Author Archives: australianchildrenspoetry

It’s a Dogs’ Life by Nicola Phillips

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Margot the Wise and Piddling Pete
Were off on an adventure, a real treat.
They met up with Toby, Rusty and Muldoon
Down at the park near the lagoon.
They sniffed each other and marked their patch
Excited to be together, a mixed breed batch.
Off they ran at an alarming pace
Helter skelter, look out everyone it was a race!
They zig zagged past pedestrians out on the street
Barking with joy, life was sweet.

They arrived at the stadium with not a moment to spare
The dignitaries had arrived and were seated on a big chair.
The dog squad breathed a collective sigh of relief
They sat down and relaxed, there was no beef!
Speaker number one got to his paws
A handsome, beagle hound named Jonathon Laws.
Jonathon Laws spoke quickly with clarity
Pointing out hazards and where things should be.
He introduced the guest speaker, speaker number two
A giant, black poodle named Rebecca Riley Sue.
Rebecca Riley Sue – a renowned show dog
Shared anecdotes and insights that she recorded on her blog.
Rebecca Riley Sue had a lot to say
Nevertheless, she paused –
And invited the dogs in the stadium to celebrate

International Dog Day!

Image from Pixabay

International Dog Day is celebrated on 26th August 2026

George and Gertie Gang-Gang by Edwina Smith

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GEORGE:
“Now we don’t do desert
so forget about a search.
In 50 C and no shade
we’d fall right off the perch!
We like cool climate ranges
with the freshest forest air;
on freezing foggy mornings
you’ll find me and Gertie there.”

GERTIE:
“Isn’t George a sight to see,
aglow in fiery red.
He’s perched upon a wattle tree –
feather duster on his head!
As you see I’m mostly grey
with salmon-coloured bars
so don’t mistake a Gang-gang for
those noisy, pink galahs!”

GEORGE:
“We love little saw fly grubs
and don’t mind their yucky goo.
While other birds will fly away
we’re downing quite a few!
Our busy beaks keep them in check;
we’ll clean them up with ease.
Gert and I shall do our best
to help our favourite trees.”

GERTIE:
“The seasons flow in nature;
we watch them come and go.
With cooler days of Autumn
it’s time to fly down low.
By warmer days of Springtime
we move to higher ground,
looking for our nesting place
where older trees are found.”

GEORGE:
“ Let’s please protect our forest-
we need those hollows deep.
When nesting in an ageing gum
our chicks can grow and sleep.
We’ll keep them fed and share the care
by tending ‘round the clock.
If all goes well, we hope to tell
they’re off to join the flock.”

GEORGE AND GERTIE TOGETHER:
“ We’re totally terrific
and in case you haven’t heard
a lot of people do believe
we’re Canberra’s favourite bird!
We’re covered in charisma-
that’s why we have to be
the formal faunal emblem of
our leafy A.C.T.”

Image from Pixabay

Author’s note: “George and Gertie Gang-gang” is about Canberra’s much-loved Gang-gang cockatoo.  It also has a conservation message.

For the readers understanding, “feather duster on his head” describes the feathers on top of the male bird.  “We love little saw fly grubs” refers to a leaf eating pest and the Gang-gangs ability to control their numbers.  The conservation message relates to hollows in old gum trees which take decades to form.  They are needed by these birds and indeed many others for nesting. 

September Poetry Prompts

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Finding time to PLAY is important. It helps us CONNECT and GROW. Perhaps a burst of SPRINGTIME energy will make it extra enjoyable. Let us know in a poem.

