Tyger Tyger Issue 8 – Small Things, October 2024
Welcome to the eighth issue of Tyger Tyger Magazine, the Small Things edition!
These sixteen new poems are proof that small things can have a big impact. Discover the wild imaginative potential of the humble full stop and the wondrous ecosystems existing all around us. Learn all about friendly bacteria – with rhymes you’ll have in your head all day – then enjoy a deadpan account of mice and their behaviours. Admire the skilful craft of the creature who spins and waits, then celebrate the eraser’s versatility and creativity with a profusion of puns. Look down to see tiny fallen moons, make the leap from primary to secondary school, and experience a simple act of kindness in the school cafeteria. Swing away the day’s troubles until your heart is light. Be enfolded in a giant embrace. Say hello to some eccentric little seeds, before you s-s-s-start to SNEEZE. Guess the beautiful fruits in the bowl and sing a song of small beginnings. Finally, learn a big life lesson from the tiny, resilient snail.
Each poem is available as a free poem-poster to download, print and display, and there are free teaching resources around ‘New Beginnings’ by Emma Phillips, ‘Be a snail’ by Roy Moss, and ‘Small Things and Big Awe’ by Abbie Werner James.
New Beginnings, by Emma Phillips
A full stop mark is so much more than an ending in this wildly imaginative poem.
Small Things and Big Awe, by Abbie Werner James
Look closer and discover a world of wonder in this exuberant hymn to all things creepy-crawly.
The Lovable Bacteria, by Melanie Branton
Make friends with helpful bacteria in this poem, with funny facts and clever rhymes galore.
On mice, by Rob Walton
A surreal, funny and deadpan meditation on mice.
Who am I? by Wayne Medford
Guess the identity of our skilful speaker in this atmospheric, beautifully three-dimensional poem.
Pencil + Eraser 4-Ever! by Lizzie Brooks
An eraser opens up a world of creative potential in this cheekily hilarious poem.
Little moon, by Jackie Hosking
The moon comes to earth in this luminous eight-liner.
Transition, by Rachel Burrows
Change is afoot for these young speakers, moving from one school up to the next – but soon they will be flying.
Two Dinner Rolls, by Mary McEwen
A small act of kindness has a big impact in this sweet piece.
The Swing, by Haleema Sadia
Experience the stress-busting joy of swinging in the playground in this uplifting poem.
Just Right, by Deborah Holt Williams
This bite-sized poem has a big, heartwarming message.
Seeds, by Filippo Rossi
Encounter a community of seeds with a sprinkling of storybook magic.
Anticipation, by Richard Jodah
A tiny tickle has an explosive impact in this short-and-sharp – and very funny – poem.
Fruit Bowl, by Christa de Brún
Guess the fruits in this luminous set of riddles.
Small is the Seed, by Emily Patterson
Tiny and vast are intertwined in this hypnotic, lyrical piece.
Be a snail, by Roy Moss
The snail is an inspiration in this resonant miniature portrait.
Posters and teaching resources – Small Things poems – Issue 8
All of the poems in Issue 8 are also available as free poem-posters to download, print and display. There are also free, downloadable teaching resources around the poems ‘Be a snail’ by Roy Moss, ‘New Beginnings’ by Emma Phillips, and ‘Small Things and Big Awe’ by...