Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson, beloved Scottish author of Treasure Island as well as a number of other books for children and adults and an abundance of poems and musical compositions, travelled a great deal throughout his life before finally making an island in Samoa his home. This week I worked with a small group, brainstorming places that they’d like to visit in the world (these could also be fictional places or past / future lands) before writing their own personal ‘Travel’ poems, modelled on Stevenson’s work and using his same first line as a springboard.

Here’s a poem by Max:

I should like to rise and go

to ancient Egypt, long ago

to see cats and pyramids

and maybe Pharoah’s kids.

I’ll visit mummies and their tombs

maybe even seamstresses working their looms

I’ll learn about ancient dynasties

with tales like the holy trinities.

I should like to rise and go

to Rome and the colosseo

to the place where emperors reigned

and the senate system was strained.