by Anne Bell
Past houses,trees and grazing sheep,
I race and rock and sway
and I say to the track of strong, firm steel
that likes the sound of a hurrying wheel,
I’ll soon be back,
be back,
be back.
Author comment: Goodness gracious me…this was first published in The School Magaz Circa Yonks AD when that journal was edited by Lilith Norman and still in black and white mode.
EVENING IN BERKELEY
by Anne Bell
and maple trees finger a no-colour sky,
searching for not-yet stars;
on the side-walks
ginkos let fall their memories of summer
for the wind to riffle through,
and the scent of pancakes and coffee and chilli con carne
comes hurrying down the street.
Somewhere, out of sight,
a saxophone stands on tip-toe for a note –
and the thought of tomorrow sings in my heart.
A version of this poem was first published in “The Voice” (NSW Speech and Drama Assoc.)
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 Website 