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
Fraser Coast Regional Libraries held their first Poetry Writing contest for NAIDOC Week this year and our very own Celia Berrell was awarded a Highly Commended for her poem Ancient Secrets in the Sky. Congratulations Celia!
You can read Celia’s beautiful words by following this link. You can find out more about the story behind the poem on Celia’s website.
(in response to Prompt #4)
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
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.
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
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)
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!
Their dinosaur mother
left earlier on
as Sauropods never
cared for their young.
So baby-saurs scratched
from inside their shells
‘til together they hatched
from their eggy cells.
Their nest had a guest
of a hungry snake
just waiting for food
to hatch on its plate!
But snakes only munch
one mouthful for tea.
So hatching at once,
most babies ran free.
There’s safety in numbers … for some anyway!
https://www.nature.com/articles/news.2010.98
Serpent-like monsters,
grotesque teeth and claws,
wide wondrous wings
and frightening jaws.
Scaly or feathery,
bellowing fire,
this dragon’s our fear
to hire or retire.
Most humans will have
innate fear of snakes.
Don’t want to be bitten
or eaten like cakes.
Nor to be gouged
or burnt into flakes.
And flying or falling
can give us the shakes!
This dragon of terror
can come to our aid.
By facing our fears,
our future is made.
And like many fears,
once overcome,
our dragon could end-up
being our chum.
Australian Children’s Poetry 