Finding our voice: Years 8-10 ASPIRE poetry workshops inspired by The Magic Words

This term, students in the ASPIRE program are continuing their journey into the world of poetry.

Guided by The Magic Words by Joseph Fasano, students have been exploring how language can move, surprise, and connect us – discovering that poetry is not just something we read, but something we feel and create.

Students have experimented with imagery, rhythm and voice, using prompts from the book to spark ideas and stretch their imaginations. 

One of the most powerful aspects of the workshops has been the way students have embraced the freedom to write without fear of ‘getting it wrong.’ 

Many students have discovered new confidence in expressing themselves, while others have found joy in the creative challenge of shaping words into something meaningful. 

Enjoy!

Joanna McKeown
Dean of Inclusive Education (P-12)

I am Thankful
I thank the earth for its nature 
I thank the sky for its Brightness
I thank the sea for its Beauty 
I thank the wind for its breeze
I thank the body for its Gifts 
I thank the Beginning for its life
I thank the end for its Peace 
Yes, I thank even in the end.
What would the beginning be 
Without the strong peace 
at the end.

Anastasia Bucciarelli
Year 8

First is the Worst 
They say
‘First is the worst,
second is the best‘
But second feels the worst indeed
because all I had to do
was push a little harder
then the gold could’ve been strung around my neck
They say
‘First is the worst,
second is the best‘
But I am convinced 
that is a lie
to make us 
second placers feel better
If I could rewrite
And if I could change
First is the winner
Second is the worst,
even third doesn’t come close
to how bad silver hurts‘

Anastasia Bucciarelli
Year 8

Silence

The eerie silence of sitting at that desk, 
The eerie silence of the clock ticking, 
The eerie silence of the pen moving, 
The eerie silence of the rustling of papers,
The eerie silence of the wheels turning in my head 
The eerie silence of the chair moving back and forth like a pendulum, 
The eerie silence of the muted sound coming through the house, 
The eerie silence of the aircon going on in the background,
The eerie silence that I know all too well, 
The eerie silence that I shouldn’t know that well, but we all do,
The eerie silence where you know that there is a deadline coming, 
And it’s coming too soon,
The eerie silence that has come too early to comprehend in a year 7 brain,
In any brain for that matter, 
The eerie silence where you know that this isn’t right,
And that you shouldn’t be doing this, but you are,
Because society has made it normal, 
They have made it normal for you to second guess,
When you should be playing out on the grass, 
Laughing with your friend…but no, 
The feeling that the eerie silence is closing in on you, 
Faster and Faster, and Faster,
Until there is nothing left to close in on,
That eerie silence that was once there turned into just silence.  

Annamarie El-Hachem
Year 9