Tag Archives: Edwina Smith

Pandas by Edwina Smith

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Way up in the mountains
Bamboo forests grow
Swaying to the seasons
Of rain, mist and snow
Only found in China
Elusive and so rare
Fur of black and white
Coats the Panda Bear

Majestic yet reclusive
He minds his own affairs
Pandas do not hibernate
Unlike other bears
Blending into shadow
He cannot be seen
Marking trees with scent
Tell others where he’s been

Large head and jaws to match
Makes easy work to chew
Food of the forest
His diet is bamboo
A type of little thumb
Coming from the wrist
Holds down tasty shoots
Which he can’t resist

With pupils of a cat
He sees well by night
Black fur ‘round each eye
Shades from bright daylight
Strong legs made for weight
Keen ears and sense of smell
Nature’s gifts such as these
Have served him very well

Sadly it came to pass
They became too rare
Action must be taken
To save the Panda Bear
The task awaits but where to start?
Many never knew
Much at all about this bear
Except they eat bamboo!

China’s first to take the lead
And saw what must be done
Now ‘Endangered’, chances slim
The challenge must be won
Other nations joined the quest
Sharing knowledge gained
No effort would be spared
Since very few remained

How to save these precious bears
And care for tiny cubs?
Many zoos around the world
Are conservation hubs
Bamboo forests were restored
Progress showed its face
Numbers slowly rising up
But Pandas set the pace!

Our world adores the Panda
A symbol of good will
Their future now assured
By hard work and skill
They fill each heart with pride
And joy beyond measure
May Pandas always be
China’s national treasure.

Photo from Pexels by Snow Chang

Lidia by Edwina Smith

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Way up North
Where forest gums grow
Lidia waits and thinks
Grasping a branch
Seen only by chance
Perhaps if she blinks

Amongst the trees
Is where she lives
For most of the day and night
She comes down to feed
Or when there’s a need
And basks in morning light

She hunts on the ground
Where insects are found
Watching from way up a tree
A beetle crawls by
Which catches her eye
It scuttles along to flee

Lidia scamps down
To snatch some lunch
A meal well in view
But wouldn’t you know
She encounters a foe
To pass or pursue

No time to hide
She opens up wide
And spits a nasty hiss
Standing her ground
With a frightful sound
Such courage as this!

Locked in a stare
Neither could bare
To scrap or to slip
Lidia knows what to do
There’s plan number two
Her tail is nature’s whip!

But that’s not enough
She’ll need more bluff
To make herself look bigger
Knowing the drill
She fluffs up her frill
A very timely trigger

A second to spare
Neither will dare
To lunge or to bite
Lidia’s made to deceive
Then take her leave
Departing in full flight

A fiery display
She then runs away
With a rapid retreat
Look at her go!
Outpacing her foe
Sprinting on two feet

She runs up a tree
All safe and sound
But didn’t catch her dinner
With tricks up her sleeve
So hard to believe
Lidia’s come through a winner

Blending right in
Against the bark
She can wait and see
Watching the ground
Where insects are found
The place for her to be

High on a branch
She hopes for a chance
To catch a meal today
Below there’s a rustle
She’s ready to tussle
Luck has come her way

Down she flies in pursuit
Lidia now gives chase
But she’s far too swift and strong
So easily wins the race
A centipede! What a feed!
It’s really been her day
Up the tree to wait and see
And that’s where she’ll stay

Photo from Pexels by Detlef Bukowski

Pippa and Puggles by Edwina Smith

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Most unusual is Pippa
A ‘mix and match’ of features
One may think perhaps
Belong to other creatures

Her home’s a flowing stream
With banks on either side
In which she has a burrow
A safe, dry place to hide

Her face is like a duck
Yet no quack is heard
Fur instead of feathers?
She is not a bird!

But Pippa lays eggs
And feeds young with milk
A swift and streamlined swimmer
With style smooth as silk

Shy and rarely seen by day
She waits until twilight
Diving into cold and dark
To feed throughout the night

How does she find some food?
Receptors in her bill
Help her catch shrimp and worms
She can have her fill!

