Author Archives: ozchildrenspoetry

Nice To Be A Snail by Toni Newell

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It would be nice to be a snail,

Carry my house upon my back

And leave a silver trail,

Never needing to unpack.

Out for dinner every day

No kitchen in my house

‘Cause it’s very small inside

Can’t even fit a mouse.

I’d always be close to home

Never far away

And my house I’d fully own

No mortgages to pay.

Cleaning would be a dream

Over in a blink

Giving me much more time

To play and even think.

It would be nice to be a snail

Carry my house upon my back

Never be far from home

And safe when the sky is black.

Two new poems from Michael Buckingham Gray

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black puddle

blower vac

by the bowser
at the petrol station
slick on the surface –
all the water
in the world
unable to wash
it out

droning
driving
black dirt
out onto the road
in front of a white
truck
carrying a load

The Antarctic Beech by James Aitchison

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I wandered in a forest deep

and found this ancient tree.

Two thousand years it’s grown here;

lots more it well might see.

They said it’s called a Beech,

born in forests long ago,

before Antarctica 

had turned to ice and snow.

Teacher’s note: Lamington and Springbrook National Parks are located on the Scenic Rim of the Gold Coast hinterland.  Two hundred and twenty-five million years ago, the continents of South America, Africa, Australia and Antarctica, along with India, New Zealand, Madagascar and Arabia made up a single land mass called Gondwana.  When Gondwana broke up 120 million years ago, Australia remained attached to Antarctica. Seventy million years ago, when Antarctica was covered with rainforests, Australia separated and moved north. This Antarctic Beech has survived to this day. Sadly much of the ancient rainforest was lost to logging in the 19th Century.

The Beach That Squeaks by James Aitchison

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Step onto its glistening sand

and hear the squeaky sound.

Then find the granite boulders,

big and red and round.

What a beach to visit, 

listen to it talk,

simply take your shoes offand take a little walk.

Teacher’s note: Squeaky Beach is part of the Wilsons Promontory National Park

The Sleepy Koala by James Aitchison

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Oh boy, what a day,

I’m ready for a doze.

I’m full of yummy gum leaves

from my ears to my toes.

A little snooze would be nice,

It’s what koalas do.

So please don’t wake me up

Until half past two.

Man, It’s Hot! by Norah Colvin

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They stood side by side in a paddock one day,

Two tall gentlemen watching children at play.

When seen from a distance they both looked the same,

Just silently watching, not joining the game.

The sun warmed them gradually, ever so slow,

The heat barely noticed till both had to go.

“It’s hot!” said the first as he left for the day.

The second said nothing, just melted away.

When later the children came looking around,

Not even one trace of the men could be found.

With sadness they realised what they had forgot:

That snowmen can’t last when the weather gets hot!

Who? by Graham Seal

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Now UFOs are UAPs,

can someone please explain 

who was it who decided

UFOs must be renamed?

Of course, I do not have a clue

who might have been that author,

but I have a question for them:

what’s wrong with ‘flying saucer’?

Note: Unidentified Flying Objects, or UFOs, are now officially known as Unidentified Aerial (or Anomalous) Phenomena, or UAPs.

Silly Sculpture by James Aitchison

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He’s holding up the building,

With only his left hand.

But both his legs are missing —

I don’t understand!

What a silly sculpture,

It made me want to laugh;

How can you hold up a building

When you’ve been cut in half?

Teacher’s note: The city of Vienna has many ornate sculptures
decorating its buildings.

A Chant For The Matildas by Katherine Gallagher

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Lather and blather
Let the crowds gather

Mad hurly-burly
Get some goals early

Quavery-ravery
Mark the ball savery

Fantastic-electric
Pass-the-ball hectic

Whip the ball in
For another big win

Hackle and tackle
Join in the crackle

Hats off to players
Stars and best-dayers

Glory and roary
Keep-the-ball story

By Dracula’s dinners
O let them be winners

Football Bravo by Katherine Gallagher

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It was called ‘a game made in heaven’ –
boots, balls, flags, bands and painted faces,
a game that grew like history ‒ the wonder game,
the glory of it . . .
There were star-names like Stanley Matthews and Alex James
from days when footballers earned a few pounds a week
and wore knee-length shorts.

There were others like Pele,
Maradona, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Best – heroes of the game
with talents galore. Some played in World Cups,
some didn’t, but they played the ‘beautiful game’
and loved it.

Finally, girls started playing football:

they had their World Cup too.