Tag Archives: Celia Berrell

Dark Matter Day by Celia Berrell

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Most of our universe
seems to be …
MISSING! NOT THERE
for us to see.

We call this DARK MATTER
because we agree,
although we can’t see it,
we’ve shown, quite clearly,
this stuff interacts with
GRAVITY.

Remember October
will end with this quest
as Halloween
is one of our best
spooky and scary festivities
for magic and mayhem
and mysteries.

And so, it’s become
the perfect way
to celebrate science’s
DARK MATTER DAY!

In response to Prompt #6: Celebrations.

For more about dark matter visit https://www.interactions.org/dark-matter-day

Big Bird Emu by Celia Berrell

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Big Bird Emu cannot fly.
Got long legs and big brown eyes;
slender neck and smiley beak;
stringy feathers, mega feet.
Big Bird Emu sits on nest.
Eight whole weeks, no food no rest;
nearly faint from heat and thirst;
wants those chicks to hatch out first.
Shading babies, outstretched wings,
eating grass and insect things.
Eighteen months ‘til they’re full-grown,
big enough, safe on their own.
Big Bird Emu dedicated.
Caring love for little babies.
Get too close might make him mad,
‘cos he’s their Big Bird Emu DAD!


https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/emu/390741
https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/emu

Unpacking The Webb Telescope by Celia Berrell

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First, un-pleat some solar cells
and wag that space antenna tail
to give our telescope some power
for data-sending mail.
Open sides, like two long arms,
then stretch-out layers of silver veils
to make a heat-shield from the Sun.
Too hot, our Webb could fail.
Next, erect the smaller mirror
then a radiator,
before reflective parts hinge wide.
That giant mirror’s locked, both sides,
to make a golden-petal flower
with infra-red its viewing power,
to be an ancient star-locator.
Deepest history translator!

Inspired by animation of deployment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzGLKQ7_KZQ

Decoding Tree-rings by Celia Berrell

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Cutting through tree-trunks

from bark to bark,

we’ll see lots of circles

in light-wood and dark.

Light-coloured bands

mostly grow summer-spring

while autumn to winter

grows thin, darker rings.

Tree-rings grow wide

when it’s wetter and hot,

but tend to grow narrow

whenever it’s not.

Decoding these bands

in an ancient tree

can tell us the climate

historically!

First published in Double Helix (Oct 2021)
Reproduced with permission of CSIRO Double Helix

Mola Coaster by Celia Berrell

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What’s flat like a flapjack
and round like a dish,
has two big strong fins
but no tail? It’s a fish!
This peculiar pelagic
sunbathes each day
and dives like a millstone
to feed on its prey.
Their babies are see-through.
The size of small pips,
they’ve eyes of surprise
and cute kissy lips.
But Sunfish grow up
to weigh over two tonnes.
Devouring sea jellies
is not just for fun!

First published in Double Helix issue #48 (Jun 2021)
Reproduced with permission of CSIRO
www.doublehelix.csiro.au

For more about these amazing sea creatures, follow the links below:
From the Smithsonian magazine Unraveling the Mysteries of the Ocean Sunfish
From Nine News Sunfish: Australian scientists behind discovery about huge yet elusive ocean beast

Ancient Secrets in the Sky by Celia Berrell

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Australia’s first people
shared knowledge that’s verbal
through story and song
both secret and long.
They studied the skies
and became very wise
in using the stars
to travel afar.
Star maps, like diaries
can jog song-line memories,
showing the best ways
we now use as highways.
When driving one day
on the Great Western Highway,
know ancient astronomy’s
part of its history.

Fly-Away Winter by Celia Berrell

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The Arctic Tern
spends half a year
up in the Northern
Hemisphere.
But when the Summer’
almost gone
and cooler Autumn
comes along
this sea-bird’s instinct’s
very strong
and sends them South
in one big throng.
From North Pole
to Antarctica
they travel sixteen
thousand k’s
in order to
avoid the cold
and stay beneath
Sun’s warmer rays.
So do Terns learn
to turn like this
or is it simply
hit and miss?
No, no. The Terns
turn all together.
‘Cos one good turn
deserves another!

Find out more about the Arctic Tern here

“Hibiscus In A Hurry“ by Celia Berrell

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Hibiscus In A Hurry

 

 

The hasty Hibiscus has burst into flower.

A glamorous beauty that seems a bit rude.

Its bloom only lasts about twenty four hours

before it will wilt to a shrivelling prude.

 

Its pistil’s so long, like it’s poked out its tongue

to grab the attention of passers-by.

The tip has a group of five stigmas it’s hung

to catch any pollen before it will die.

 

Along the pink sides of its long pistil style

the anthers hold pollen that’s yellow and bright.

Like sparks flying off from a Catherine-wheel

or sparkler lit on a dusky night.

 

With silky-soft petals in reds, white or gold

they need to attract pollinators for hire.

Impatient, imposing.  They’re terribly bold.

Like flowery dragons all breathing fire.

 

by Celia Berrell

(a fancy-dress pollen party)

“Spring Monster”  by Celia Berrell

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With crimson eyes

and slobbery face

this monster is

a sad disgrace.

Behaving like

a snot-grenade

which shoots out goo

that’s sneezed and sprayed.

 

She moans and groans

a burbled sigh,

then coughs and splutters

low and high.

So do you think

it’s best I leave her …

now my friend has

spring hay fever?

“Is Fake News Monkey-business?”  by Celia Berrell

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Is Fake News Monkey-business? 

 

Hurried

conclusions

and being

sensational.

Sometimes,

fake news

is skewing

our rationale.

 

No more

slow-plodding

on things

that are boring.

The dash

to get printed

or famously best,

means stunning

results might

have lied on

their tests.

 

Then doors,

opened hastily,

start

a calamity,

causing

confusion,

profusion

and mess!