Red Sky at Night, Poet's Delight

By Alex Wharton and Ian Morris

Red Sky at Night, Poet's Delight is the second collection of funny and thoughtful poems from Alex, aimed at developing a love of language and self-expression. Readers will be excited by fun new characters like Mr Slime and the return of Hector the Horrible Hedgehog from Daydreams and Jellybeans, as well as being introduced to powerful and moving poems such as 'Young Oak', 'The Long Way Home', and 'For a Quiet Day'.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Firefly Press Ltd
• Release date: Feb 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781915444363

Alex Wharton

Alex Wharton is an award-winning writer and performer of poetry for adults and children. His First Book of poetry for children, Daydreams and Jellybeans, was shortlisted for the Wales Book of The Year Award 2022, The North Somerset Teacher’s Book Awards, The Laugh Out Loud Book Awards and was named as a National Poetry Day Recommended Read. Alex won the inaugural Rising Stars Wales Award in 2020 and is the Children’s Laureate Wales 2023-2025. He has collaborated with key national organisations such as Cadw, National Dance Company Wales, Welsh Government, British Council of Literature and Welsh Libraries, and has also appeared in festivals such as Hay Festival and Edinburgh International Book Festival. Alex’s second and third collections of poetry Doughnuts, Thieves and Chimpanzees and Red Sky at Night: A Poet’s Delight will be published with Firefly Press in 2023 and 2024. Follow Alex on Twitter @alexwhartonpoet and on Instagram @alexwharton_

Book preview

2Praise for Alex’s work

Daydreams and Jellybeans: Illustrated by Katy Riddell

 ‘Filled with keen observation, thoughtfulness and vivid, bouncing rhythms.’ A.F. Harold

‘This is a lovely, warm collection of poems that hail from a place of wonder and mystery.’ Joshua Segal

‘Reveals a world rich with nature, colour and warmth. A collection to be enjoyed by children and adults alike.’ Matt Goodfellow

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Doughnuts, Thieves and Chimpanzees: Illustrated by Rhiannon Smith

 ‘A joyous dive into poetry.’ Joseph Coelho34

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Contents

Title Page

Mr Slime

Ant

Lighthouse

Fruit Buffet

Maybe

Bright Forest

Far Away

Basketball

Old Tractor

The Birds

Life

Ouch!

Welsh Dragon

Inspire

Black Belt

The Long Way Home

Hector's Ghost

Snow

Football

Off the Tube

Piano

Poem

Too Much TV

Wood

This is Me

For a Quiet Day

Poetry Hill

Young Oak

About the Authors

Copyright

8

Mr Slime

At night I’m the slimy king

of the kitchen. You think you

know it all. You know nothing!

Don’t come downstairs

at midnight (if you value your life).

Stay well clear. Out of sight!

I’m unfriendly. Other slugs

shake in their boots when

they see me. So back off, pal!

I’m a mischief, a real problem.

A tough cookie, no nonsense!

I eat salt for breakfast.

Last night, I slept in the dog’s

bed.

They