Welcome
Frontpage
Background
Poems
Books
Read Me At School
A Million Brilliant Poems
Monster Poems
Lets Recycle Grandad
Wordspinning
Frontpage
for visiting the website. There's a little bit about me, Trevor Parsons, some poems for you to read, information about where you can find just some of the books that have my poetry in, PLUS a bit about my new book "Hear, Here!" and how you can buy it.
Background
Trevor Parsons was born in Parsons Green, London, but was not the son of a parson. He grew up in Fulham and still supports the football team, whose major claim to fame is being the only club in the major English leagues beginning with the letter F. His first school was a very large Primary, which loomed over the little terraced houses and whose main entrance was only 30 yards from his front door. His mum could look out of their bathroom window and check if he was behaving himself in class. At eleven he was given a scholarship to a boys' school in a distant part of London and was the only boy in his street to have to wear a cap and a blazer.After school Trevor went to London University to study dentistry but soon realised it was never going to be the job for him. A few years of variety followed, including being a porter at a fever hospital, a van driver, a morning postman, living in a commune in the country, cataloguing pressed flowers, toilet cleaning, studying biology and being generally undecided about what to do next.Eventually Trevor studied English Literature and taught in London and Southampton for six years. Then another change of direction, with a move to Bristol, starting a company making models for architects, museums, film-makers and designers, and being a director there for twenty five years.Trevor has written poetry since his postman days and for the last ten years has written for children. "What I like about children's poetry is that it's so unpretentious - or should be. And a good children's poem can appeal to anyone of any age." He has had poems in dozens of anthologies and has just had his first collection published. Trevor still lives in Bristol with his wife and has two grown-up children.
Poems
Tongue
Home
All Things
Considered
For permission to reproduce or publish any material from this website please email the author at trevorparsons1_gmail.com
Level 1
Tongue I do feel sorry for my tongue; stuck in prison behind enamelled bars, in solitary confinement and bound to the floor. It can wriggle about or occasionally protrude (when I want to be rude) and it gets a taste of freedom when I shout - but I have to hope that it'll never actually get out! © Trevor Parsons
Level 2
HomeThis is my homeand its acres of groundsand our stables and views.This is my homesurrounded by gardensand garagesand our few neighbours.This is my homeand our modest gardens,front and rear,and our neighbours on either side.This is my homeand our yardand our many close neighbours.This is my homeand the roadand our neighbourson either sideand above and below.This is my homeand in the other roomsare our neighbours.This is my homeand that of our neighbours.This is my homeand my workplaceand that of my workmates.This is my home,my square of our Earth, paved.This is my home,my patch of our Earththe size of my shadow,that moves with my shadow, dust.These are our homesand life is just.© Trevor Parsons
Level 3
All Things Considered(Dedicated to the Bristol Downs football team 2008)We’'re playing Hadley Youth today,under 14s. And we'’re away.We’'ve had to travel right across townand you know how jetlag drags you down.Is this the biggest pitch there'’s been?It’'s certainly the slopingest I'’ve seen.Half our team slept at mine last night;bit of a late one, – not looking too bright.I can'’t believe they'’re all the right age.Just look at those three; surely they shave?Look at their subs! There are dozens of them.If we lose a man we'’ll be down to ten.It’'s not fair; they’'ve tons of supporters.We’'ve two mums, a dog and our coach'’s daughter.I know I shouldn'’t say it, makes me sound bad,but that ref could be their goalie'’s dad.Their forwards are giants; their backs are thugs -I reckon they'’re twice the size of us!All things considered, they hold every ace,so however we do we won'’t lose face.For if we winswe’'re the football kings,and if we loses –we’'ve loads of excuses.© Trevor Parsons
Books
Click to buy
£5.99
"Hear Here!"
A new collection of Trevor's poems
Click on book to see details
Just some of the anthologies where you can find Trevor's poems
Wordspinning
Read Me At School
A Million Brilliant Poems
Look Out!
The Poetry Store
Monster Poems
Does Your Face Fit
Let's Recycle Grandad
Read Me At School
A large anthology which contains poems about teachers, school pets, school trips, best friends, playtime, school meals, uniform, school holidays, in fact just about everything about school.
Read Me At School edited by Gaby Morgan published by Macmillan
Click Link to Books
A Million Brilliant Poems
"Roger Stevens has selected the very best children's poetry published over the last 15 years in one fabulous book. Funny poems, sad poems, and poems to learn by heart and many, many more from today's well-known and well-loved poets sit alongside each other to create a collection that is quite special."
A Million Brilliant Poems edited by Roger Stevens published by A&C Black
Click Link to Books
Monster Poems
Everything you ever wanted to know about monsters. Brilliantly illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
Monster Poems edited by Brian Mose published by Macmillan
Click Link to Books
Lets Recycle Grandad
"An irresistible collection of new and recycled poems that will make you laugh, howl and start to feel green! They cover everything from bad habits, UFOs and Dracula to recycled loo paper (naturally)."
Let's Recycle Grandad edited by Roger Stevens published by A&C Black
Click Link to Books
Wordspinning
"Full of anagrams and riddles, palindromes and acrostics, these poems will help you get your words - and your head - into a real spin!"
Wordspinning edited by John Foster published by Oxford University Press
Click Link to Books
Look Out
A great collection of poems about everything that goes on in school.
