Eyes open
Wide and yellow
Alert, cold
Not warm and mellow.
A piercing glance
Looks through the night
And guides its wings
When it’s in flight.
The hooting sound
It often makes
Stakes claim to space
And calls for mates.
White feathers smooth
Around the eyes
Resemble marbles
In disguise.
I look at it
And wonder why
It’s been described
As being wise.
The owl so regal
On its perch
Eyes wide open
Of prey in search.
The Owl by Toni Newell
Image from Pixabay
Like ballerinas on blue ice
those skaters glide and pirouette
in perfect dance and balance – yet
to know skate’s science would be nice.
Don’t blunder with confusions such
as “ice melts under pressure”.
We’ve found a better measure
which explains why skaters slide so much.
From nought to minus two-hundred (°C)
a Quasi-Liquid Layer is found
on any water-ice around.
The thinnest, smoothest, slippery-spread!
Friction makes our fingers grip.
We’ll hold a biscuit with control
while ice-cubes fumble, drop and roll
because of crazy quasi-slip.
Crazy Quasi-Liquid Layer by Celia Berrell
Image from Pixabay
High in a tree
lived a gigglegum bird —
its noise was the weirdest
you ever heard.
When it was happy
it made a chirp
that sounded like
a thunderous burp.
It scared a crow,
it scared an owl,
it scared a cow
and made it howl.
Kangaroos heard it
and off they scurried,
platypuses were perplexed
while wombats worried.
So next time you
hear a burp in the bush,
just simply say:
“Gigglegum, shush!”
Beware the gigglegum bird by James Aitchison
Image from Pixabay
Interviewer:
“Where nature takes its toll
the ground is cracked and dry,
folks are found far and few;
one need not wonder why.
In this wild wilderness
some creatures won’t survive.
Today I have a special guest
who’s very much alive”.
Interviewer:
“Thank you Miss Tamara
for taking time to talk.
I see your busy tongue
complete with fancy fork.”
Miss Tamara:
“Oh, it’s such a marvel
which serves me very well.
When I flick it as you see
that’s how snakes can smell.
There’s lots of different scents
I need to know about;
a nifty piece of kit
I couldn’t do without.
As for my fancy fork
so worthy of attention,
it helps me find my food
and works in three-dimension!”
Interviewer:
“It gets so very hot
and cold in winter too.
How do you survive out here
and stay as good as new?”
Miss Tamara:
“I hunt before the heat
becomes too much to bear,
then I seek some shade
a quiet, comfy lair.
Lots of cracks and burrows
have holes so cool and deep.
They shield me from the sun
and make a place to sleep
Come winter, I turn dark
and bask in sun by day.
Come summer, I turn light
so heat reflects away”.
Interviewer:
“There’s little here to eat
and if that’s the case,
where’s your favourite food
in such a lonely place?”
Miss Tamara:
“I can trace a scent
when I poke around,
checking holes and burrows
where native rats are found.
I know just where to look,
where a rat should be
and if I’m very clever
there’s one for lunch or tea!”
Interviewer:
“What about the venom?
There’s been a lot of hype
about its lethal strength,
with serpents of your type.”
Miss Tamara:
“I am totally toxic
as Inland Taipans are.
Way above the scale
most potent snake by far!
But I’d like to add
a word in my defence.
I am awfully shy
and have a lot of sense.“
Interviewer:
“We’ve had a lovely chat,
so far from anywhere.
Perhaps a parting thought
that you’d like to share?”
Miss Tamara:
“I’d rather slip away
to hide and dodge a fight
but if I’m teased or stirred
I will react and bite.
I’m not to be upset.
Do not torment or touch.
Just leave me on my way
and thank you very much!”
Interviewer:
“Without another word
she quickly slides away,
blending into wilderness
to face what comes her way.
The deadliest of snakes
but calm and very measured.
My talk with Miss Tamara
is something to be treasured.”
Miss Tamara by Edwina Smith
Image from Pixabay
With bushfires on the horizon we need to move the stock
The family mounted ready, to drive them near the house block
They are our prized and loved possessions, and represent our life
Let’s pray the winds don’t change and cause us any strife.
Homeward Bound by Frankie Rose
Poem inspired by April Picture Prompt – MY PA, THE BUSHFIRE AND ME by Tim Ide
I miss a certain buzzing
from a certain bee,
He is a tiny little thing
who used to visit me.
I’m not sure when it happened
but one day he was gone,
He also took his friends with him
I hope they won’t be long.
Without him, I feel lonely
My flowers miss him too,
It’s too quiet with no buzzing
My garden seems quite blue.
The daffodils need him back
to pollinate them all,
And the crocuses and daisies
They seem to droop and fall.
We need our little bee friend
and all his mates as well,
Or our gardens will disappear
How quickly, we can’t tell.
The Bee who Buzzed Off by Erica Chester
Image from Pixabay
A wasp, a worm
Which one does squirm
I do believe
It is the worm!
A fly, a mosquito
Which one does buzz
I do believe
The mosquito does.
A cat, a dog
Which one meows
I do believe
It’s the cat somehow
A hen, a rooster
Which one does crow
I believe it’s the rooster
In his morning show.
A horse, a cow
Which one does moo
I do believe
That the cow must do.
A sheep, a goat
Which one does baa
I do believe
It’s the sheep by far.
We all do have
Our different voices
But human’s can
Mimic all the noises.
Who Does What? by Toni Newell
Image by Pixabay
Tick-tick-tick-tock,
says my clock.
Tock-tock-tock-tick,
it sounds really sick.
Tick-tick-tock-tick,
is it running slow or quick?
Tock-tick-tick-tock,
what a silly clock!
My clock’s cuckoo! by James Aitchison
Image by Pixabay
Billy Joe is my best friend
Wears a collar, has four legs,
Follows me consistently
If there’s food he often begs.
We live in leafy Doncaster
In a small two-bedroom home
And because I have to work a lot
Billy Joe’s often left alone.
Whilst I’m away at the office
He has the run of the house
And often creates havoc
He’s not as quiet as a mouse.
The neighbours are not happy
When he barks and carries on
But there’s very little I can do
When working on the phone.
His devilish disposition
Gets him into lots of strife
By causing so much damage
Which he’s done all his short life.
So how can I fix this problem
I ask with nought in mind
What can I do to stop him
And a happy solution find.
But then I think of something
Should I find him a friend
Which would keep him occupied
And his destructiveness end.
I put my masterplan in action
Bring home Archer, a puppy
It appears that what I’ve done
Has made Billy Joe very happy.
They seem to get along quite well
And spend their time in play
Until they’re both exhausted
Crash on the couch and stay.
Archer has become
Billy Joe’s best friend
Bringing him home has been
A victory to this end.
Devilish Billy Joe by Toni Newell
Image by Pixabay
Today’s the day, our carnival.
We’ll race across the pool.
The sun is beating down on us
but the water will be cool.
I’m in my brand new swimming shorts.
I’ve got my goggles ready.
Imagine gold upon my chest!
My nerves are holding steady.
I line up at the starting blocks
with Ali, Sam and Tim.
I’m ready for the siren’s sound,
if only I could swim!
A Long Way to the End of the Pool by Rachael Koch
Image by Pexels
Australian Children’s Poetry 