I found this poem very funny, pure and simple. Whimsy and rhyme have always made a good marriage. The rhymes may be simple here, but the ideas are imaginative, and entertainingly irreverent in lines like “He’d stick the cups to their plates, He’d stick the postman to the gate.” and, especially, in the line “He’d crawl out of his nice warm bed, And stick his mother’s pillow to her head”. I have a feeling this is an image most children (and this adult) would find hilarious. The poem also has some development from the initial joke, and I thought the use of the word “glory” was nicely overinflated and suited the frivolous tone.
Eva Salzman
The Superglue Boy
There was a boy from Waterloo, Who loved to play with Superglue.
He’d stick everything in sight And even in the darkest night, He’d crawl out of his nice warm bed And stick his mother’s pillow to her head.
He’d stick the cups to their plates.
He’d stick the postman to the gate.
He’d stick the dog to the cat.
He’d stick the mouse to the rat.
And one cold and windy day In the supposedly warm month of May, The boy did not know what to do.
He was sick of playing with Superglue.
So now this is what he did - He stuck the tube to the lid.
Then he realised what he had done He’d stopped his glory, stopped his fun.
So now he’s looking for another craze To pass the hours and the days.
Jenny Campbell
Jenny Campbell, 11, receives ‘Sounds Good 101 Poems to be Heard’ edited by Christopher Reid (Faber) . Submitted by Miss Bruce of Whitburn comprehensive school, Whitburn, South Tyneside, who receives a set of Poetry Society posters with teacher’s notes. Please send students’ poems, preferably no longer than 20 lines, to ‘TES’ Young Poet, Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1 9XY. Eva Salzman is writer-in-residence at the Bromley-by-Bow Centre in east London. She has published two volumes of poetry: “Bargain with the Watchman” (Oxford University Press) and “The English Earthquake” (Bloodaxe). The TES Book of Young Poets (pound;9.99), a selection of poems from this column, with an introduction by Sian Hughes, can be ordered by phoning 01454 617370. A set of four posters is available for pound;3.99.
