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Steam train poems for a 5 year old ?


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Hi Folks,

 

Not sure as to where to post the above so I thought I would try here, my 5 year old son has been given the task at school of writing a short poem on steam trains.

 

Now he has to recite this poem to his class so we are not talking " War and Peace " but just a few quirky lines, any ideas or help please ?

 

Regards,

 

Martyn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Don't - really - don't attempt to write anything for him. Got some good video with audio of steam trains in action? Show him those, see what he comes up with. That's the way for something that's likely to be original and interesting. You can tidy it up for spelling...

 

We still remember my bro's effort when set the task of a poem about an animal, about age 7.

 

Our Dog

 

He stands,

He sits,

He squats,

He shits.

He runs.

 

Don't tread in it,

When you run after him.

 

Better than Wordsworth's 'two feet long and three feet wide'...

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Well..... this is short and it rhymes.....

 

 

 

The guard is the man who rides in the van

that runs at the back of the train.

The driver up front thinks the guard is a ****

and the guard thinks the driver's the same.

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Found poetry:

To stop

The train

In cases of emergency

Pull down the chain;

Pull down the chain.

Penalty for improper use: Five pounds.

 

and

 

Passengers will please refrain

From flushing toilets while the train

Is standing in the station. I love you.

 

(set to music by Dvorak)

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007 by Kipling?

 

(rather more lines than you want)

 

Or from Thomas:

 

Once an engine attached to a train

Was afraid of a few drops of rain

It went into a tunnel

Squeaked through its funnel

And never came out again

 

 

or even

 

Coughs and Sneezles

Spread Diseasles

 

 

James

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Both Night Mail and Skikbleshanks the Railway Cat could be enjoyed by a bright 5 year old but reciting either of them might be a bit much of an ask.

 

A shorter one that I remember (but can't attribute) goes:

 

I'd rather be an engine driver

Than be a little gentleman.

I want to go shunting and hooting

Not hunting and shooting.

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I thought the idea was for the young 5 yr old to write the poem, not us. 34the letter........... was right. If he writes he will know what he means and wants to say. Let him watch a DVD or take him to a heritage railway  sure get him to find words for the sounds he hears and the sights he sees and then let him write.

 

Sorry about that, its the ex teacher in me coming out.

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Good evening,

 

Thank you all for your ditties and rhymes and for your thoughts on this subject, and I have to agree with what Westerner and 34the letter said  " If he writes he will know what he means and wants to say ". So as James is now on half term I will take him up to the Watercress line for a treat for both of us, and then afterwards he can put pen to paper.

 

Thanks again,

 

Martyn.

 

P.S.   Hello Paul, I think our posts met in the middle. Although the Bluebell line is a little further away, maybe that would be the best option as that was my childhood haunt back in the early 70's, cheers.

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Never forgotten this from my junior school years. We had to learn and recite a railway related poem

 

 

Paddy on the railway picking up stones

Along came an engine and broke Paddy's bones

"Oi" said Paddy, "that's not fair!"

"Well," said the driver, "you shouldn't be there."

 

No idea of the origin, other than it being recited by a girl called Denise!

 

C. :)

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Try to pick a single aspect of the steam loco, i.e. the steam coming out of the funnel or the wheels going round.

 

Did your sons school give any examples to work from? If he has examples get him to start by changing one thing (might be the loco's name). Once he has done this and is comfortable with it then get him to change a second thing (possibly the location). Only once he has done this would I try to get him to write a poem of his own (I would still expect it to be similar). This technique is effective and is frequently used in schools (I use it myself when I am teach children in the same year as your son).

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A warning to anyone still in command
[Cattle truck noises]
"Ranks! Fire!"
Of their possible future, to take care.
In derelict sidings the poppies entwine
The cattle trucks lying in wait for the next time.

 

Roger Waters

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I will confess (safely, I hope, now past the age of 30!) to having been awarded a merit certificate at primary school (Year 5) for having written a poem about the Great Western, most of which I plagiarised and transcribed from John Betjeman. 

I have always considered that to have memorised JB's poetry at that age was worth a merit certificate in its own right, to assuage my guilt!

 

Funnily enough my little lad loves visiting said poet's statue at St Pancras these days.

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Good advice from Kris, westerner and others there. I wish that I'd thought to compile a list of suitable poems and songs when I was trying to indoctrinate Ms BB in her infant days.

 

Rick rack, rickety rack

See the train go along the track

When I grow up I want to be an engine driver

But if I can't be that I'll be a deep sea diver.

("Rick Rack",by Gerry Rafferty)

 

Gordon

 

(Edit to add song title)

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