Wednesday, December 7, 2011

You Can't Be That by Brian Patten

I told them
When I grow up
I'm not going to be a scientist
Or someone who reads the news on TV
No, a million birds will fly through me.
I AM GOING TO BE A TREE!

They said,
You can't be that. No, you can't be that.

I told them
When I grow up
I'm not going to be an airline pilot,
A dancer, a lawyer or an MC.
No, huge whales will swim in me.
I AM GOING TO BE AN OCEAN!

They said,
You can't be that. No, you can't be that.

I told them:
I am not going to be a DJ,
A computer programmer, a musician or a beautician.
No, streams will flow through me, I'll be the home of the eagles;
I'll be full of nooks, crannies, valleys and fountains.
I AM GOING TO BE A RANGE OF MOUNTAINS!

They said,
You can't be that. No, you can't be that.

I asked them:
Just what do you think I am?
Just a child,
they said,
And children always become
At least one of the things
We want them to be.

They do not understand me.
I'll be a stable if I want, smelling of fresh hay,
I'll be a lost glade in which unicorns still play.
They do not realise I can fulfil any ambition.
They do not realise that among them
walks a magician.

20 comments:

  1. My school made me say this poem for poem competition esay poem though

    ReplyDelete
  2. Not bad I’m ryan just did it yup

    ReplyDelete
  3. what is this poem about. May i please be assisted

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It talks abt the imagination of a child and what all the things he cud be...

      Delete
  4. Is brian patten is the speaker of the poem

    ReplyDelete
  5. What is the mood of the speaker in this poem?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The apeaker feels optimistic and leaves the reader felling chalanges

      Delete
  6. What does it mean by 'lost glade'?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The speaker wants be a open area of grass hidden and unknown from human beings where unicorns can play with their myth and existence unknown from human greed's..

      Delete
  7. What is the mood of the poem? why do you think so


    ReplyDelete