The sun is warm, the fish are biting
Snapper, squid and shoals of whiting
Ice-cream jingles sound inviting –
Summer’s on its way.
The breeze is up, the current’s running
Tourists bare their legs for sunning
Seagulls stealing chips are cunning –
Summer’s on its way.
The sky is bright, the waves are rolling
Zinc-nosed lifeguards are patrolling
Cricket-crazy kids are bowling –
Summer’s here – let’s play!
Sometimes in the sunshine,
Sometimes in the shade;
Hiking through a forest,
Marching on parade;
Sometimes seeking shelter,
When the sun is hot;
Sometimes craving sunshine,
When the weather’s not.
Sometimes we are wanting
Warmth upon our skin;
Other times we’re wearing
What can keep warmth in.
When the weather changes,
We start changing too.
So it seems the weather
Tells us what to do!
Monty says: Thinking about sunshine, I began reflecting on how our varied experience of it constantly affects us. Using brief couplets seemed to underline the changeable nature of the weather and our response to it.
Remember what it was like when your best friend told you a secret and made you promise not to share? I can’t wait to see what wonderful poems you come up with this week. Have fun and play with this prompt. Remember, you’re writing for children. Cast your mind back to how it felt to be four, six, or 10. What secret would you tell? Would you tell it? What would it take to make you talk?
Send your poems to me at traffa-m@bigpond.net.au as Word document or text file attachments and add a few words about your writing process.
Happy writing!
Teena
Here come the Martians, green as peas
as my spacecraft lands in thick brown seas.
They swamp my ship like some disease
so I zap myself to the broccoli trees.
As I grab my fork-shaped Ultra-Stun,
the Martians squeak (in Martian) “Run!”
They hide beneath a buttered bun
but I take them prisoner one by one.
I’m having super-cosmic fun
when Humanoid Robot XP One
drones: Earth to Mars – this is your mum
do NOT play with your dinner son!
Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #45
(after Charles Causley)
I am the song that lifts the sky
I am the earth that flames the fire
I am the cloud that calls the flood
I am the stream that draws the sun
I am the tide that drinks the moon
I am the air that sings the leaf
I am the bird that stirs the branch
I am the tale that flies the word
I am the note that spreads the song
Katherine said: Charles Causley, the Cornish poet, was a wonderful children’s poet. His poem (that inspired my poem) is full of music.
I hope Mum’s packed a donut
in my play lunch for today,
I feel like something sugary and sweet.
A piece of carrot cake
would go down well, I have to say,
or chocolate cake, an even better treat!
Or even cubes of tasty cheese
with slices of kabana.
Let’s see what yummy snack my Mum has made…
One crummy little biscuit
and an overripe banana?
Would anybody like to do a trade?
Jenny said: Reading the latest “food” prompt poem, “Lunchboxing” reminded me of a poem I wrote several years ago along the same theme. I thought I’d share it with others who remember being disappointed with the offerings put in their lunch box.
I’m sure that I can eat an orange egg.
You do not have to plead. You needn’t beg.
I do not think that I have ever tried
An orange that’s been boiled, poached or fried.
Nor have I yet consumed an egg that’s raw,
Been neatly peeled, and sliced up into four.
An orange placed on toasted sourdough
Is not a taste sensation that I know.
I haven’t eaten egg as marmalade.
I’m not convinced that it would make the grade.
I know! I’ll mix the two into a goop,
And eat them as an eggy, orange soup!
I say to my mirror: “Well, how do I look?”
The mirror replies: “You use your two eyes.”
“No, you don’t understand! Tell me how I appear.”
“You come through the door and then you are here.”
“But mirror of mine, tell me what you reflect.”
“Whatever’s in front of me, as you’d expect.”
“So, mirror of mine, have you no more to say?”
“Only: ‘Why stand and stare? There’s a party today!'”
Monty says: The desire to look good for a special occasion is common to children and adults alike. In this, the mirror is an indispensable tool, but we still have to make the judgments ourselves.
The kids said..
We don’t want sandwiches
We don’t want cheesy rolls
We’ve had enough of wraps and crackers
We’ve had enough of scrolls
Well, then Mum said..
Would you like some liverwurst?
Maybe deep fried brains?
Perhaps some spinach that I boiled,
Would make a lovely change?
The kids said..
A sandwich is fine mum..
Thanks
There are blue skies and sunshine here in Western Australia today so what better word to use to inspire your creativity? Thank you to all the wonderful poets submitting regularly to this site. Your contributions are much appreciated. Please keep them coming. I love reading your work and sharing it with our growing list of followers.
Send your poems to me at traffa-m@bigpond.net.au as a Word or text document attachment and add a few lines about your writing process.
Happy writing!
Teena
Australian Children’s Poetry Website 