Thanks for the bumper MOUNTAIN crop of poems inspired by
paying attention when you are on the way somewhere.
I guess the school holidays was a perfect time to do this.
Sometimes I like to do it when I am walking up our long
steep drive to the letterbox.
I couldn’t post all your fabulous poems, but I loved reading
them as you know from my letters. IT was SO HARD to chose.
To share the book love I am sending a copy of The Letterbox Cat to Owen, Gretel and Sina.
If I didn’t pick you remember what a JOY it is writing a poem and try my MAY challenge.
T h e p o e m s
Strawberry Mountain
I climb up the Strawberry Mountain,
to feel like I was on top of the world.
I climb up the Strawberry Mountain,
to feel thrilled.
I forget all my problems and issues
I dream about Strawberry Mountain.
I pray for all the homeless to have a home, at Strawberry Mountain.
I watch tuis land gracefully on Strawberry Mountain.
I send my hopes about having happiness forever to Strawberry Mountain.
I send my wishes about deforestation to end to Strawberry Mountain.
As the mist swirls around me, as I hope with all my might, as I hope with all my strength,
that Strawberry Mountain will last the whole ride.
Name: Sina Age:10 Fendalton School, Christchurch
IN THE COUNTRY
In the country all is silent.
In the country all is still.
In the country is where I am.
In the country is where all the birds are singing.
The dusty road winds ahead forever.
The country is clean.
We are passing farms with cows mooing and horses neighing.
Now we are out of Auckland there are not as many houses.
After what seems like forever, we reach our destination.
My grandma’s dog comes out to meet us.
Then comes grandma.
We have completed the journey and now it’s time to sleep.
In the country all is silent.
In the country I am still asleep as the sun rises and the birds start to sing.
Gretel H, age 8, Richmond Road School
Mt Cook
A gentle hike on a well-worn stony path
Winding, snaking, twisting
Past a hyper blue lake
Past gigantic boulders as big as houses
Cosmic hexagons looming many feet over me
Over a swing bridge
Creaking
Sneaking
Hopefully not weak-ing
A raging river of thunder
Surging over hidden rocks
Just lumps in the water
A rumble
Is it the river?
No it is different
Is it thunder?
Different again
A crashing, cracking roar
It is the glacier with a rumbling avalanche
Another swing bridge
Leaping up and down
A bucking bronco
Bullied by the wind
Feeling like it might drop into the ravine
The wind shrieking in fury
The rain pelting like stones
The cold tearing at my fingers
Making me numb
I can’t go on
But I want to, so badly
So I do
Finally the end of the track
Breathless with excitement to see at last the great galumphing glacier
I look up in wonder to see the towering palace of ice
But it is gone
The weather has swallowed the wintery world
So all I see is a wall of white
Daniel L, age 9, Year 5, Adventure School, Porirua
Raglan Roast
It was morning,
It was warm,
It was pouring,
It was storm.
I was eating
I was SUPing*
I was sleeping like a log.
I was wearing
Shorts and togs,
I was swimming like the dogs.
It was a great day
As I look across the bay.
*Stand Up Paddleboarding
Hannah B 10 yrs LS8 Westmere School
On the Way
The southern cross
glistens like polished sea shells.
These stars have guided
the Māori in their waka.
These stars helped James Cook on his way
to New Zealand.
On the way, the waka
glides into the harbour
with the other ships.
The light flicks on
from the lighthouse.
The light flicks
on and off the rocky shore.
Like the sun through Autumn leaves.
We are on our way.
Noah C, age 12, St Patricks School Bryndwr.
Journey of a Basketball
I start still
A sphere of potential energy
I’m someone’s hand
Then a push
I am flying through the air
Before the thud of an abrupt stop
Caught
Pounded on the ground
Once…twice
Pummelling my skin against the floor
Banging my way down the court
Momentum surging
Passed again
Spinning backwards
Gaining height
The net in sight
Then falling
Super slow mo
Hanging in suspense
Until finally
SWISH!
