Life Cycle of a Butterfly

My daughter's class at school is learning about life-cycles.

Reading about the butterfly together, 

we have discovered lots of mechanisms that are necessary for each stage of its life.

My younger son, who is four, is also interested - in the basics.

This poem is for him.

wiggle!

wiggle

wiggle

pop!

wriggle!

wriggle

wriggle

munch!

wriggle

wriggle

munch!

mmmmm

spin

spin

twirl!

spin

spin

twirl!

yawn!

zzz

zzz

shhhhh

zzz

zzz

shhhhh

rustle!

rustle

rustle

creak!

rustle

rustle

creak!

crack!

a h h h h h

s t r e t c h

s t r e t c h

breathe!

s t r e t c h

s t r e t c h

breathe!

flutter

flutter

flutter

flit!

flutter

flutter

flit!

fly!

Crown of Thorns

I wrote this for my children.

To help explain how a world can change.

And hope they'll grow to help.

Covered in prickly spines

it crawls along the reef

multiple thorny arms

searching for coral to eat.

Two rows of tiny feet

help the star to hold

and grasp onto the coral-

the damage not foretold.

The thorny crowd has grown

to over a million strong

moving through tropical waters

where plankton blooms are  l o n g .

And now the Barrier Reef

in danger of losing its colour

needs some help from us

to improve the quality of its water.

Trees

My kids ask a lot of questions.

They like to know how we are connected to everything.

This is about part of our relationship with trees.

(We obviously say "thank you" to the trees too!)

Leaves at the top

dancing in green-

emerald and jade

shades can be seen

Facing the sun

they soak up its rays

making the most

of bright sunny days

The sunlight they seek

is magic, you see-

for without it,

no food can be made for the tree!

The air we breathe out

and the rain that seeps through

mix together with light

to make something new-

A sugar called glucose

which is used by the tree

to keep growing taller

(this needs energy!)

And when this is made

we get something too-

fresh oxygen to breathe-

as each tree says “thank you”.

Come Outside

My kids love corny little songs.

The type they can remember easily and sing over and over.

So this is for them.

It sounds best while humming the theme to "Sesame Street".

Come outside!

Sun is up in the sky

Clouds float by revealing a space so blue

Can you hear the chirps and tweets

Of birds rejoicing a day that’s new?

Come outside!

Let’s explore far and  w i d e

On this trail to where the trees grow tall

Can you feel the air breeze past

As leaves swirl and start to fall?

There’s a great big world out there

Mountains, rivers, hills and streams

Open for people like you

Just for people like you

So wake up and now-

Come outside!

Hear the waves roll on by

Shoreline  s m o o t h  and cool beneath our feet

Can you smell the salty air

And its promise of midday heat?

Come outside! …