Send your poetic inspirations to Linda Davidson:

ozchildrenspoetry@gmail.com

Date prompts include:

  • Father’s Day (6th September)
  • National Bilby Day (13th September)
  • International Day of Peace (21st September)

Picture Prompt:

Artwork: FRIENDS by Karen Erasmus

Archer, The Pest by Toni Newell

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My little Archer
Can be so much fun
He loves to play games
And he loves to run.
He’ll jump on the couch
Put a paw on my leg
Try to snuggle right in
And often will beg.
But there are many times
When he’s such a pest
He won’t listen
And he just won’t rest
Barks continuously
Runs around the room
Knocking stuff over
It makes me fume.
He’s so energetic
A walk’s not enough
Needs constant attention
Which can be quite tough.
But I do love him dearly
Despite being a pest
He’s mostly loving
And to that I can attest.

image from Pixabay

Everything’s just ducky by James Aitchison

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Three ducks went for a dip,

their bottoms in the air.

I wonder what they found

in the muddy water there.

Did they catch some insects,

or maybe juicy seeds?

I hope it wasn’t bread —

that’s not what a duck’s diet needs!

Photo by Philip Webster

Teacher’s note: Everyone  loves feeding the ducks with bread, but too much isn’t good for them!  A duck’s natural diet includes aquatic plants and seeds, insects, worms and slugs, snails, small fish and frogs.

Each Of Us! by Marcus Ten Low

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Sally giggling, her ponytails wiggling.

Roger nodding, his long grim face bobbing.

Michael cackling, his knuckles crackling.

Susan farewelling, her weeping eyes swelling.

Desmond gloating, his fat tummy bloating.

Frances dancing, her style so entrancing.

Warren pouting, his shiny head doubting.

Sheila wailing, to no good availing.

Thelma yearning, but never returning.

Drawing by Marcus Ten Low

Mallee Revival by Celia Berrell

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Some eucalypts on desert scrub
politely share the skies,
creating lairs of dappled shade
where spinifex resides.

These mallee trees, like brollies
with their flattened canopies,
have many splaying slender trunks
at varying degrees.

Their knobbly base, a lignotuber,
helps them to survive,
should bushfire kill above the ground,
that mallee’s still alive.

Stored inside its bulbous base,
emergency supplies!
Water, food will grow new stems.
Our mallee tree revives.

Celebrating Science Week and Poetry Month 2026

Image from Pexels

Nature’s playground by Jenny Erlanger

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Paddling through the shallows,
playing cricket on the sand,
licking up the ice cream
as it dribbles down my hand,
tossing leaves into the air
and catching them again,
popping the umbrella up
and skipping in the rain,
sliding down the mountainside
and weaving through the poles,
rotating my marshmallows
on a stick above the coals,
watching tiny chickens
wriggle out from splintered eggs,
waiting for a lamb to stand
on spindly, wobbly legs.
Aboard this giant carousel,
I love the fun it brings,
as summers move to autumns
and our winters turn to springs.

Image from Pixabay

A fitting scientific question by James Aitchison

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If you love science

as much as I do,

I have a question

I’d like to ask you:

How many Earths do you think

would fit inside the sun?

Let’s count them now —

carefully — one by one.

Give up? 1.3 million Earths

would fit inside the sun —

but they’d be so hot

it wouldn’t be fun!

Image from Pixabay

Humungous Fungus by Pat Simmons

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Humungous Fungus is among us
and it’s rather smelly.
It slowly creeps between your toes
then right up to your belly.

It can be blue but when it’s pink
it gives off such an awful stink.
Sometimes it floats down in the breeze
and leaves great blobs on both your knees.

When it sparkles like a fairy
then you must be very wary.
If it waves its magic wand
you’ll smell like slime from next door’s pond.

Beware if Fungus goes to school.
It doesn’t care who looks a fool.
Your teacher might get quite a shock
if Fungus hides inside his sock.

If poor grandma, while she’s sitting
concentrating on her knitting,
notices a sudden pull,
it’s Fungus climbing up her wool.

Even Mum must be quite careful.
She might cop a blobby hair full
if she happens to be shopping
right where Fungus slime is dropping.

Family pets should run and hide.
‘Cos Fungus loves to slip and slide
into kennels, baskets, cages,
sending critters into rages.

But Fungus loathes a water spray.
So get yourself one right away
and squirt that fiend with all your might.
You’ll be a hero overnight.

Image from Pixabay