Different languages have different words for the sounds that animals make. You may think that bees buzz but in Bengali they bhonbhon, in Japanese they bunbun, in Estonian, summ-summ and Korean they have a choice between boong-boong and wing-wing. Cats say ngeong in Indonesia and in Nahuatl (Mexico) they say tlatzomia. The Scottish poet, Alistair … Continue reading What cats really say
Tag: animals
Belly like a bream
This short traditional rhyme is a wonderful invitation to close observation and imaginative invention. It is a list of ingredients to create an animal, and it works through its use of similes. The exciting thing about it for the writer, and consequently the reader, is to find new and surprising smiles. One of the pleasures … Continue reading Belly like a bream
Stories they tell
Today, we offer just a quick idea: a different point of view. Try writing a story from the point of view of one of your pets. If you don’t have a pet, then you can imagine one. In fact, if you don’t have a pet, you can imagine any animal you like. Our pets know … Continue reading Stories they tell
Animals in my life
Here is another list for your ‘Book of Myself’. Make a list of all the animals in your life, now and in the past. Write each one on a separate line and add a little bit about them. You might find yourself with a poem. You might just have a list. You might want to … Continue reading Animals in my life
Translations
Last week we heard the Loch Ness monster’s song. This week I thought we could try our hand at translation. I came across these lines in a book of poems by one of my favourite poets, Naomi Shihab Nye: ‘I used to translate what a hen said. Little kids believed me. I looked deep into … Continue reading Translations
The Teacher’s Cat
This is another game. You may have played it before. You can play alone or with others. You can just say it aloud and you could write down your ideas if you wish. The Teacher’s cat is another alphabet game. This time we are thinking about adjectives –we are thinking about words to describe the … Continue reading The Teacher’s Cat
Writing Box 