Fair Trade in Macclesfield

This was an unofficial commission - to write something for Macclesfield Fair Trade fortnight. Local schools were asked to write and display poems to put up in Macclesfield Library, and an event was set up with the Mayor. As a bonus, Macclesfield acquired Fair Trade status as a town the week before, so there was plenty to celebrate.

I got to thinking about the processes involved in this. When a child is asked to write a poem about an issue - when I'm asked to write about an issue - there is a certain amount of extra engagement involved. I looked up some web sites, became concerned. And then when the poems are displayed or read out, there is a kind of celebration and valuing of these expressions.

The children were great - lively vigorous poems - sometimes carried away by rhyme, sometimes serious and factual. I tried to write something that I felt but which was true to the issues. Here's what I came up with - I'd value comments and responses!

This is a Fair Trade Poem.

This poem is made from
one hundred per cent recycled
words. It has not been tested
on animals. It has no additives
no artificial colouring.

Juanita’s poem is a sweet banana
fragrant, glowing. But the price
has fallen. ‘Dear teacher’ she says,
‘My children can no longer come
to school.’ This poem is made
from recycled words, but who
is listening?

Maria’s poem is a handful
of glinting coffee beans. She lets them
slide through her fingers. The price
has fallen. No clothes, no shoes
no medicine for the children.
This poem is made from recycled
words, but who is listening?

The supermarket poem is all noise
and colour. A price goes up
so we cross the aisle and choose
another brand, another packet.

Our lives are linked to their lives.
Their lives are linked to our lives.
This poem is made from recycled words.
Listen.

Lines on the Map

Launched on March 2nd with a first batch of poems…

The idea of this project is a simple map of Cheshire, with dots to represent places. As the mouse moves over these dots, the place name appears. When clicked, the name brings up a poem – normally with some kind of introduction. I would like to see this build up into a comprehensive ‘poetry map’ of the County. I can imagine all kinds of conversations when a resident of Twemlow Green, for example, has a look at the poem connected with their place. It may give unique insights into the way people perceive places, and encourage local poetry.

Diane at County Hall has very kindly put the map together as part of the Cheshire Readers and Writers web site. You can find it at this address:
www.cheshire.gov.uk/ReadersAndWriters/Writers/linesonthemap/home.htm

I’ve set up some simple ground rules:

1. The copyright in your poem remains with the author, but you allow Cheshire County Council permission to publish it on the ‘Lines on the Map’ website.

2. Cheshire County Council reserves the right not to publish a particular poem, or to remove any material from the site without notice, but published poems will normally remain on the site for a minimum period of one month.

This is not a competition, or an edited publication. There will be pieces which are really good, and others which are quite un-crafted. That’s like a walk through the village or town, with points of interest and points which are less exciting. I think poetry is a big enough space for a whole variety of responses to co-exist quite happily.

A couple from North Manchester went on a day trip to Chester, and when they got home Bill wrote a charming poem about it. Now it’s on the map. I think that this whole process expresses something really important – a meaningful role for poetry in people’s lives, capturing experience, sharing it with others.

If you have a poem about a Cheshire place, or a response to someone else’s poem – email it to me at cheshirepoetlaureate@googlemail.com