Categories
Age 9 to 12

The Moon Child by Mabel Cooper Age 11

Whoosh! Phhvvt! A firework whizzed up in vain hope to fly higher than me. I gazed down from my indigo sky and the dragons opened their starry eyes to shine upon the Earth. I saw it all; the tall ships, the fireworks , the singing, the dancing, everything. And I knew it would continue until the Night Walker glided gracefully back across the sky to his home and the Sun shone down to the little planet. A Catherine Wheel swirled around my toes and I laughed at the wonderful feeling. Somewhere down on Earth, a young girl looked up and said to her mother, “The moon just laughed, Mama, I think a firework tickled his feet.” “Oh darling,” she replied to her child “what a wonderful imagination you have, now let’s go home so that we can dream about it. It’s well past your bedtime.” I decided to watch the Moon Child’s dream.

Drip,drip. Drip, drip. Sitting in a cave . Protected by a silver dragon with starry eyes. A large deep pool. The night sky reflected, trapped inside a seemingly bottomless bulk of water. A small corner of Paradise. “Only four more corners to go, four more corners to find,” she said, almost wistfully, and then lay down to sleep on the coiled tail of the silver dragon and fell asleep.

She would wake up after I had left, as a normal human not as the moon child she really was, and not know anything about the dream that wasn’t a dream. I sighed and sat back to watch the rest of the festival, until the town clock struck five. …to be continued…

Categories
Age 9 to 12

‘My Poem’ by Holly Aged 11

Outbursts of colour
Invade the velvet curtain of the sky,
Happiness, happiness, happiness,
The Tall Ships are here!
Laughter fills the air,
BANG, GASP, LAUGHTER, BANG
Goes the fireworks,
GASP goes the crowd,
LAUGHTER spreads across Falmouth.
Long masts coming closer, closer, closer,
The Tall Ships are here!
I stare at the glowing moon
In the shadowed cloak of the sky,
The fireworks are coming to an end.
The last firework shoots up into the starlit sky,
Climbing up,
Trying to touch the moon,
Knowing that its life coming to an end,
BANG,
It explodes all over the treasures of the sky,
Floating down to earth and into the calm sea,
SIZZLE,
Its life ends here,
The Tall Ships come into the harbour
And everyone goes home to rest
Not knowing about the last fireworks life…

Categories
Age 9 to 12

‘Moonlit Dreams’ by Polly Palmer, Aged 12

The water wanders over my feet as I look out to sea. A wave crashes against the cliff face leaving surf sprayed across my cottage garden on top of the hill. Me and the ocean. The moon gleaming down on us like a spotlight. But I have to leave my friend to climb up the steep and slippery cliff to my millionaire mansion.

“Where on earth have you been?”

“I’m fine Dad. I’ve just been down the beach.”

“I don’t care whether you’re fine or not! Me and your mother are going out tonight. This place better be spotless by the time we get back!”

As the door slams behind me, I look down to the floor. I’ve left a trail of sandy foot prints. A single tear rolls down my face. I wipe it away and run out the door. Down the cliff. Across the wet sand. My little rowing boat rocks in shallow waters. I wade into the waves and roll into my boat. The tears start to flow.

I’ve been rowing for at least half an hour now and my arms are numb and stiff. I feel like I could just lie down and die, give into the world. I look up at the stars. The stars are then covered by waves…

I wake up breathless. Coughing up salt tasting saliva. People come running in and crowded round me.

“Give her some room, give her some room!”

“Where am I?”

“Hello, I’m glad you’re feeling better. I’m Pip. Captain of this ship you’re on.”

“I am on a boat?”

“Yes. Why don’t you start with telling me your name.”

“My name is Clara. How did I get on this ship? The last thing I remember is me and my little boat being swallowed by the waves.”

“Don’t worry. You’ve had a hit to the head. Get some rest and you’ll be fine.”

I jump out of bed and run on to the deck. The sea breeze chills me to the bone. It feels real. The cold air is real. But here…am I real? Looking up, I notice the tall, strong masts with their sails flying high. I wish I had a ship like this. I’m now back in bed. They have left me pencils and paper. As I sit on the bed, I draw…

Finished. Done. Probably the best drawing I’ve ever done. My own little cove with my little rowing boat and my horrible, big mansion. Oh how I would hate to go back there. But in the middle, under the spotlight of the moon, Pip’s grand, spectacular ship. Pip, I wonder where she is?

“Pip? Where are you?” She comes running in.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I just don’t know where I am. I’m lost.”

“Don’t worry. You can go back home if you want.”

“NO! I’ll never go back there!”

“But if you go home it will be fine.”

“Honest?”

“Honest. Your mum and dad will be very kind and life will be perfect.”

“Then how do I get back?”…

I thrust my drawing into my pocket and head out on to deck with Pip.

“Now, go to the edge. And jump.”

“Jump? No way!”

“Do you want to go home or not?”

I look to the floor and nod my head. I’m scared. Getting up on to the side, I catch Pip’s eye.

“Jump.” She whispers. I smile at her and J
U
M
P

Ahhh. I wake up on the sand, soaked to the bone. That was an incredible dream. But then I feel something in my pocket. I pull it out. It’s the picture I drew…