Dark Places

It's dark and wet,
with slimy, slithery creatures,
in the deepest, darkest corner 
of the ocean.

It's dark and wet,
with spooky, shadowy shapes,
in the deepest, darkest corner
of the forest.
It's dark and wet,
with soggy, smelly sandwiches,
in the deepest, darkest corner
of my brother's schoolbag.

Desna Wallace
Not Again!

You're a pain.
Say that again!
You're a pain.
Say that again!

QUIET, the pair of you!

He started it.
No, I didn't.
Did so.
Did not.
Did so.

ENOUGH!

But, Mum …
But nothing!
Get to bed!

Under the covers, 
in the dark of night,
my little brother whispers,
"You're a pain."

Oh no – 
not again!

Desna Wallace
Flying

A kea soars through the sky.
Up, up, up, and behind the rimu.
I go with him.
I am the kea.
We fly through the breeze
and across the lake.
Ika and tuna swim below us.
Rangitoto looms ahead.
We dive and land on the ponga.
Hoiho waddle along the beach.

"Tom!"  Grandma calls my name,
and I go inside for lunch.

Tom Wilson
Freemans Bay School

Flying Naturally

In the sky
I see a beautiful
take-off from a bright
butterfly.

Slowly and softly
like a double kite
it glides in bunches
over light pink rose petals
before it lands so gently
without a sound.

WHY CAN'T I DO THAT?

Shruti Shukla
Ellerslie School

Fireworks

Sky flowers
gold and red
blossom high 
above our heads.

Sky rockets 
mow them down.
Their petals fall
all over town.

Philippa Werry

Night Visitor

All night long,
the rain kept asking
to come into our tent.
First it tapped politely –
pitter patter.
Then it knocked more loudly –
rat-a-tat-tat!
We snuggled up inside,
not answering,
keeping dry.
That made the rain mad.
It hammered and bashed
on the roof –
drum, drum,
THRUM, THRUM, THRUM –
all night long.
In the morning,
the rain gave up 
and went away.
We unzipped the door of the tent
and let in the sunshine instead.
Philippa Werry
When Mum Says …
When Mum says
"Eat it all up, you'll love it"
she really means
"It tastes awful, but you have to eat it."
When Mum says
"Don't be silly, it won't hurt a bit"
she really means
"It'll hurt like crazy and make your eyes water."
When Mum says
"You'll love visiting Great-Aunty Mary"
she really means
"You'll be bored to tears but you're coming anyway."
When Mum says
"You look lovely, but …"
she really means
"You can't go out dressed like that!"
When Mum says
"I'll be there in a minute"
she really means
"I'll be at least another half hour."
But when Mum says
"I want this room tidied NOW, or there'll be trouble"
she really, really means it!
by Margaret Schroder





