Seamus Heaney Awards – CAP’s Poetry in Motion School Project Co-ordinator – Shelley Tracey writes in the “Write Where We Belong” Anthology

The online launch of this anthology and presentation of some of the poems in this book took place on the 21st of March, which was World Poetry Day. This was a fitting occasion for our young poets to join their voices with those of poets across the world, celebrating the power of poetry to inspire and bring hope.

The title of this year’s Poetry in Motion Schools anthology is Write Where We Belong. The poems in this book, composed by pupils from schools across Northern Ireland, celebrate many aspects of belonging. These include identity, relationships with family and friends, and connecting with the natural world.

Many of the poems submitted to this year’s anthology communicate the sense of belonging which they experience through sport. Jack Wilson from Sperrin Integrated College writes: ‘I like the intensity of a game, whether I am watching or playing’. Some of the poems focus on the idea of place, painting vivid pictures of schools, towns and local areas.

While many of the poems in Write Where We Belong convey a positive sense of belonging, there are others which refer to experiences of not belonging. These are poignant and powerful pieces of work. Some examples of these poems are ‘Mixed’ by T’Mia Jenkins of Dunclug College, Ballymena, ‘Refugee’ by Emma Rice of St. Dominic’s Grammar School, Belfast, ‘Where I belong’ by Jordan Kelly of St. Joseph’s Boys’ School, and ‘There’ by Conall McKenna, Christian Brothers Grammar School, Omagh.

The focus of some of the poems in this anthology is on words themselves, and how poets create and contribute to the world of poetic language. According to Amelia Makush from Malone Integrated College,

‘Words
are owls
that can
see in
the dark’

Preston Haire, from Ashfield Boys’ High School, Belfast, reminds us of the power of words:

‘Some words will climb up walls to reach where they have to go.’

Cadhla Mc Manus and Grace Collins, from St. Dominic’s Grammar School, Belfast, remind us that ‘Words express your feelings. They reach into your soul. And pull out whatever they know.’

We hope you enjoy every word in this book. Thank you to everyone who took part in Poetry in Motion Schools this year and shared their enthusiasm and creativity. We are grateful for the expertise and dedication of CAP’s technician, Steven Tunley, who prepared the online presentation and turned this fine collection of poems into an anthology of which we are very proud.

Thanks to the teachers who welcomed our poet-facilitators into their classrooms, and supported their pupils to express themselves so effectively. We are delighted that Write Where We Belong includes poems by three of these teachers. These explorations of the theme of belonging enrich this anthology.

Our heartfelt thanks go to CAP’s poet-facilitators who brought their creativity and expertise into your classrooms, and inspired the poems in this book.

We acknowledge the invaluable contributions of

Abby Oliveira
Annemarie Mullan
Angeline King
Briege McClean
Deirdre Cartmill
Linda Hutchinson
Linda McKenna

Marion Clarke
Martelle McPartland
Maura Johnston
Michelle Young
Natalie Smyth
Raquel McKee
Teresa Kane

Finally, our thanks and congratulations to all of the young poets who took part in Poetry in Motion Schools. We were unable to publish every one of the hundreds of poems which were submitted to Write Where We Belong, because of a lack of space. However, we were really impressed by every single piece of writing which we received, and we hope that your teachers will find opportunities to share your poems with your schools and wider audiences. We urge you all to continue writing, and to take your rightful place in the world of creativity.

Shelley Tracey
Poetry in Motion Coordinator

weekly-logo
artist forms link
New Belfast Community Arts Initiative trading as Community Arts Partnership is a registered charity (XR 36570) and a company limited by guarantee (Northern Ireland NI 37645).Registered with The Charity Commission as New Belfast Community Arts Initiative - NIC105169.