Powering through the net
I land heavy on the shiny floor
My job done
Gemma, age 12, Year 8, Adventure School, Porirua
I am an explorer!
Let me tell you why.
I had a near death experience,
Which means I almost died!
So here I was with my friend Jo,
Bum shuffling like a tiger,
But when I reached the finish line
I came across a SPIDER!!!!!!!!
I told you I’m courageous,
And boy I do not lie,
I shuffled past the spider,
Despite that I could die!
Then I saw a butterfly.
T’was beautiful so I gasped.
I recounted my journey
And thought “ I shuffled way too fast!”
I took a giant step
Through the big library,
I came across a quirky book,
About an obese fairy.
Then I saw an ant
And then I saw some weed
I ushered the ant in there
To do a special deed.
I saw some big fat dung beetles.
They were having a collision.
I looked up at the kauri tree
And saw a plump wood pigeon.
I was having so much fun.
I never wanted to go.
But then I found I had to.
“HURRY UP” screamed Jo.
I found a little coin
Then raced off like a rocket.
I just had enough time
To put it in my pocket.
I went back to my classroom.
I had seen it all before
BORING!!!!!!!!
The following beauty is by courageous explorer Maddie, age 10 (or 2000) Richmond Rd School
The things I don’t see when I walk
I don’t see the lilys
I don’t see the skinks
I don’t see the waves on the beach
I don’t see the winds flying
I don’t see the fighting
I don’t see the chanting soldiers
I don’t see the balloons up in the sky
But i do see my friends beside me.
Max M age 10 Westmere School
Journey
On the way to Tauranga
I see the sculpted L&P bottle standing strong and tall
On the way to Tauranga
I hear the river gushing down the gorge
On the way to Tauranga
I smell my brothers bum blasting off
On the way to Tauranga
I taste the light, fluffy popcorn dissolving in my mouth
On the way to Tauranga
I feel the cool, crisp breeze wafting in and out of the cracks in the door
I love car rides but now time for Harry Potter
Name: Lily C Age:10 Class: LS8 Westmere School
On the way to Middlemarch
On the way to Middlemarch,
Rain poured on our already soaking clothes as we cycled forward,
Lightning brightened up the cloudy sky,
We could hear the thunder booming and loud,
Sheep ran across their paddocks to shelters,
The rain stopped and we cycled again gaining on our destination.
The next day we started late and tried to catch up on lost time,
We cycled over bumps and rocks,
We stopped at a old train station and it reminded me of death while we caught our
breath,
In the distance we saw a sign,
You have reached Middlemarch.
Name: Ari H, Age:10, School: Westmere Primary School, Class: Learning studio 8
On my way!!!!!!
As I walk to school
I see
a beautiful plant,
but still,
I don’t know what plant it is.
I know I can just ask, but I love it.
It’s a nice plant.
It has pink all over.
It’s too far away to smell.
By Lewys E, Age: 10 Westmere School
The Journey
When you are at Cox’s Bay do you ever stop and notice…
The paint shimmering in the sunlight,
That there used to be a flock of starlings that would rise like a wave
If dogs ran through,
That there’s a basketball court,
How polluted the river is,
That across the bridge there’s a little cheeky pony called Jafa,
That there’s a lovely boardwalk leading to Farro’s,
And our journey ends with some freshly squeezed orange juice a salad sandwich and some delightful macaroons.
Peggy Mae Nicol 9 years old Westmere School
Journey Under the Sea
Under the deepest, darkest
terrifying sea
is the white sea temple.
It is very dangerous
surrounded by a great white shark.
If it is destroyed,
the volcano will rise.
On the way, a circle of dolphins
warn not to go near
the white sea temple.
On the way,
a killer whale
spreads his body
so no one will go near
the white sea temple.
On the way
the dogfish just barks
so no one will go near
the white sea temple.
The starfish
keeps the sea temple
hidden.