Pippa has become a Mum
She’s raised a little one
Playing in the burrow
His time has just begun

Growing strong, it won’t be long
Till Puggles takes his turn
Joining in with nature
A role he needs to learn

Quiet and reclusive
Pippa makes no fuss
But she’s so important
To each and all of us

Protect and save our waters
Rivers, ponds and streams
We must see, she’ll always be
Not just in our dreams!

Puggles is four months old
Almost fully grown
‘Tis time for him to venture out
And make it on his own

Pippa’s care has served him well
But now her job is done
He’s ready to explore their stream
With setting of the sun

Photo by Aaron De Wit on Unsplash

Miranda by Edwina Smith

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It is a pretty spot one may well admire
This land holds a history of harsh drought and fire

The farm has gentle hills others very steep
A home for generations an ideal place for sheep

Miranda had a job her project took a year
She grew a fleece of wool and now it’s time to shear

Perhaps a little precious not fond of being shorn
But it must be done before her lamb is born

Many years were spent in perfection of her line
Today she is known as Merino Superfine

Time to get a start according to the clock
Waiting in the holding pen with the others of her flock

And so the day begins nothing more is said
The combs come alive within the shearing shed

A highly skilled team and trusted roustabout
They’ll have the lot done before the day is out

It’s Miranda’s turn! She’s plucked from the fold
Taken swift but kind safe in expert hold

The shearer knows his trade and shorn across the land
Miranda needn’t fret there’s not a better hand

The shears begin to buzz belly, back legs and ‘round
Taking extra care where her teats are found

Topknot trimmed away chest and neck are clear
With skill of a surgeon around her eye and ear

Now the pace quickens moves becoming bolder
Shears glide to take the fleece away from Miranda’s shoulder

Then longer blows shearer’s got the knack
The fleece is giving way handpiece sweeps her back

Next the other side strength completes the job
Miranda’s out the shoot and rejoins her mob

Miranda returns to graze and grow next year’s clip
Today’s fleece will make its way to foreign lands by ship

As early Springtime comes marked by longer days
She’ll have another job to do a newborn lamb to raise

Image from Pixabay

Beetrice by Edwina Smith

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Beetrice is all abuzz
A busy buzzing bee
Busy as a bee can be
Her home inside a tree

Shall we look and see
What she really does?
The busy bee she needs to be
Aside from all the buzz

Deep within the hive
She works her busy legs
Taking care of ‘Queenie’
While she lays more eggs

Lots of little larvae
Needing to be fed
Making sure each one has
A share of sweet bee bread

Working waxy wonders
Rooms with walls of six
Holding strong for so long
There’s no need for sticks

A fussy, clever cleaner
She keeps a spotless home
Life’s such a buzz within
Her world of honeycomb

But beware of Beetrice
Best to let her be
Show respect for her place
A home inside that tree

Should it be disturbed
The hive a bee defends
She’s got quite a sting
And so have all her friends

Lots to do in Summer
Young ones can’t get hot
Busy Beetrice fans her wings
Or else they’ll lose the lot

United with her sisters
Workers make a breeze
Cooling down bees to be
Together done with ease

Foraging for nectar
Changing it to honey
On the wing from dawn to dusk
While the days are sunny

Visiting the flowers
Beetrice never stops
She helps feed our nation
By pollinating crops

What a wonderous worker
A busy buzzing bee
Without busy Beetrice
Where would we be?

Could she understand
What bees do for us?
She’s probably too busy now
Too busy for a fuss

Busy buzzing Beetrice
Thank you for the honey
To have on buttered toast
Golden, sweet and runny!

And for tasty fruit
You work away for hours
There’s apples, pears and cherries
From pollinated flowers

We are so grateful
For treats such as these
May there always be
Busy buzzing bees!

Photo from Pexels by Pixabay