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Daphne Lister was born and brought up in the north-east of England where from an early age she made up rhymes and stories.
After training as a Primary School teacher she worked first in the U.K. and then at the English School in the Hague, where she met her husband, a modern languages teacher. It was here, also, that she began writing poems and stories for children and soon became a regular contributor to 'Poetry Corner' and other B.B.C. Schools radio and
tv programmes in England and Scotland.
After returning to the U.K. she had three books published and many poems and stories included in anthologies, collections and educational publications.
She settled down to live and write in a small cottage near Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire. She particularly enjoyed writing about the countryside, the weather, animals, (especially cats) and the sea, which she often visited. The poems are used worldwide, from schools and drama festivals (LAMDA) in the U.K. to Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. Some have been included on the school curricula in several American States.
Sadly Daphne passed away suddenly in April of 2020 and is forever in our hearts.
HIGHLIGHTS WITH COMMENTS FROM DAPHNE
One of my poems,'The Sea', has been included in the new LAMDA Verse and Prose Anthology, (published 2014).
Vrinda Vinod, a student in Bangalore, has written to tell me that her class is studying my poem, 'The Sea's Treasures' - and the teacher read it beautifully!
The same poem, 'The Sea's Treasures', has also been enjoyed by Miss Blake's class at the James Oglethorpe Primary School, Upminster, Essex. As well as learning the poem, the class introduced materials and instruments and performed it.
Latest news of 'The Sea's Treasures' - it is the chosen set piece for Verse Speaking Choirs (Years 3 & 4) in the Gorleston Festival, Great Yarmouth, in 2015.
Merrybeau posted an edublog of 'Mumbling Bees' in Literacy, Poetry, Summer' with a beautiful photo of a bee by David Reece.
'Under the Stairs' was again a set piece for Class1, Solo Verse Speaking in the Wirral Festival, 2014.
The children in Year 2 at Carlton Junior and Infant School in Dewsbury have been learning my Poem 'Mumbling Bees' and thought of actions to go with it. They seemed to be enjoying it on the video they made.
My counting rhyme, 'Hats', has been included in 'My Read At Home Book', published by C. J, Fallon for educational use in Ireland.
The Educational Company of Ireland has included my poem, 'The Sea's Treasures' in their book 'Sneak Thieves' - Stories, Facts and Poems to be used in schools.
'OUR CAT', a poem I wrote some years ago, was chosen as the set piece for
5-year old contestants in the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts.
In Australia, at the Heritage Queensland Eisteddfod, held in Townsville in
April, one of my own favourite poems, 'FRIDAY NIGHT IN FINKLE STREET',
was used in the section for choral speaking unison for Year 5 and under. It was
a pleasure and privilege to have a poem included in this Eisteddfod, a 120-year
old institution which is held in a different Queensland city every Easter.
In July 2012, when students at the Heritage School in Harare, Zimbabwe, took part in
The National Institute of Allied Arts, Speech and Drama Festival, performing
for the school, teachers and parents, Kayle Granger, aged 8, won the section
for Solo Poetry (junior) with my poem 'SNEEZES'.
In the United States, my poem 'THE WINTER WARRIOR' was used by
the Maryland State Department of Education and Pearson, Inc. for
educational purposes (reprint, CD-ROM, etc.).
Here in the U.K., at the Wirral Festival, Merseyside, Becky - a student of
Mrs. Gwynn at Heswall Prep. School, won 3rd place in the solo verse speaking
with my poem 'UNDER THE STAIRS'.
It pleases me to know that some of my work is being used in schools
and at Drama Festivals in different parts of the world and I thank those
who have chosen my poems and taken part in these competitions.
Congratulations to you all.
I hope all of you who like poems will look out for mine in the books
shown on my website - or maybe in other anthologies or schoolbooks. You
don't have to enter competitions - just enjoy the poems!
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