OUR POETRY

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1929, Page 24 (Supplement)

OUR POETRY

I WISH. (Sent by Edwin and Ellen Furborough.) I wish I were, a porter, I wish I were a guard, I wish I were the shunter-man Down in the railway yard. I wish that I sold papers . At the big railway stall, Or heaped coal on the engine fire, (That would be best of all). But anything would suit me, To do with trains, you see, I want to be a railwayman, Oh, please, please may I be 7 AN ARMFUL. (Sent by Esther Billing.) “Do not look,” called Nan from the meadow, “Here is something for you to guess; Just listen to my description, It’s a riddle, more or less.

“I have brought you an armful of spring-time With daffodils yellow aglow; All downy and soft as pussy willows, And white as the blossom of sloe. My arm is caressing the whiteness, The yellow’s against my dress; It is old, it is new, it is lovely, An armful of spring—now guess.

“No, not flowers or bloom from the orchard, And not all yellow and white, Are Broody Bell and her chickens, Though that’s very nearly right. You gie up? Then look at my armful! Don’t you wish that you had guessed Old Quachery Ann and her ducklings? But seeing them really is best!”

BABIES.

(Sent by Gladys Piper.)

Why have little babies dimples in their cheeks and chubby little arms? What’s the secret of those soft and tender charms?

THE RAINBOW.

(Sent by Gladys Piper.)

Boats sail on the rivers and ships sail on the sea, But clouds that sail across the sky

are prettier far than these. There are bridges on the rivers as pretty as your please, But the bow that bridges heaven and over-tops the trees. And builds a road from earth to. sky is prettier far than these.

MILK FOR PUSSY TOWN.

(Sent by Ivy Hollis. Early in the morning Off to Pussy Town, Little Purr the milk maid In her best new gown.

Seven pints at this door, Where the kittens dwell, Five for Mrs. Mouser, ’Cause she isn’t well. Just’ one pint for Whiskers, Half a pint for Tip, Which 'will leave the milk maid Just a little sip. PUCK AND SHEILA. (Sent by Elsie Freakley.) Sheila’s not like other girls, She never tears her frocks; And always she-can tell the time By blowing fairy clocks.

She knows just when ’twill rain, And when the sun will shine; She has a pair of fairy wings— If only they were mine!

She says she’s been to Fairyland And seen the Rainbow’s end. But Sheila’s not like other girls, For Puck is Sheila’s friend.

FIVE FRIGHTENED FROGS.

(Sent by jSLsie Freakley.) Five frogs in a leafy bower, Were caught by a sudden shower; They began to fume and fret, All for fear they would get wet; How they blamed their stupid folly, For coming out without a brolly! But the trouble must be faced, Hand in hand they quickly raced, To the pond at last arrived, Underneath the surface dived; And from cold or ’flu to save them, Nice hot tea the tadpoles gave them, OUR PLAYHOUSES. (Original—Sent by Maisie Vickers.) We have a lovely playhouse, Beneath a shady apple tree, And in it we keep everything, As neat and tidy as can be. We have a door and chimney, too, And pictures on the wall, A table, cupboard and some chairs, So lovely, neat and small. When we are tired of playing games Mother brings out fruit and cakes, And with our dolls and other pets, We a happy party make. s

The little birdies come and hop Just outside the door, And I’m sure the fairies come and dance Around and round the floor.

I tell you that we saw some Just the other day, But when we asked them to play with us They just laughed and flew away. But we always leave some cake On our table every night, Because we know they come back When the moon is shining bright. It’s always gone next morning, And we know it’s not a mouse, So we know the fairies come at night To play in our playhouse. Now- if ever you feel tired Of the world and all it’s fuss, Please call and spend a nice quiet hour, With the fairies, birds and us. MOTTO. You cannot be a useful man, No matter how you try, Unless you think in terms of yye, Instead of terms of I. Sent by Bobbie Blanchard.