'Until You Try' - a poem by Tony Walsh

What do reading, learning and libraries have in common with sport, training and stadiums? Watch as leading UK poet Tony Walsh, the Official Poet of the Rugby League World Cup, delivers a spine-tingling case for the excitement of reading and lifelong learning.

Written for the World Cup’s exciting cultural programme, the poem, Until You Try, takes the language of a score in rugby, known as a try, and encourages us to see a library as equally as exciting as a sports stadium; as a true arena of human greatness.

Tony is a regular on tv and radio and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He holds an honorary Doctor of Letters degree and is an Ambassador for National Poetry Day UK. A passionate educator and a former Poet in Residence for the world-renowned Glastonbury Festival, the performance of his poem “This Is The Place” reached a truly global audience in the aftermath of the 2017 bomb attack at Manchester Arena.

'The Power of Poetry' - tips and ideas with Tony Walsh

In this video, Tony leads us through ten exciting tips and ideas to write your own poetry, inspired by one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions.

Across this 30-minute teaching resource, Tony shares tips for writers of all ages and abilities, from children, teenagers and families, to emerging writers of all kinds. There’s truly something for everyone here, making it a great resource for schools, colleges, libraries and creative writing tutors, or for simply working alone at your own pace.

These are ideas that you’ll come back to again and again

So whether you’ve never written a poem in your life before, or you’re looking to develop your existing skills, simply grab a pen, hit that play button and and learn from one of the UK’s most exciting poets. The handy timings below will allow you to head straight back to your favourite parts.

00:00 - Introduction

00:49 - Tip 1- Research

01:32 - Tip 2 - Preparation

03:22 - Tip 3 - Editing

04:32 - Tip 4 - Acrostic poems

05:58 - Tip 5 - Shape poems

07:07 - Tip 6 - Alliteration

08:02 - Tip 7 - Kennings

09:37 - Tip 8 - Simile and Metaphor

12:38 - Tip 9 - Haiku

18:31 - Tip 10 - Rhythm and Rhyme

26:52 - Next Steps

Visuals by Doodledo, Manchester.

Find out more

For further inspiration, Tony has written two more poems about Rugby League that you can watch online as part of your preparation. These are:

Wigan: Peerless - https://youtu.be/2TavFT-mGZ0

The Power of Together - https://youtu.be/6FsYOVGAJys

Find out more about the Rugby League World Cup at: https://www.rlwc2021.com/tickets

About the RLWC Cultural Festival at: https://www.rlwc2021.com/rlwc2021-cultural-festival

About Tony Walsh at https://tonywalshpoet.com/.