James Carter Poet

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Tree

A tree
is not like you and
me - it waits around quite
patiently - catching kites and
dropping leaves - reaching out to touch
the breeze...A tree all day will stand and stare
clothed in summer, winter : bare - it has no shame
or modesty...Perhaps its generosity is the greatest in
the world - it gives a home to every bird, every squirrel,
feeds them too - to every dog it is a loo...And after dark
what does it do? Catch a falling star or two? Shimmy
in the old moonlight? Or maybe have a conker fight?
A tree can give an awful lot : the wood to make a
baby’s cot - pencils, paper, tables, chairs - lolly
sticks as well as stairs ...Without a tree we
could not live - a tree, it seems just
loves to give -
but us :
we
chop
we
take
we
burn
that’s
what we
do in return

What
Can You
Do With A
Football
?

Well...

You can
kick it you can catch
it you can bounce it - all
around. You can grab it you can
pat it you can roll it - on the ground.
You can throw it you can head it you
can hit it - with a bat. You can biff it
you can boot it you can spin it you
can shoot it you can drop it
you can stop it - just
like that!

Words

Go tell the world
        that words aren’t cheap
for like the trees
        their roots go deep
for like the winds
        they blow your way
for like the seeds
        they won’t all stay
for like the clouds
        they have such grace
for like the seas
        they roar and rage
for like the sun
        they feed you light
for like the moon
        they dwell at night
for like the sky
        they’re made of air
go tell the world
        treat words with care

Love You More

Do I love you
to the moon and back?
No I love you
more than that

I love you to the desert sands
the mountains, stars
the planets and

I love you to the deepest sea
and deeper still
through history

Before beyond I love you then
I love you now
I’ll love you when

The sun’s gone out
the moon’s gone home
and all the stars are fully grown

When I no longer say these words
I’ll give them to the wind, the birds
so that they will still be heard

I love you

The Dark

Why are we so afraid of the dark?
It doesn’t bite and doesn’t bark
Or chase old ladies round the park
Or steal your sweeties for a lark

And though it might not let you see
It lets you have some privacy
And gives you time to go to sleep
Provides a place to hide or weep

It cannot help but be around
When beastly things make beastly sounds
When back doors slam and windows creek
When cats have fights and voices shreek

The dark is cosy, still and calm
And never does you any harm
In the loft, below the sink
It’s somewhere nice and quiet to think

Deep in cupboards, pockets too
It’s always lurking out of view
Why won’t it come out till it's night?
Perhaps the dark’s afraid of light

Copyright © James Carter
Winning poem of the Raymond Wilson Poetry Competition 2001
From Cars Stars Electric Guitars (Walker Books)
Reproduced by permission of Walker Books Ltd.

Garden Shed

A
garden
shed, a garden
shed, my head is like
a garden shed : it's full of junk and
flower pots, wellie boots and who knows not -
No, really though, my head is crammed
you can’t get in, the door is jammed :
with things I’ve seen, things I’ve said
things I’ve done and things I’ve read
Plus everything I’ve thought about -
. . . if I was you - I'd just keep out !!

Write Your Name

Write your name
with a stick
in the sand

Write your name
in the snow
with your hand

Write your name
on a board
with a chalk

Write your name
in the air
as you talk

Write your name
as you breathe
on glass

Write your name
with your friends
in class

Write your name
all curly
and small

Write your name
all pointy
and tall

Write your name
in the dark
at night

Write your name
in the sky
with a kite

Write your name
whatever you do -
write your name
to celebrate
YOU!

Happy Poem

Happy as a rainbow
happy as a bee
happy as a dolphin
splashing in the sea

Happy as bare feet
running on the beach
happy as a sunflower
happy as a peach

Happy as a poppy
happy as a spoon
dripping with honey
happy as June

Happy as a banjo
plucking on a tune
happy as a Sunday
lazy afternoon

Happy as a memory
shared by two
happy as me...
when I'm with you!

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