The Car Trip: A Narrative Poem by Michael Rosen
The narrative poem "The Car Trip" by Michael Rosen humorously portrays a chaotic car journey with two mischievous boys and their exasperated mother. The poem captures the bickering, demands, and antics of the children during the trip, showcasing the familiar dynamics of family life. Through playful language and relatable scenarios, Rosen crafts a whimsical story that resonates with both children and adults alike.
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Earlier in the week you looked at haikus, a type of poetry. Today, we would like you to think about narrative poetry. A narrative poem is a poem which tells a story. Did your haikus tell stories? Here is an example of a narrative poem.
The Car Trip by Michael Rosen The Car Trip. Mum says Right you two. This is a long car journey. I m driving and I can t drive properly if you two are going mad in the back. Do you understand? So we go Okay Mum, okay. Don t worry about it! And off we go and we start the moaning. Can I have a drink? I want some crisps. Can I open my window? He s got my book. Get off me! That s my ear! Any mum tries to be exciting. Look out the window! There s a lamppost. And then we go on Can I have a sweet? He s sitting on me. Are we nearly there? Don t scratch! You never tell him off. Now he s biting his nails. I wanna drink, I wanna drink.
And mum tries to be exciting again. Look out the window! Theres a tree. Then we go on, My hands are sticky. He s playing with the door handle now. I feel a bit sick actually. Your nose is all runny. Don t pull my hair! He s punching me, Mum! That s really dangerous, you know?! Mum! He s spitting! And mum says, Right! I m stopping the car, I am stopping the car! She stops the car, Now, if you two don t stop it, I m gonna put you out the car and leave you by the side of the road. He started it! No he started [facepalm] I don t care who started it, I can t drive properly if you two go mad in the back. Do you understand? And we go Okay Mum, okay. Don t worry about it! Can I have a driiiiiiiiink?
This poem tells the story of the poet, Michael Rosen, and his brother, Brian, annoying their mum during a car trip. You can listen to the poet performing it here. https://youtu.be/Y45ROk22ajI Michael Rosen He is an English children s novelist, poet and author of 140 books.
Questions about the poem 1. Why do you think lots of children and adults enjoy this poem? 2. How did the mum persuade the boys to calm down and get along with each other? 3. Why do you think the author wrote, mum tried to be exciting ? 4. Why do you think the boys wanted so many different things to happen in the car? 5. How has the choice of words and phrases created the feeling of a real family trip?
Tasks: Choose as many of the following tasks to complete as you like, linked to this poem. OPTION 4 OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3 The poem includes lots of examples of informal language (unsurprisingly as it is a conversation between a family). Rewrite this poem as an ordinary narrative. Write a short verse that carries on from this poem. Rehearse and perform this poem, in the style of Michael Rosen. Could you add information about what happened before the car journey? Where are they go? Imagine the family arrive at the seaside after their troublesome journey. They could be amazed by the view. They could scramble to get out of the car. They could thank their mum for bringing them. You could watch some of his other performances on YouTube too. Rewrite the poem in a more formal style and then read it aloud. Why does it sound strange? Use this to create your own story.