One cold winter’s night
I sat up in bed.
I looked outside to see snow instead.
I felt a cold breeze coming from my window.
I shut it quickly and hurried downstairs.
My mum poured me cocoa that was warm.
I pulled on my winter hat, scarf and boots
And sprang out the door and into the snow.
WINNER
My heart is completely consumed
But my myriad affection isn’t mirrored!
Instead of love, she seems merely bemused
At attempts to pat her head or stroke her fur.
Tragic, my first love spurns me so!
She lifts her haughty head in disdain
Reigns her indifference like a physical blow
Is she unaware of the pain she causes me again and again?
Her majesty is curled comfortably on the bed today
I lie on the floor, deeply resigned to my fate
She wakes and yawns and looks around, whiskers in disarray
Meows and frowns at lack of food; I’m late
I go to the kitchen, and throw her fried fishes
She pounces and purrs, caressing the carcass with careful cruelty
I look onwards with envy, at all attention she lavishes
How low love lets me sink; jealous of a dead fish eaten crudely
WINNER
The animals look to the stars in the sky
Arranged as musical notes in the air
The pie wagtail flies down to start the show
His tail conducting with care
The woodpecker starts with the heartbeat of the forest
And sets the drum rhythm for all
Horses add to the beat with their clippety clop
Other animals prepare for their ball
Time for the duet of the Nightingale and the Lark
They hit the sweet silver notes of the flute and the piccolo
The wolf follows with his high pitched howl
Icicles in the Arctic clink together for the piano
The elephant raises her trunk to the sky
And blows on her big loud trombone
The Lion king roars as the big base drum
Triumphantly as he sits on his throne
The Lorikeets somersault high in the air
While the ponies all dance in a row
Waves crash to the shore as cymbals colliding
And Aurora puts on her spectacular light show
Finally the curtains are drawn
As darkness descends on the sky as a dark black cloak
Then the lights go on as the sun rises up
And the show is finished – all up in smoke
WINNER
Her eyes are like vessels.
Kettle drums containing the fervent pursuit
for whimpering rodents.
With a skunk-like flash of black and white,
the delight of monochrome mania,
snatching glances at potential prey.
Though stout, she is fierce.
Snout leading vibrissae in lethal action
of synaesthetic homicide.
Sight connecting smell
connecting electric touch,
paws reigning over grassland.
Each strand of stray hair,
as thick as her bloodline,
unable to be creased between fingers.
House-proud and headstrong,
her sett, spotless at sight.
No room for animalistic grime
or clumps of waste.
Holding within a century worth
of enriched anecdotes,
documented by wildlife photographers
or the odd camper at night,
the full story, remaining untold.
WINNER
My favourite things about dolphins
They jump out of the sea
Playing, happy and smiling
Always pleased to see me
They can dive and swim really fast
I hope they hide when nets are cast
They eat crustaceans, squid and fish
I’d love to swim with them, it is my wish!
The unicorns gallop with all their might
getting ready to take flight
up in the midnight sky
they fly star-like high
Their wings brightly shine
I can’t believe I can call one mine
Well, I can’t call one mine as they should be free
this is their world they shouldn’t flee
All through the night ,
the unicorns fly without a fright
but now the sunrise is here
the unicorns cannot be near
The horse is white,
It leaps with might,
With beauty bright,
And believes in light.
It’s brave as before,
It asks no more.
Puts forward a hoof,
Never makes a poof.
In conditions great,
With a good mate,
It gets groomed with care,
The brush always gets stuck in its hair.
The strokes are gentle,
The whips not needed,
The mounting cuddle,
Nothing pleaded.
The laughs aloud,
The feeling of being proud,
The thanking and praise,
They never said a bad phrase.
Stepping over rocks hard,
Gliding through the sky.
Letting go of a card,
Making your day fly.
The dread sound of cries,
The coming of the flies.
No hay,
The vibration of a neigh.
The fall to the ground,
People all around.
Staring at the horse,
With remorse.
The horse is white,
It leaps with might,
With beauty bright,
And believes in light.
A long time ago,
when there were no
people,
the dinosaurs roamed.
The Earth was their home –
on the land, the sky and the
sea.
Pterodactyls flew high,
soaring ruler of the skies.
Triceratops charged in a fight
to survive.
Tyrannosaur roared and
he stomped, and he clawed.
Extinction; an asteroid strike.
I am a fish
Now you are king
I bow
I can feel
I ate a meal
Be safe from drowning
Don’t sit and keep on frowning
The bell going ting
The bird on the wing
Have a good mind
But don’t go in the wood
Because of the big, bad wolf
Or keeping toys on the shelf
But I don’t see the TV
Because a bee
Cut our wires
But office people have buyers
So buy a breeze
And start to believe
There was a swan upon the river Avon.
Her feathers were as white as snow.
She had four cygnets, they followed her in a row.
Along came a little girl, her hair was as gold as the sun.
She had lots of bread, so the cygnets fed and fed.
She fed them every day, throughout the month of May.
As the seasons passed their feathers changed grey to white.
The little girl exclaimed one day “Oh! What a beautiful sight!”
But now fully grown, it was time to find a new home.
So sad was the little girl as she waved them goodbye, a little tear in her eye.
“Rest easy, more cygnets will soon arrive, they too will need love and bread,”
the little girl’s mummy said.