Poems By Jane Clarke
A drop in the ocean
Sploshing around
in life’s restless sea,
there’s a drop in the ocean -
and that drop is me.
Surfing the waves,
or washed up on the shore,
I’m a minuscule drop
amongst zillions more.
I’m a drop in the
ocean
of life’s restless sea -
but there’d be no ocean
without drops like me!
Jurassic Lark
Act like a dinosaur
when you go to school.
Go on! Be Jurassic,
kids will think you’re cool.
Stomp like Seismosaurus!
Thunder, rumble, shake,
thump, bump, bang, crash, whallop.
Make your classroom shake.
Scavenge like a T Rex!
Tear, rip, gobble, crunch,
burp, belch, dribble, slobber,
when you eat school lunch.
Go on! Act Jurassic!
See what teacher thinks.
If she doesn’t like it
act like you’re extinct!
Itch Hiker
A flea itch-hiked to Paris
as any insect mite.
Most fleas are parasitic,
but he’s a Parisite.
Shadows
Shadows quiver in the
twilight,
Shadows gather in the gloom,
Shadows slink across the ceiling,
Shadows seep into my room.
They are creeping into
corners,
They are squirming on the floor,
They are writhing on the window,
Shadows lurk behind my door.
Shadows flock like hungry
vultures
at the dying of the light.
Shadows waiting for the moment
when the day becomes the night.
Hopping Mad
I was happy as a froggy
in my smelly, stagnant pool.
I was one jump ahead.
I was free! Life was cool.
I got to move from pad to pad -
it really suits a bloke
to live a happy froggy life
until the day you croak.
I was happy as a froggy,
and the froggy life I miss,
ever since that stupid Princess
gave my froggy lips a kiss.
I’m a handsome Prince now,
but it doesn’t make me glad -
I was happy as a froggy
and it makes me hopping mad.
Roasting the Phoenix
This year, we’re
having Phoenix
for our Christmas dinner,
and if Mum doesn’t burn it,
it’s sure to be a winner.
Oh no! The oven’s
smoking,
our dinner’s catching fire.
It’s a raging furnace,
a Phoenix funeral pyre.
Mum puts on the oven gloves,
then she lets out a roar -
“that Phoenix has grown feathers,
it’s fluttering at the door!”
Help! Somebody let it
out!
This is a job for Dad!
I’m sorry that I stuffed it,
it’s looking really mad!”
So Dad opens the oven
and the bird soars off in flight.
Mum has to have a sherry
as she’s had such a fright.
It rose up from the ashes,
so dinner’s off, I fear,
I wish we’d had a turkey,
like every other year!
POEMS
Published in the following anthologies:
Madonald Young Books:
Bradman, T. The Hairy Hamster Hunt, 1999
Oxford University Press:
Foster, J. Rhyme Time: Around the Day, 2000
Foster, J. Cockadoodle Moo, 2001
Heapy, R. Kersplish, Kersplosh, Kersplat, 2001
Foster, J. Why do we have to go to school? 2002
Foster, J. Watch out there’s a ghost about! 2002
Foster, J. My mum's put me on the transfer list. 2002
Foster, J. See you later, Escalator. 2002
Hodder Children’s
Books:
Bradman, T. Here Come the Heebie Jeebies, 2000
Moses, B. The cowpat-throwing contest, 2000
Bradman, T. All Aboard the Toy Train, 2001
Bradman, T. Wild and Wonderful, 2002
Belitha Press Ltd:
Corbett, P. The King’s Pyjamas, 2001
Corbett, P. Footprints in the Butter, 2002
Bloomsbury:
Bradman, T. I wanna be your mate, 1999
Collins:
Foster, J. Dead Funny, 2002
Foster, J. Teasing tongue twisters, 2002
Macmillan Children’s
Books:
Moses, B. A sea creature ate my teacher, 2000
Moses, B. Hysterical historical Poems: The Tudors,2000
Cookson, P. Superheroes, 2000
Foster, J. Time for a Rhyme: Magnificent Machines, 2000
Moses, B. Time for a rhyme: Wacky wild animals, 2000
Moses, B. Parents: Keep Out! 2001
Moses, B. Aliens stole my underpants 2, 2001
Cookson, P. The evil doctor Mucus Spleen, 2001
Cookson, P. Ha ha! 100 poems to make you laugh, 2001
Moses, B. The School Year, 2001
Cookson, P. Don’t get your knickers in a twist, 2002
Moses, B. Time for a rhyme: Dangerous Dinosaurs, 2002
Cookson, P. What shape is a poem? 2002
Moses, B, and Cookson, P. The Works 2 2002
David Fulton Publishers
Drifte, C, and Jubb, M. A Poetry Teacher’s Toolkit Books 1,2,3 and 4,
2002
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