Poems and Art by the students of Oakwood School

This collection of poetry celebrates the ambition, open-mindedness and emerging creativity of this group

of young people.

In association with:Jay Cahill

Glynis Aldred

With thanks to:Mike GarryBen Dixon

Creative Partnerships

www.solutions2design.co.uk

This poetry is a result of a group of Salford school pupils being taken out of their comfort zone and exposed to youth cultures in their own society they would not normally encounter.

Pupils were taken on an exploratory journey around Manchester’s Northern Quarter and awoken to an everyday world that most were ignorant of. They visited the bohemian Affleck’s Palace, a variety of urban skate and clothing shops, The Craft Centre, discreet art galleries and the inner-city Piccadilly Gardens.

Following this experience, pupils worked with local poet, Mike Garry, to produce poetry that is a reflection of the stark contrast between the themes of day: urban and popular culture and that of night: dark, gothic and industrial.

Subsequently, these pupils have been involved in an innovative, exciting multi-media project merging graphic art, poetry, music and fashion.

Oakwood High SchoolA Specialist Arts & High School

EXCELLENCEPROMOTING

Can’t wait5 days to go my excitement is growingI wait on my bed still it is growing4 days to go and I gust can’t wait3 more days and still I can’t wait2 more days very closet now1 more day and it is al overOn the day and my Xbox is FIX!

Last weekCar rams pastsBIG ISSHEW they shoutThe tram flies by

LOVELove is pink Love is pure

Bored, bored, bored, boredBored, bored, bored I waitAnd wait for something fun To happen

The sun sets quietly in theSky I go my friend byeBye bye

I hate it when am hotI like it when am cold

If I had wings I would fly

High in the skyI flutter my wingsI would see lots of thingsIf I was a bird in the sky

by Dylan Jones

Light MindTramsBusesCarsBikes speeding down the roadWheelchairs zoomingPassing byLove in the airHearts everywhereLove is good Love is grandHeart pounding like a marching band

by Ben Comley

Dark mindStrolling the streets at nightFear in my mind Flickering lights like illuminating power cuts going Off OnOff On Moving shadows like mysterious black shapes Not knowing what they are Bats screeching like nails on a chalkboard Behind me Fog appearing everywhere Around me EngulfedGoing in to a haunted house Floors creaking Doors bangingLightening crashing downWind howlingShadows jumping moving everywhereBats with screeching echoes

by Ben Comley

Louder than meManchester’s loud Louder than me Break screech like human Screams Sirens sing Buses breath Talking speaking Chitter chatter City catwalk of celebrity natter Manchester’s loud Louder than me

Footsteps like beating hearts Picture paintings crafts and arts Dancing cows on Oldham Street Dancing to the city beats Manchester’s loud louder than me

Colours move like a human collage Luminous lights in the dark Music blares over afflex palace Wonderful wonderland for Alice and me

Manchester’s loud louder than me

by Daniel Winwood

Full time night workDark noises in the streetTaxi Drivers cruising their beat Whizzing zoomingIt’s the start of the nightMasks in the night Shine so brightGhosts in the shadows Have a good nightGoodnightThey love to meet

Dickey bows dancing to the ballroom beat Like friends partying in the streets People they finish in the light ‘cos they dance all night hand in hand

by Daniel Winwood

WaitingWaiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting.Clear your mind. Meditate.Girls Screaming.Boys Yelling.Sit Down.Think.Wait.And Go.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting.Traffic Lights.Green For Go.Washington.Chicago.Think About What Your Going To Do.Listen- Silently.Engines Like A Lions Roar.In Gear Foot To The Floor.Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting.Arrival At Your Destination.Open Arms.

This Is Your Vacation.Time Flyes By.Enjoy Your Stay.Everything Is Free Nothing To Pay.Waiting Bye Bye.Street noises in the morning.Wake me up yawning and snoring.Time to start the working day. Boring.

by Geordie Murray

Glisining sounds Glisining sounds kissing music peace rings first kiss table clothes wine bottles everywhere people having fun emotion running trough their veins and lips hailstone falling from the midnight wind

Echoing lathes in dark rooms dark shadows alone lonely scared frightened everywhere people talking in streets floors breaking crunching noses spraying screams running away from shadows kissing at night in the distance my heart beating hard everywhere mums and dads having fun blood trails everywhere lighting strikes twice

It was late at night girls and boys screaming people walking about with masks it was scary at one point I fainted because it was terrifying this boy called bob saved me because people were smashing shops and bang-ing vibrations were happening

they were happening on the car these boys were coming over to me it was raining heavily I was frightened the earth stood still. Everybody was shocked

