Transcript

Queenie: Wow! Was that the last episode, Chicken?

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Queenie: That was sooooo good. I just didn’t expect them to call a surprise witness and win the case. That was so exciting.

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Queenie: Ummm … just how many hours of TV courtroom dramas do you think we’ve watched now?

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Queenie: And every minute of that was worth it. Who knew that research could be this entertaining. Surely we’re ready. I feel like I’ve earned a law degree.

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Queenie: So, before Little Dazzy Donuts arrives, let’s check you have everything that you’ll need. Let’s see … do you have your gavel?

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Queenie: and your scarlet robe?

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Queenie: Excellent. Now, where’s your white wig?

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Queenie: Phew – I’m glad we didn’t forget that. I feel like the wig seals the deal. It makes you look so official. You know what, you should wear it more often.  Oh, hang on, where are the four poems?

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Queenie: Oh yes – we’re definitely going to need those. Here are the two that I hand-picked … and there are the two that you chicken-pecked. These are really the heart of our case. Okay, you better go off into your chambers now – Little Dazzy Donuts will be here any minute. Just listen out for when I call for you to come in!

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Queenie: While you head off, I’ll encourage everyone listening to wriggle around to find a comfortable spot, and I’ll play the intro music. This is so exciting!!!!!!! Welcome everyone to a fun bonus episode of Kids’ Poetry Club!

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Queenie: Okay – now the waiting begins. I guess this is the life of a lawyer. Lots of waiting for something to happen, and then it all happens at once. Let me take advantage of the time to check that I have everything I need … book of legal jargon …. Check ….. poems …. Check ….. large pile of paper stuffed into a folder to look like it’s important …. Check ….. glass of kombucha … check. Well, it feels like I have everything I need to win the case.

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Queenie: Ooooohhhh … I hear Little Dazzy Donuts arriving at the Club. Oooohhhh …. Where are my briefs? Lawyers are supposed to have briefs! Oh, there they are … phew …. but do I have them on the right way round? Well, it’s too late now … here goes.

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Queenie: Hi Little Dazzy Donuts!

Oh, hi Queenie! I got your message about popping down to the Club. It sounded urgent. How’s it going filing away all of the poems from the Spring competition?

Queenie: It went well! We put each one into its own protective wrapper, and then filed them all away for safe keeping under S for Spring. Well, almost all of them!

Well, that sounds great. Hang on, why have you rearranged the Club? The chairs are all in rows facing tables at the front.

Queenie: Do you like it? It’s all set up for our court case.

Our court case?

Queenie: Yes! and I’m glad you’re surprised. I read in one of my legal books that surprise can be a lawyer’s friend.

And you’re the lawyer?

Queenie: Well, of course I am. It all started when Chicken and I looked through all of the poems that came in over the last few weeks, and we noticed that that there were four poems on a topic we really liked. We then thought – why not suggest that topic for the Summer competition. After all, if we like reading four of them, wouldn’t it be great to have four hundred of them.

Well, this is all sounding great so far – but I’m still not getting what the Court case is all about.

Queenie: Well, we wanted to put a case to you for our suggestion …. But we weren’t sure how. Then, Chicken reminded me that this is just like what lawyers do in court. So, we watched a lot of hours of TV courtroom dramas, and here we are!

You know, I’m not at all sure that this is actually what lawyers do.

Queenie: Oh well, we’re here now. So, are you ready to start?

Start what?

Queenie: Well, you need to sit over by this table here …. Excellent … and I’m going to sit at this other table.

Then what happens?

Queenie: Ummm … let me check my plan here …. Oh yes … this is where I make my proclamation. Here goes …. (clears throat) …. All rise. All rise for the honorable judge chicken.

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Gosh, Chicken … where did you get those robes and that wig.

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Queenie: Little Dazzy Donuts – Judge Chicken says that will be silence in her court.

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Wow! What have I walked into here.

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Queenie: Your honor, I am representing the …. Ummm … what am I respresenting? …. Ummm … well, I suppose, I am representing the proposal that we use Home as the topic for the Summer Competition.

