Little Little by Sara Patricia Kelly

Leave a comment

I love your little little feet
and your little little toes,
your little little shoes
that match with little clothes.

I love your little little legs
with little dumpling knees
which wibble wibble wobble
like little sticks of cheese.

I love the little little button
in the middle of your tummy,
I love your little little giggles
and little thoughts; so funny!

I love your little little teeth;
precious yoghurt pearls
and your little little furry brows
beneath your bouncy curls.

I love the little little sparkle
in your dolly dolly eyes.
I wonder, how your little mouth
lets out such gigantic cries?

Photo from Pexels by Pixabay

Dress Up by Pauline Cleary

Leave a comment

Boots and bags and belts and braces;
slip-on shoes without any laces
hats with feather, coats with cuffs;
stripey socks and velvet gloves.

Shiny waistcoats, tall top hats;
onesies, boxers, baseball caps;
bracelets, bangles, silver pearls
scarves in patterns; scarves in swirls.

Woolly jackets, pants with spots;
petticoats and purple socks;
Skirts with zippers, skirts that flair;
Shirts with circles; shirts with squares.

Choose an outfit; match a hat.
Strike a pose! This or that?
Choose to be whatever you please
Magic, mayhem, make believe!

Image from Pexels by Ksenia Chernaya

Fields of Spring by Dianne Bates

Leave a comment

A wilderness of tea-trees

In our paddock playground

One free day in the midst of childhood

A day filled with everything

We are wild things,

Charging, ducking, hiding,

Flies swatting our sweaty faces

A dove, startled, flies up and

Petals fall like a sprinkle of rain

As we play

Cowboys and Indians

With imaginary guns

Bang! Bang! You’re dead!

Falling to the ground face-up

Wisps of clouds slide above

As if breathing in and out.

Photo from Pexels by jonas mohamadi

The Majesty of Life by Stefan Nicholson

Leave a comment

Nature’s jewel shines not only upon the finger ring but within each glance,
where we see everything that sways the senses,
calms the breath and feeds the inner soul from birth to death
with riches far beyond the tools of man – displayed within the beauty of a delicate plan.

Imagine a whale’s journey or the migration of wild herds,
for the majesty of life cannot be explained in simple words. 

Just compare Earth’s night sky with moon and sprinkled stars,
to the mountains and rivers, oceans deep and tree-lined bays with bars.
And see that a common hand has touched each one
with fresh palette, to follow once each season has almost gone.

It seems there is a cyclic spell, yet with random chance of change
to make sea and lake become cloud and rain – sand and fire to mountain range.  
Lands of greens and browns with sky and sea of different blues
perceived by using light and dark, combining waves of special hues. 

And for each breath we take from the very time we’re born,
we feel the trees return a breath refreshed, starting every early morn.

Rainy days, summer afternoons, winter nights and stormy seas,
misty rain breathing on faces like a cool light-hearted tease.
Resonance feeding between the physical and imagined thoughts
which we keenly perceive and cherish and keep safe within our forts.

All this splendour is a wonder from some far, far distant throne,
which we accept lightly far too often with blind familiarity, as if we’re all alone.

There is strength in idle thoughts like a daydream coming true,
making sense of an unknowing, providing firm belief on cue.  
Visualising both origin and destiny as like the random path of man
exposing seeds of calculation as part of this grand majestic plan.

So, rejoice each child who falters, yet gets up each time they fall,
for they will spend a lifetime learning secrets, to why there is majesty at all.

Jeremy James Johnson by Margaret Pearce

Leave a comment

Jeremy James Johnson was a very naughty boy.
Fatty fried junk foods were all that he’d enjoy.

Now Jeremy had a little dog, his name was Mut.
He sat under the table, his mouth never shut.

Mut liked cauliflour, carrots and celery stewed,
He ate every scrap because he just liked food.

Mut even ate cabbage and broccoli as well
Although why he liked them no one could tell.

So Jeremy was able to show a plate scraped clean,
And demand two helpings of chocolate ice cream.

He got away with this for month after month,
Jeremy got skinny and Mut strong and plump.

Jeremy looked at Mut who shared his day,
And saw how fast he ran around to play.

“Mut’s not tired and runs faster than me.
Why does he still have so much energy?”

His father with glee got to Jeremy at last.
“Mut eats all your vegies that’s why he’s fast.”

Jeremy James Johnson is now very very good.
He eats all his vegies as every child should.

And fatty fried foods make him feel very sick
Because Jeremy is now on a fitness kick.

Jeremy can now run very very fast
So his little dog Mut often ends up last.

Poem of the Day

Leave a comment

School holidays

by Myra King

 

Get outside and play you kids,

my mother said one day,

go climb a tree, or fly a kite,

just get outside and play.

 

But the tree is small,

the kite is broke,

it’s been raining here all day.

We have to stay inside today,

it’s far too wet to play.

 

We’ll have a look, the oldest said,

and find a middle ground.

We’ll channel surf the TV now

and see what can be found.

 

A show on rocks and mountain tops,

fresh air, and stuff like that

and here is one of flies in flight

and how to clip a cat.

 

Us younger ones are crying out

how boring are all those!

The oldest one just winks at Mum

and gets out raincoat clothes.

 

Myra says: Thinking about kids on school holidays and Mum wanting some peace and quiet. My sister was 10 years older than me and wise beyond her years.

 

Poem of the Day

Leave a comment

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)