The jellyfish stings
the white sea temple
with a deadly poison.
On the way,
the diver
needs to find out,
what the sea temple hides.
Before he jumps,
he sees a warning sign
that says:
“Whoever visits the sea temple
never returns”.
Below the writing
are the letters
VFU.
What does this mean?
Tom N Age 9 Year 5 Hoon Hay School
Hawaii
Hawaii is soon to be my tropical destination.
After this Hour long refill of the plane tank
Why can’t it just take a week so we can stay in the beautiful Fiji!
All the weather changes is enough of a journey to watch
I See the cotton clouds over the sunset like a blanket,
I never want this to end!
By Zella P age 10 yr 6 Westmere Primary
Adventure: Granny’s!
Granny’s house is the next stop.
Running? No, Too far! Let’s go in the car!
As I look out the window I see,
No! Really? A fantail? A fern?
No! Is that a palm tree? All I see is awesome!
Yes, It is! No Way Hozay!
Sometimes I can get lost looking out that window. That little, little window.
By Ava M, Westmere School , Age 10, LS 7
Air
On this weird flying machine
I see things I have never noticed before
like how the clouds touch the mountains
and the mountains touch the clouds.
Over the laughing and chattering of the people surrounding me,
I can hear the whispers of the sky telling secrets to the sea.
I touch the glass to feel the coldness lay upon my fingers.
Straightening up my body
I wonder what it would feel like
living in the air.
Aia D, Age:9 LS8, Westmere School
On The Way to the Dance School
On the way to the dance school,
I see the buildings of Ponsonby Road,
The cars rushing past me,
I hear the screeching of brakes at lights,
The indicator tick tocking as we turn onto the hill,
On the way to the dance school,
I feel the car lurch as the steep hill gives a bump,
The trees in front of us sway gently,
Someone walking into the tattoo parlour,
I feel the seat belt cutting into my skin through my uniform,
The soft material gently rubbing against my back,
On the way to the dance school,
We turn a corner,
Can’t wait to see my friends,
The bumps on the path make me jiggle,
On the way to the dance school.
Olivia P, age 9, LS8, Westmere School
The Ride
A flutter of leaves, growing green grass and the cold wind dancing on my spine.
Shards of shingle scattering with the weight of my bike.
A chirp of birds like a tiny orchestra playing a graceful melody.
A sharp skid and a marvellous view of a rising sun and cantaloupe coloured sea.
A starting vehicle, a roaring motor like a ferocious lion glancing at fleeing wild wildebeest.
A startling shift, a twisty turn like a swimmer diving for safety.
A loud gearbox, a flash going past and a huge sigh of relief.
Owen F, age 10, LS8, Westmere School
Way to the Sea
On the way
to the bottom
of the sea,
I saw some
fish and a
mother bee.
On the way
to the top,
I had to
hop.
When I was
about to go
for a swim,
I saw my
friend Kim.
On the way
back to shore,
I found a
apple core
and I got
a bit sore.
Sophie S; Age 7 years; Yr3; St Andrews College, Christchurch.
Driving
As the car pulls out of the garage,
I listen.
I can hear the garage shutting,
and the wheels creaking.
As we drive along beside the harbour,
I listen.
I can hear the seagulls squawking,
the waves rippling,
and the tires crunching along the road.
As we pull up into the car park,
I listen.
I can hear the gravel clattering under the wheels,
my door creaking as it opens,
and my footsteps on the gravel.
Nell M, age 9, year 5, Homeschool
On the way to Tekapo
The moon shone bright as we drove down the valley
The trees shadowed the car
Glittering stars in the black night sky
The next day it was a frosty chilly morning
The lake sparkled in the early sun
I saw fluffy merinos munching on the hill
The sun skated across the ice
I had never felt so happy in my life
On the way to Tekapo I hope that it would snow.
Genevieve B, age 7, year 3, St Andrews prep, Christchurch
Thank you for reading
