Display Work and A Message In A Bottle!

11-14 Age Group, 13 Attending

As part of the Young Writers course, The Lighthouse have been kind enough to offer us some display space on the ground floor for the young writers. Therefore, this week was mainly based on getting these pieces ready.

Looking back at their previous work, the writers were vocal in how they had a lot to choose from. This was fantastic to hear, as it confirmed to Tabby and I that the sessions were producing enjoyable work!

As well as discussing the display pieces, we also shared different competitions that the writers could enter, such as Foyles Poetry competition. This is a great opportunity for young writers to have their poems read and possibly published, and from their reactions, it seemed some may enter.

After battling with coloured card and gel pens, all the young writers had created fantastic pieces, ready for display!

Milly wrote:

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

Warm wind, the yellow heather

the sweet smell of flowers

you could stay there for hours

until the sun sets

until the stars come out

until winter turns to spring

until you fall in love

and the flower petals fall

and the moon light dances in the water

the birds sing their sweet songs

wait there

and change the weather.

Tabby then revealed a message in a bottle that had been found washed up on a beach. The message simply read 'remember', as the rest had been damaged at sea.

The young writers were asked to imagine what they believe the message could have said, who it was from, and who it was for.

Aofie wrote:

Remember, I'm gone now, but everyone is in grave danger. You must find my files, they will tell you everything you need to know. You can't save me but you can save yourselves.

The message in a bottle exercise is one that we will return to next week and continue!

15-18 Age Group, 9 Attending

Similar to that of the younger group, most of this weeks session was based around preparing work for display.

James's final piece read:

One of my grandfather's wishful ramblings always stuck with me: birdwatching goes both ways.
It puts me at a restful unease, that observation doesn't hold myself in isolation. He's been dead for four years now but the birds are still here. So what are they watching now? Loneliness strokes a little hard with every year in receipt of a bus pass, so maybe this was a self-prescription of company? Does that mean that the birds needed company too?

What colour is company? Is it warm, floss fluffy as a glowing amber? Or is it cold and harsh, with the knowledge that closeness has a counter-part?

The colour of company is the colour of my winged friend who I watch, whenever he watches me.

After this, we looked at the message in the bottle and asked who, why, and what.

Some writers suggested that it was from a Russian spy, a lost man, or a stranded pirate, while Ophilia and James believed it was a warning from the sea itself, reading: Remember, you did this to me.

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Display Work and A Message In A Bottle!