SOME LEAVES of POETRY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22319, 5 February 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

SOME LEAVES of POETRY

STUDYING HARD

Six weeks ago we left our school, Tto dive and swim in creek and pool. To laugh and play on sunny sands. And ofttimes read of far-off lands.

But now we’re back at school again, And looking at the same inks tain With studious head bent o’er our book. To welcome play with eager look. —ERROL CLARKE.

THE STREAM

The stream is singing by. The trees are swinging high. The people are watching the stream As they go by.

The banks are covered with moss. On which I love to watch, • The clouds in the sky. The birds singing on high. —ALLAN REES, A.B. (aged 11), Okain’s Bay. BACK TO SCHOOL The holidays are over, Back to school we run.

Back to school and lessons. Back to school and fun. —AILEEN TOMLINSON (aged 10), Brookside. OUR MOTTO

Spread sunshine, scatter, joy To every little girl and boy, v And to every grown-up, too. This is the motto of “The Press Ship” crew. —ARTHUR TOPP (aged 9), Little River.

Up on the hills of Fairyland, Lived two wee men, called Ned and Ted, Trumpets they made for a fairy band, In their little shop that was painted red. They made silver trumpets, and trumpets of blue. Trumpets of pink, and red, and green, The rainbow colours all were there; The prettiest ever seen. Qpe day they made some gold trumpets, Big and bright and new, Every fairy then bought one, The elves and gnomes did, too. All night long these trumpets blared, Led by Ned and Ted, The fairy queen was deafened quite “This MUST stop!” she said. Ned and Ted took those trumpets, And to the hills they fled. Placed each one in a yellow flower, “They look like flowers,” Ned said.

AOTEA-ROA

Hills clothed with forests green, Deep green valley and rushing stream, The loveliest country ever seen. The land of a lovely dream.

The sea around is all sky blue, That voyage the Maoris did not rue, Their goal was such a lovely land, They stood in wonder on the sand. —LYNNE O’CALLAGHAN, (aged 10).

TO SUMMER

Oh summer, with your azure skies, Your radiant sun and butterflies, You are my heart’s delight. Every day when the sky is clear, I put on all my bathing gear, And swim from noon till night. I wait with awe for school to start, For then I know down in my heart, I’ll miss your warmth and freedom. When I’m at school and doing drill, I often wish that I were still. Revelling in your happy kingdom. —’MATE MINNIE MOUSE, A. 8., A.8.H., 91 Windermere road, Papanui.

THE FAIRY TRUMPETS

The fairy queen saw them next day, When she was on the hills, They’d turned the trumpets and the flowers Into beautiful daffodils. —LUCY BREMNER, L.B.H. (aged 11), Greymouth.

OAK TREE

You are old, oak tree. Your' youth is gone, You’ve grown wise by the scenes You’ve looked upon. In yOur shelter the birds Have plumed their feathers, You are gnarled by the wrath Of many weathers. Youth and age have You seen in your life, Yet nought have you seen Of ugly strife. | I wish you peace In your future years. And a life devoid Of sadness and fears. —JUDY HANNA, L.8.H., Fendalton. TREES I HAVE CLIMBED \ I’ve climbed a poplar and an oak, A gum and willow, for a joke,

Apple, plum, and cherry trees, too, These three are worth climbing, I think, don’t you?

But the king of climbers, I’m sure, would be, The one who could climb a Monkey Puzzle Tree. —LORNA STACKHOUSE, A. 8., 61 Junction road, Middleton (aged 9).

THE MONTHS

J is for January—the first of tha year,

F is for February—the schooldays are here.

M is for March and winter looms, near, And A is for April—the fourth of the year.

M is for May—with its term holidays.

J is for June —goodbye to sun’s rays, J for July—so everyone says, And A is for August—with 31 days.

S for September—the sun shines again,

O for October —the month with, less rain.

N for November —with Guy Fawkes again.

And D for December —with fat turkeys once vain. —’MATE SCHOOL-TO-DAY. ,