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Queenie: Witnesses? Yes, I have witnesses? I’ll be calling poetry witnesses before you today to demonstrate that the topic of Home can be a valuable source of inspiration to poets, and so is a worthy selection as the topic for the Summer competition. Ummm … do you have any witnesses, Little Dazzy Donuts?

Witnesses? No – I don’t. I’m not sure anyone should witness this.

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Queenie: Excellent. If we just count wintesses alone, I’m already winning. Okay, I’ll call my first witness – Grace from England.

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Queenie: Yes, your honor. This witness is to demonstrate that the topic of Home can be used in a really fun way by poets to write about those they live with in their home. Grace’s poem is called, The Beast of Bidford. I’ll play Grace’s recording now.

Grace: The beast of Bidford is known as mongrel,who begs for her Sunday feast as soon as her tummy starts to rumble. She always does her nightly task ,you will definitely need a gas mask! But when she hears a mysterious knock on the door, she bounces of the chair and onto the wooden floor. She chases you around the house, like she’s a cat and your the mousse. Stumbling like a clumsy clown toppling over upside down.knocking over the Christmas tree, sadly collapsing on a nearby bee.But may I warn you to never take her to the beach ,unless you want a serious lesson to teach.she try’s to dry herself on your lap ,don5 let her she’ll soak all your maps!Her back is black tummy brown and white, iv never known her to bite.After this warning please be aware the Beast of Bidford will always be waiting there!

Queenie: Applause … cheer ….

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Queenie: Sorry, your honor. I didn’t know that I wasn’t allowed to cheer my own witnesses. Who knew? Well, cheer or no cheer, Grace’s poem was wonderful. Okay, to my second witness, your honor.

Excuse me – can I ask a question?

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Queenie: I’m sorry, your honor. My esteemed colleague, Little Dazzy Donuts, clearly doesn’t understand the rules of your court, and that his chance will come after I have presented all of my poems. (whispering … Little Dazzy Donuts – I think that was your last chance and Judge Chicken will call you in contempt of court next time around … I don’t know what that means, but it’s best we don’t try to find out).

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Queenie: My second witness is Naomi from England with her poem “View From My Kitchen Window”. I’m calling Naomi as a witness because her poem shows how the topic of Home can mean not only what’s inside of a home, but also what’s around outside of a home too. It’s also such a fun poem because it’s written from the perspective of her cat! Okay, I’m pressing the play button now.

Naomi: Squirrels playing up in the trees, The trees sway in the gentle breeze. Bushes blocking out the light with their new spring leaves. Birds singing differently, each one with their own unique sound, I feel like they are teasing me, as they swoop past the window pane! The sky is cloudless, but not empty, The same two magpies flapping about, oh how I wish they’d go out of sight! Bluebells blooming as the suns rays hit them What’s that I see in the distance? Oh it’s a bumble bee, hovering above the beautiful wild flowers. The road peaceful as ever, no one to be seen, Not even a car in the distance. The street light, no longer needed because of the forever lasting daylight. Meow let me out, I want to go and sunbathe, I might even catch a field mouse or two!

Queenie: Let the record show that I really wanted to cheer for Naomi, but that Judge Chicken had already told me not to cheer. So, I cheered in my head.

Queenie: Okay, I’m sure this is already stacking up as a convincing argument, and so here is my next witness. It’s Julia with her poem “Spring in Looe”, which does a wonderful job of showing how the topic of Home can include a poem about where someone lives, like a village, town, or a country. I’ll play Julia’s poem now.

Julia: Looe is the place to go, the lakes in the woods always flow. The stars always shine and glow, the wind always like to blow. The sea is only sometimes low, only some people like to row a boat. The cars in Looe are never slow. There is a sign saying: Yo! Be slow! It's a beautiful day in Looe, Wow!

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Queenie: Yes, your honor. I have two more winesses. Unless you think I need more. I mean, if you think I’m going to lose the case unless I have more witnesses, then I can find plenty more.

