Sonnet for Damian Gorman

“It’s bonkers” wrote the poet, ‘but yes, I’ll come”

He packed his bag and caught the first of many planes

His eyes were sore, his bum was numb

He yawned and asked our students for their names.

“Don’t be afraid” he urged each Lil and Anahit

Your stories should be shouted from the hills

And whispered where the country’s leaders meet

For Poets no longer work with parchment and with quills

Give your heart voice through poems typed on phones

Or scrawled on paper –reams and reams

Write of love and joy, your fears and moans

Armenia needs your passion, thoughts and dreams.

Use your great words to make the world anew!

So saying, home the poet flew.

Haiku for Garik

‘Poet’ is not a budget line

said our accountant.

Well, it is now.

Limerick for an Irish man living in Wales

There was an old Bard from West Wales

Who came to our camp to hear tales

Our students they wrote

Poems worthy of note

Now Armenia’s young talent he hails.

Ode to our Campers

There was a time when lights went

out at twelve.

When students safe tucked

inside their room

Wrote of love and friends and self

Of lives from womb to tomb.

We must do it all again…

—-

On mornings bright or gray

Our campers ran and stretched and more

Ate breakfast–a good start to every day

Sang songs, made art, shared lore.

We miss those days–we really do…

—-

Late our students danced

Or beauty wrought in clay

Told stories that entranced

Spoke English every day

May next year’s camp come soon…

The Last Word

They’ve moved from reciting to writing

The words they now choose are their own

With pens in their hands they are fighting

For an Armenia they’re proud to call home.

Damian Gorman was Poet-In-Residence at the Hanna Huntley Memorial Fund Creative English camp attended by 60 Armenian High School Students in Hankavan, Armenia. If you would like Damian to conduct a writing workshop anywhere in the world, contact him at damian.gorman@btopenworld.com . You’ll see great results and the participants will love it.