Class Assembly
Listen to the poem ...
On Friday, it was our class assembly,
I had the very first line.
I saw foreheads shine,
I looked at all the eyes on faces.
My shapeshifting words escaped me.
Coughs, phones, a cold draught swept across the stage,
Like a hushing finger, it closed my mouth firmly shut.
I felt lumps of coal in my belly.
Time didn’t move.
Neither did my lips.
Mummy looked right at me.
She blew me a kiss -
I couldn’t catch it…
Then, a blurry, jelly figure to my left, held my hand, and softly tapped my back.
He gave me the widest smile.
I felt it stretch from the top of my head to the tail of my spine.
I looked at my friend’s lifting face,
Then my line returned to me again!
‘Welcome to our class assembly!’ I exclaimed!
What happened next took me by surprise.
Everyone in the hall smiled!
I had the very first line.
I saw foreheads shine,
I looked at all the eyes on faces.
My shapeshifting words escaped me.
Coughs, phones, a cold draught swept across the stage,
Like a hushing finger, it closed my mouth firmly shut.
I felt lumps of coal in my belly.
Time didn’t move.
Neither did my lips.
Mummy looked right at me.
She blew me a kiss -
I couldn’t catch it…
Then, a blurry, jelly figure to my left, held my hand, and softly tapped my back.
He gave me the widest smile.
I felt it stretch from the top of my head to the tail of my spine.
I looked at my friend’s lifting face,
Then my line returned to me again!
‘Welcome to our class assembly!’ I exclaimed!
What happened next took me by surprise.
Everyone in the hall smiled!
This poem is copyright (©) Carmella de Keyser 2025
About the Writer
Carmella de Keyser
Carmella is from Belsize Park, London but now lives in Essex. She has a History degree from the University of Manchester and writes poetry for both adults and children, exploring her Balkan heritage, identity and feelings of displacement. She co-founded the Harlow Circle of Poetry and you can see some of her work in 'Your Harlow' and in the next edition of 'Dream Catcher Literary Magazine'. She is compiling a children's collection of poems based on all the adventures she has been on with her two children. In her spare time Carmella is a Vegetarian who loves the Beatles, sci-fi and adores animals especially elephants!
