THE QUEUE
‘Oh please let me in’ said the bear who was grizzly
‘I’m doing a show, I don’t want it frizzly.’
He tugged at his hair, that fussy old bear
‘I’ve just had it dyed, it used to be fair’.
Those waiting in line just smiled at each other
Ev’ryone happy to help their brother.
A worm who was third from the start of the queue
Was shivering hard and fast turning blue
‘What’s wrong with this bus? It’s broken down?
Will anyone ever get into the town?’
The town was twinkling and bright with its light
Some in the queue were starting to fight.
A big bird with a bandage around one wing
Started to dance the highland fling
A pelican said to a stork ‘It’s outrageous,
I do hope this madness is not contagious.’
The stork looked at him squarely and quietly said
‘I wish I were home and tucked into my bed’.
Three canaries were singing (they’d been to a dance)
The song they were singing was written in France
They yodelled and trilled all over the scales
They even tried singing the song of the whales.
They ordered some orange and cherry ice cream
Enough to feed a whole basketball team.
The ice cream arrived and the queue they went crazy
Except for the piglets – they’re terribly lazy
They wanted some oak nuts, acorns they’re called,
They said they grew hair and no-one was bald
Maybe it’s true that nuts cover the scalp
But nobody there needed that kind of help.
The crowd suddenly hushed and fell into silence
Somewhere behind was an outbreak of violence
A basketball team had arrived with some melons
Those in the crowd believed they were felons
(people who steal from others their treasures)
Getting caught redhanded was one of their pleasures.
The whole scene looked stupid to Harry the Horse
Who was trying to study the subject of Morse
He tapped and he paused and waited for action
His hoof immune from outer distraction
He tapped dah dah dit, di dah, dah and dit
If it worked he would make a quick dash for it.
Did you hear of that Harry’s ultimate fate?
His message was read and – opened the gate
Harry leapt forth and came in number nine
And met a young filly he thought divine
When Harry proposed she promised to tryst
‘Cos Harry had asked with a flick of his wrist.
Well you might think that this is all rot
That all horses can do is gallop and trot
But Harry believed he could dominate fate
By placing his faith in the power to create
A message he’d sent by dah and by dit
Had stretched his talent and used his wit.
Dah dah dit, tapped in Morse will give you a ‘g’
Di dah gives you ‘a’, dah and dit ‘t’ and ‘e’
So Harry the Horse repeated his offer
Confirmed he was humble and empty his coffer
But Tilly the Filly was thrilled with his Morse
And she happily neighed ‘Oh Harry, of course’.
Sorry I am, about this diversion
I have an aversion to total immersion
The queue got itself rattled
They all tittle-tattled
The bus arrived late and was slow to unload
But who jumped out first? Of course – the toad.
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Australian Children’s Poetry 