A YOUNG girl from Ardrossan has written a heartfelt poem about her experience of lockdown, helping to put a smile on people’s faces during this difficult time.

Alea-jay McCart, seven, wrote the poem called “Through My Eyes” where she talks about her understanding of the coronavirus, being off school and making memories at home.

The Stanley Primary pupil was helped by her mum, Amyleigh Cavanagh, and her little sister, Aria, four.

Mum Amyleigh said: “Alea-jay was getting fed up of school stuff, she was feeling discouraged and missing her friends so we decided to do something more creative.

“She won the Burns poetry competition at school this year so she wanted to write another poem. She pretty much told me what she wanted to write about so we decided on the subject and started thinking of the rhyming words.

“She put it together and really came into her own.”

Amyleigh owns Dance Mafia in Saltcoats and was using the studio as a base to put food packages together after the outbreak. She said that helped Alea-jay see the positive side of the virus.

“Alea-jay came along and helped us and I was explaining the positive side of things to her rather than just being stuck in the house.

“In the poem she says “it’s just a bug”, that’s what I told her and to just not let anyone else catch it. As a mum that’s what you do try and protect your kids.”

Alea-jay’s mum uploaded a video of her daughter reading the poem to Facebook which was met with a great reaction.

Amyleigh said: “When I put it up on Facebook initially she was embarrassed but when she woke up the next morning and saw all the comments, she was buzzing! She kept asking to see my phone to see what people had said.

“She was delighted.”

‘THROUGH MY EYES’

“So one day everything just changed,

I will admit it was all a bit strange,

We were all a bit scared,

I don’t think anybody was really prepared.

My mummy said, “Don’t worry, it’s just a bug,

For a little while our normal life we have to unplug.”

Washing our hands and don’t touch your face,

These are the new rules that are now in place.

I can’t see my family for a little while,

But on our daily walk at the garden fence we’ll exchange a ‘hello!’ and a smile.

Sleepovers at our grandparents are not allowed to go,

When will this be over? I really want to know!

I miss my teacher and I miss my school,

Sometimes my mummy would lose her cool,

I know she was just trying her best,

Home-schooling me sure was a test!

Lunch was my favourite time, I think it was my mummy’s, too,

So she could sneak a glass of wine.

I miss my friends so very much,

But on Facetime you will keep in touch.

We will play silly games and make our plans

When snuggling and huggling isn’t banned.

Every Thursday at eight on the dot,

We’ll clap for our heroes that will never be forgot.

Rainbows in every window is a beautiful sight to see

Drew by all the kids, yip, that’s you and me!

When this is all just a thing of the past

My amazing memories sure will last -

When the sun shined nearly every day,

In the garden me and my sister would play,

It was a lot of fun,

That I would say.

We were safe in our house,

Because at home,

We had to stay.’