Geobacter like a bit
of current for their tea.
These microbes stay alive by
eating ELECTRICITY.
Connected by their hair-like strands
these wired-up microbes grow
and form a film of circuit-slime
that makes a current flow.
Feeding on electrons
can you guess what they excrete?
Electrons in – electrons out.
It’s weird. But rather neat!
Image from Pixabay
THE JOURNEY OF A WORD
Choose a word and find out where it came from and what it means. Some words have changed their meaning; some have added new meanings as time has passed. Can you explain this word and its journey of uses and meanings in a poem?
The campfire’s burning merrily
as Frogmouth sings a melody.
Percussion’s played by Wallaby
and Devil howls the harmony.
Before they leave, they thought they might
sing lullabies to sky-star’s light.
Some soothing songs that feel just right
for wishing the world a fond “Goodnight”.
Artwork: NIGHTSOUNDS by Amanda W Johnson
Holding the whole world in our hands,
hiding it from those thieves and thugs,
with hopeful hearts and heavenly help,
we’re giving the Earth a happy hug!
Poem inspired by June 2026 picture prompt from artwork by Melissa Varoy
Celia at Science Rhymes is eager to receive your rhyming poems (up to 4 verses) – or Haiku – before the end of July. Adults and children (via an adult email address) are invited to submit their creations to feedback@sciencerhymes.com.au. The resulting FLORA-VERSE online anthology will be celebrating #scienceweek2026.
Our poetry collection is already growing. We’ve received poems about Seed DNA; invasive weeds; endangered wattle; and amazing grass trees. Anything plant-related that includes a touch of science, be it biology, chemistry or other STEM-related perspective, is very welcome.
We are particularly looking forward to publishing poems that feature vegetation found in Australia. From seeds to forests; from flowers to bees, this collection will include your thoughts and discoveries about plants and how they shape environments for a myriad of living things.
The use of AI to help create poems is permitted, but conditions apply. These include acknowledging the AI (such as ChatGPT) with the (human) author’s name; checking AI information for science errors before submitting; and answering 4 simple questions about your experience with using AI for this poem. 1) Were you delighted or disappointed with what AI came up with – give a score out of ten. 2) Did you edit the response? 3) Was your prompt simple or specific? 4) Would you do this again next year?
We still totally appreciate your “human-made” poems for their artistic and literacy values! We trust authors using AI will try to improve the creations they receive through editing and carefully checking facts.
Science Week runs from 15th to 23rd August.
Our deadline for receiving poems is currently Friday 31st July.
Find out more at:
https://www.scienceweek.net.au/event/seeds-to-scenery-poetry/ where you can download the SEEDS TO SCENERY pdf for more details and poem examples. Plus, check out National Science Week Events & Competitions for more activities.
Sturdy Mulga Trees by Celia Berrell
Stretching up towards the skies
or weeping boughs drawn by their sides,
iconic mulga, drab and droll,
still represent Australia’s soul.
In sunburnt soils on arid lands,
with long strong roots, the mulga stands.
High heat; cold nights are mulga’s fate.
In drought these trees can hibernate.
Their rugged bark with groovy tracks
can channel drips down trunks of black.
Instead of leaves, they’ve phyllodes.
Flattened stems that clatter breeze.
Mulga blossoms, tassled gold,
are quick to let sweet-scents unfold.
Flowering not for Spring, but rain.
Should water kiss their harsh terrain.
First published in POINTS OF INTERSECTION SCIENCE AND POETRY (page 35), held in the Scottish Poetry Library.
We can’t know how
someone else feels
(we can only guess).
My point of view
isn’t precisely
the same as yours.
And in that gap,
in that mysterious little divide,
looms a hollowness.
Burning empty with
innocence
or ignorance,
within that crevice,
a glue called “sorry”
may help us mend.
Image from Pixabay
HAIKU
A true Haiku is written in Japanese.
In English, it is created as a three-line poem. The first line has 5 syllables; second 7 syllables and third line has 5 syllables. No need for rhyme. A Haiku ideally captures a moment or essence of something in nature and indicates when that moment occurred (such as a season or time of day).
Your Haiku could be on any topic: a few words delivered thoughtfully.
Why do kangaroos cross the road?
To get to the other side!
But ’roos don’t know their highway code
and some of them have died.
When travelling through Aussie bush,
best keep your eyes peeled wide.
Watch for signs and please don’t rush –
especially ’round dawn and dusk –
as that’s the time when ’roos might hide
along a lonely roadside.
Roo Road Rules by Celia Berrell
Artwork: THONGS CROCS AND FLIPFLOPS by Ella Rousseau
They left this land to go to war.
Our treasured young women and men.
With fear and doubt within their hearts
of whether they’d return again.
And those of us who stay behind
look anxiously beyond that day
with hope and love for their return.
In spirit, we will light their way.
Lighting the Way by Celia Berrell
Painting: LIGHTING THE WAY by Sharon Davson
Like ballerinas on blue ice
those skaters glide and pirouette
in perfect dance and balance – yet
to know skate’s science would be nice.
Don’t blunder with confusions such
as “ice melts under pressure”.
We’ve found a better measure
which explains why skaters slide so much.
From nought to minus two-hundred (°C)
a Quasi-Liquid Layer is found
on any water-ice around.
The thinnest, smoothest, slippery-spread!
Friction makes our fingers grip.
We’ll hold a biscuit with control
while ice-cubes fumble, flip and fall
because of crazy quasi-slip.
Crazy Quasi-Liquid Layer by Celia Berrell
Image from Pixabay
Australian Children’s Poetry 