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Queenie: Oh, in that case, I just have two more. Here’s Eva from Wales. I’m calling her as a witness because her poem demonstrates how Home as a topic can include activities someone does in the area around their home. In Eva’s poem, she’s walking back home from the beach. Here she is reading it:

Eva: The sand is warm, The sun is out, Let’s go to the beach, To play and shout. It’s a lovely day, Let’s have some fun, And play around, Out in the sun. The flowers bloom, The birds they sing, A happy song, til even-ing. The flowers bloom, The birdies tweet, We sing along, To their beat. We dance and play, And have some fun, Until we feel that, We are done. We’re a bit tired, It’s time to go, We’ll see you tomorrow, For an hour or so.

Queenie: Oh my gosh. Eva’s poem makes me cheer so loud in my head! Okay, here is my final witness. It’s Ben with his poem Jungle Town – it’s such a fun poem about such a fun place. If Ben lives in Jungle Town, he’s a really lucky kid. Well, I think you’ll find that this wins the case for me hook, line, and sinker.

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Queenie: I apologize, your honor … I didn’t realize that hook, line, and sinker was not a legal term. Okay, here’s Ben with his poem.

Ben: It’s a nice warm day in Jungle Town, The animals have just woken up, Otto the Otter is out exploring with Foxy Ken, And Tom the Tiger goes looking for them. Tom roars that they are lost somewhere, The animals all want to help as they care, And follow Tom’s paw marks everywhere. Larry the Lion leads the way, All really worried that they are ok, Then Jerry the Giraffe can see, Otto sleeping safe by a tree, So panic over, all’s well as it should be, And just another day in Jungle Town.

Queenie: Wow! Wasn’t that a great poem. Okay, I think I now rest. 

You rest? Are you sure?

Queenie: I don’t rest? Wow – why does it say rest here in my plan? It says “After your final witness, say you now rest”. Whoops – I think it continues over the page … ah yes, it does … I apologize to the Court. I meant to say that I now rest my case. Over to you, Little Dazzy Donuts.

Well, I’m not sure that I have much of an argument to make here. I actually think that Home is the perfect topic for the Spring competition. But, I did want to make sure you know that Jungle Town isn’t actually a place?

Queenie: It isn’t? Wow! Well, it ought to be. It sounds sooooo cool.

Well, I love the idea of Home as the topic for the Summer competition. There’s so much people can write about – their home, who they live with, where they live now, where they used to live, what home means to them, the town or country they’re from, and their culture. It’s a lovely wide scope, and I’m sure that we’ll get lots of amazing poems and lovely art too. Let’s do it!

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Queenie: Little Dazzy Donuts, Judge Chicken wants to remind you that you are in her court, and that you don’t get to decide who wins her cases. She will make the decision. Let’s listen to her summing up.

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Queenie: Well, I couldn’t have put it better myself! Thank you, Judge Chicken – you are the wisest judge in all the land.

So, did Judge Chicken agree with us?

Queenie: She did!!!!!! Judge Chicken decreed that the Summer competition be on the topic of Home, that it be opened immediately, and that people have until July 30th to send in their poems and art. Isn’t that wonderful!?

It is!!! Of course, I have to wonder just how fair Judge Chicken is when she helped you to pick the poems. Still, seeing as I agree with the outcome, I’m definitely not arguing. It just seems like a bit of a kangaroo court, that’s all.

Queenie: There’s a kangaroo? In the court? Oh my gosh!!!!! Clear the building. Court is dismissed. All rise … and run. I’m off to start work on my poems and art for the competition. Make way … lawyer coming through!

Well, on that high note, let me wrap up by saying “thank you” for joining us for this bonus episode, and to also say how much we are all looking forward to seeing your poems and art on the topic of Home. To enter the competition, just go to Summer competition page on kidspoetryclub.com, and there are full instructions on how to send us your poems and your art. You have until July 30th.

It has been so lovely to spend time with you! Thank you for joining me, Queenie, and Chicken. I hope you enjoyed yourself, and hope you’ll be back for more on Monday when we’ll have a normal episode of Kids’ Poetry Club with a new topic and more fun.

As always, let's finish with our short goodbye poem:

We've had some fun 

with things that rhymed

goodbye Kids 

until next time!

This is Little Dazzy Donuts saying .... keep rhyming!!!

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