Description

First World War Poets Assembly

First World War Poets Assembly is an *extension’ of the script written for Remembrance Sunday which featured just one poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae. This script has an additional six poems chosen from the sixteen poets referred to in the Poets Corner, Westminster Abbey.

These poems – Bombardment, For the Fallen, The Soldier, Into Battle, The Refugees and In Memoriam – were chosen with Primary School children in mind – this obviously limiting the available choice quite considerably, and a little background to each poet is included.

The aim was to cover such themes as loss and displacement in a sensitive way – whilst highlighting the importance of remembering those who died during the war.

First World War Poets Assembly is an *extension’ of the script written for Remembrance Sunday which featured just one poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae. This script has an additional six poems chosen from the sixteen poets referred to in the Poets Corner, Westminster Abbey.

These poems – Bombardment, For the Fallen, The Soldier, Into Battle, The Refugees and In Memoriam – were chosen with Primary School children in mind – this obviously limiting the available choice quite considerably; and a little background to each poet is included.

The aim was to cover such themes as loss and displacement in a sensitive way – whilst highlighting the importance of remembering those who died during the war.

Other First World War scripts available from www.plays-r-ussell.com are *Remembrance Day Assembly (please note: the text for this script is used for the first part of The First World War Poets Assembly so please do not purchase both) and First World War Assembly – the latter looking at the causes and progress of World War One.

Please note: The script is available in word document format on the purchase of Performing Rights Certificate. The scripts remain free of performance rights for staging in the classroom but as an assembly, in front of a non-paying audience, you need to buy a single Performance Rights Certificate to cover you for the play you are purchasing.

Cast Size – 30 (easily adjustable up or down). Duration – around 10 minutes reading time (not including music) – the number of poems could of course be increased to lengthen the performance if required.

First World War Poets Assembly. Sample Text:

Child 26:

Rupert Brooke joined the navy in the First World War, sailing with the British Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 28th of February 1915. He died, from an infected mosquito bite, on board a French hospital ship, moored off a Greek island, on 23rd April 1915.

Child 13:

The first three lines of his poem, The Soldier, are frequently quoted and very famous.

Child 14:

If I should die, think only this of me:

That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England.

Child 27:

Julian Grenfell served in the British army between 1910 and 1915. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order in 1914. On 13th May 1915 he was severely injured when a shell landed just yards from where he was standing. He died thirteen days later at a hospital in Boulogne, France.

Child 15:

His most famous poem, ‘Into Battle’, was published in The Times the following day. Here are just three verses from that poem, suggesting that even creatures from the animal kingdom were sympathetic to man’s plight.

Child 16:

The kestrel hovering by day,

And the little owls that call by night,

Bid him be swift and keen as they,

As keen of ear, as swift of sight.

Child 17:

The blackbird signs to him, ‘Brother, brother,

If this be the last song you shall sing,

Sing well, for you may not sing another;

Brother, sing.’

Child 18:

In dreary, doubtful waiting hours,

Before the brazen frenzy starts,

The horses show him nobler powers;

O patient eyes, courageous hearts!

Child 28:

Sir Herbert Read, who was awarded a Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross, served with the Green Howards in France, where he rose to the rank of Captain.

Child 19:

His poem, The Refugees, is about those displaced by war – losing both  homes and loved ones.

Child 20:

Mute figures with bowed heads

They travel along the road:

Old women, incredibly old,

And a hand-cart of chattels.