Oh boy, what a day,
I’m ready for a doze.
I’m full of yummy gum leaves
from my ears to my toes.
A little snooze would be nice,
It’s what koalas do.
So please don’t wake me up
Until half past two.
Tag Archives: James Aitchison
Silly Sculpture by James Aitchison
1 CommentHe’s holding up the building,
With only his left hand.
But both his legs are missing —
I don’t understand!
What a silly sculpture,
It made me want to laugh;
How can you hold up a building
When you’ve been cut in half?
decorating its buildings.
Message from Mr. Ostrich by James Aitchison
1 Comment“It’s wrong! It’s wrong!”
the ostrich said.
“I never, never
bury my head!
If I did
how could I see?
You mustn’t believe
such things about me.”
Teacher’s note: Ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand. When trouble approaches, they lie low and press their long necks to the ground. Mostly, ostriches escape danger by running at up to 72 km/h. The world’s heaviest bird, they are also the world’s largest, fastest flightless bird, capable of killing predators such as lions and humans with a kick.
Goose On The Loose by James Aitchison
2 CommentsHey, hey, the goose got away,
down the street
on its two webbed feet!
“Honk, honk! Out of my way
I want to do my shopping today!”
(Teacher’s note: Apart from flock, what other collective nouns apply to geese? It all depends where they are. Geese on the ground are a gaggle, or if they are flying, a skein, a trip or a team. If flying in formation, they’re a wedge. Geese flying close together are a plump. Some other choices: a chevron, a nide, a lag, a sord, and the poet’s favourite, a christmas of geese!)
Mortimer Frog by James Aitchison
2 CommentsMortimer Frog lived down by the creek,
Down by the creek he lived.
And he croaked by the creek,
Croak, croak, croak,
Down by the creek he croaked.
The Pillow That Couldn’t Sleep by James Aitchison
Leave a commentThere once was a pillow
that couldn’t sleep,
not even when
it counted sheep.
It stared at the ceiling
all through the night,
until over the sill
came dawn’s bright light.
A Murder of Crows by James Aitchison
Leave a commentI saw a tree
full of crows,
crows in rows,
rows and rows.
How many crows?
Heaven knows!
(Teacher’s note: The collective term for a group of crows is a murder, a horde, a hover, a mob, a parcel, a parliament, even a storytelling of crows.)
The Desert Oak by James Aitchison
Leave a commentThey stand in desert heat and chill,
Needles drooping as in sleep,
Millions of them resting still
Upon the vast red plain.
Invincible, their roots run deep,
And after fire they grow again.
(In response to Prompt #5)
The Shetland Pony by James Aitchison
Leave a commentI’d love a Shetland pony,
not too high but low.
What a gentle ride he’d be,
not too fast but slow.
I’d love a Shetland pony,
the colour of a bear.
But how does he see where to go
through all that long, long hair?
(Teacher’s note: Shetland ponies originated in the Shetland Isles, located northeast of mainland Scotland. They are very hardy and have survived the harsh Shetland climate since the Bronze Age.)
Tree Hugging by James Aitchison
1 CommentHold me, hold me, hold me tight,
I get frightened in the night
by those birds and possums too,
I feel safe when I’m with you!
Australian Children’s Poetry 