Look Out! The Teachers are Coming edited by Tony Bradman published by Macmillan
Click Link to Books
Poetry Store
"Whether for reading on your own or sharing with others, here are brilliant poems by the very best poets from John Agard to Benjamin Zephania. Also great for assemblies and the classroom, this book complements Paul Cookson's highly successful anthology THE WORKS."
The Poetry Store edited by Paul Cookson published by Hodder Children's Books
Click Link to Books
Does Your Face Fit
"A thought-provoking collection for teenagers". For every copy sold a donation is made to NASEN, the leading organisation in the UK promoting the education, training, advancement and development of all those with special and additional support needs
Does Your Face Fit edited by Roger Stevens published by A&C Black
Click Link to Books
Hear Here
"At last, a whole book of Trevor's witty, wise and well-crafted poems. One of my favourite poets writing for children"
S
ee Inside
Click page to
Roger Stevens
Index
Click Link to Hear Here!
Cannibals
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All About Poets
All About Poets A poet is for life not just for Christmas Day. Stroking a silky-haired poet can soothe your troubles away. A long-haired breed of poet should always be kept well-groomed. Keep their sleeping quarters in a draught-free part of the room. Do not indulge your poet with titbits from your plate. Encourage regular exercise to avoid excessive weight. It is generally thought unhealthy to have poets in your bed. Be sensitive about disposal once your poet is dead. Sorry, I meant to say 'pet'.
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Click Link to Hear Here!
When Is A Thing
When is a Thing a Living Thing?
If a thing is living it will move however far or fast or slight, a falcon swooping on a shrew, the turning of a leaf to light. All living things can reproduce, remake themselves as young and new, the growing of a rose from seed, your mother giving birth to you. A living thing must feed or die so bats go hunting moths at night, sheep must graze and insects nibble and green plants conjure food from light. And life means growth, things getting bigger, from tiny sapling to enormous tree, from foal to horse, from calf to cow, you, from what you are to what you'll be.
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Tricky Quiz
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Contact
Email
Phone
Your Name Kids Private English Tutor Email: info_yourname.com Phone: +1.703.365.4678 883 State St. Suite V PMB 522 New York, NY 11001
Location
_
trevorparsons1
gmail.com
Buy
ToBuy a signed copy from me at aSPECIAL NEW YEAR PRICEpress this trolley
May be bought through Amazon, but at extra expense for the poet!
To Buy from a bookshop press this trolley
Buying from me
If you'd like a signed copy from me
Or
* Special New Year Bargain*
Pay safely via PayPal. You don't need a PayPal account
Please send a cheque, made out to Trevor Parsons, for £5.99 inc. FREE postage* to: Trevor Parsons C/O The Old Sorting Office Eastfield Road, Cotham Bristol BS6 6AB
Buy Now
For 1 copy with free postage* £5.99
For 2 copies with free postage* £11.98
* Delivery to UK only. Please contact me for deliveries abroad.
Buying from Shops
Durdham Down Bookshop, 39 North View, BS6 7PY, Bristol's best independent bookshop, carry a stock of "Hear Here!" Tel. 0117 9739095
Foyles Bookshop Situated in Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol, their first shop outside London for 70 years
Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath The Paragon Bath Somerset BA1 5LS
News and Reviews
A review by Julia Donaldson, our Children's Laureate and author of The Gruffalo
Click here
Hear Here! has been selected by The Poetry Book Society as one of the top two books for their Summer Term mailing to Children’s Poetry Bookshelf members
For the review in The Teacher click here
For the review in The Primary Times click here
For some children's reviews click here
Julia Donaldson
Julia Donaldson, the Children's Laureate, said of "Hear Here!":
This is a book of delights. There are playful poems, puzzling poems, thoughful and intriguing ones. Particularly appealing is the variety of the subjects - including school, poverty, thaw, chocolate, and the death of a hamster. And through all the poems runs Trevor Parsons' love and mastery of language. Any classroom or home will be enriched by a copy of "Hear Here!"
Teacher Review
Review in the November/December issue of the NUT's magazine, The Teacher
Primary Times review
Review in the Primary Times 21Oct -16Dec 2011
Children's Reviews
Some children's comments about "Hear Here!"
"Amazing and funny, I loved all the poems, they are great for grandma's and grandpas, the amazing book made me laugh and smile, the poems were detalied and personal, I loved them all."
"I loved your sense of humour in the poems they were just wonderful, and I loved your play on words. I don't think I know anyone who woulden't want to read them!"
"I really enjoy these poems I don't generaly go in for poem reading but there was something about these poems that really gripped me. I loved the humor and I thoroughly reccomend a teachers prayer."
"A thoroughly good reed with superb detail."
"I torought he read his poems very good slowly and nice, the pictures was good, too."
Links
A website where children and teenagers can read poems by top poets, pick up hints for writing poems, comment on poems and talk about poetry with featured poets. (Grown-ups welcome too)
The website of children's author and poet, Celia Warren
Founded in 1953 by T S Eliot and friends to ‘propagate the art of poetry' by bringing the best new poetry to readers
Children's poet
Durdham Down Bookshop
Lovely independent Bristol bookshop who carry a stock of "Hear Here!"
It's that easy as learning the
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