Your poem could be displayed in Acton

I am launching a new programme of 'Community Poetry' in Acton and am calling on all our young people to write a poem to be displayed in our Acton community.

The idea is simple:

Children write a poem with the title 'Winter Is...'

It can be any length

It doesn't have to rhyme.

Be creative - you might write a poem about Christmas, Hannukah, or any other winter celebration that means something to you. You might write about the cold, the wind, the trees. It's up to you - just remember to start your poem with 'Winter Is...'

Your mums, dads, brothers, sisters, carers, grannies and grandpas etc can help you.

Put your name and age on the bottom.

You can submit as many poems as you like - the more the merrier.

That's it... then, around the first of December, start looking around your community for your poem. It might be on a tree, a lamppost, a shop window.

A note to Mums, Dads and Carers

This project is based on something I saw in Los Angeles, California through www.growvenice.com. The aim is not only to get the children interested in poetry and writing stories/words, but also to encourage our community to stop, look, read, ponder, think, and discuss.

Each poem will be printed and laminated and put up around Acton.

If you would prefer your child's name and/or age NOT to be included on the poem, just let me know.

The poems will stay up for around one month, starting from the first week of December. I will ensure they are taken down if causing nuisance or waste.

Ealing Council have pledged some money to fund this project as part of the Acton Winter Festival.

I envisage we could have up to 200 poems dotted around Acton.

So get writing! And do pass this information on to anyone you might know.

Michelle Smith

November 27, 2009