Poetic talents in full flow

Some 33 Year Ten students attended the Creative Writing event as part of the continuing 'Ethnographic Imaginings' project.

Deputy principal Caroline Mortblock explained more about the day and how it came about.

She said: "Basically the students spent the day writing a selection of poems related to objects displayed in Hastings Museum."

She added: "It was centred around repeating an event the students had seen last summer, when three nationally renowned poets, John Argard, Imtiaz Dharker, and Grace Nichols wrote and performed their poems at Hastings Museum."

Caroline said the students were 'very impressed' with what they saw and, as Bexhill High wanted to develop this writing project, a Year Ten class set the wheels in motion by writing their own poems in response to what the poets had written.

This was followed by the day-long visit to the museum where they continued in the footsteps of the professional poets, and wrote their thoughts and expressions in direct response to what they found there.

Caroline said: "It really was a fabulous - the whole day was spent writing and the students produced some amazing poems. It was a wonderful relaxed atmosphere and the quality of work was absolutely outstanding."

Poetry that emerged from the event is in the process of being edited, with a selection being sent to Imtiaz Dharker to read.