If a Thesaurus
came before us
would it claw us?
Or even gnaw us,
as soon as it saw us?
Not really.
A Thesaurus is a book
stuffed full of words,
so it would probably
just ignore us.
(As published in The Dirigible Balloon)
The Good Emu by James Aitchison
Leave a commentThis emu is fine,
obeying the sign,
doing no more than forty.
To run any faster
could spell disaster
and would be very naughty.
Teacher’s note: This photo was captured near Wilsons Promontory where many emus roam in the wild.
The Shipwreck Coast by James Aitchison
Leave a commentSend me your ships, your schooners,
and my rocks and reefs will take them.
Send me some seven hundred,
and howling wrecks I will make them.
Give me stormy nights and surging tides,
give me captains who lack in skill,
and I will show you shipwrecks
that no other coastline will.
Teacher’s note: By day, the coast appears calm and safe. But Victoria’s treacherous, storm-tossed 130-kilometre Shipwreck Coast, from Cape Otway to Port Fairy, has claimed around 700 vessels.
The Mountains of Mourne by James Aitchison
Leave a commentIn County Down,
there’s no brighter green,
and the peaks and valleys
are a sight to be seen.
‘Tis old Ireland they sing of
when bleak winter falls,
and by firesides the heart of
Ireland still calls.
And when storms the crags
of the mountains have crossed,
they tell of great battles
forgotten or lost.
Izzy The Moodle by James Aitchison
Leave a commentClose your eyes and picture a dog:
A Maltese terrier crossed with a poodle.
She’s a lovely dog is Izzy,
And she’s proud to be a moodle.
Moodles have oodles of energy,
And they’re always very busy.
They run in circles everywhere
And never ever get dizzy —
(CRASH)
— like Izzy!
Favourites by Pauline Cleary
Leave a commentMy favourite colour is purple.
My favourite food is cheese.
I’m very fond of Saturdays
when I can do whatever I please.
My favourite season is Autumn
When the leaves are red and brown
I like to cycle up steep hills
and glide the same way down
My favourite animal is zebra.
I love those crazy stripes.
Magpie is my favourite bird
dressed in black and white.
My favourite place is the seaside,
the waves, the sand, the spray.
I swim and surf and jump the waves
and play around all day.
But last, not least, I have to say
are the ones I can’t do without –
my family, friends, my little dog
are my favourites without a doubt.
A Typical Aussie Morning by James Aitchison
Leave a commentIt’s morning in the valley,
the air is crisp and sweet,
the irrigation’s on
before the noonday heat.
The cows are grazing quietly
the day’s work has begun,
across Australian farms
a living must be won.
Teacher’s note: This morning scene was captured at Moyhu in Victoria’s King Valley.
Peace by Jacinta Lou
Leave a commentThe fighting is over.
Put down your gun.
Then look around you.
Tell me – who’s won?
The cities are flattened,
wreckage glints in the sun.
Look all around here.
Which side has won?
The soldiers go home.
They follow the sun.
They look all around.
Has anyone won?
They fought for their countries,
every daughter and son.
When we have peace;
the war will be won.
In response to November prompt Remembrance Day.
The War to End Wars – WW1 by Jacinta Lou
Leave a commentWe remember the fallen,
Those left behind.
We honour their service,
And why they died.
They paid with their lives,
So we could have more.
They fought and they died
In the War to End Wars.
Lest we forget.
In response to November prompt Remembrance Day.
Unknown Soldier by Katherine Gallagher
Leave a commentWe have covered him with real flowers
and taken him from country to country.
It’s always the same journey –
people standing in the streets
silently saluting
as we carry him by.
And our hands tremble
under his weight,
our eyes are shocked
by the riddle of tongues
presenting the same paradox
in every country –
the whole human voice as background
shrilled to fever
about keeping the guns at bay.
In response to November prompt Remembrance Day
Australian Children’s Poetry 