Green are the hills for children:
a sunlit place of grasses,
dandelions and daisies;
as green as an apple, a fig,
an unripe fruit; the green
of memory and melody,
the scrubby bushy slopes
for exploration; tall trees
to climb, parks to run through.
Screens are not green
or sunlit; the blue wild
winds do not blow there –
a static buzz bends
the mind in dark rooms.
This is my plea for green.
Rainforest children fall
Into green dreams
Visions
Embracing nature’s eyes
Releasing their love for salmon.
Releasing time
In my heart for
Visions of night fishing with Poppy
Evenings of searching for the perfect spot
Remembering our smiles at my first catch.
Revealing wild rivers
In the journeys they inspire
Visions for tourist and visitors
Entranced by nature’s eyes
Recipes are made for protective renewal.
June said: I wanted to work with the idea of three ways to think about the river: Prompt #19.
Moon, I know
you’re rather fickle –
not long ago
you were thin as a sickle
but look at you now –
It’s night’s high noon
and you’re fat and full
as a blown balloon.
Moon, your face
is made of light
and you hang like hope
against the night,
waxing, waning,
sometimes gone,
always changing,
moving on.
Pelting: washing
the windows
rinsing roofs
rolling mud and stone
downriver
pushing earth
into sea
pulling grass
tree bush creeper
moss
out of dirt
pushing trees over
running
walking
tiptoeing
balancing in the air
stamping its feet
escaping from thunder
rushing headlong
dripping down
lightning’s white path
Please don’t be frightened, sweet butterfly blue,
I just want to capture a picture of you.
As I inch closer I mean you no harm.
It’s not my intention to cause you alarm.
Your wings are so delicate: colours so pretty!
Please don’t fly away. That would be such a pity.
No need now to flutter, I’ll keep this quite brief.
Just stay where you are on that rich deep green leaf.
That’s perfect! I’ve got you! You’ll soon be on show:
Your beauty shared proudly with people I know.
Monty says: This poem draws on recent experience at a magnificent butterfly farm in Penang, Malaysia.
Australian Children’s Poetry Website 