“PUT IT IN THE BAD POEM SECTION” by Alessandra Liverani

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PUT IT IN THE BAD POEM SECTION

I’ve been told to write a really bad poem
It goes against the grain but sometimes you gotta show ‘em
That you can write the baddest, the baddest of bad
In the bad poem section, you’ve got something to addNow normally my poems perfectly rhyme and flow
They dance and they sing, a line would never end in apropos
They’re deep, so very deep that their bottom has never been found
In the deep and meaningful section is where they’re usually crowned

But just for a laugh, just for something different to do
I thought I’d write a poem which would get the kind of review
That you wouldn’t wipe your bum with, for fear of being contaminated
Write one for which the reviewers had only vitriolic hatred

So this is my offering to put in the bad poem section
I hope it gets added to many bad poem collections
But I’d like it to be known, I make this statement bold
That all my other poems are sheer solid gold!

“Revolution” by Jackie Hosking

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Revolution

 

Many moons ago

Copernicus, you know

Unearthed that planets dance around the sun

The earth, it seemed, was not

The central turning spot

Around which universal bodies spun

 

Then came Galileo

Another spacey fellow

Who thought Copernicus was quite correct

But the church became afraid

Of the viewpoints being made

So they locked him up to mute his intellect

 

But before these confrontations

As he peered at constellations

Through his telescope, he soon discovered more

While the earth had only one,

A greater distance from the sun

Was Jupiter with moons that totaled four

 

Now centuries down the track

As we marvel, looking back

Just how very brave these innovators were

Giving birth to modern science

With their obstinate defiance

Means that trips to outer space can now occur

“Me and the Genie” by Helen Katz

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I was out in the garden

Just digging away

And planting some seeds

On this beautiful day,

 

When I dug up a lamp

Quite out of the blue,

It must have been magic,

I knew what to do.

 

I rubbed on the lamp

And a Genie appeared,

Not a beautiful girl

But a fellow I feared!

 

‘You’re disturbing my sleep!’

The Genie said.

‘This had better be good,

Or I’ll pummel your head.’

 

A gruesome beard

A devilish grin

I wished like hell

I could put him back in.

 

‘Well what do you want?’

The bully pursued.

‘Thank you for asking,’

I sheepishly mewed.

 

‘Now, get on with your wish,

I was having a dream

of a beautiful maiden.

We were sharing ice-cream.’

 

‘Really?’ I said,

And I laughed till I cried.

The Genie was miffed,

I had injured his pride.

 

‘I’m sorry,’ I said,

And he calmed down a tad.

‘So what is your wish?’

That made me feel glad.

 

‘I can’t wait all day’,

With his hands on his hips

I considered my choices,

This came to my lips:

 

‘I know what I want

for us both in the end.

Stay here in Carnegie

and just be my friend.’

“BEWARE THE IDEAS OF MARCH” by Kate O’Neil

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BEWARE THE IDEAS OF MARCH

 

The Ideas of March

are meant to be mad,

so get with the times;

be suitably clad.

 

The hatters are busy –

no time to be lazy –

and what they are doing

is totally crazy.

 

So go the full motley –

(March is your chance)

Kick up your heels

in a wacky dance.

 

Let down your hair

or go in for shaving.

My crazy idea is to

go out stark raving.

 

I told all my friends.

They served me a warning:

‘Stay home. Don’t go out.

This isn’t your morning.

 

If you do your thing

and defy our advice

the knives will be out.

You’d better think twice.’

“Space” by J.R. Poulter with Teacher Notes

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“STARMAN ENVY” by Kate O’Neil

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STARMAN ENVY

 

(for Elon Musk)

 

When Starman blasted into space

he didn’t turn a hair.

He didn’t bother with goodbyes.

His tummy had no butterflies.

He had no sparkle in his eyes.

He didn’t seem to care.

 

This guy really blows my mind;

he’s totally bizarre.

He’s driving through the galaxy

as if that’s where he ought to be;

as if it’s really ordinary

to be there in a car.

 

That car alone would be enough

to make me start to drool.

Yet here he is among the stars,

maybe even seeing Mars!

His lack of interest really jars;

the man must be a fool.

 

How I wish they’d chosen me.

Why spend all that money

to realise an awesome dream

with such a failing in the scheme.

I think it’s crazy in the extreme

to waste it on a dummy.

 

©  Kate O’Neil

“Cosmic Glitter”  by Celia Berrell

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Cosmic Glitter

 

Twinkle twinkle, cloudless night.

The stars are sparkling clear and bright.

Those pin-prick suns send rays of light

that blink and wink to our delight.

 

Most stars don’t twinkle at their source,

it’s just some rays get knocked off-course.

Their glittering images appear

because of Earth’s own atmosphere.

 

The layers of air around our world

like flimsy see-through curtains swirl,

and dapple starlight passing through.

So, does the moonlight twinkle too?

 

first published in CSIRO’s Scientriffic magazine issue #78 March 2012

“Clouds” by Ron Marsh

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 CLOUDS 

Have you ever lain on your back, watching skies above

When clouds are making quite a show, a ship, a tree, a dove?

A constant changing scene to keep you quite enthralled,

Simple easy pleasure that has no cost at all.

 

You sometimes see a fairy, an ogre or a frog,

You let imagination go and even see a hog.

When your mind comes back to earth and all around seems bland,

You can enjoy the memory of a cloudy fairyland.

 

“Possumbled” by J.R. Poulter

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“The Coffee Cup” by Andrew Carter

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The Coffee Cup

Mmmm … I love my cups of coffee

I drink while I write at night

I make them a little frothy

With a love heart bright

If I run out of my coffee

I drink tea – up until midnight!!