I spent a wonderful weekend at a Festival for Children’s and YA Book Creators. I will write more about it soon but one of the main highlights for me was a three hour workshop on Rhyme, Rhythm and Repetition with the inimitable Mem Fox.

The poem that follows is a first attempt to practise some of the things that we learnt during that workshop.

It’s a study of time.

The content looks at time, but it’s also an attempt to consider the timing and rhythm within the poetry. It’s not quite right because I’ve written it while the babies are napping so the required stomping and clapping to count out the beat had to be much quieter than optimal… I need a sound proof booth!

Time

Where did the time go?
My angel, my dear.
Where did the time go?
My dear.
I thought time moved slow,
My angel, my dear.
But what did I know?
My dear.

Inside me you grew,
My angel, my dear,
Inside me you grew,
My dear.
And how the time flew,
My angel, my dear,
If only I knew,
My dear.

And then you were small,
My angel, my dear,
And then you were small,
My dear.
I dreamed you were tall
My angel, my dear,
Knew nothing at all,
My dear.

And now you have grown,
My angel, my dear,
And now you have grown,
My dear.
I see that time’s flown,
My angel, my dear,
Could never have known,
My dear.

I can’t make time still,
My angel, my dear,
I can’t make time still,
My dear.
Time has its own will,
My angel, my dear,
It doesn’t refill,
My dear.

But we can slow down,
My angel, my dear,
But we can slow down,
My dear.
And I’ll tell you how,
My angel, my dear,
I’ll cuddle you now,
My dear.

For when you are near,
My angel, my dear,
For when you are near,
My dear.
Time’s nothing to fear,
My angel, my dear,
Forever’s right here,
My dear.