Following a school visit from poet Rachel Rooney, Millie has become interested in writing poetry. She’s always had a bit of a poetic bent, being published in a poetry anthology back in 2012, but this visit from a bona fide poet inspired her to put pen to paper again.
O
r rather, finger to keyboard: her poems are composed and illustrated in PowerPoint, and each is a re-telling of a fairy story.
As an English post-grad and writer myself this is just too perfect! So I’ve been there in the room with her as she wrote them, trying to advise and suggest without telling her what to do.
For example: a poem isn’t just a story that rhymes. Yes, rhyming can be quite a large part of poetry, but it’s not a normal prose story, with added line breaks and rhymes. Poetry means you can chop and change the story, use unusual words – or try out usual words in unusual ways.
Some of this advice was heeded, and we now have a seven page epic poem telling the story of Sleeping Beauty, as well as the opening stanzas of Rapunzel. It’s not exactly Beowulf, but it’s not bad, and I’m so glad to see her trying to do this – creating something, having a bit of faith in her abilities and enjoying writing so much (she spent a good two hours of her own time on Sleeping Beauty).
However, when I suggested printing out Sleeping Beauty, taking it to school and showing her teacher she stopped.
“But what if my friends laugh at it?” she asked.
Oh, boy, I thought, serious, inspirational Dad talk coming up.
“Why would they laugh, love? You should be proud of what you’ve written. Your friends – your real friends – won’t laugh. Friends are supposed to help and support you, not laugh or make you feel bad.
“And your teacher will be so pleased to see you’re listening and interested in what she’s saying. I’m sure Rachel Rooney would be excited, too, knowing she’s inspired someone else.”
Yesterday Millie came out of school with a big smile on her face, “My teacher read my poem out to the class – she said it was really good!”
“And did your friends like it, too?” I asked.
“They couldn’t believe I had written it!” she grinned.
And I gave her a big proud hug.
Sleeping Beauty
by Millie H. Carter, aged 10
Once upon a time there was a king and queen,
Whose love for each other had always been,
But they were not happy,
For they wanted a child,
To make them smile.
So when they finally had one,
It wasn’t a son,
It was the daughter they wished for!
So they opened their doors,
So the child could be seen
By people who were keen
And came from far and wide.
And so they made up their mind,
To always be kind,
And to call their daughter Aurora,
So they held a christening for her…
But at the christening,
An unwanted guest appeared.
And nastily she sneered,
“Your daughter is doomed
For she will live to 18
And then her finger shall prick and she will die!”
“In a coffin she shall lie!”
And with that she disappeared.
But a good fairy,
(whose name was Mary)
Came to the rescue.
She chanted a spell,
To save the princess from hell,
But prick her finger and sleep years in a bed,
With a pillow beneath her head.
Until her true love,
( who would be as sweet as a dove )
Would wake her up,
With true love’s kiss.
Aurora thought she was happy and safe,
Unaware of her dreadful fate.
But just in case,
The good fairy,
(whose name was Mary)
Took her to a safe house
Where she made friends with a mouse.
But when Aurora was 18,
And loved to preen,
The good fairy,
(whose name was Mary)
Took her back to her real home,
Where she stood in her bedroom alone,
She found a tunnel and down she went
Even though she wasn’t meant
And she met a woman who told her to sit
On a stool next her
With a spinning wheel
“But papa says not to talk to a stranger
He says it could mean danger”
“You think an old woman could hurt you?”
“Come you can try my spinning needle.”
So Aurora chose not to heed,
Her fathers warning,
Though she had great need.
And she pricked her finger,
The woman did not linger,
But away she ran.
And later Aurora was found,
And laid to sleep on a soft feather bed,
With a pillow beneath her head.
So for many year she slept,
And many people wept.
For the princess was gone,
And for 100 years long.
Along came a handsome prince,
He had heard of the legend,
Of a princess who slept,
On a feather bed,
With a pillow beneath her head,
And decided he would rescue her.
So he cut through the vines,
With his sword so very fine,
And when he got to the castle,
He found the princess,
that slept on a feather bed,
With a pillow beneath her head,
And gave her a kiss,
Which couldn’t go amiss.
The princess awoke
In the hands of…
The handsome prince!
Shortly after they got married and
They lived happily ever after
(Apart from the wicked witch
Who was ditched)
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It’s under my name because they wanted a Dad’s story to try and attract other dads to volunteer on the Bliss helpline, as I do.
Seriously, however, if you think you could help and comfort anyone with a baby born too soon then visit the Bliss website for more details on volunteering. Any time or help you can offer is gratefully received, and the commitment is only what you can handle.
For Millie H. Carter it turned out to be 
Nannies, grampies, granddads and grandmas were all texted, social media was updated and everyone was happy, not least the big school girl herself.