Who Nose the Way?
Scientists find
a good sense of smell
goes hand-in-hand
with direction as well.
If spatial awareness
is one of your gifts,
it’s likely your nose has
superior sniff!
Discerning more scents
in the air we have crossed
may help with our sense
of NOT getting lost.
So “follow your nose”
as we like to say,
and “smell the roses”
along the way.
The Cup
The cup was gold and gleaming,
It shimmered in the sun,
It called to us along the line
As we were poised to run.
The starter called, ‘Get ready!’
The starter called, ‘Get set!’
Our hearts were pounding loudly,
Our hands were sleek with sweat.
And when we heard the cry of ‘Go!’
We sprang off in a burst,
We ran until our muscles ached,
All striving to be first.
And when the race was over,
There were no pouts or tears,
The cup went to the winner
And we each gave her three cheers.
But don’t think I don’t want it.
I’m never giving up.
I’ll train till I’m the fastest,
Then I’ll win that golden cup.
Lady Bird – Ladybird, you look so special – swish
Floating downstream on a green slender reed
Ants cannot attack you – you sit as flat as a dish
Riding a green rush – to a family of mouths to feed
So hip, so cool, you are resplendent
Coloured red with dark polka dots
Yes you, you are fiercely independent
Seven colourful joys, joyous black spots
Now your babies are calling-out, out from under logs
They’ve eaten their fill of aphids and scale
Surrounded by dragonflies, spiders and frogs
No time to drown, no time to tire, no time at all to fail
You’re on your way with a mighty display
Your colouring to them is bad taste
Scarlet red and dotty spotty spots, say
They better leave your babies post haste
True bugs are suckers
A true bug’s an insect
but insects aren’t bugs
if they eat by chomp-chomp
instead of glug-glug.
Ants are not bugs.
They’ve got mandible jaws.
While a bug’s beaky tube
will get used like a straw.
Bugs feed on liquids
like plant-juice or blood
by piercing the skin
and then sucking, glug-glug.
Cicadas and bed-bugs
are glug-sucking guys.
But ladybird beetles
aren’t bugs – so get wise!
First published in Double Helix(September 2016)
Reproduced with permission of CSIRO
www.doublehelix.csiro.au
Free As a Ladybird
Ladybird ladybird fly to your tree
The children are screaming and coming to see
They have a big jar and a challenge to get
A most lovely bug they can keep as a pet
Ladybird ladybird fly away free
Take to the wind and race with the bee
For you are too quick and too nimble and wild
To be trapped and contained by a curious child
Ladybird ladybird fly to your den
The children have gone and you’re safe once again
The garden is quiet just you and the gnomes
Now the children have all raced away to their homes.
Food art
This mashed potato sculpture
is a splendid work of art,
the best I’ve ever seen, I’d have to say
and every slice of carrot,
carved to look just like a heart,
you’ve set out in a most creative way.
The broccoli looks pretty
cut in perfect little flowers.
I love the way the peas spell out my name
and I know that you’ve been working
on this masterpiece for hours,
but I’m sorry, every night I feel the same.
It doesn’t really matter
what you do to all this food,
what handiwork you serve me up for tea.
I may seem quite ungrateful
and perhaps a little rude,
but, they still all taste like vegetables to me!
Australian Children’s Poetry 