Queen Charlotte track – the trees are magnificent!
I was really excited to post a tree poem challenge because I love trees and look at trees everyday. Thank you for all the tree poems – you made it so hard picking.
I was especially delighted to get the poems from Royal Oak Primary School because they had gone outside to sit by trees to write their poems. Hunting for tree detail was an excellent plan.
I was also very moved by Ethan‘s memory of a tree (it is the last poem here).
This is always a poetry challenge not a competition – but I am sending Quentin a copy of my book The Letterbox cat. I loved the way his poem went full circle.
On November 1st I am posting my last challenge of the year!
Rakau
He stands proud.
He stands tall.
He holds a shelter for the birds, bees and tiny insects.
His arms grow out, reaching out to greet the other trees.
His leaves dance gracefully to the ground in the gentle breeze.
He shelters all from the rain, the wind and the sun.
He stands proud.
He stands tall.
By Quentin – Year 6, Royal Oak Primary School
Cabbage Tree
Pointy, spiky. Poking my arm
Big green pom-poms
like bright fireworks in the air
sprouting up from the ground,
pointy spikes all around.
Penelope S Age 8 Year 4 Selwyn School
pohutukawa tree
look at me I make you happy when you see me.
my trunk is huge and green green grass lies under me.
my silk flowers are as bright as can be.
look at me, look at me, look at me.
Jacob Age: 10 Year 5, Fendalton Primary
Pohutukawa Tree
Pohutukawa tree,
the favorite tree for me.
Blooming Christmas red,
warming my covers for me in bed.
Kingfisher’s favorite
their flower kit.
So go sit under a pohutukawa tree,
and look at the red brushes making you the happiest you can be!
Jasmine R Age 7 St Francis, Pt Chevalier
Kowhai
I remember the day
I bought you
you were small
and weak
you had no leaves or flowers
I slowly ripped the plastic
from your roots
and popped you in a pot
Now you are strong
with leave and flowers
you have survived
all 4 seasons
I am proud of you
By Thea, age 9, Ilam School
My Tree
The trunk is as rough as sandpaper on my hand.
As dry as an African desert.
The sawn off branches look like arms ready to tackle you to the ground.
The branches tangle together like noodles.
The tiny leaves are as green as a rich lady’s purse.
Reaching for the dense leaves creating alien shadows.
The dried our leaves brown and rusty.
Bruce – Year 4 Royal Oak Primary School
I Am the Oldest
My skin is rough and torn.
My leaves cascade down to the ground and glimmer in the dappled light.
My giant branches reach out like hands
Many elaborate animals find themselves building homes in my safe arms.
My dagger like leaves are for my protection
My sturdy trunk houses millions of roots that snake throughout the undergrowth.
I am the oldest tree.
Paige – Year 6 Royal Oak Primary School
Still Growing
Trees expand their little skinny hands with a greedy group of leaves.
The buds of the impatient flower are ready to explode into a mountain of colour.
The old leaves sadly sway down as the strong solid tree is singing “Let it go.”
I am one with the tree.
Tika – Year 5 Royal Oak Primary School
Rimu
In the morning
when the sun is rising,
the rimu tree
sways in the wind
like it is fighting.
In the day the cat
sleeps peacefully
under the rimu tree
And the sparrow chicks wait
for food in the rimu tree branches.
When the sun goes down
the cat walks down the road
back home. The sparrows sleep
safely in their nest.
Tilly O Age: 9 Year 5 Selwyn House
The Old Blossom Tree
There’s a kowhai tree,
In the centre of my garden.
Its flowers are always the prettiest,
Dew drops cling to the curvy bark,
Sunlight dances on the clear, yellow bell petals.
A young lizard delicately crawls up its lovely trunk.
Paige L 8 years old Fendalton Open Air Primary School
The kowhai tree in summer
Winter had crushed the colour out of
the flowers and trees.
In the next few weeks came summer.
Beautiful colours sprang.
There was not one tree or bush without a bloom
But over the golden horizon one tree stood out
and it belonged to New Zealand.
It was the vibrant yellow kowhai tree.
By Alice, 9 years old. Year 4 Selwyn House School
The cabbage tree
Sharp and pointy.
More leaves falling down.
Sparrows flying above on a sparkling day.
Collecting and building making a nest.
Hoping no one will hurt their nest.
Then at night they come to rest.
Alice G, age 9, Year 4, Selwyn House School
Pohutukawa
The New Zealand Christmas tree
hangs over the golden sand,
like people looking into a tank.
With its bright red flowers,
soft green leaves,
and it’s extraordinary size,
this tree is is the best for climbing.
From there you can see the horizon,
along the sea.
Xanthe W age 10, Year 5, Selwyn House
Bamboo rap song
Bamboo is green. Bamboo is smooth. Bamboo is cool. It’s gonna rule.
Bamboo is thick. Bamboo is slick. Bamboo can be chopped into tiny bits.
Bamboo is strong,stronger than anyone.
Bamboo is fun.
when it’s in the sun.
George Age 9, St Francis Pt Chevalier
The gift of pohutukawa tree
Red flowers spreading on the tree
like mould on an old tomato.
The heavenly flowers are the natural perfume of the earth.
The gift of joy they bring to everyone.
Is the gift of the pohutukawa tree.
Rebecca H Age: 10 Selwyn House
The kowhai tree
The kowhai tree
outside my window
sways and shivers.
It twinkles in the moonlight,
humming in the gentle breeze.
Whispers “it’s a glorious sight”.
What would your tree say?
Charlotte K, Ilam School, age 7, year 2
The pohutukawa’s life
Standing strong and old
in its little known forest
ready to have a peaceful death.
Awaiting for the right moment.
As he sees the big machines
he closes his eyes and waits.
Then he opens his eyes
and can see his brothers
dead on the ground.
The cutting pain in his side is finally over.
He topples over,
holding onto his last shred of life.
He and his dead relatives
are thrown onto a truck
and are taken to be carved.
The last one of them all
is the old pohutukawa.
The man on his rocking chair
does not know
that his chair was once the tree
that he climbed when he was little,
The old pohutukawa.
Laura M Age:11 Selwyn House
Memories
My first memory was under a pohutukawa tree. Its red flowers, as red
as a ruby, were glittering and shining in the morning sun. I was going
for a stroll in the park as it was the first day of spring. The first
flowers were blooming and all the plants were like a tornado of
colour.
But my favorite tree of all was the native pohutukawa. I
liked the way the flowers looked among the shiny green leaves. It
really worried me that some people were cutting these trees
thoughtlessly down. If this went on, there would be none left; so my
family and I planted some seedlings that spring. And that was my first
memory.
Ethan, Year 4, Fendalton School
Poetry Box 