Class 5 & 6 Poems
Year 6 poems: based on WW1 Christmas Day Truce
The Christmas Truce
We woke up on Christmas Day,
The happiest day was today,
We walked across No-Man’s Land,
With no guns in hand.
We took out a ball and like boys began to play,
We played and played till the end of the day,
We sat down to dinner all were famished,
Ate and ate till it all vanished.
Pictures, trinkets, memories were shared,
Men to men, laughter was shared.
At the end of the day, we were back in our trenches,
The sound of guns made us lose all our senses.
by Henry Butterworth Class 6
The Christmas Truce
Guns fire spraying from both trenches,
Then the guns went silent.
German voices sing Christmas carols,
The sound travels across the bleak No Man’s Land.
The British voices ripple back, echoing the familiar tunes.
It’s 8:30am on Christmas morning
Both sides come to meet.
They played football, shared cigarettes and warm brandy,
It did not matter who won the football.
It did not matter who scored a goal.
It did not matter who supported which side.
What mattered was this truce amongst boys on the battlefield,
on the day of peace to all of Mankind.
These were our boys, that were a long way from home,
And this is a reminder that today even -
Not everyone comes home for Christmas.
by Max Merlino Class 6
Year 5: Were reflecting on the things we love at Christmas time and others not as fortunate as us.
Think
Christmas rhymes for good times,
The Christmas tree lights shine red, green and gold,
But, somewhere else a girl, fragile like a leaf,
is shivering cold.
The big, bright Christmas star twinkles bright,
but elsewhere under the pale moonlight,
a boy is shaking with cold,
The Tree whispers back,
this isn't right.
Stockings are filled to the brim,
things bold, beautiful and brights.
But far away someplace else,
others are empty for the young and the old.
the Christmas tree is glowing,
while outside it is snowing,
the ruby red holly berries,
glimmer delicious like cherries,
Mary gives birth to Jesus on Earth,
while the world rejoices as the golden bells ring.
In the manger,
even though there is a stranger,
the Christmas tree lights shine red, green and gold,
now the child is here,
no one is left outside in the cold.
by Grace Goff Class 5
Think
Have a delicious, sticky pudding,
under the moon, enjoying each bite.
Nevermind the person outside
alone in the gloom.
Look at the presents glowing with glee,
pink, red, blue, glittery ribbons snug tight,
while others find shelter under a feeble tree.
Stars glow big and bright,
proudly on top of carefully decorated trees,
Meanwhile, like a delicate leaf being blown harshly to the ground,
a lonely boy is shivering in fright.
Stuff your face with a rich Christmas dinner,
gravy, and the multicoloured array,
forgetting that others around the world grow thinner.
Enjoy the warm hug of Christmas,
but also remember those around the world that don't have,
everything that we have just shared.
by Lola Richardson Class 5