YOU’RE INVITED TO
“As I looked into the fires from where it came
and realised the journey it made just for me
so much detail put into the flowers
and so many flowers put into the sea”
~ Oli, Heathcote Primary School
A NATIONAL
POETRY
COMPETITION
What is The Red Room Company?
Red Room Poetry Object is created by The Red Room Company,
a not-for-profit arts organisation that works with more than 700
poets to produce major public arts projects across Australia.
Red Room Poetry Education inspires students and teachers to
create, perform and publish poetry. We bring contemporary
poets into classrooms to run practical writing workshops.
Find out more at redroomcompany.org
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
What is Red Room Poetry Object?
Red Room Poetry Object is a
writing competition that gives
students the opportunity to
create, publish and exhibit
a poem inspired by an
object that is special to them.
• This special object is known
as a ‘Talismanic Object’.
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
What is a Talismanic Object?
1. A talisman is any object that brings a person protection or
good luck e.g. a plant, coin, ring or other item of jewellery.
OR
2. It is an object that is special to you.
(Your poem will be about this second type of talismanic object.)
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Examples of Talismans
Family heirlooms
Historical and cultural objects
Magical objects
Red Room Poetry Object Something that is special
just to you
© The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Group Talismanic Poem
1. As a class, select and discuss a special object.
It could be something in your classroom or it may be an object of
historical or cultural significance.
2. Look carefully at the object, or an image of the object.
3. Individually compose a 4-line poem in response to the object.
(Describe sensory details of the object or how it makes you feel).
4. When everyone has finished writing, choose your favourite
line and read aloud, one after the other, to form a group poem.
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Examples of Student Talismans
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Examples of Talismanic Poems
My Book
The Nitro Car
The world behind the book is lit.
Speeding like a rocket,
it’s on fire.
The gleam off the rims blinded me.
Thunder Tiger is its name.
Neeh neeh all the race
the sound played in my ear drums.
The inside is hollow yet it feels complete.
You have an engine in your head,
and wheels in your shoes
that’s why I love you.
I can see through walls of concrete
through the plastic of remotes and television
wires of all colours that knot together
words and magician’s secrets,
ancient tunnels held up by rusting metal supports
fallen down rocks covered in lichen
crabs are coral coloured, yet they hide in rocks
it makes no sense whatsoever
they’re just looking, completely still
like stars in the daylight
huge burning balls floating in cold blue
on the other side of the moon
drawers full of nail clippers and bobby pins and lost lids
the sofa and armchair have sheets lying over them
the boxy television is still spluttering out static
the room behind the book is lit by
the other side of the one-way mirror
white light comes through the cracks
the shadows in the corner still move.
Isabella, Year 8, Iona College, NZ
Winning Student Poem (Secondary), 2013
James, Year 6, Winning Student Poem (Primary), 2013
One small little object
As I looked into the fires from where it came
and realised the journey it made just for me
so much detail put into the flowers
and so many flowers put into the sea,
each little flower has its own story,
so many stories put into one object,
just like my holiday, which is made of many memories.
Many memories welded into one.
Your flowers are my memories,
one small little object.
Oli, Year 6, Highly Commended (Secondary), 2013
You and Your Talismanic Object
• Before you bring your special object to school, tell the people
at home where you are taking it - and why. Ask permission.
• It might be better to bring a photograph of your object to
school.
• Think about how to keep your object safe at school. Perhaps
leave it in your locker or with your teacher.
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Talismanic Object Poem
Your task is to compose a poem about a talismanic object.
• The choice of genre or form of poem is up to you.
• You should write no more than 20 lines.
Your talismanic object poem has TWO purposes:
1) To describe your talismanic object for a reader who is
unfamiliar with the object
AND
2) To explain to the reader why you value your talismanic object
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
But I don’t know what to write!
• Before you compose your poem
you will complete some pre-writing
that will help you write your poem.
• These pre-writing prompts will
help you develop techniques
and imagery to create your poem.
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Examples of pre-writing prompts
Place your object in front of you on your desk.
• Draw your object. Label it in as much detail as you can.
• Imagine you have to describe this object to a person who
is blind or to someone a long distance away to whom you are
speaking by telephone. Describe the appearance of your object
• Write a sentence in which you use onomatopoeia to describe
your object. (eg. ‘My clock is a round ticking moon, tick tick tick).
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
More writing prompts
Sensory similes
Create similes for your object using each of your senses
(eg. My dream-catcher tastes like fairy floss)
My object smells like . . .
It sounds like . . .
It is looks like . . .
It feels like . . .
My object tastes like. . .
• You can also try to describe your object with metaphors
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Using your pre-writing
• Read over your writing and circle or highlight any images or
words that stand out or appeal to you.
• Circle or highlight any images or phrases that you feel are
poetic or poem like.
• Circle or highlight any words, phrases or images that describe
your talismanic object.
• Circle any words or phrases that you feel might make a good
title for your poem.
• Use this raw material to help write your Talismanic Poem!
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Talismanic Poem Template
Name:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Poem title: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Your task is to compose a poem about a talismanic object.
9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
• The choice of genre or form of poem is up to you.
• You should write no more than 20 lines.
11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Your talismanic object poem has TWO purposes:
13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1) To describe your talismanic object for a reader who is
unfamiliar with the object
AND
2) To explain to the reader why you value your talismanic object
14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
How do I submit my poem?
• All submissions will be made electronically.
• Ask your teacher for the submission link or to help you upload
your poem.
Final date for submission
No later than 5:00 pm on Friday 19th September 2014
(Last day of Term 3)
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
What happens next?
• All poems submitted to Red Room Poetry Object will be
published via a dedicated online gallery
redroomcompany.org/projects/poetry-object
• All poems will be judged by poet Scott-Patrick Mitchell
• Winning and commended student and teacher poems will be
exhibited at Liverpool Library (Sydney) from November 2014 –
February 2015.
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Group Activity
• Teachers and students are encouraged to create school and
class poem installations.
• Schools can also submit a digital photograph of this group
installation and a written explanation of their approach to their
installation. The written explanation should be no more than 250
words in length.
• The ‘Best School Installation’ also wins a prize.
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
What is an installation?
• An installation is an artwork
designed for a specific site.
• In this case, an installation is
your school’s approach to
displaying your poems,
photographs and/or objects for
Red Room Poetry Object.
Rose Bay Secondary College, Best School Installation 2012
Mid North Christian College, Best School Installation 2013
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Fitzroy High School’s installation
• Students at Fitzroy High included handwritten copies of their
poems in a library-based ‘cabinet of curiosities’ installation.
• Students placed poems in old chocolate tins and decorated
boxes, transforming the library space for a reading event to
which they invited family and friends.
• Each student brought a lamp to illuminate their poems and
objects
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
How does Poetry Object recognise and
reward student achievement?
• All participating students receive certificates of achievement.
• Public displays in schools, online publication and exhibition of
winning and commended poems Liverpool Library, Sydney.
• Prizes for Winning Student Poem (Primary and Secondary),
Winning Teacher Poem and ‘Best School Installation’ will be
announced in November 2014.
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org
Thank you!
• Thank you for participating in Red Room Poetry Object.
We look forward to reading and publishing your poems!
• If you have any questions about the project please contact
Red Room Education Manager, Dr. Tamryn Bennett
t: 02) 93 19 5090
e: [email protected]
Red Room Poetry Object © The Red Room Company
redroomcompany.org