St.P poet laureate publishes poetry book for Coronavirus charities

St. Pancras poet laureate publishes poetry book for Coronavirus charities

Fin Perry, 14-year old winner of the 2019 Betjeman Poetry Prize, has rushed out a compilation of his poems which he hopes will raise money for the nurses and care workers looking after his grandad during lockdown.

Fin’s grandfather Ray, 81, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, has been locked down in his care home since mid-April. In January, NHS doctors and nurses saved his life when he contracted pneumonia, putting his grandad in one of the highest risk categories.

‘The NHS saved my grandad this year and the nurses and care workers at his home come in everyday despite the risks – they are amazing. I wanted to do something to help them and poetry is something I’m good at, so I thought I’d put a book together.’

Fin has written a new poem entitled Crocodiles which deals with the difficulties old people face during the crisis. He also illustrated the book himself.

When We Soar and Other Poems can be downloaded from Amazon for £1.99. All proceeds will go to NHS and care worker charities.

Crocodiles

Grandad is in lockdown
The goose is getting thin
Please put a penny
In the old man’s tin

Rattle at his window
He cannot leave the home
No one comes to visit
And Grandma’s on her own

Grandma is in lockdown
She’s running out of tins
No loo roll in the Co-op
And rats are in the bins

The neighbours bring her corned beef
A bag of frozen chips
But she worries who will notice
If she falls and breaks her hip

Grandad’s in the care home
The virus is inside
It’s like playing pass the parcel
With a crocodile

But the nurses keep on coming
Angels without wings
Though Grandad can’t remember
Why no one ever rings

So when the lockdown’s over
Remember feeling trapped
Remember who came and helped us
And why

we stood

and clapped