Shower of Inspiration

Star of the Sea College’s Year 7 Extension English students spent a number of sessions unpacking their ideas and working their way through the numerous pre-drafting creative writing tasks. They went on to draft, edit, conference, redraft, edit, conference etc. until they had completed their poems and then they began working on a Poetry Installation to be situated in the school library. After much consideration the concept of a ‘shower of inspiration’ was born and soon the usually pristine whiteboards of their classrooms were spilling with ideas of ways they could use the concept of a shower to convey both their poetry and the creative process they had undergone.

Students had brilliant ideas, both literal and abstract linked to the concept of a shower to symbolise their Object that provided the initial inspiration. They went further and thought of the drain and plumbing to signify the need for them to drill down and ‘plumb the depths’ of their ideas. They even came up with the view that rats around the drain could denote writer’s block and all things that sit in the way of a writer completing their creative pursuit to a high level of satisfaction.

A ‘to-do list’ Google Doc. was quickly created of the various jobs to be done and no one was safe. Those with visually artistic capability were in charge of materials and creations, turning cereal boxes into a showerhead, beading for the shower spray and an abundance of clear cellophane for water. Others worked digitally – posters, a logo, a PowerPoint to play in the background of the installation and even audio of a shower to be heard coming from the showerhead. Word soon spread around the school due to the fabulous publicity team on the job. Then it was time for ‘Launch Invitations’ and our principal to cut the ribbon and officially launch the exhibition.

The Red Room Poetry Object Competition has been a wonderful experience for the Extension English girls. They have been able to sharpen their writing skills and adventure into their brains to explore their ideas and find evocative language to express them. Now that they are published poets, their horizons are broadened and perhaps with these new exploration skills and conceptual ideas, they might be able to look at the world in different perspectives just as they have done with their objects.