Set the Way-Back Machine to 1981...

Set the way-back machine to 1981...I am writing my composition...

"The Disastorous Picnic"

One day in cattle cotige the Mad family were listning to the wether for-cast. Mrs Iviy mad, Mr Ivor Mad and Jonny and Lotto Mad. Then Ivor said "Lets have a picnic EH!"

"YEAA god idea" said Jonny. And so thay packed fruit, sandwitches, cacks, and all sorts of things and then drove off.

Later they stoped put the table up and laid the food down. After a few minutes tahy switched the kettle on and then the table colapsed and all the hot water fell on Iviy. Iviy screamed as she though her arms out to the side and hit Ivor and Jonny in the face

"OOW" said Ivor

"YAA my eye" cried Jonny as thay both fell backward into the rest of the food. And then Lotto came along and triped over them. Then SPLAT Lotto fell face first into the custed flan.

So later at home thay all said...

"OH! WERE NOT DOING THAT AGEIN"

That effort will no doubt send the pendants into roiling fits, perhaps it should be a competition to spot the mistakes? Even my teacher at the time gave up trying to catch them all, though I did receive 70%.

Spool forward to 1982. My spelling much improved I have corrected in this reprint, so as not to detract from the deep and meaningful mood of the piece. Here we go, I'm sure you'll agree it has an uncanny sense of prediction. Startlingly accurate in many of its concepts..

"The Storm"

America, the year 2001. The nuke war bigins soon. It was decided we would move off in our highly advanced ships to an unknown planet in squadron 7xZ2JB3, a cold planet.

But when the second Sun exploded in 1990 it became as warm as California on an island as big as Ireland. Only America's army stayed behind to fight Russia.

The day came for the two day warning, where everybody was getting more and more worried, politicians were jabbering away and Catholics were praying like mad for God to help them.

Next day all the men, women and children went up top. All the politicians, members of parliament and Royal family went in the middle. Everyone was suited and strapped in. The lift off. An almighty cloud of smoke was the only remainders on Earth. A cloud of smoke.

That night a big wind blew up and rained badly, sods of grass were tossed out of bogs. The NASA men hoped it would get better but it got worse, much worse. A storm blew up.

That day all the scientists clambered into the spaceship Astroid 12. The take off count began...

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Engine on we have lift off!

It lifted off slightly and fell to earth with a thud. Everyone was thrown out... but I was OK.

Next go. Lift off. It struggled upward. "Only 3 minutes to nuke!" were the five words that scared them to death. Closer, closer they wobbled toward the atmosphere. They were out! ... at least, most of the ship was, as a tremendous BOOM! hit their ears and the engine went on fire.

I'm Issab Rissam ( i.e. me ). We're now drifting past the Vail Nebula after that accident 25 years ago on Earth.

Another 70% marked, however it also has 14/20 and the comment "rather futuristic as usual". Clearly the teacher wanted to show off some math skills by representing in fractions and was beginning to spot a trend in my creative output. Nothing could have prepared them for the mighty, poetic saga of...

"The End of the Earth"

Cosmos Blurs! Houses fall!

People scream as the roads

crack and splinter

but there's no escape

from the End of the Earth.

Volcano's erupt! Hell burns!

People cry and weep.

They weep for their Earth

but it is the end of their LIFE!

The Earth is near death

but what is the reason

for the End of the Earth?

Its time for the end.

As the Earth starts to crumble and crack

and people die for their illness.

The Earth heats up and burns.

More of the Earth is ruined.

Earth heats up more,

and more,

and blows up

to a billion stars.

That was the End of the Earth.

That one had no comment, just a big red tick.

I'm sure we all agree there was nothing more the teacher could say. I imagine them, head hung low, crying ( and weeping ) at the folly of humanity that only a child could perceive.

I try not to imagine them showing to other teachers and laughing.