Kennings
Recently some of the older children have been looking at a range of poetry. We have read some KENNINGS - poems which give unusual ways of looking at familiar objects. Kennings use pairs of words, usually with eight lines.
Kennings are similar to riddles, probably first used by the Saxons and Vikings who would perhaps describe the sea as seal's field, a sword as a skull splitter, a river as swan's road. The Indians of the USA described alcohol as fire water.
We looked at a Kenning by Mark Richard - can you tell what is describes?
a)
A fur lump
A secret listener
A hole digger
A swift hopper
A currant dropper
A lettuce diner
A carrot nibbler
A slight squeak
As a group we brainstormed and composed our own kenning - but what is it?
b)
A road runner
A wheel spinner
A money grabber
A gear changer
A petrol drinker
An oil burner
A tyre burner
A people carrier
Here are a few examples of kennings produced in small groups:
c)
A jungle liver
A meat eater
An orange blaze
An Indian king
A zebra slayer
A claw gripper
A hairy pussy
A clever kitty
(Becca, Christina & Charlotte)
d)
A marsh hopper
A slimy swimmer
A spotty ball
A twisted tongue
A pond liver
A fly killer
A sharp croaker
A tadpole producer
(Christopher & Reece)
e)
A high flier
A meat eater
A teasure seeker
A scaly creature
A human scarer
A people carrier
A fire shooter
A smoke breather
(Rebecca H.& Melissa)
f)
A sharp biter
A meat eater
A hairy pussy
A zebra slaughterer
A camouflaged hider
A furry leaper
A cat's cousin
An African killer
(Andrew & Tom)
g)
A fat lump
An ugly sight
A drain sucker
A one-headed monster
A stony heart
A man hunter
A night lover
A day hater
(Ryan & Robert)
h) A smoke breather
A flame thrower
A terrifying roarer
A Japanese legend
A hint of smoke
A people scarer
A human gulper
A flying lizard
(Phoenix & Alastair)
i)
A happy scamper
A tail tickler
A nut nibbler
A claw gripper
A nut burier
A swift runner
A good hider
A tree climber
(Jessica & Naomi M)
j)
A meat eater
A strong purrer
A fast killer
A smooth body
A spotty cat
A different scent
A sleek runner
A prey pouncer
(Oliver & Becky)
Answers: a) A rabbit b) A motor car
c) A tiger d) A frog e) A dragon
f) A lion g) A troll h) A dragon
i) A squirrel j) A cheetah
