Come and see the dinosaurs
dancing in the street,
with bows upon their shiny claws
and glitter on their feet.
A little liposuction,
lippy here and there,
with plaited tails and painted toes
and roses in their hair.
Dripping with perfumery
and skipping to and fro,
a dozen dainty dinosaurs
putting on a show.
They’ve visited the beauty shop –
a rare and lovely treat –
and now they’re happy dinosaurs,
dancing in the street!
I’m a rock.
Just a rock.
A sedentary rock.
I was warm until
blasting wind
left me with no cover.
I’m a rock.
I was dry until
eroding rivers
submerged my craggy face.
Just a rock.
I had friends until
they crumbled
and relocated to the beach.
A sedentary rock.
They found a cave one summer
on the beach front
A yew tree flourished above
held by roots
clutching the walls
Underneath was dark and cool
Secluded and safe
no one knew they were there
They stored drinks
a rug to sit on
Over weeks
they played pirates
treasure hidden on a root-shelf
at the back.
The creaks and groans
only added to the atmosphere
until the Sunday
of a summer storm
when they sheltered there
Best friends can be short or tall
bright or quiet
booky or sporty
anything at all,
mine just happens to be
a goofy, woolly, poodly, woodly
labradoodley type beastie
with a coat of gold,
soft as marshmallows.
Pinkest tongue, cool wet nose
that reminds me when
a hug is due,
boofy head that rests on my legs
like I’m the best pillow
ever,
following me
from room to room,
my loyal shadow, liquid eyes
of chocolate brown,
forever sad
even when eating,
but a shaggy, waggy tail
reveals a heart filled with happy
jazzy, fizzy stuff
that bubbles all around me,
tickling me with
love.
I’ve told them dinner must be served
at six o’clock each night.
How hard is that, I ask, to understand?
I’ve told them when my friends come round
to stay right out of sight,
another very practical command.
I’ve told my dad to clear away
the mess inside the shed
and Mum to tidy up the pantry shelves.
It seems they haven’t listened
to a single word I’ve said.
They’re clearly much too focused on themselves.
It’s time they learned that I’m the boss,
that I make all the rules,
that life was always meant to be that way.
They’re proving hard to educate,
this stubborn pair of fools.
I’ve yet to give an order they’ll obey!
History is like going into another world
Where legends of kings are unfurled
So travel with me
Through the French Dynasty
Where we shall meet the short man Napoleon
Nah let’s go to a Mongolian
Place where Genghis Khan resides
With his army under tented hides
Then we shall go see Billy the Kid
And right after that we shall get rid
Of that English monster Jack the Ripper
And kill him with a kipper
Now let’s go see Abraham Lincoln
Who is quite surely thinkin’
How to abolish slavery
I admire him for his bravery
Oh and look over there it’s Elizabeth the first
Boy she really looks like she’s going to burst
After eating all that luxurious food
Oh my she just burped, how very rude
Now we shall go visit Henry Third
My oh my, he’s such a nerd
Quickly let’s go and see Julius Caesar
Who is really quite the crowd pleaser
And Leonardo Da Vinci is painting the Mona Lisa
Let us watch him and eat some pizza
So now we should go see famous Socrates
Boy, I think he should watch more comedies
Alas, now our journey has come to an end
Hopefully I will get to see you ‘round the bend
by Doug McLeod
Terrible deep the snow is
Deeper than ever we saw
Nestled together we pray for warm weather,
Waiting for winter to thaw.
Were I a swallow I’d happily follow
All of my friends as they fly
Off in formations to southern locations
Delightfully sunny and dry.
Here in the forest it’s twenty below,
Shivery blizzards persistently blow
Making you freeze from your top to your toe.
Terrible deep, the horrible snow
Terrible deep the snow is,
Wish I could sleep like a log.
Snoozing and snoring, while possibly boring,
Is better than flurries and fog.
Happily dreaming till sunlight starts gleaming
I wouldn’t wake up till the spring –
I envy them dearly, who hibernate yearly –
For winter’s a terrible thing.
Summer is fast but the winter is slow
Icicles form and the rivers won’t flow,
Birds by the million left ages ago
Terrible deep, the horrible snow.
Longer and colder the winter nights grow
How we survive it we really don’t know
Nothing to eat but the acorns we stow
Terrible deep, the horrible snow.
Listen to my stunning news
I met a rabbit wearing shoes
One was red and one was green
The oddest pair I’d ever seen
One had clips and one had laces–
Tangerine to match his braces
He had a pom-pom on his hat
No other clothes—imagine that!
Ker-plop
ker-plop
Will it never stop?
That dripping tap
keeps dripping
dripping
dripping
ker-plop
ker-plop
plip-plop
plip-plop
I hear every single drop.
That leaking tap
keeps nipping
nipping
nipping at my brain
while water keeps on dripping
dripping
dripping
down the drain
ker-plop
ker-plop
please someone make it stop.
That leaking tap
ker-plop
ker-plop
Is driving me insane.
The sun is low behind us
as we contemplate the view,
a vista to remind us
that we’re part of nature too.
We happily surrender
to the grandness of this spot
and know within its splendor
that we’re nothing but a dot.
Our shadows, in defiance,
take a more aggressive stand.
A family of giants
makes its mark upon the land.
LAND
Australian Children’s Poetry 