Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom, went thur with Albert, thur son.

A grand likley lad were young Albert, all dressed in his best, quite a swell, id a stick wee an orses ed andle, the finest that Woolworths could sell.

Nah, thi dint think much tu thocean , waves wur all figgly an small, thur wur no wrecks an nobody drownded, fact, nowt much to laugh at adall.

So, seeking fur further amusement, thi paid un went into the zoo, thi wur lions an tigers an camuls, an owld ale an sandwiches too.

thur were one owd Lion called Wallace; is nose wur all covered in scars, anny lay in a somnolent posture, wi the side of his ed uptu bars.

Albert ud urd ALL about Lions, an ow thi were ferocious an wild-an tu see Wallace lying, so peaceful, well, it dint seem reet tu child.

So straightaway, brave little fella, not showin a morsel of fear, took the stick....wi thorses ead andle, an poked it in Wallaces ear.

Well, you could see as the Lion dint like it, an givin a kind of a roll, pulled Albert inside the cage with im, un swallowed the little lad, ole.

Then Pa, who had seen the occurrence, un din know what to do next, Shouted, "Mother! Yon Lions ett Albert", an Mother said "Eeeeeh, I am vexed!"

Then Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom....quite rightly, when alls said and done, complained to the Animal keeper, that the Lion had etten their son.

Now the keeper was quite nice about it, an he said "what a nasty mishap, are you sure its thi boy thad hes etten?" Pa said "yeh" an proved it by showin his cap.

Well, the Manager had to be sent for, an he came an he said "Wats tu do? Pa said "Yon Lions just ett our Albert, an im in his Sunday best too."

Then Mother said "Luckeer young fella, Ah think its a shame an a sin, fur your lion tu go and eat Albert, an after wi paid to come in."

The Manager wanted no trouble, so he took out his purse right away, sayin "how much to settle the matter?" said Pa, "What dyu usually pay?"

But Mother had turned reet awkward, when she thowt wur her Albert had gone.."No! someones got to be summonsed!" said she, and that was decided upon.

Then off they went to the Police station, in front of the magistrate chap, they told im what happened to Albert, an proved it by showing his cap.

The magistrate gave his opinion, an that no-one were really to blame, And he said that he "hoped the Ramsbottoms, would av further sons to thur name."

At that, Mother got proper blazin, an "thank you sir kindly", said she, "What,. waste all mi life rearing childer? Tu feed bloody Lions? NOT ME".

yogo · 07/02/2020 07:24

Roald Dahl has some shorter ones in revolting rhymes.

helpmum2003 · 07/02/2020 07:25

Agree Skimbleshanks has a good rhythm. I also like MacCavity from Cats.

Gumbo · 07/02/2020 07:26

I had a hippopotamus

ChilliMum · 07/02/2020 07:36

If he enjoys humour, how about a Roald Dahl? The little red riding hood one is wonderful.

Neverenoughcoffee · 07/02/2020 09:00

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BY WALTER DE LA MARE
‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller,

Knocking on the moonlit door;
And his horse in the silence champed the grasses

Of the forest’s ferny floor:
And a bird flew up out of the turret,

Above the Traveller’s head:
And he smote upon the door again a second time;

‘Is there anybody there?’ he said.
But no one descended to the Traveller;

No head from the leaf-fringed sill
Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes,

Where he stood perplexed and still.
But only a host of phantom listeners

That dwelt in the lone house then
Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight

To that voice from the world of men:
Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair,

That goes down to the empty hall,
Hearkening in an air stirred and shaken

By the lonely Traveller’s call.
And he felt in his heart their strangeness,

Their stillness answering his cry,
While his horse moved, cropping the dark turf,

’Neath the starred and leafy sky;
For he suddenly smote on the door, even

Louder, and lifted his head:—
‘Tell them I came, and no one answered,

That I kept my word,’ he said.
Never the least stir made the listeners,

Though every word he spake
Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house

From the one man left awake:
Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup,

And the sound of iron on stone,
And how the silence surged softly backward,

When the plunging hoofs were gone.

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