Today, October 6th, is National Poetry Day. So I’m celebrating by posting a never seen before rhyme that I wrote way back, when I was just starting out on my writing journey. When I knew that I wanted to tackle the issues of inequality facing our children. Could I make a difference writing stories that taught kids they could do and be anything?

This one didn’t make it to a rewrite into an actual story book. I received some feedback on if, that it might be a little outdated; that television shows like The Great British Bakeoff had shown boys and men it was cool to be bakers. So I rather lost my nerve and didn’t pursue this one…

It’s been sat in a Dropbox folder for 6 years! But I think the message is still relevant. There will still be many young boys who are told they can’t do something because it’s traditionally seen as ‘for girls’. I hear it in toy shops, still to this day: put that back it’s for girls. So it felt like it was worth dragging it out the Dropbox, and sharing with you all today. Let me know what you think of The Boy Who Baked Cakes in the comments below.

The Boy Who Baked Cakes

There once was a boy, who was lacking in joy,

as he did not know what to do.

See though he liked planes and riding on trains,

he rather liked baking cakes too.

There was naught he loved more, in fact he adored,

creating a scrumptious sweet. 

He could spend half an hour, just sifting the flour,

to create the perfect treat.

Now there’s someone at school, a bit of a fool,

Who said, “boys shouldn’t be baking!”

“Why not?” the boy cried, “shouldn’t I bake with pride?

It’s an art form, make no mistaking!”

Then that someone from school, urgh what a fool,

simply just wouldn’t back down.

To the sports pitch he ran, oh what was his plan?

He was jumping around like a clown.

“Listen to me!” the fool cried with glee,

“There’s a chap here who says he can bake.

He says he likes planes, and riding on trains,

But baking? That’s a mistake!”

The boy hung his head, his face turned bright red,

the fool was being quite cruel.

What was so wrong? He’d thought all life long,

that baking cakes was quite cool.

The boy turned to leave, feeling aggrieved,

but was suddenly stopped in his tracks,

when cried out a girl, with a head full of curls,

“Ignore him and just face the facts!”

“So you like to bake, that’s not a mistake,

it’s something that makes your heart sing.

I spoke to my mum, ‘bout what to become,

She said ‘you can do anything!’

What makes you smile, just think for a while,

if this is what you enjoy:

you bake with great ease; you should do as you please,

so what if you are a boy?”

The boy stopped and smiled, and he thought for a while,

the girl with the curls was quite wise.

Yes he liked planes, and riding on trains,

but he also loved baking sweet pies.

And so he would bake, and make no mistake,

he would do it with joy and with pride.

And what will you do? What job’s right for you?

Well that’s just for you to decide!