Author Archives: australianchildrenspoetry

The Platypus at Abbotsford by Stephen Whiteside

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The Platypus at Abbotsford

A young platypus was recently sighted in Melbourne’s Yarra River, where it winds through the inner city suburb of Abbotsford.

 

The platypus at Abbotsford is new upon this earth.

It isn’t very long ago its mother gave it birth.

It views the world with wonder, and it moves with merry mirth,

And doesn’t see the dangers in the shadows.

 

The platypus at Abbotsford is learning how to dive,

And all the other little tricks it needs to stay alive.

Let’s hope it does much more than live, and learns to really thrive,

But perils lie in wait in all directions.

 

The platypus at Abbotsford is thrilled to find such space.

It can’t believe that others have not occupied this place.

It doesn’t know they did, but failed to prosecute their case.

Their bones lie buried in the river’s bottom…

 

The platypus at Abbotsford gives hope, gives joy, gives heart

That each and every one of us will play our vital part

In making sure that platypus gets off to a great start

To face an even more successful future!

Stephen Whiteside

The Kitten Tree by Vanessa Proctor

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The Kitten Tree

 

Two tiny stripey kittens

think that I’m a tree

with sharpened claws

and agile paws

they scale my legs

to the knee.

 

At table height

they alight

to see what they can get

a tasty treat,

some cheese, some meat,

two cheeky little pets.

 

Scratched and sore

I shoo them off

to scamper on the floor,

but turn my back

and just like that,

they shimmy up for more.

 

 Vanessa Proctor

Published in Through the Looking Glass Volume V Issue I, March 2016

 

A Star Turn by J.R. Poulter

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A Star Turn

 

Twinkle star, Twinkle bright!

A clamour of glamour across the night!

Little stars, eyes alight,

Tutus and tights, bold and bright!

 

How do I look? Have I got it right?

Will I look a lovely sight?

Please, don’t let me get stage fright…

Oh I’m trying with all my might!

I SO want my star to shine tonight!

J.R. Poulter

Clown Caper by Monty Edwards

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Clown Caper

 

Once a climbing clown,

Clambered up a tower,

Colander in hand,

Plus a cauliflower.

What he had in mind,

No-one seemed to know

And it wasn’t clear,

How far up he’d go.

 

After quite a climb

He had reached the top,

Items still in hand,

He then let them drop!

Neither looked the same,

Fallen from the tower,

Not the colander,

Nor the cauliflower!

 
Monty Edwards

Monty says: I enjoy writing rhyming verse with a bit of humour included and sometimes short lines add to the effect. Rhyming words for ‘cauliflower’ and ‘clown’ in ‘tower’ and ‘down’ helped provide the ideas for the basic content of the poem.

 

 

We’re the Flu! by Stephen Whiteside

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We’re the Flu!

 

We’re the flu, we’re the flu, we’re the flu!

We come every winter to you.

You sneeze and you sniffle. Ah choo!

We’re the flu, we’re the flu, we’re the flu!

 

We give you a fever and chill.

We make you feel terribly ill.

Your throat will turn red

As you groan in your bed.

We sap you of all of your will.

 

But wait, there is more to come yet.

You’ll shiver in puddles of sweat.

Your muscles will throb

As your health we will rob.

You’ll wail. You’ll whimper. You’ll fret.

 

Your body will kill us, we know,

But long before that, we will go.

You’ll cough and you’ll sneeze,

And you’ll spread your disease,

As from victim to victim we flow.

 

Yes, being the flu is such fun.

From person to person we run.

We never stand still.

We can make thousands ill

Before all our labours are done.

 

But wait, this is terribly mean.

Our faces are turning bright green.

Have mercy, oh please,

On this humble disease.

We can’t fight the dreaded vaccine!

 

Stephen Whiteside

 

 

 

Playing the Game by Katherine Gallagher

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Playing the Game

 

On match days,

I try to make sure

I play very well

and am first to score.

My team’s in blue,

the others are in grey.

 

In the heat of the minute

if I give the ball away,

it’ll be just too bad,

I won’t be picked next time;

it couldn’t be worse

if I’d committed a crime.

 

Don’t worry, Dad says,

A game’s just a game

but I’d like to be a star  ̶

maybe make my name.

Katherine Gallagher

 

Katherine said:  My poem ‘Playing the Game’ is  in response to the notion of  ‘star performance’, being a star, however  briefly and so on. Especially on the sports field.

Polar Bear by Karen Hendriks

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Polar Bear

Big, powerful white bear,

Lives in Arctic cold,

Strong, firm, white,

Covered in protective fur,

Black eyes, sharp claws,

Hungry belly,

That gnaws away all day.

 

This snowy white land,

That was once your friend.

Is melting away earlier,

Freezing up later.

Struggling to hunt seals.

You need to travel further and further

 

Less sea ice

More walking

More swimming

How far will you have to go?

Only the weather knows

 

Lucky you are strong,

But who knows for how much longer?

Will there still be a place in the Arctic Cold for you?

Or will you just disappear into nowhere?

Karen Hendriks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Will Be Brave by Jessica Nelson

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I Will Be Brave

 

I will go into the three bears’ house

I won’t be frightened like a mouse.

I will eat porridge from a spoon

I won’t fear that they’ll be home soon.

I will sit in this tiny chair

Just to show that I don’t care.

I won’t be scared and I won’t run—

But listen, look out, here they come.

I will perhaps have some concern,

The porridge has made my tummy turn.

I hear a stamping at the door,

I hear great footsteps on the floor.

I won’t dawdle, I need to hide!

Look, a bed, I’ll jump inside.

Flatten myself under the blanky

Hope the bears aren’t feeling cranky.

I will be quiet, I won’t shift

I will not toot or I’ll be sniffed.

I will sneeze, I just can’t stop it!

They’ve heard me now, I’d better hop it

Papa Bear, Mama Bear and little Wee

Have no porridge and might eat me!

I’ll quit this window (second floor)

I won’t come back here anymore.

Jessica Nelson

Roaming Through the Ruins by Walter de Jong

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I’ve been roaming through the ruins

Finding the foundations

Sifting through the centuries;

The nativity of nations

 

A pantheon of the powerful

Creating colosseums

Stones torn from a temple

The remnants of religion

 

Even obelisks from Egypt

Claimed from Cleopatra

by Romulus and Remus

Are repurposed by St Peter

 

I’ve been roaming through the ruins

of Mankind and his motions

Sifting through the centuries;

The nativity of notions

Walter de Jong

 

 

Walter said: When I was in Rome I was struck by the juxtaposition of elements from ancient to modern times that could be seen and the evidence and influence of shifting political and religious tides through time; Egyptian, Greek, Jewish and Christian side by side, layer on layer in the exposed strata.

At the Dinosaur Picnic by Katherine Gallagher

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At the dinosaur picnic

 

Dandy dinosaurs dancing

Dreamy dinosaurs drinking

Dexterous dinosaurs dinking

Dainty dinosaurs dazzling

Devilish dinosaurs diving

Dozy dinosaurs dallying

Delicate dinosaurs dawdling

Katherine Gallagher