The Following is a selection of the work of the Girls Writing Group at Archbishop Ilsley School, Birmingham, created during their project with local writer Irene Yates:

SMOOTH AND FURRY

CATS HAVE GREEN EYES THAT GLOW

AND HAS A TWINKLE IN THE EYE

CATS PURR AND MEWEO

AND HISS AND KISS

CATS PLAY, SLEEP

AND EATS AND DRINKS

CATS ARE GENTLE BUT THEY CAN HURT

CATS LIKE FISH AND WATER

BUT DO PREFER MILK

CATS ARE WARM BUT CAN BE COLD

CATS HAVE NAMES JUST LIKE US

LIKE JIM AND ROSE

CATS HAVE NO CHOICE WHAT WE CALL THEM

I LOVE CATS

BY OONAGH CATTERSON.

What do people like about chocolate?

They like it because it’s tasty.

They like it because they can eat it different ways.

They can eat it frozen.

They can melt it.

They can eat it with ice cream.

They can eat it in the car.

They can eat it on the boat.

They can eat it on the plane.

They can eat chocolate hot or cold.

They can share it with their friends.

They can give some to their family.

But the kind of person I am, I will keep it to my self!

By Oonagh Catterson

mums

love you

care for you

buy things for you

mums

Eyes still and lifeless,

Body limp and frail.

Such a shock when someone dies,

up to heaven you must sail.

By Karly Savage...

Through the white revolving doors

On to the blue tiled floor,

Up to the brown reception desk

Mom said, "We’ll be next."

Up the yellow flight of stairs

The poster says "the dentist cares",

Facing the big red door

On the blue enamel floor.

Sitting in a metal chair ,

"Really wonder if she cares!" A needle - then a sharp pain.

She says, "Six weeks, then come again."

By Karly and Rachel !

My family

are always having

little scrappy arguments.

But I’ve had enough.

If my family

have one more argument

I will leave them all .

One day

something changed.

My family got worse

and this time

the argument was serious.

I don’t like arguing

I feel out of place.

This argument was all over me.

That made me feel

really guilty.

Later that day

I was wandering the streets

I went to my friends house

I had a good cry on her shoulder

Poured all my troubles on her.

I didn’t want to go back to my house.

I woke up next morning feeling rough

I plucked up my courage to get up

I wasn’t going to school.

My mum came to apologise

I felt sorry for her

I agreed to go back

but...

only if she didn’t have any more arguments.

By Danielle Ellis

GREAT DAYS

THE BEST PARTY

FRIENDS , DISCO , CAKE , NEW DRESS

STOPPING OUT ALL NIGHT HAVING FUN

LOVE IT

Hayley McGovern

I remember, I remember,

when my cousin was born,

He was a very big boy

you should have seen him crawl,

I remember, I remember,

when he learnt to walk

I think,I think, he still sleepwalks,

his legs are like beanstalks

his hands are like jelly

He’s got a big nose

and very smelly toes

I remember, I remember

when he used to tease me

hiding things so i couldn’t see.

by Lisa Williams

I remember I remember,

that magical moment,

when my little brother was born.

There was silence,

my father was with my mother,

and I was in the waiting room,

with my anxious granma.

Then I heard the brat scream.

Well

actually

I think

the whole hospital heard him scream.

There was one thing for certain

he had a good pair of lungs in him

and he still has.

I remember I remember

the first time my brother walked.

He loved my pink pen

so my mom waved it infront of him

so he would crawl,

but he got up

and started to walk.

I wish he had just crawled

because.

I remember I remember

when I had a life.

By Kerrie Bashford.

If only the world was perfect,

I would be perfect too...

If only the world was perfect...

we would know everything

there was to know...

If only the world was perfect...

every thing would be perfect too...

If only the world was perfect..

By Leanne Hankinson.

If only the world were perfect...

We would be so happy,

No wars,

No arguments,

Everybody would be friends,

No one would break the law.

If only the world were perfect...

Everything would be just right,

Nothing going wrong at all,

Everyone’s wishes would be granted.

If only the world were perfect...

No one would sell guns,

No one would want to buy them,

Because no one would ever use them.

If only the world were perfect...

There would be no need for prisons,

No police stations,

No victims,

Because there would be no crime.

If only the world were perfect...

Every animal would live,

No hunters would kill them,

They wouldn’t be extinct.

If only the world were perfect...

There wouldn’t be circuses or zoos,

So animals would roam free in the wild.

by Leanne Wilkins

If only the world were perfect

it would be a much nicer place.

If only the world were perfect

there would be no litter on the floor,

no rubbish in the sea,

no dirt in the air.

If only the world were perfect

every thing and every one would be happy.

By Lisa Williams

One day Laura and Kirsty were playing in the garden when someone came to the door. It was Lisa and Nina. We all went upstairs and had a dance. It was getting too hot so we went back in the garden.

We were watching Lisa’s dad digging in the garden when he found a key and showed it to us. We thought it was a key for a secret passage. We were looking for hours then Nina shouted ‘I’ve found a secret door!’

We were all excited. Laura put in the key and the door opened. We looked in and everything was green, white and gold. We went in and the door slammed shut behind us. We were locked in!

Nina tried to open the door but it wouldn’t open. Someone said, ‘Once you come in, you can’t get out and before you ask you are in the Land of Leprechauns.’

We turned round and there, standing, was a little leprechaun.

Lisa and Kirsty were scared. They wanted to get out of the Land of Leprechauns.,

Kirsty started to shout and scream for help. All she could hear was her own voice.

Laura said, ‘Calm down, Kirsty. Let’s go and explore.’

