School

Writers Anne Sansom and Shamshad Khan ran creative writing workshops at two Manchester schools, Abraham Moss and Cedar Mount, and Anne Sansom ran workshops for teachers and students at Lambra High School, Punjab, India.

In both Manchester and India teachers and students were asked to write poems about the places and things that matter to them in their neighbourhoods.

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FROZEN Mirrors are smooth and beautiful as the ocean when it`s frozen in winter, staying still, never knowing when the ice will crack.
TOWN Trees, houses, a bridge. Cars rampage, traffic lights beep beep beep. Dark, dull, cold, sunny weather. A golden eagle swoops by at the speed of light.
KITCHEN WINDOW I see cars a road away, a green gate, I hear leaves grow, see blue skies and grey too. A cow comes from that sky.
BEFORE I WAS BORN Not even my grandparents knew. They thought I would turn out like everyone else. They never thought that I would be myself.
I imagined a blue sky, white clouds, children playing happily. Some things are true. But i`m here now, here to stay.
SPOOKS Stones, slabs, wind lashing in trees. Writing. Noise from forbidden owls. Mud and grass. A vortex opens. Everything`s silent.
May your foe become a friend to you, may your illness recover like a new baby, may your life be peaceful forever.
BEFORE I WAS BORN two swords clung to each other, there were many battles, many died, few lived. Time goes on. Many peace treaties, but more weapons.
O mirror O reflection, water is such a pure thing to swim in. Winter is 2 cold 4 a Tshirt. Snow is to play in. Never eat a worm. Snow is so white, too white
TOWN I like the cinema, waterfall, shops, plants, food, lights. I don`t like the wishing wells.
THE HANDS have gold bangles and gold rings. The hands are smooth as a cat, the nails are small and white. The hands hold the holy book.
FASCINATED I stared into the mirror. An ice cave. It was winter. A creature sprang to life, something I`d never seen before. It vanished into the ice.
CITY CENTRE, big wheel, my garden, my street, Cheetham School, the wind blowing, cars roaring, rain stopping. Clouds start moving. The sun appearing.
THE BACK where I play football, wrestling, the place I know well, especially the hiding places. I can`t climb the big tree, but the small one is easy.
BROTHER Pressing buttons, holding a pen, good at reversing, applying submissions. Good at punching.
THE FUTURE Ice buildings, ice houses, ice schools. People in the city freeze. One dog is happy. I ask him why. Because I`m made of ice, he says.
REMEMBRANCE Flowers whishing in the wind. Wind chimes. Teddy bears. Mud squelching. Quietness. Stones banging. Leaves crisping.
BLACKLEY CEMETERY Nana`s grave. Flowers. Fresh grass. Missing you.