It was at night time people rushing everywhere I looked everywhere to find my family I thought I had lost them but in the distance I seen my dad I was in relief we where reunited I felt like a shadow was over my head it was very, very scary he nearly died but an ambulance man came just in time he went in the ambulance I went in the ambulance with him then my mum and nephew came along just in time then we all got checked out and we went home and we put it all behind us we were lucky to get out when we did I was pleased.

by Geordie Murray

Walking in the darkWalking in the dark,No noise it’s nice and peaceful,Walking in the dark

Looking wear to go,I hear some classic music,I go home put my suite on

I go to find the music,I find it and it’s a bowl,Girls and boys every were

Dancing on my own,A Girl comes starts to talk,We talked all night,We danced all night

Just like a dream,But I had to go,We kissed and then went

And I have never ever saw her again.

by James Ellison Massey

Dark rain spitting Dark rain spittingPosh people partyingViolin classical music playing Earthquakes in my small heartSuits dresses glowing ball gowns glisten like the moon and stars in the night timeChampagne, white wine and Cocktails Corks popping Crumbling and smashingBrain vibrating Hand shakingMacaurley Sleep sleeping in his bedNightmares from the night gone byMusic playing in the background

Dark rain spitting glowing people party Joyful as can beChampagne dripping, white whine undoing the glisten on the glowing ball gownsMovement Hand shaking cocktails popping crumbling and smashing. Earthquakes exploding in my small heart Brain vibratingMacaurley sleep sleeping in his bed

A dream with the moon and stars in the night time.

by Macaurley Devenport

BusesPeople talking buses beeping Piccadilly to Oldham street Footsteps like heartbeats Birds singing cars beeping Banging vibrations SoundscapesBirds whitening trams going by Jet planes fill the sky Cameras blinking like clickers on a car

Buses part 2Buses beeping,Screams from a boy in the woods.Bats in the cave screechingTangling in his hair.Runs out and runs home.When he makes his way home he finds himself in a ball.A boy called Bill in a basketball T-shirt,Banging vibrations in the mist.Chickens clucking like they’re chasing hensLike they’re playing tag.

by Michael Smith

Nervous I am nervous because when ev-erything is silent I feel like there is something coming to jump out at me.

Pure love is a special emotion peaceful love is pink kissing and love forever and love lives everywhere.

Cars were vrooming and beeping very quickly there is millions of people roaming about like sheep everywhere and everyone is surrounded by skyscrapers, radio stations and markets.

by Nicholas Finch

Sound of the CityTram wheels sing,While bells scream,People stamps like drum beats.

Wind whistling through the air,People laughing, talking and walking,Cars horns and engine vibrating

Birds flapping singing in the air,Bells ringing from ice cream vans,Hungry kids run to get one

by James Ellison Massey

Dusk It is duskIt is dark My wooden bed frame is creaking Lightning strikes the ground Rainfall like rocks or pebbles pounding the pavementEverything is black

A different worldPeople in sparkling clothes Hanging out in pubs, clubs, bars, Gold and silver carriages arriving at the ball People parading in their finest Satin, silk, linen, lace and taffetaChandeliers and FountainsMusicians in masks playing grand pianos and violins Dancing in the candle lit classical musical mansions Romance is swirling through the building like a summer breeze

Men in gowns Tuxedos, ties and suitsGold and silver Party people drinking pink champagne

by Nicholas Finch

ManchesterBeat box banging out mad Manchester music Owls singing in solo in silent soundless trees.People having noisy fun parties leaning back against the Graffiti red brick wall

Hailstone banging and tickling the roof Rain soaked pavements and streetsPeople runningHunting for a dry warm shelter.

The chandeliers dancing together Classical music playing.Romantic people dancing like swans Having lots of fun with there friends. Elegant women sparkling white dresses and gowns.Men and women drinking Teenagers kissing and big bananas.People in masksParty time.

by Nick Summersgill

Dylan Jones “I think it has been great working with Mike Garry doing poems and showing my work to him. He is fun to talk to and he always has a smile on his face’ ’.

Michael Smith “I have enjoyed working with Mike. Our class went to Manchester with Mike to find ideas for our poems I thought this was very interesting’ ’.

Macaurley Devenport “The things I most enjoyed working with Mike Garry was listening to his ideas and working on the computers to do our poems’ ’.

Daniel Winwood “I enjoyed making my own poems with Mike Garry, we went to Manchester to get some ideas for our poems’ ’.

Ben Comley-Excell “I think it was great working with Mike Garry because I like writing my poems and he gave me lots of ideas’ ’.

James Massey “I liked working with Mike Garry. Mike told me that poems don’t have to rhyme and you can write any-thing you want. Mike was lots of fun to work with’ ’.

Geordie Murray “I liked working with Mike Gary because he explained how to write poetry and he made it fun and interesting’ ’.

Matthew Farnsworth “I thought working with Mike Garry was a lot of fun because when we did our poems we used Photoshop on the Mac computers’ ’.