Celebrating World Poetry Day

Today is World Poetry Day and I thought it might be fun to do a blog tour of poets who have had their poems published in The School Magazine as they are also celebrating their 100 year anniversary this year.

The first poem of mine that The School Magazine published If I Were a Giant (Orbit March 2005) marked the beginning of a decade full of submitting my poems for children to the magazine in the hope of receiving that wonderful letter (now email) saying…

Dear Jackie

Your manuscript has now been assessed by our editorial team.

The good news is that we think your piece would work well in The School Magazine and would like to purchase it.

These few words always make my day light up, my face light up and my heart light up. These few words confirm that I am what I say I am. A poet and that is very reassuring.

Don’t get me wrong I, like most writers I think, doubt my ability every single day. I just did a quick count of how many pieces I have submitted to the magazine over the last 11 years and it totals about 130. Of those 130, 21 have been published so more often than not I read these words…

Dear Jackie

Thank you for letting us see this manuscript submission. The Editorial Committee of The School Magazine have now had a chance to read it. The consensus is that it does not meet the current needs of the magazine.

These are sad days but not devastating days and after I’ve grieved a little I see what else I might be able to send in. It’s a lovely rock-a-by process that keeps me writing and sending and hoping and smiling and crying and on and on.

Below is a gallery that I have created of a few of the poems that The School Magazine has published over the years. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been able to share my poetry through this wonderful magazine and I hope that you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them and if you’d like to read more of my poetry you can go here.

Orbit –March 2005 [VOL.90 NO.2] Illustrated by Kim Gamble

Countdown – April 2006 [Vol. 91 No. 3] Photo courtesy APL Alphabet Soup Magazine – Summer 2010

Countdown – June 2006 [VOL.91 NO.5] Illustrated by Vilma Cencic

Countdown – July 2006 [VOL.91 NO.6] Illustrated by Kerry Millard

Countdown – June 2007 [VOL.92 NO.5] Illustrated by Vilma Cencic The School Magazine – Reprint 2011

Countdown – Sept 2007 [VOL.92 NO.8] Illustrated by Astra Lacis

Orbit – Feb 2008 [VOL.93 NO.1] Illustrated Astra Lacis

Orbit – July 2012 [VOL.97 NO.6] Illustrated by Veronica Rooke

Poetry Blog Tour

To continue with the blog tour please visit the links below and I hope you all have a wonderful World Poetry Day.

Claire Saxby

Janeen Brian

Julie Thorndyke

Lorraine Marwood

Pat Simmons

Rebecca Newman

Sally Murphy

Sophie Masson

Stephen Whiteside

Yvonne Low