Junior Poetry Prize 2014

Congratulations to Nyla Jamieson, winner of this year's Junior Poetry Prize. Here is one of her poems, 'The Tear'.

The tears welled up in her sorrowful eyes,

They brimmed on the edge of her lower eyelid.

There, the water built up until there was a small pool.

The pools glistened in the dull light.

Suddenly a tiny drop of warm water

Tumbled over the edge of the eyelid,

Like a fledgling taking its first leap.

The tear fell over the dark area below her eye

That looked like a bruise.

It showed off the many sleepless nights before.

The tear caught on the tiny hairs on her cheek.

It slowly made its way down her face,

Leaving a glittering trail behind.

Slowly, slowly, slowly,

It trickled down.

Then it fell.

She turned away from the mirror.

'Macbeth' resources

Here is a summary of some resources for study and revision of Macbeth, which will be updated frequently during the year. It's on the lines of our much-visited Hamlet page.

1. Seven revision podcasts, including:-

• The crucial moment : the soliloquy in Act I scene vii before the murder.
• The real Lady Macbeth.
• King Macbeth - law and order in Scotland.
• Malcolm the hero?
• The Witches and the Supernatural.
• A quotation auto-test.
• Macbeth's tragic end - 'Tomorrow, and tomorrow ...'
• And all seven are also on Soundcloud here.

2. The whole text of the play in a variety of formats - put it on your computer/tablet/e-reader for easy access.
3. Notes from a thought-provoking talk on the play given by the playwright Frank McGuinness at the Abbey Theatre.
4. BBC Bitesize microsite for revision (level - GCSE).
5. Times Educational Supplement resources, including our own podcasts [requires registration].
6. Shakespeare Searched: a 'Google for Shakespeare' - terrific resource for looking up quotations, self-testing and so on.
7. 'Macbeth in Monaghan' series on RTÉ radio [podcasts].
8. A series of ShowMe analyses of key moments in the play, using video and audio annotation. 
9. Newbridge College 'resource pack' on the play. 
10. Evelyn O'Connor at LeavingCertEnglish.net has a series of posts on the 'Blame Game' in the play here. 
11. A quotation auto-test [written] to prompt some thoughts...

More coming...