I tell Mum when to go
and when to stop, at every light.
I tell her she should know
to keep pedestrians in sight.
I say she has to show
she’s turning left or veering right.
I help her with the most important stuff.
Already I’ve begun
to dream of how it’s going to feel
when I become the one
who gets to sit behind the wheel.
I think of all the fun
I’ll have when driving cars for real.
For now, though, back-seat driving is enough.
Christmas Confusion.
Exhausted I was – one Christmas Eve,
After putting out presents for Santa – Indeed!
I sat on the sofa and ate Santa’s supper.
Instead of the milk – I had a hot cuppa.
I started to doze, I started to dream.
I dreamt I was flying as one of a team.
It was cold; it was freezing; my nose – it was red!
Then someone roared “Rudolf!” And I turned my head.
“To the top of the porch…”
“Yes I know how it goes.”
And instinctively up off the ground I arose.
Dashing here, there and yonder,
With no time to ponder.
Delivering presents all made by the elves.
And when the night ended,
And at last we descended;
I wearily lay down to rest on the hay.
I started to doze, I started to dream.
Then someone yelled “Dad! Where have you been?
Santa’s left presents! Mum’s set the table…
Why are you out here asleep in the stable?”
Casanova caterpillar
Had a bold ambition,
He wouldn’t be a butterfly
(Though that was the tradition).
He’d seen the others growing wings
And didn’t fancy that,
Instead he’d shed some letters
And turn into a cat.
Cousin Costa chaffed him.
“It cannot be”, he said,
“Come on Casanova,
You’ve really lost your head.”
“I can! I can! I can!”
Casanova cried.
He could do most anything
If he only tried.
And when it was the moment
To weave his own cocoon,
Casanova said “Farewell,
I’ll be a real cat soon.”
And so with bated breath,
(It really was a thriller),
He wished away the e and r
And the entire pillar.
And then oh joy of joys
The time came to be free,
And life was so much lighter,
As just a C-A-T.
By Kylie Covark
Lee and Jazz
On the grass
Ukulele in hand
Learning fast
Tune in the air
Jazz’s ears prick
She starts to sing
Learning real quick
Songs in the garden
Float down the street
A boy and his dog
Sounding so sweet
A bond forged in music
A love made to last
The sounds of friendship
In music is cast
Jeanie Axton
There’s plenty of ways
to tell if the day is
too hot or cold
without being told.
You could try and catch
a fluffy pet cat
then watch and observe
to see how it’s curved.
When days are too hot
it’s likely as not
that cat’s all sprawled-out
in some shaded spot.
When researchers test
what temperature’s best
for comfort of cats
they find out these facts.
Those felines agree
that eighteen degrees
is purr-fectly warm
for cat’s furry form.
Then when it’s too cold
those pussycats fold
up cosy and still
to keep out the chill.
I can, I can’t, the difference is
One tiny little letter
‘won’t use the “T”, or I will be
Worse off, instead of better
But if I say “I can, I can”
My confidence will soar
And hope will come my way because
I opened up its door
“I can, I can!” will make me brave
My thinking it will change
And pocketsful of obstacles
Will vanish down the drain!
And if I cultivate “I can”
“I can’t” will sound so weird
And soon I’ll wonder where they went
Those things that I once feared
Progression
She showed it
to her slavedriver
who saw the possibilities
He promoted slave Hannah
to supervise
the sawing team
Before,
hundreds pulled the immense stone block
on its log rollers
A team of twenty waited at the back
to grasp the log-load
when it had been run over
The back log had to be
hauled to the front
to be run over yet again
If only the stone could stay still
on the logs while they kept rolling
Clearly impossible. Hannah scowled
But a slice of log sawn from one end
would roll the same way
With a hole in the middle
supporting – well we’d call it an axle
and a second round piece from the log
On her model it worked perfectly
Wheels! Wooden wheels!
The first cart
Wheelbarrows, trains, cars, trucks
cogs, pulleys, clocks, machines
Life on earth would never be the same.
Virginia Lowe
Notes:
The Israelites or Jews were kept slaves by the Egyptians, so I’m imagining it was the same time as they built the pyramids – that’s why I called the slave Hannah, originally a Jewish name.
In fact it wasn’t the same time – the pyramids were built about 300 years before the Israelite’s turned up. But it makes a more interesting story. A very very old story.
I couldn’t think of any way to describe the axle apart from our word, but it’s a concept they wouldn’t have had. I’d like to hear if anyone can think of how the rod holding the two wheels together and on the ground, could be described otherwise.
The Jews escaped from Egypt with the help of Moses, who persuaded the king, Pharaoh, to let them go with the help of ten plagues. It is all there told in the Bible in the book Exodus, and is celebrated each year by the Jewish community as Passover.
Ideas:
Maths: Looking at shape make Pyramids with cardboard
Humanities: Research the logistics of the building of the Pyramids
Learn about Jewish history and culture
Music: “Let my people go” This includes images that will help in learning about
Jewish history
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkEmS3hWmmU
Art: Paint: Make a giant class cardboard pyramid and creatively decorate it
Vertebrates are covered
In spikes, feathers and scales
Most mammals wear fur
Skin covers humans and whales
With skeletons covered
In scaled skins.
Fish breathe under water
And glide with their fins.
With skeleton covered
In thick armored plates
Eyes and nose above water
The crocodile waits
With skeleton covered
In skin soft and cool
Tadpoles become frogs
In creek, river and pool.
With hollow skeletons
And fragile feather
Birds swoop and soar
In flocks together
With skeletons covered
In thick fur or fine hair
Bats, seals and elephants
Share earth water and air
I prodded my mate as we rode on the train.
“You know that we’re just gonna thrash you again.
Your players are either too short or too slow.
It’s a foregone conclusion. Just thought you should know.
“Besides, your team’s mascot. Mate, give me a break.
A platypus? That is a major mistake!
A lion or tiger might stir up some fear.
A platypus? Your blokes have got no idea!
“And why is it purple? I tell you, it’s sad.
A team needs a mascot that’s scary and bad.
Yours just looks weird. It’s not a good look.
No wonder the team you support is so crook.”
My mate simply smiled. He wasn’t upset.
“You’re really so certain? Well, let’s have a bet.
You look and you sound like a back-country bumpkin.
You can share my soup later.” “Tomato?” “No, pumpkin.”
I can tell you about the weather.
Am I growing or shrinking?
I can show you how a paper boat floats,
and be a mirror for your smiling face.
I can be a drink for a thirsty bird,
or a short slurp for a cat on the prowl.
I can annoy new shoes,
but splashing gum boots love me.
I can be a short stay hostel
for tadpoles or mozzie larvae.
I can be temporary and tempting.
I have possibilities and potential.
I am a puddle.
Australian Children’s Poetry 