Students used both rhyme and reason as they explored the environment, identity and community at a poetry reading last weekend. The topics formed the basis of poems written and read in English by eight local secondary students chosen to perform alongside British dub poet Levi Tafari. The performances, at Wah Yan College, Kowloon, were the culmination of a three-month British Council project as part of the 2007 English Festival, organised by the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research. Tafari, who has published four books of poetry, visited 30 schools in March, working with students who were invited to submit poems. Gaynor Evans, in charge of the British Council project, said 121 poems were whittled down to 60, from which Tafari chose the eight winners. Tafari said: 'We looked at issues such as the environment, family, self-identity when I visited the schools. 'Many students have low self-esteem so the idea was to get them to feel positive about themselves.' Students' topics ranged from the environment - Exploding Earth, The Environment: Global Warming - to transport - On The Train - and sport - Soccer. Form Three pupil Arthur Tang Hoi-fai, from Hong Kong Wah Yan College, who performed Soccer, said, 'I have been interested in football since I was very young. Every topic made me think of it.' Ng Tsz-ming, Form Three, who wrote the poem on global warming, said it was difficult to write in a second language. 'The most important thing when it comes to writing a poem is that you need to have the rhyme and get the stanzas right. It was quite difficult because it was in a second language, although I think it will be easier after this event,' he said. Helen Fung Hei-nam, Four Four, HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity, who performed Save Our Mr Earth, said she had been very nervous at first but Tafari's word games had helped a lot.