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Sparks That Lit Up Question Marks, Ideas In Human Heads - A Poem About Inventions

Updated: 5 days ago

Click HERE for the poem or HERE for poetry lesson ideas.


I was very proud to have this poem, Sparks, picked up and published by Gill Education, Ireland. It was the inception of believing that my poems were worth something to somebody.


One day, I found myself looking around me, at every object and every thing that had led to that object to being something. I marvelled at the fact that I couldn't see much that wouldn't exist unless someone had thought of the idea or invention at some point, whether it be thousands of years ago or yesterday. Someone had to have the spark first.


For example, isn't reading and writing an invention; an evolutionary spark, where one thing led to another. Someone invents a sound, the sound becomes a word, the word develops meaning, the meaning leads to philosophy... maybe. We need words to enable that to happen.


More words, more philosophy, more ways to tie the brain in knots and give everything meaning. A simple view maybe, but hey, I'm a very simple man. I'll stick to Barbie head-type inventions in the future. 😂


Anyway, enough rambling. I'm no Plato obviously... but what I could try and do was create a poem for children that inspires this simple thought process that young minds may find awe and wonder in...


Children need to know the future belongs to them and be empowered to feel they have a stake in a world yet to be.



Sparks

From Pac-Man, Oz, the moonwalk, Jaws

To rockets and sliced bread

Once sparks that lit up question marks

Ideas in human heads...

The PS4, X-box, the door

The BMX, the kite

King Kong, Ping Pong and hip hop songs

The book, to read and write

The Pyramids, New York, Madrid

The submarine, the chair

The bed, cheese spread and Barbie’s head

The wheel, the bulb, the square

The swimming pool, the slide, the school

The fizzy pop, the gum

The shoe, kung fu, the flushing loo

The phone, the clock, the drum

The microchip, the paper clip

Cartoons, the ball, the screw

Blue jeans, baked beans and trampolines

The toothbrush, pens, shampoo

The aeroplane, ice-cream, champagne

The world wide web, the fridge

French fries, cat’s eyes and custard pies

The road, the car, the bridge

Wonder what's inside your head

Magnify the sparks

Imagine what you will invent

With your own question marks

©2011 Mark Bird


Sparks - invention poem for kids. A question mark full of sparks representing inventions through time.
Sparks - invention poem for kids. A question mark full of sparks representing inventions through time.

💡As the author of "Sparks", a joyful and fast-paced invention poem for kids, I wanted to show how everything—from rockets to rubber ducks—begins as a simple idea in someone’s head. This playful poem about inventions celebrates human creativity across time and invites children to see their own thoughts as potential breakthroughs. "Sparks" works brilliantly as a launchpad for poetry, drama, and creative writing activities. Students can write their own invention poems, imagine future gadgets, or create dialogues between two quirky inventions.


Get your class to invent something that will make the word a better place. Let them draw a symbol that illustrates their invention and then display all of their ideas together in the shape of a question mark. In drama lessons, they might perform scenes where young inventors present their wildest ideas, or act out how famous creations came to be. The final stanza asks children to “magnify the sparks” in their own minds—making it perfect for inspiring confidence in their imaginations and voices.




Creative Writing, Art, Drama and Poetry Worksheets for Teachers:






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