A Spider’s Dilemma by Pat Simmons; Pillow Pet by Nadine Cranenburgh; Greedy Guts by Dianne Bates

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A Spider’s Dilemma

An arthritic arachnid with eight knobbly knees
Sought medical help for her painful disease.
Her doctor prescribed her with cream to rub in
But the problem was how and just where to begin!

 by Pat Simmons

 Pillow Pet

My old dog Spot
is hard to spot
when hiding in my bed

He’s found a spot
all soft and hot
curled underneath my head

By Nadine Cranenburgh
Nadine says: The aim was to include a word that has multiple meanings.

Greedy Guts

Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating his Christmas pie

He ate it all, every crumb.
‘What’s for seconds?’
he asked his mum.

by Dianne Bates

Trying Times by Pat Simmons

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Trying Times

 

Please tidy your room Tim,

I’ve asked you ten times.

Can’t it wait ‘til tomorrow

I’m solving some crimes?

 

I’m tired of asking,

Now do as I say.

Two seconds Mum, promise,

I’m still on e-bay.

 

That’s it Tim, I’ve had it,

I’m coming to look!

Give me a minute Mum

I’m on Facebook.

 

I’m tired of texting you,

Open this door.

Now I’m doing my homework

Mum, don’t be a bore.

 

I’m coming in Timmy,

I’ve had quite enough.

I’m opening the door Tim,

I’m tired of your guff.

 

Good grief, your room’s tidy.

And Tim, you’re not here.

No I’m texting from Tom’s place.

Ha ha mother dear!

 Pat Simmons

Discovery by Pat Simmons

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Discovery

 

Our feet make a crackling

crunching sound

as we walk.

We stop

and

crouching down,

discover another world.

A world of mini workers

caring for our environment.

Beetles breakfasting,

Meandering munching millipedes,

Snails, showing off their spirals,

Earthworms turning the soil.

 

Lives under leaf litter

A secret space.

 

Pat Simmons

Pat says: Ever since I was a child I’ve loved mini beasts (some would call them creepy crawlies). During my career in children’s services as a child care educator, teacher and trainer I delighted in sharing my passion with children by taking my ‘minibeast family’ to child care centres.
As a writer, they still inspire me and, yes, I still have a collection of critters including stick insects and rain forest snails.

A Goat Afloat by Pat Simmons

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A Goat Afloat

 

I wear a silver collar, I’m a rather special goat.

Hooves firmly planted on the ground, but once I was afloat.

 

‘A goat afloat?’ I hear you say. It’s true. Ask Captain Cook.

Twice I’ve sailed around the world.

I’d like to write a book

Called

Memoirs of my life at sea

Jottings by a goat

The good the bad the ugly facts

Of life upon a boat

 

Well, all right, ships

Let’s get it right

Named

Dolphin and Endeavour

And with respect, I must say this,

I really hope I never set hoof again on either one.

Three years was long enough.

Giving milk for all that time quite frankly dears was tough.

 

Smelly sheep and smelly hens, smelly cattle too

Smelly cats and smelly dogs

And very smelly crew.

Snow and storms and slippery decks, fresh grass in short supply.

No other goats to chatter with to help the time pass by.

But now I’m home and quite well known

(My story’s in the press)

Enjoying my retirement, free from stormy seas and stress.

 

I wear a silver collar, I’m a rather special goat.

Hooves firmly planted on the ground, but once I was afloat.

 Pat Simmons

 

 

 

 

Choosing Shoes by Pat Simmons

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Choosing Shoes

 

Gum boots when it’s raining

Sports shoes when I’m training

Sparkly shoes for dancing

Riding boots for prancing

Sandals for a summer’s day

High heeled shoes for dress up play

Then sadly comes that time of year

When Mum says, ‘Let’s go shopping dear.

Your feet keep growing, time to choose

A nice new pair of (yuk!) School Shoes.’

 

 Pat Simmons

Zoe’s Zoo by Pat Simmons

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Zoe’s Zoo

 

Small jars, tall jars, boxes too,

Zoe needs them for her zoo.

 

In the garden, in the sun

is where she finds Exhibit One.

A caterpillar munching leaves,

Zoe stoops, rolls up her sleeves

and carefully with finger tips

(just in case this critter nips)

places it inside a jar.

Pops on the lid.

He won’t get far.

 

Crouching in a damp dark spot,

armed with just a yogurt pot

she spots a tell-tale silver trail.

Exhibit Two, a friendly snail.

 

With trusty trowel she fills a jar

then doesn’t have to dig too far

before she spots a sudden squirm.

Exhibit Three, a wriggling worm.

 

Exhibit Four sits in a box,

wearing gloves and scarf and socks.

His cage says, ‘Dangerous Beware.

Please Don’t Feed This Teddy Bear.’

 

A tiny cubby made from sticks

houses numbers Five and Six.

A beetle and a millipede

curled up like a shiny bead.

 

Exhibit Seven’s tied to a tree.

He’s rather dangerous you see.

A dinosaur might stomp around

and squish those caged upon the ground.

 

She needs to find Exhibit Eight

who’s sitting calmly on the gate.

Zoe has to pull and tug

to capture this majestic slug.

 

Now who will be the final two

to join the gang at Zoe’s Zoo?

She has to build a great big pen

to house Exhibits Nine and Ten.

 

Her work is done.

She gives a shout.

‘Mum and Daddy, please come out.’

 

‘Gotcha!’

Pat Simmons 

Rescue by Pat Simmons

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Rescue

 

He’s funny looking.

He isn’t a puppy.

I say to Mum

He has sad eyes.

Dad says

Maybe we can make those sad eyes happy.

I say to Dad

He’s skinny.

Mum says

Maybe we can make him fatter.

Does he do tricks?

Maybe you could teach him some.

But I don’t know him

And he doesn’t know me.

So many dogs.

So much noise.

We walk up and down

Looking at the dogs.

So many dogs

But we come back to him.

He looks at me.

I look at him.

He doesn’t bark.

He just looks.

Hopefully.

They open his cage.

He just looks

Then he licks my hand.

This is the one I say.

This is the one he says.

 

Pat Simmons © 2015