Monthly Archives: February 2017

Poem of the Day

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Hot Summer

 

It’s too hot to play,

So I snooze in the shade.

Lazing in the cool

of a massive fig tree.

Nature’s air conditioning.

 

It’s too hot to play,

So I dive in the salty sea.

Waves tickle me,

refreshing my body.

Nature’s swimming pool.

 

It’s too hot to play,

So I sit in a sudden breeze.

Cooling my sticky body,

blowing my hair.

Nature’s fan.

 

It’s too hot to play,

So I eat a fat watermelon.

Refreshing my dry mouth

trickling on my face.

Nature’s most refreshing treat.

 

Karen Hendriks
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #7

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Poem of the Day

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Bubble Trouble

 

I’ll tell you the trouble with bubbles:

They burst like a punctured balloon

As they fall on a sharp piece of rubble,

Or they fail on their flight to the moon.

It’s useless to try to collect them.

They’re not like a coin or a stamp.

For the hand that you raise to protect them

You’ll soon find is feeling quite damp.

 

Yet bubbles, you’d better believe it,

Can actually be lots of fun.

You can catch them and snatch them

And quickly despatch them

Until you have burst every one.

You can chase them all over your garden.

You can watch them drift over a wall.

Though you run like a hare,

As they’re mostly just air,

When you search you’ll find nothing at all!

 

Monty Edwards
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #2

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Experienced children’s poet wanted

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cropped-daretodreamocean

 

June Perkins wants to hear from you if you are:

 

1) A well published poet for children who likes to talk about the craft of what they do with adults.

 

2) Someone who is an experienced panel chair, with some background in either poetry or children’s literature or both.

 

Please note: If you live closeish to Brisbane that would probably be an advantage, but contact her anyway as she loves hearing from those passionate about poetry for children.

Do email if this describes you and you would like further information!

Queries for these possible opportunities close 25th of February (but the earlier you email me the better)

Contact June at gumbootspearlz@gmail.com

Poem of the Day

4 Comments

WINDOW SEAT

 

Just out the window seems to be

a better place for you and me.

There’s sunshine there

and giant slides …

and if you’ve brave

there’s dragon rides!

 

There’s trees to climb

that scrape the moon,

and monsters dance

in the lagoon,

and Bigfoots bounce

on trampolines,

and tigers sneak up

unforeseen

and strike like lightning

at their prey –

then lick them ’till

they’re licked away!

 

If only classrooms had lagoons

on sleepy Monday afternoons.

Bill Condon
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #4

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Poem of the Day

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Mish and Mash

 

I love to cook a mish and mash

A pineapple avocado smash

Cranberry and potato soup

A pea and parsnip ice-cream scoop

A pepper zucchini chocolate slice

Special strawberry chilli rice

Pizza topped with jelly beans

Devil’s food cake served with greens.

I love to cook a mish and mash

Dinner’s done now – got to dash.

Jessica Nelson

Jessica said: Mish and Mash is my response to 2016 poetry prompt #45 (Food). This poem was inspired by the ‘cooking’ my siblings and I used to do as children, where any ingredients we could find were thrown together in the mixing bowl, with varied results.

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Poem of the Day

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First day of school

 

I’ll soon be walking through that door,

I’ve waited all these years.

But nothing’s quite prepared me for

this sudden flood of tears.

I know that I will be OK,

I’ll take whatever comes,

as soon as I can get away

from all these weeping mums!

Jenny Erlanger

 

First published in “Hopscotch” (Jellibeanz Publications, 2011)

  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #4

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Poetry Prompt #7

1 Comment

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Hi everyone, here’s a visual prompt for you this week. What does the image suggest to you? Think yourself back to childhood and let your imagination roam freely. I’m really looking forward to seeing what wonderful poems you come up with … it’s always exciting to check my in box and read the latest submissions. A big thank you to everyone who’s been submitting regularly. Your support for this site is much appreciated.  Please keep your contributions coming in. Send poems to me at teenawriter@gmail.com as a Word or Text file attachment and add a few lines about your writing process.

Happy writing!

Teena

Poem of the Day

2 Comments

Through my Window

 

Morning comes in through my window

making shadows on my wall

I can see the roses waving

I can hear the magpies call

In the street the dogs are barking

busy people start their day

I stay wrapped within my doona

till it’s time for me to play

Morning comes in through my window

beams of sunlight make me smile

Mummy’s calling me to breakfast

‘In a while, Mum. In a while’

Then I smell the crispy bacon,

maple syrup, pancakes, more.

Morning comes in through my window,

I go racing out the door.

 

Allan Cropper
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #6

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Poem of the Day

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caterpillarsongimustwaitfortransformation

 

 

  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #5

poetry-prompt-5June said: I liked that the photograph prompt had creatures on it and it inspired me to think of what it must be like for a caterpillar to change its mode of transport when it transforms. I placed this poem over a photograph of a butterfly. I wanted something about the right length so the photograph and words could balance.  It is fun making poem/photograph creations. For playfulness I spelt the word travel out at the end of each line.

I took this photograph at the Botanical Gardens.

As for the last line, my teenage son recently was studying a Dylan Thomas poem so I thought it would be fun to echo some of the lines.

‘Do not go gently into that good night.’

Poem of the Day

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There’s a Rainbow in my Pocket

 

Inside the pocket of my shorts it’s dark and not too clean,

But you might just decipher the colours red and green.

There’s a length of string that’s red or faded nearly pink

A piece of a tangelo skin that’s sweeter than you think

A dandelion head there is, that’s rather sad and squashed

A blade of grass that’s all green now but changes when it’s washed

A toffee wrapper, blue as blue, that’s sticky-d up the dark

As well a stone of purplish-grey I found when in the park.

 

Rainbow colours but oh no, not the rainbow with its glow

Far too dirty, far too dank, it all needs cleaning to be frank.

 

Hard edges, cooling to the touch. I take it out and rub it clean

Angled just right toward the sun, its transparency is seen

In coloured bands breaks up the light,

and then stream through the colours bright

A wondrous pleasure to bestow

the prism bears its own rainbow

Virginia Lowe
  • Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #3

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