Chilli

Mum put chilli peppers in the pot.
I took a bite and then a gasp – THEY'RE HOT!
I poured a glass of water and gulped a lot.
I don't know why she calls them chillis 'cause they're not.

Bev Kemp

From My Bedroom Window

On the sunset ridge with heads held high, their gold manes dazzling against the sky -  my very own horses, wild and free. But 
others see only a cabbage tree.

Alan Bagnall

*Kui's Motorbike Song

Speedy red motorbike –
Smoke in front of us, smoke behind us,
Dust above us, dust below us,
Smoke and dust all around us.
We're off to the river
To catch whitebait!

Looking Up, Looking Down

I lie on my back and look at the sky,
watching the clouds go racing by.
If I screw up my eyes, I can almost see 
the leaves on top of the kòwhai tree.
The row of pine trees over the wall
must be a hundred metres tall,
and everything makes me feel so small!

I lie on my tummy, very still,
and hardly move at all until
I see a movement in the grass
and watch a tiny spider pass.
Some ants are crawling over a twig,
a little beetle starts to dig –
and everything makes me feel so BIG!

Elizabeth Taillie
Spiders

I'm not scared of spiders.
Spiders are scared of me.
I run away
so they won't have to
run away from me.

Feana Tu'akoi

Internet Skipping Rhyme

w w w dot
w w w dot.
Cold, warm, getting hot,
w w w dot.
Somebody likes you, they like you a lot.
w w w dot.
Will you love him or will you not?
w w w dot.

Alan Bagnall

My Friend the Wind
The wind blows me little kisses all the way to school. It whispers in my 
ear, "I'm your friend." Then it pushes me so
hard it almost shoves me over. Some friend!


Night Comes into the House

Night surrounds the house
like the quiet whisper of animals.

The cat scratches to come in;
night stands behind her.

When she finds a warm spot in my bed,
a leaf untangles from her fur.

Night has come into the house.

Under her chin is the mossy
scent of the cool dark bush.

Sue Matthew

