“Double, double,
toil and trouble …”
Shakespear knew
a couple of subtle
things about his
Macbeth witches,
which is that
their cauldron-brew
contained some magic –
which is true!
Toxic plants made
poisoned potions,
twisting minds to
changed perceptions,
making witches
laugh and scream
as though they’re flying
in a dream.
Perhaps some died
from such a mix,
while others mended
from these tricks.
And those that lived
have paved the way
for cancer drugs
we use today.
Photo from Pixabay
You know the word
preposterous
rhymes with
rhinoceros?
Now stress the
second syllable
and dial it up
a decibel:
prePOSterous
rhiNOCeros
Say it louder,
say it clear,
so the whole wide world
can hear:
prePOSterous
rhiNOCeros!
Thanks for joining in
our game;
your ears will never be
the same.
Photo from Pexels by Martyn Gomersall
I wash my hands before I play
With my guinea pigs, mice and my pet rat.
I have been told that this is the way
To keep them as clean as the dog and cat.
My hands look clean enough for me
But Mum nags of the news so gritty
Of those nasty germs that you can’t see
Can sicken and kill the largest city.
Now Mum warns that before I dine
To keep away that very bad flu’
Washing my hands will protect me fine.
And yours as well because it’s true.
WASHING YOUR HANDS ALL AROUND
THE ONLY WAY TO STAY SAFE AND SOUND
Photo from Pexels by Allan Mas
The other day
I got a surprise —
at first I couldn’t
believe my eyes.
It came in a box
tied with string —
the biggest, weirdest
funniest thing.
It was a purple
pizza eater,
eating a
purple pizza!
When I am writing poetry
I often use an apostrophe,
Since it can help the rhythm flow
And make words fit where they need to go,
For sometimes lines will have a lump
That readers hit like a nasty bump!
Apostrophes smooth these away,
Which leaves me pleased, I have to say.
If you’re one who’s been confused
By how apostrophes are used,
I’d like to share some simple facts
So you can use them and relax.
Two words need to squeeze to one?
An apostrophe can get it done.
You don’t believe that’s really true?
That previous line shows two to you.
Another use we ought to cover
Is rather tricky you’ll discover.
If you do not, then you don’t,
But if you will not, then you won’t!
Now let’s leave the squeeze behind
For apostrophes of a different kind,
Which often come with letter s,
But does it matter? Answer: “Yes!”
Take this boy’s team as an example:
Just one boy there in that small sample,
But to show there’s two or more
Writing boys’ team, makes us sure.
So a girls’ school means girls only
And a boy there – rather lonely!
If that school became co-ed,
Boys there could relax instead.
Many words that end with s
Don’t need apostrophes, let me stress.
But with those explained above
In my view there’s lots to love!
The tadpole’s now a frog – how strange!
and where’s that duckling gone?
It’s undergone some mystic change
and turned into a swan!
The caterpillar’s been reshaped,
been made a butterfly.
Once, just a bug, it’s now escaped
to navigate the sky.
Spectacular and free to see
in grasslands, trees and ponds
these wondrous acts of wizardry
require no magic wands.
Photo by Pixabay
See the flowers
all pop out.
See the leaves
grow all about.
So much colour
all around,
like a paintbox
upside down.
I picked-up my recorder
and started blowing loudly,
a tootle-oo and tootle-ay
while Dad was snoring proudly;
I leant over his breathing chest
to listen to his heart,
then went outside playing my tune
as stars lit-up the chart;
I stood on tiptoe, eating grapes
on this side of the neighbor’s fence;
and played my pipes, until their dog
emerged in their defence;
but as I stood under the stars
and played my pretty song,
the dog stuck-out his wet old tongue,
and then began to croon along—
and all the cats hidden among
the roses then pricked their sharp ears,
until I’d played my last this night—
the cats and dogs (with no more fears)
slept soundly then, but woe, alas,
my Dad came-out to yell and scream
at me for waking him, and he awoke
the cats and dogs, and then
I woke-up from my dream…
Photo from Pexels by Alexas Fotos
It’s quite a blustery Spring this year.
It’s quite a squally Spring.
The wind is whistling at my door.
That wind can surely sing.
It’s really good for flying kites
and getting washing dry.
It blows away the cobwebs,
tosses clouds across the sky.
But I wouldn’t mind if it settles soon,
if the trees don’t shake and bend.
A little peace would be just fine.
I wish that wind would end.
Photo from Pexels by Bogdan Krupin
Australian Children’s Poetry 