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Name . Class .. Read the poem. Use a dictionary to help you with difficult words.
My Busconductor 1 by Roger McGough

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My busconductor* tells me he only has one kidney and that may soon go on strike through overwork. Each busticket* takes on a different shape and texture. He holds a ninepenny single as if it were a rose and puts the shilling in his bag as a child into a gasmeter*. His thin lips have no quips for fat factorygirls* and he ignores the drunk who snores and the oldman* who talks to himself and gets off at the wrong stop. He goes gently to the bedroom of the bus to collect watch familiar shops and pubs passby* (perhaps for the last time?) The sameold* streets look different now more distinct as through new glasses. And the sky was it ever so blue? And all the time deepdown* in the deserted busshelter* of his mind he thinks about his journey nearly done. One day hell clock on and never clock off or clock off and never clock on.

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* These words are joined together deliberately by the poet.

Reprinted by permission of PFD on behalf of: Roger McGough OBE (c) Roger McGough as printed in the original volume

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Name . Class .. Now answer the questions. 1 Which of these words would you use to describe its tone? a happy b pessimistic c sad d angry e thoughtful f - humorous 2 Read the poem again. Match the words with the images from the poem. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 kidney failure hold a bus ticket put money into bag the upper passenger area seeing things clearly his inner thoughts to die a b c d e f g to clock on and never clock off as a child into a gasmeter in the deserted busshelter of his mind go on strike through overwork the bedroom of the bus as through new glasses as if it were a rose

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3 Which of the images in Question 2 are expressed as similes? 4 Did you enjoy the poem? Find out more: Roger McGough is BTs poet in residence on the Internet: http://www.poetrysoc.com/places/roger1.htm This is Roger McGoughs homepage: http://www.uktouring.org.uk/rogermcgough

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LESSON NOTES Roger McGough Poem Materials: Copies of the worksheet (2 pages). Time: fifty minutes Step 1: Tell students something about Roger McGough:

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Roger McGough is a poet from Liverpool. In 1967, along with Adrian Henri and Brian Patten, he produced The Mersey Sound which became the best selling anthology of poetry ever in Britain. They became known as The Liverpool Poets writing popular poetry which tries to connect with ordinary peoples lives. He was also a member of a pop group in the 1960s called The Scaffold which produced a couple of hit singles (e.g. Lily the Pink). Roger McGough is an excellent performer and has given readings of his poems around the world. He is now British Telecoms poet in residence on the Internet. Step 2: Explain any unknown vocabulary. E.g. a bus conductor (busconductor in the poem) is someone who collects fares and gives out tickets on buses. Most buses in Britain do not have them any longer - the driver does this. Then get students to read the poem and then look at the questions on the sheet. Ask them to decide on the tone of the poem. Encourage them to use a dictionary. Answers Question 1: sad/thoughtful/humorous Question 2: Students read the poem again and match words with the images from the poem. Answers: 1 d 2 g 3 b 4 e 5 f 6 c 7 a Question 3: b, f and g are similes (=comparing two things and saying thare similar).

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Follow Up

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Find more poems by Roger McGough and articles written by him about poetry on the Internet (see website addresses). Poetry writing activity 1 Divide students into pairs. Get students to choose one of the jobs below (or any other). cook / doctor / farmer / police officer / secretary / waitress 2 Ask students to think of objects or activities associated with the jobs: e.g. - cook - saucepan / cooker / stirring sauce / frying chips / bacon and eggs 3 Then get them to think about a dramatic personal situation for their character: in love/going to die/separated from partner/sacked 4 They should then think of how the person feels and acts at work in this situation. Example: Love is on the menu for the cook at my local caf And her heart is a soft as buttered toast. She cries with happiness when chopping the onions And, as she passionately peels the potatoes Or blows kisses at the baked beans, She doesnt even notice the milk boiling over Or the bacon burning under the grill. 5 Get students to read out what they have written.
Michael Harris

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