Hoo hoo hoo, and he haw hay
laughed the Kooka on his way.
After him the Magpies chased
winging past in reckless haste.
What was it that the Kooka heard
to cause the Magpies get so stirred?
An ornithologist rushed to meet
a Magpie walking on two sore feet.
‘I’m scared to fly,’ the Magpie wailed.
‘They laughed at me because I failed.’
He then limped on, a bird unique,
an unhappy agoraphobic freak.
Tag Archives: kookaburras
Kookaburras by Bridh Hancock
Leave a commentKOOKABURRAS
Dacelo novaeguineae
Ho, koo-koo-kaa-kaa,
Kookaburras,
Laughing in your trees;
No jumbuck jollier,
Gladly I’d follow yu’,
Life was meant to please.
Can you whistle?
Oh but this’ll
Do, for laughter’s sweet
And you could,
If you but stood
Your terribly ticklish feet.
Tiring is this
Wing-flap business,
But you need to fly;
For ticklish feet
Sure has you beat,
But what a way to die!
Bridh Hancock
Ho Kookaburra by Katherine Gallagher
Leave a commentHo Kookaburra
Ho Kookaburra
can’t sing a note –
all of his songs
get caught in his throat.
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha,
it sounds easy but it’s not
as he scrapes and cackles, saws away,
it’s the only song he’s got.
It’s enough to make you laugh –
that’s the one thing he can do…
Try to copy him – Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ho Ho Ho
Katherine Gallagher
Katherine says: This is a fun poem when done in class as everyone joins in.
Ho Kookaburra by Katherine Gallagher
Leave a commentHo Kookaburra
Ho Kookaburra
can’t sing a note –
all of his songs
get caught in his throat.
Ho Ho Ho Ho Ha Ha Ha,
it sounds easy but it’s not
as he scrapes and cackles, saws away,
it’s the only song he’s got.
It’s enough to make you laugh –
that’s the one thing he can do…
Try to copy him – Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ho Ho Ho Ho
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ho Ho Ho –
your sides will shake in two.
Katherine Gallagher
Bird Watch by Jackie Hosking
Leave a commentBird Watch
I find it disconcerting
alarming and alerting
the unashamed asserting of their glee
It is true they sound impressive
if not manic and aggressive
then undoubtedly excessive definitely
Their reaction is confusing
as I’m not at all amusing
it’s my ego they are bruising carelessly
Don’t they know it’s impolite
taking unabashed delight
cracking up at all in sight hysterically
With their cacophonic chorus
piercing skin that’s thin and porous
you would think that they abhor us certainly
But apparently this bird
whose refrain is so absurd
was created to confer a word of warning
To the spirits who reply
to the Kookaburra’s cry
lighting up the inky sky at dawn each morning
© Jackie Hosking
Australian Children’s Poetry 