I’m woken by a presence
in the middle of the night.
I’d scream to get attention
but I’m paralysed with fright.
There’s something like a zombie
shuffling slowly round my bed.
Its eyes are staring wildly
from a vacant-looking head.
The figure edges closer.
and I’m just about to pray
then I recognise its features
and the terror drains away.
I’m glad it’s not a monster,
not some evil-minded creep
but I wish my little sister
wouldn’t wander in her sleep!
Jenny Erlanger
Facing.
The Bowler,
Streaks in.
Long limbed,
Powerful.
With intent, he glares at me.
Sweating.
Under my helmet.
I tap my bat.
Raised.
Ready.
Fixated on the Bowler’s hand.
An Umpire,
Yawns behind,
Darkened sunglasses.
Bored. Daydreaming.
A seagull cries
From the boundary.
The red ball,
Careers down.
An inside edge.
Caught by the Keeper.
They call for it.
HOWZAT!
The Umpire.
Stands motionless.
I feign innocence.
He hasn’t heard it.
No finger is raised.
And I silently thank the seagull.
N. McMullin
Hippogriff, hippogriff, where do you go?
I go to the city to put on a show.
Hippogriff, hippogriff, what will you do?
I’ll be the ringmaster, and here is my crew:
A dragon in top hat,
A werewolf acrobat,
A strongman, Mr Troll,
An elf who vaults the pole;
A phoenix on trapeze,
A goblin who rides fleas,
A witch to play the clown:
The circus comes to town!
Sophie Masson
I met a man I didn’t know
But he knew me from go to woe
Your name I think is Paris Post
He said deadpan as eggs on toast
You enjoy Pine and Mountain Breeze
A little wine and too much cheese
Your tan is Airbrush Number One
The colour of your hair is Plum
Who are you I asked by and by
Soothsayer? Psychic? Private eye?
No said the man, nothing so odd
Though mine is an interesting job
I move at dawn from house to house
Not quite as quiet as a mouse
And at each one I find a clue
To him and her and you and you
Strong and quick and light on my feet
I seize the secrets of the streets
I am without apologist …
Your neighbourhood garbologist!
Jane Williams
A is for Alchemy
B is for Blizzard
C is for Charms and Chants, but not for wizard
D is for Devices used to bedazzle
E is for Enchanters out on the razzle!
F is for Fairies, fleet of foot and Foretelling
G is for Gnomes, grumpy and cave dwelling
H is for Hemlock, beloved of most wizards
I is for Innards, (entrails and gizzards)
J is for Jealousy, Jinxes and Journeys
K is for Kelp, Kapow and Kahoots
L is for Lessons and Seven League Boots
M is for Magic, Mystery and Mayhem
N is for Nocturnal Necromancer, all must obey him
O is for Owl, far seeing and wise
P is for Physic and Potions to vanish before your eyes
Q is for Quest and Questioning too
R is for Readings of books old and new
S is for Spells, to stun or stupefy
T is for Toadstools, give them a try.
U is for the Unknown, better unseen
V is for Vixen, an evil queen
W is Witches, Warlocks and Wizards
X is for Xenthora, a tree seldom seen
Y is for Yearning to know where you’ve been
Z is for Zephyrs, magical winds
An alphabet of magic is where your journey begins…
S D Bellhouse
This poetry form is called an Abecedarian
My home is not so much a place
Places are for others and not for me
Home is the love on my mother’s face,
A look of love that sets me free
My home is not the sum of stuff
My stuff adds up to nothing much
Home is a bond when times are tough,
My hand in my father’s hand, a touch
My home is not where I sleep at night
I rest in darkness, sleeping anywhere
Home is trust and sharing the light
And staying warm with those who care
My home is a memory, fading fast
Faraway whispers, remind me of when
I lived in a home, a time long past
With friends I will never meet again
My home is in transit; we travel alone
Towards a new life, a new land, a new start
Through spaces and places with faces unknown
My home is within me, deep in my heart.
Irene Buckler
Silent as a mosquito whine just beyond hearing.
A lizard lies languid, tastes the air with its thick blue tongue.
A goanna runs up a gum tree, claws digging into bark.
A scrub turkey dashes across the path.
I sit on the timber seat halfway up the mountain,
careful of the red-back’s nest underneath.
Leaves dance with the first drops of rain. Birds call out.
A tree dribbles sap, sticky as honey. The downpour starts-
I am drenched in the forest’s earthy scent.
Anna Jacobson
The big black cat crept across the road,
and finished up under a semi’s load.
It was feeling stiff and sore,
but that’s what cat’s nine lives are for.
So even though it took a whack,
the cat bounced back.
The big black cat crept across the street
and finished up under a giant’s feet.
There were guts and there was gore,
but that’s what cat’s nine lives are for.
So even though it took a smack,
the cat bounced back.
The big black cat should have never played
With an Army tank parade.
Dianne Bates
You’re clearly still dizzy
from spinning around,
from constantly stumbling
and hitting the ground.
You’ve slipped on the carpet,
bumped into the chairs
collided with pillars
and tripped down the stairs.
You’ve toppled the urn
that was next to the door.
There are slivers of china
all over the floor.
You’ve booted the table,
knocked books off the shelf.
Consider the trouble
you’re causing yourself.
This game’s a disaster,
so may I advise
you take off the blindfold…
and open your eyes!
Jenny Erlanger
Kevin Smith’s Dragon
You wouldn’t think, to look at him,
that Kevin Smith has a dragon for a pet –
he says he has –
keeps it in the garden shed
and feeds it chillies and onions and very hot curry –
he says he does –
Kevin is teaching the dragon tricks,
it will sit up and beg for Brussels sprouts –
he says it does.
Pets aren’t allowed at school,
but still, he’s going to bring it in one day –
he says he will –
but he’s waiting till it’s really tame,
and he has trained it to stop ripping with its dreadful claws,
and lashing people with its scaly tail,
and burning curtains with its fiery breath –
then he’s going to bring it in –
he says he is.
Anne Bell
First published in Celebrate (Triple D Books)
Australian Children’s Poetry 