the child you said you loved but gave away.

Remember me mother?

the child you said you loved but could not look after.

Remember me mother?

the one who lost his mother because she drank herself to death.

The mother I always needed But never had.

Remember me mother?

By Daniel Asiedu (aged 16), who receives Penguin Modern Poets 1. Submitted by Anne Gallagher, who receives the Poetry Society’s teacher’s newsletter, a quarterly bulletin which includes features on innovative classroom approaches to poetry. For Poetry Society events ring 0171 240 4810.

Daniel’s poem would be another very effective one for speaking aloud and would offer a number of different possibilities. You could stress the bitterness and anger, but there’s also tenderness and yearning here and the character speaking the poem is not the only damaged person in it. Rhythmically punchy and concise, this is a strong and dramatic piece. The author is a pupil at Hackney Downs which sadly closes at the end of term. God bless all who’ve sailed in her, and well written, Daniel.

Next term’s guest poet will be Wendy Cope (pictured below). A former primary school teacher, she is best known for her two witty collections, Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis (1986) and Serious Concerns (1992), both published by Faber. She has edited The Orchard Book of Funny Poems and is one of five poets whose work appears in Macmillan’s Another Day on Your Foot and I Would Have Died for over sevens, to be published in January.

Poems up to 20 lines long, on any subject, should be sent to The TES, Admiral House, 66 - 68 East Smithfield, London E1 9XY by December 18. Please include the poet’s name, age and school and the teacher’s name.