The world is in stereo I can walk and always hear I’m a star of the pavement Where cool heroes say “hi” The music walks my ego Through the streets And to the stars When I’m a Stereo-Hustler I’m a Two-Phoned Cruiser And I’m so cool, And if the pavement lets me I’ll walk to her too

By Jamie Huxley, age 12, who receives Penguin Modern Poets 1. Submitted by Joan Secombe of Bishop Luffa School, Chichester, West Sussex, who receives the Poetry Society teachers’ newsletter, a quarterly bulletin which includes features on innovative approaches to poetry in the classroom. For Poetry Society events, ring 0171 240 4810.

Jamie’s poem has a good deal of zest and momentum as well as a slightly mysterious ending. It’s a great bonus to get a poem off to as energetic a start as this opening stanza with its very arresting image in lines 3 and 4, and the pressure is kept up as the music “walks my ego”. A good strutting, posing, song-like piece.

To mark National Poetry Day next Thursday, the Poetry Society is providing a “map” on the Internet in conjunction with the BBC Networking Club. It will give advice to schools, libraries and authors on writing and publishing poetry, a letters page and a “poetry doctor” who will prescribe remedies for work submitted. The Poetry Map address is: http:www.bbcnc.org.ukonlinepoetry.