h a p p y b i r t h d a y GECKO PRESS from young New Zealand poets!
This was such a popular challenge it has taken me AGES to read all the fabulous poems you sent in. What a great way to celebrate Gecko Press and all the gorgeous books they publish.
I have posted far more than I usually would as it is like a birthday party post with lots of poems.
I have picked these poets to send a Gecko Press book (thanks Gecko Press for sending me the books!). I am never to old for a Gecko Press book whatever category it is.
Ruby T All the Dear Little Animals
Phoebe Snake and Lizard
Grace S My happy Life
Emma C Donkeys
Sophie B A Book is a Book
Here are some of my favourites:
WOLF AND DOG
My dog jumped over the log into a forest
I followed him.
We shrunk
and climbed into a beehive
where we met a wolf.
We danced with it
then we all had a feast of honey.
The hive was covered in diamonds.
Ruby T Age 7, Y3, Ilam School
Watch out crocodile!
Watch out crocodile for the king gorilla.
Watch out crocodile for the flying undies.
Watch out crocodile for the soaring Eagles.
Watch out crocodile for the talking bears.
Watch out crocodile for the elegant leopard.
Watch out crocodile for the chocolate monster.
Watch out crocodile for the charging bull.
Watch out crocodile for the flying boy.
By Grace S Age: 10 Year 6 Paparoa Street School
The Cake
Sitting on the table was a little blue cake,
And delicately sitting on top was a blue and white lake!
There were orange fish and a green lily pad.
It is beautiful until it gets cut by Dad!
Phoebe Age: 8 Year: 4 Fendalton School
The King and the Sea
My streak of green
My wind wiped mane
My white roar
My blue wave
The king breaks me
Then he fixes me
He comes and he goes
He is cycle of my life
I’d try to get free
I’d leave
But I’m stuck
and I’m here for life
Let me run
Let me soar
Let me call for freedom from the the king’s world
Let me be me
I am the sea
Emma C Age: 10 Selwyn House School
When Dad showed me the universe
When Dad showed me the universe,
he showed me all the stars,
he taught me that some are close
and some are very far.
He told me that in the day
the sun sits way up high,
also that there’s other planets
we can’t see in the sky.
And at the end of the day,
when the night sky is going dark,
then it is the moon’s time
to shine brightly in the park.
Sophie B 10 year old girl, a Year 6 student at Paparoa Street School
The Cake
There it is,
looking yummy with its strawberry
sauce driping down the edge’s.
There it is,
screaming for chocolate ice-cream
to sit next to it and keep it company.
There it is,
waiting patiently for a rainbow of
sprinkles to fall on to it.
There it is,
all that yummy strawberry sauce,
chocolate ice-cream and sprinkles-
GONE!
Who ate the cake?!
I bet my pet Gecko did!
That naughty Gecko!
Tyler L, 11 years old, Paparoa street school in Christchurch
A book is a book
No matter how hard you try
It will stay as a book
As a book it will stay
It will never turn into a car
A book is a book
And that’s how it will stay.
Evie S I am eight years old and I am in Year 4. Fendalton School
Speed of Light
My feathers capture air
My talons grasp the sky
My plumage rustling in the breeze
My beak savouring the blue
They capture me
They shoot me down
They ensnare me
They trap and trick me
I’d be free if not for them
I’d glide faster than the light
But I think I can
And I think I will
Let me free
Let me glide faster than the light
Let me grasp the sky
Let me savour the blue, once more.
Harriet Compton-Moen, a 12 year old student in Year 8 at Selwyn House School
The Cake
The flame flickers,
coloured wax streams down,
the candles puff out,
the cake is sliced and separated,
bitten and beaten,
the life of a cake!
Ollie H Age : 10 Paparoa Street School
The king and the sea
Waves fold over the sand,
All you can hear is the soft sound of the ocean,
The king of the sea is content.
The fish swim blissfully,
they are in peace.
The fisherman up above drop down their nets.
The king of the sea is enraged,
His tranquil ocean disturbed.
By Isabella Read Age 12 Year 8 Selwyn House School
Speed of Light
Flashing right before
your eyes,
like the speed
of light,
or dragging ever
so slow,
like clouds roaming
the sky.
The seconds hand
rotating
with endless ticking,
blending with
the movements
of the minutes
and hours.
Right now it travels
at the speed of light
encased in it’s own place,
and it’s own
Time.
By Ewen W aged 12, Year 8, Cobham Intermediate School, Christchurch
Crocodile
Every day
one crocodile
walks to a tree but it doesn’t walk normally
it walks like me
He lives in a cave
and he wears a hat
but this is this
and that is that.
Liam F Fendalton School
The Cake
The Marshmallow cake, makes me bounce.
The bubbly cake, makes me gulp.
The pencil cake, makes me think.
The rubber cake, makes me forget.
The history cake, makes me remember.
Ysabella H Year 4 Age: 8 School: Ilam School
Where is Rusty?
I have lost
My dog Rusty
He must be all dusty
In the garbage
Where is Rusty?
There you are Rusty!
You are dusty
I must give you
A bubbly bath
And Rusty said
I’m Rusty
Ruby S Age 6, Year 2 Ilam School
The Cake
The cake with candles
The cake with icing,
Tastes so good,
The cake with colour,
The cake with flavour,
Tastes so nice
Oh really nice.
The cake with texture,
The cake with passion,
Tastes so delicious
Oh really delicious
By Cooper H Paparoa Street School
The Cake
The cake is humongous!
The cake is chocolate!
Just waiting…
To be gobbled
I stare longingly
At the rising cake
Which is oozing
As fast as the speed of sound
I licked my chops,
YUM!!!!!!!
Emma E Age: 8 Year: 4 Fendalton School
Where is Rusty?
Barbed wire,
a dog,
lying stranded,
the colour of a deer,
a black spot,
around,
his left eye,
blood,
gaping out,
of his bare legs,
in need,
of a home.
Natalie H Age: 10 yrs Year: 6 Fendalton School
THE CAKE
My Cousin skipped out with my cake while toppling all over the place
I held my breath
Hoping it wouldn’t tip,
she banged into the fridge
Knocking over the dip
Everyone jumped for joy
When she made it to the table
But then it slid off the table
That was the end of the cake!
Alice, I am 11 years old and go to Paparoa Street School
The Cake
The mountain of pudding
rises from it’s place
on a tray.
Icing, like fluffy clouds
floats on a soft sponge.
Layers of colour
meet the ceiling
and cease to move.
Jam joins slices
of cake to the next.
Toffee tunnels through
the centre and oozes out.
It’s sweet taste
leaves you waiting
for more.
Sadly its only part
of my imagination.
Vivien S 10 years old Paparoa Street School
A Book is a Book
You can take it to a nook
And have a look
It’s good for a cook
Less so for a crook
You can read it in the car
Or carefully in the spa
Take it near or far
Even teach yourself guitar!
A book can help you have a rest
Get you ready for a test
And some of the best
are published By Gecko Press!!!
By Gemma L Adventure School
Speed of Light
In the dark
The cheetah stalks
Muscular legs
Moonshine eyes
A bush moves
The cheetah sneaks
Twitching tail
Bristling fur
An animal races
The cheetah chases
Desert plains devoured
Fast as the Speed of Light
In the dark
The cheetah dashes
Successful attack
Deadly predator
Daniel L Adventure School