A WONDERFUL way with words has led to a Wilmslow schoolgirl’s poem being published in a national poetry anthology.

Ebony Errington Beech’s work is featured in Poems for a Pandemic, a collection created by key workers, their families and friends which describes their experiences during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 10-year-old, from Rainow Way, has been writing poetry for the past year and was inspired to pen a piece as a thank you to Captain Sir Thomas Moore for his fundraising efforts for the NHS.

Mum Vanessa posted the poem to the Clap for Tom Facebook page where it caught the attention of the book’s editor Angela Marston, a retired nurse who started writing poems after suffering from the virus.

Vanessa, a preschool teacher at Alderley Edge Community Primary School where Ebony is also a pupil, said: “She was absolutely ecstatic when she found out her poem was going to be included.

“She’s been writing poems for a year or so now and really enjoys it, she absolutely loves it. To be in a book published by Harper Collins is fantastic.

“We’re so proud of her. She’s so passionate about poetry and really wants to make a difference.”

As well as her work being featured in the collection, Ebony also has an acknowledgement in the book, praising her and other young contributors for reading their poems live on the radio.

Angela Marston is a retired palliative care nurse who spent nearly 40 years in the NHS and hospice services.

She wrote her first poem whilst self-isolating with Covid-19 and, when she recovered, collected poems from other key workers and people affected by the virus.

All money from the sale of the e-book, NHS Charities Together for its Covid-19 appeal.

You can download a copy from Amazon, iBooks or Google Store and find out more at the Poems for a Pandemic Facebook page. 
 

Here's Ebony's peom in full:

Happy 100th Birthday Captain Tom Moore

Happy 100th Birthday Captain Tom Moore

True British Hero you have truly helped us all 

Fought bravely in the torturous war

Grateful are we forever more 

Now you’re helping our beloved NHS

Front line workers giving their best

Raised so much money to help against the fight

24/7 they are working day and night

Keep wearing your medals keep shining your crests

The day you were born the world was blessed

You give us faith you give us hope

When times are sad you’ve helped us cope

Thank so much you for all that you do

Happy 100th Birthday

From your country to you.