timuniwa.blogspot.com: Poem: 'Talking Turkeys' by Benjamin Zephaniah

A favourite Christmas poem of mine by poet Benjamin Zephaniah.

Why I have set up this blog!

I am Timu Niwa

Aspiring writer from New Zealand (currently living in Belfast, Northern Ireland with my wife and daughters)

I have set up this blog with the hope of utilising it

to assist me,

to propel me,

to push me on...

towards the goal of getting something that I have written (large or small!) published by the end 2012!

I have a few pieces of work on the go at the moment but I especially, especially, especially enjoy writing:

Poetry (entertaining, crazy and silly stuff for children is best!!)

Children's picture books stories (fun zone only)

Plays with a political or humorous (or both at the same time!) edge to them...

Mini-musicals for children based on well-known stories (My favourite songs I have written are 'Get Out' (The Selfish Giant) and 'We're Rats!' (Pied Piper)

Songs (for children in Maori and English!)

I do wish to have more Maori characters and contexts 'given space' in NZ children's literature - everyday life experiences to me seem more pertinent, so I do aim to do that in some of my writing. After picking up the picture books, 'Hemi's Pet' and 'The Kuia and the Spider' as a child, the first books that I had ever seen 'myself' and 'my' realities being reflected in any books anywhere, I have longed for more stories and picture books for children which are Maori in character and nature yet still hold universal appeal to as wider audience as possible.

The sense of personal validation that spurred me on as a child when reading these books, and the deeply satisfying feeling I get from creating images out of words, spurs me on today.

So there it is....my wero...I have set myself the challenge...that by end of December 2012, I will be published.

timuniwa.blogspot.com

Sunday, 19 December 2010

Poem: 'Talking Turkeys' by Benjamin Zephaniah

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