Tag Archives: James Aitchison

Minuscule Madness by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

I’ve been collecting tiny things,

like frozen fleas and freckles,

and a book a centimetre long

written by a man named Eccles.

In a jar I have a nano newt,

and a full stop in another,

and a dingbat’s DNA

I’m saving for my brother.

Tiny footprints made by mice,

fingerprints of butterflies,

a spare hair from a busy hare,

and seeds I found in apple pies.

The only question really is,

what will I do with all this stuff?

I’ve got so many tiny things,

my room’s not big enough!

Photo from Pexels by srini

Scots Speak by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

If a day dawns wet and bleak,

the Scots would call it dreich.

If blue sky and sun they saw,

then they’d say it’s braw.

Someone sly is sleekit,

if foolish they are glaikit.

When you shoogle, you shake,

if you mak, you make.

Muckle is big,

howk means to dig.

When you keenie, you cry,

when you skelp, you rush by!

If you’re taking a peek,

you’re taking a keek.

When you’re cranky, you’re crabbit,

a wee beastie’s a rabbit.

Weesht means be quiet,

guid nicht is good night.

Your bahookie’s your bottom,

And yes, all Scots have got ’em.

Teacher’s note: “Dreich” has been voted by Scots as their favourite, most iconic Scots word.

Photo from Pexels by Pixabay

Self Esteem by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

Self-esteem is not just words,
it is the heart of you;
knowing that you’re special,
there’s nothing you can’t do.

It means you have a value,
A very unique worth;
There’s no one else quite like you,
Anywhere on earth.

You are a whole lot stronger
when you have self-esteem.
No challenge will be too big,
you’ll always dare to dream.

Self-esteem is yours to have,
forget what others say!
You have a priceless value    
every single day.

Image from Pexels by RDNE Stock project

Celebrating Ourselves! by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

We can’t be happy all the time,
sometimes we’ll be sad.
People aren’t always nice,
sometimes they’ll be bad.

Every day won’t be great,
life doesn’t work that way.
So remember all the good times
and you’ll be okay.

Most of all, don’t forget,
one thing is always true:
No one else will ever be
quite the same as you!

Image from Pexels by Alexander Grey

Preposterous Rhinoceros by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

You know the word

preposterous

rhymes with

rhinoceros?

Now stress the

second syllable

and dial it up

a decibel:

prePOSterous

rhiNOCeros

Say it louder, 

say it clear,

so the whole wide world

can hear:

prePOSterous

rhiNOCeros!

Thanks for joining in 

our game;

your ears will never be 

the same.

Photo from Pexels by Martyn Gomersall

The Purple Pizza Eater by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

The other day

I got a surprise —

at first I couldn’t

believe my eyes.

It came in a box 

tied with string —

the biggest, weirdest

funniest thing.

It was a purple

pizza eater, 

eating a 

purple pizza!

My Special Spring by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

See the flowers

all pop out.

See the leaves

grow all about.

So much colour

all around,

like a paintbox

upside down.

Delia’s Hairpiece? by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

Delia’s hairpiece?

Oh no, I tell a lie —

it isn’t Delia’s wig,

it’s a butterfly.

Delias harpalyce,

that’s its proper name.

(Harpalyce rhymes with Alice,

so say it once again.)

Their wings look like they’re painted,

and with black they’re lined,

but my complaint is,

they’re very hard to find!

Photo by James Aitchison

Teacher’s note: This butterfly was photographed by Philip Webster in his garden at Wattle Glen. The wingspan of Delias harpalyce reaches about 60–70 millimetres. The upper surfaces of the forewings and hindwings are a whitish with black margins and a row of small whitish spots on the apex of the forewings. In the females the black outer edges of the wings are wider than in males. The undersides of the wings are chequered whitish and black, with a yellow band on the apex of the forewings and a red band on the middle of the hindwings. They are found only in Australia’s eucalyptus forests.

How Long Will We Have Islands? by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

“I’m rising,” said the sea,

“there’s no room for you and me…”

On Tuvalu, people fear

their home soon will disappear.

The Maldives now are on the brink,

and Kiribati too will sink.

Five Solomon islands already lost,

beneath the rising waves were tossed.

Do we ignore the ocean’s drive,

or will we help our friends survive?

One million face uncertainty,

in a global warming catastrophe.

Photo by Asad Photo Maldives

This Is My Chair! by James Aitchison

Leave a comment

This is my chair,

keep away!

It’s very nice, 

so here I’ll stay.

It matches me,

a perfect tone,

so leave me be,

up here alone!