So Laura, Lisa, Nina and Kirsty all went to explore. When we had finished looking around we had seen animals, been on rides and done lots of other things.By this time everyone was happy and didn’t want to go home to their families, when the leprechaun said, ‘There is a way out of here, but I just didn’t want you to know because nobody has been here for years.’

The little leprechaun was very sad when Kirsty had an idea. ‘Why don’t you come and live with us? You could tell people about your land and someone would look after it, and you could go back if you didn’t like it where we live.’

The other girls were trying to persuade him to stay when he said, ‘Yes, all right. I will come home with you.’

A few years later. ‘Come on, Lennie. You can have some more ice cream later.’

Laura, Kirsty, Lisa, Nina and Lennie the Leprechaun all lived happily ever after and - by the way - the Land of Leprechauns is a great place and is now a play park for everyone - adults too!

My mind is all a flutter

It haunts me day by day

That time I saw him hit his child

And then I walked away

I hope that in the future

If I saw someone do the same

I’d tackle him without a doubt

And make him take the blame

by Hayley McGovern

The sounds of night that nobody hears ,

All those dark and nasty fears,

A car or lorry wizzes by or the buzzing of a fly.

Pyjamas instead of clothes,

Step into bed and close your eyes,

Another dream goes drifting by.

by Rachel Canavan

If I wasn’t me,

I know who I’d like to be,

I would like to be a beautiful bird.

The reason is that I would be able to go anywhere, do anything and see anyone.

If I wasn’t me,

I know who I’d like to be,

I would like to be my mother, she is the most wonderful person in the world.

That’s who I would REALLY like to be.

by Kerrie Bashford

10 Ways To Please A Teacher

1. Turn up to lessons at least 10 minutes before the end.

2. Try to get your homework in before the end of the term.

3. Write a line of writing in lesson.

4. Give her your pet tarantula as a present to say thank you for teaching you.

5. Be quiet for 5 minutes.

6. Take your bubble gum out before you talk to her.

7. Shout at the boys to be quiet.

8. Take your glasses out of your pocket occasionally.

9. Only tap your pencil if you happen to have it in your hand.

10. If you’re talking when she’s talking, make sure you only whisper.

by Leanne Wilkins

I remember, I remember

When I was a little girl,

I remember, I remember

I met a little boy,

I remember, I remember

we were always together,

I remember, I remember

we saw each other everyday,

I remember, I remember

he had to move away,

I remember, I remember

I cried all day,

I remember, I remember

I wouldn’t go out to play.

I remember, I remember, when I was only five.

I got such a great present, I was surprised.

I remember, I remember, what I really got,

a big red tall bike,wasn’t that a surprise.

I remember, I remember, when I was only six.

I broke my collar bone in the playground,

then brought to hospital in my brother’s car.

I remember, I remember, when I was seven,

at my brother’s party I fell over.

I remember, I remember, I was ill.

I had a week without a teacher.

I remember, I remember, I was happy I had English first.

I remember, I remember, I came to English club.

I learnt a great deal I did not know before.

I remember, I remember, I came to school,

I wrote this poem I never knew before.

BY OONAGH CATTERSON.

I remember, I remember when I first started school.

The teacher that inspired me was Miss. Delaney,

when she read a story.

It was about a race with a tortoise and a hare.

I liked the way the tortoise used his brain.

I remember, I remember when my cousin was born,

it was only yesterday.

The baby has a brother, a sister and me.

Soon I will hold the baby,that won’t be long.

I remember, I remember the day my hamster died,

it was called Diamond.

His fur was like a golden ring,

when he died I cried and cried.

I remember, I remember the day I went to Drayton Manor,

I went with my cousin.

We went on the fastest rides,

whizzing round, up off the ground.

By Rachel Canavan

silence is ...

silence is when everything is quiet

silence is when you are alone

silence is when there is not a sound

silence is when no one’s around

silence is...

chaos is...

chaos is where there are lots of people,

chaos is lots of homework,

chaos is going to school,

chaos is lots of noise,

chaos is loads of boys .

chaos is..

by Laura Lowe

SILENCE IS...

SILENCE IS BEING QUIET

SILENCE IS NOT TALKING

SILENCE IS NOTHING

SILENCE IS WHEN NO ONE TALKS

SILENCE IS HORRIBLE

I LIKE TO BE LOUD

LOUD IS THE BETTER THEN BEING SILENT

SILENCE IS BORING

AND LOUD CAN BE FUN

I HATE BEING SILENT

IT’’S BETTER THAN TO BEING LOUD.

SILENCE IS...

CHAOS IS..

CHAOS IS WHEN EVERTHING IS IN A MESS

CHAOS IS BEIING VERY LOUD AND NAUGHTY

CHAOS IS NOISY

TOO NOISY IS TOO BAD

WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO WORK PEOPLE ARE SHOUTING

AND YOU CAN NOT WORK AS WELL

CHAOS IS WHEN THINGS ARE IN A TERRIBLE MESS

CHAOS IS CHAOS.

babies

cry ,smile

eat and sleep

play talk and laugh

pains.

sisters

moaning, so tired

bugging, shouting, laughing

talking, lazing moaners, monsters

smiling

buses

terribly late

packed in the day time, busy

kids in the morning to their school

smelly.

t.shirts

red, pink, black, green

small, long, large, fat

tight, baggy, short, strippy,swirly

white, blue

fam’lies

are great and nice

they love and care for you

they treat you well and are friendly

parents.

great deal I did not know before.

I remember, I remember, I came to school,

I wrote this poem

What in the world

goes buzz, buzz, buzz?

It has a yellow and black body

It comes out in summer

What in the world is it???

What in the world

goes swimming in rivers,

particularly long and wide,

and has a green backside?

What in the world is it???

What in the world

goes squealing and winds you on

cries and turns you on

beautiful and young?

What in the world is it ???

BY LEANNE HANKINSON