The big broad oak tree Overlooking the river As king of the park (by Ryan Lussingha)
HAIKU poetry — a form originally developed in 19th-century Japan — is not something often associated with Okehampton's Simmons Park. This week, though, 13 Year 8 and Year 9 students from Okehampton College wrote Haiku poetry inspired by the park, as part of a two-day creative writing workshop taught by writer Colin McFarlane. Mr McFarlane is a professional writer, creative writing tutor and specialist in working with able, gifted and talented children, and has taught at institutions throughout the UK. He is a firm believer in poetry requiring observation skills, as well as the ability to use language well. He said: 'If you're looking for originality, there's a quantum leap between being in a classroom and being outside.' The Okehampton College students were therefore set loose from the classroom for the two days to take inspiration from the environment of Simmons Park. There they took notes, and afterwards brainstormed their ideas and came up with both haiku and longer poems. Laurence Cullen, one of the students taking part, said: 'It's been really, really interesting. There's nothing to inspire you in a classroom, but we took pages and pages of notes in the park — then it was quite difficult to put it all into one tiny poem.' Martha Fawcett and Elsa Hariades also enjoyed the workshop. 'It's really different writing like this — we can be inspired instead of being stuck in a dull classroom,' Elsa said. As a teacher, McFarlane was impressed by the keenness of the college students, who chose to stay at the workshop until six in the evening, and by the quality of their compositions. 'They're one of the most able, sparky bunches that I've worked with,' he said. The workshop was organised by English teacher Kate Diffey and was run as part of the school's Gifted and Talented Pupil Programme.