Aim was to find poems that highlighted key moments in a life. 

" Yesterday " by Patricia Pogson - on a mother thinking back on her child's 
	growth. 
" Life Doesn't Frighten Me. " by Maya Angelou - on childhood fears 
" Back In The Playground Blues " by Adrian Mitchell - on being bullied, 
	frightened in school. 
" First Ice " by Andrey Voznesensky - on being let down in love for the first 
	time. 
" Love Is.." by Adrian Henry - on what love is like to a teenager. 
" Manwatching " by Georgia Garett - on precisely that! Sizing up the talent. 
" Our Love Now " by Martyn Lowery - on the break up of a relationship. 
" Out. Out " by Robert Frost. - on tragedy and dealing with it. 
" Maiden Name " by Philip Larkin. - on losing your name with marriage and 
	perhaps your identity too. 
" When You Are Old " by W.B. Yeats. - on getting old and losing your beauty. 
" Warning " by Jenny Joseph. - on being old and liberated. 
" Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night " by Dylan Thomas on death of a 
	loved one. 

**************************************
My own poems: (John McKellar)

On school: Lesson: being controlled / Scarface: bullying 


Lesson. 

" Today we'll be another creature, " 
To the classroom said the teacher, 
" But before you close your eyes to be, 
I want you all to listen to me. 
So, sit up straight and pay attention 
To these ideas I'll briefly mention 
Of all the different things to be 
When I let your minds go free. 
And you young madam at the back. 
Yes you, whose hair is shiny black, 
I've been watching you for a while 
Sitting smugly with a smile 
Sitting stroking your long black hair 
As if you didn't have a care. 
Gazing through the classroom window, 
This is not the time you know 
For couldn't-care-less attitude. 
In fact I think it rather rude. 
Explain yourself - if you dare! " 
" Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr " 

John McKellar.


******************
Scarface. 

We gave him all the space his mean face 
Demanded when he came 
Prowling through the playground 
Going nowhere, seeking something. 
Quick words of warning: 
" Scarface! He's looking for a fight. " 
And we would scatter some faster than others - 
A weak token of defiance. 
But we always moved away and set 
Our eyes to look elsewhere. 
Sometimes his fists would flash 
At someone and he would laugh to see us run. 
He never persued, never prolonged 
An attack, just stood alone and laughed. 
Scarface. 
Whose face was said to have melted from boiling water 
His mother had thrown. 
He was only as real as childhood ghosts imagined in the dark 
And just as soon forgotten. 
We grew bigger and his face and fists then held no fear 
When he came, seeking, swaggering 
Through the playground throng. 
We looked into his eyes and acknowledged 
The lonliness and hunger there within 
Then turned our backs and ignored him. 

John McKellar.
*****************************

On leaving home. 

Leaving Home. 
Not because I want to 
Oh no. 
I want somewhere to call home 
Warm bed and fed. 
So? 
Why do I want to go? 
Count the reasons on my skin 
Need to keep asking? 
Okay. 
Sick of what the neighbours say 
About you and me. 
See? 
The whole street knows about us 
The drunken fights and family fuss 
Right? 
But I've had enough of belts and booze 
And what have I got to lose, 
Eh? 
I'd like a home with love and care 
I'd love my own fair share 
Of life. 
So, I'm going. God knows where. 
Bye. 

John McKellar.