stretch out your toes,
as far as it goes!
let your long fingers
out, so each one lingers…
breathe from down low,
let the good air flow!
jump like the stars,
or leap over the bars!
lie down on the mat
and arch like a cat!
or extend a leg or arm,
and sway slow like a charm!
stretch every good muscle
slooow…among others’ hustle –
don’t forget to drink water,
and cooling down after!
to get fit needs routine
to get muscley and lean –
whether morn or afternoon,
please do come again soon!
Walk!
Perhaps you’ve tried a jaunty stride,
A country romp, a city stomp.
Do your legs swing and your arms fling?
Do you ramble and roam all the way home?
Do you step pigeon-toed when crossing the road?
Is your waddle so humble, it’s almost a stumble?
Hilaire Belloc, known for humour and rhyme,
Had something to say (no rhyme this time):
‘The walk is a series of potential falls
Countered by placing one foot forward.’
Now you’ve heard (quick sketch, last word):
Stroll or race or fall flat on your face!
Walking helps your lungs and heart
And keeps your brain alert and smart,
Enough words, enough talk,
Get out there! Walk, walk!
Edel Wignell
I Need To Walk
I need to walk each morning
because there’s a horse that waits for me to rubs its nose,
though whether I stay five minutes or an hour,
I can never rub away its loneliness.
I need to walk
so I can talk to a white dog that prowls in endless circles,
forever haunted by a chain,
that cuts us both.
© Bill Condon
Bill’s latest book is the junior novel The Simple Things, published by Allen & Unwin in March, 2014.
Australian Children’s Poetry 