Charlie has written a poetry anthology for 5-8 year olds called, “There’s a Poem in my Dungarees”.
Inspired by traditional childhood themes and everyday activities the poems bring a kaleidoscope of bonkers to the page leaving children asking themselves, can boys really be princesses and what does happen if your pants don’t make your bum dazzle?
Weaving through the anthology, and inspired by Charlie’s sassy 1 year old daughter, are poems which hold a mirror up to the gender stereotypes boys and girls still face today.
There’s a Poem in my Dungarees
There’s a poem in my dungarees
I can’t find where it’s located.
I’ve looked everywhere, in every pocket,
I’ve searched and stopped and waited.
It hasn’t appeared anywhere yet,
Never mind how long I look.
There are so many other things I’ve found
Including this poetry book.
I’ve searched the pages, read each word
I’ve looked from low to high
But my poem just doesn’t reveal itself
No matter how hard I try.
I found a slithering simile
Curling like a snake.
Next to a mysterious metaphor
A monster hiding in a lake.
I personified a Pompous Pin
Embedded in one pocket.
Found a lovely, lemon sherbert
Linked with a lavish locket.
I crunched and crushed a chocolate casing
Found lurking round the strap.
Pulled from a pocket string and tape
A pencil, ring and map.
But my poem remains lost,
It’s a puzzle now to me.
I’ve found words and rhymes a plenty
But my poem I just can’t see.
Perhaps, when it comes to dungarees,
There are too many places to hide.
My poem is a sneak and a trickster
It can avoid all attempts to be spied.
