Transcript

MUSIC

SOUND (hammering)

Queenie: Hang on Chicken…. Let me just get this joist in place. Gosh that sounds like I really know what I’m doing here! That said, I’m not actually sure what a joist is, so I may not actually be putting a joist in place right now. It just sounds better to say that than to keep calling it the wooden thingy …. Gosh, who knew there was so much terminology in building. Still, there’s definitely something therapeutic about hitting nails with a hammer. Plus, I get to wear this really cool tool belt!

SOUND (horn)

Queenie: Okay … I think it’s in place now. Let me wiggle it around a bit to see if it moves! Nope – it’s firmly in position. So, it’s time for the roof. I’m so glad you have a license to drive a truck, Chicken! Ummm …. You do have a license don’t you?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Well, who knew that? I had no idea that chickens don’t need driving licenses. I suppose that explains why you never see a chicken in one of those student learner cars on the road. Well, I think you need to back the truck into the garden, Chicken ….

SOUND (engine revving)

Queenie: Okay …. I’m going to make sure that you don’t drive all over the vegetables we planted. Can you watch me in your mirrors, and I’ll signal when you should stop the truck? Okay?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Oh … so you can’t see me. Ummm… that’s a problem. Let’s think … how will you know when you’ve backed up far enough? I know … I’ll just shout. Okay then, let’s do this.

SOUND (Chicken .. engine rev)

Queenie: Okay Chicken … keep coming … a little further …. Not much further though, you’re getting close to the lettuces …. Okay, you can stop now …. I said you can stop now … Chicken … CHICKEN!!!!!! Oh no … The lettuces!!!!

SOUND (Engine stopping)

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Oh – sorry. I didn’t realize that you couldn’t hear me. Ummm … how are the lettuces … well, I’m sure these tyre marks will wash off. Okay, let’s lower the roof down off your truck with the crane and get it all fitted before Little Dazzy Donuts gets here. You do know how to operate that crane don’t you?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: My gosh, you’re such a Chicken of the world. Okay, lift up the roof off the back of your truck ….. GREAT ….. now, swing it over here …… ummmm …. I probably shouldn’t be standing under this should I? I’m glad I’m wearing my bright orange hard-hat. Okay, now lower it down onto the top of the walls we built ….. YIPPEE!!!!!!!! It fits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOUND (Crane stops).

Queenie: Well, Chicken, I think we’ve earned a tea break! Climb down off the truck, and let’s open this hamper that I packed for us! Here, I’ll put the blanket down on the ground … and now, let’s see what’s in my containers … ah yes … here are some strawberries … some snap peas … some hummus ….

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Grubs? No – I didn’t pack any grubs! Sorry! But I do have some yummy seeds for you. Here you go. Now, let’s pour some tea out of the flask, sit back, and admire our handy work.

Queenie: Oooohhhh … I can hear Little Dazzy Donuts arriving. He’s going to be so impressed.

SOUND (Footsteps)

Hi Queenie … Hi Chicken.

Queenie: Hi Little Dazzy Donuts. Oh, hang on …. You need a hard hat! Didn’t you see the sign we put up?

The sign? The one back there by the Club? The one that says “Eggs for Sale”?

Queenie: No – not that one. The one next to it.

No – I didn’t. Let me go check it out now….. Oh yes – it says “Eggs for Sale – p.s. Hard Hats Must be Warn”.

Queenie: Let me bring you one of our spare hats.

So, why do I need a hard hat?

Queenie: Well, we’re building!

Gosh, I can see that now. What is it that you’re building exactly?

Queenie: Well, exactly is probably too strong of a word … I think approximately is the word that best describes what we’re doing.

Okay. So, what is it that you’re building approximately?

Queenie: Well, we’re building a home for Chicken. She’s been living in the Club during the night, and spending her daytimes out here looking after the garden for us. That’s quite the commute for a chicken. So, we were noodling on how to help her …and we started to read all of the Summer competition poems that have been coming in. We’ve had so many good poems on the topic of Home. Would you like to join us for our picnic and listen to a few of the poems?

Of course, I would. That sounds lovely.

Queenie: Here, have a few strawberries … and here’s a nice mug of tea.

Oh, I like your mug, Queenie … Keep Calm and Chicken On. I don’t really know what it means, but it has a nice ring to it. So, you’re going to play me some of the poems for the Summer Competition on the topic of Home.

Queenie: Yes! Chicken and I were listening to them, and it made us both sad that she didn’t have a home of her own. When you listen to these poems, it really shows how wonderful and important homes are. That’s what got us thinking about designing a home for Chicken … and one thing led to another … and now here we are building one for her. Here, let me play the first poem for you … it’s from Willow in Ireland, and it’s all about answers to the question, “what is home?” I’ll press the play button now.

Willow: What is home where it has the welcome mat, Is it where you lay your coat or hat, Is it where you sleep, Or where it has everything you keep, What does the word home mean to you, What is home he asks me, Is it where you have your coffee or tea, Is it where are your business comes to life, Or where you talk with your husband or wife, What is home to you, What is home to you he asks that day, So I answer then today, Home is family is life and care, Home is fun, home is fun, home is fun and fair, No ones home is the same, And love is the game, Everyone loves their family it's the reason I love home.

Oh, I do like Willow’s poem. She does such a wonderful job of capturing the many reasons why home is a special place, and I really like how she pays so much attention to the importance of family. No wonder Chicken was listening to these poems and wanting a home of her own. So, which poem do you want to play next?

Queenie: Next? Well, next is Ava from Scotland, with her poem called The Box. You’re really going to like this one. Here. Let me press play now.

Ava: I will put in a box... Three intelligent people who are worth more than gold, One of each of their whispers so I never get scared, One of their warm fuzzy hugs so I never feel lost, One of their continuous smiles so I never feel sad. I will put in a box...All the places we’ve sat on which made memories I could never forget, Moments where sadness wasn’t even a thing, Three seconds where we laughed so much, we couldn't breathe, The table where family meals were shared. I would never lose this box, get too old for it or the people who come with it. I would adorn the box with memories and happiness, Warm whispers that cuddle you with love and care, Love that would never be lost because it will always be there. The people are my family and the box is my home xxx

You were so right, Queenie. I definitely like Ava’s poem. What a clever idea – to think about your home as the box that safely keeps all of the things that you value. I really like how she lists all of those things, like hugs, laughs, memories and happiness. Thank you, Ava, for your lovely poem. So, who’s next Queenie?

Queenie: Let’s see. Oh yes … it’s Clarissa with her poem about Home and it being her happy place. Here, I’ll press the play button now.

Clarissa: A light in the dark, when I’m alone, A safe place to tuck away. My home is my hiding place; my shell, Where I love and live each day. Home is the air that I need to breathe, My only necessity. It’s the cold drink that I crave and need, In a desert of worry. When my saddest thoughts tear me apart, Home is the place where I heal. In my wild sea of troubles and conflict, Home is the peace that I feel. When friendship bonds break and I feel lost, Being at home is the best. In a world of anger and struggle, Home’s where comfort is strongest. In black times when fear rules my body, Home is the medal I’ve won. In the middle of the darkest storm, Clouds part, and home is my sun. Home will always be my happy place. When sadness cuts like a knife. When I’m enveloped in weariness, Thoughts of home bring me to life.

What a wonderful poem, Clarissa. You’ve highlighted how a home can be a safe place for us – a place to heal, a place to feel peace, a place to bring comfort … and a happy place. Thank you so much for sending in your poem, and for drawing attention to how we can all benefit from our home. So, Queenie, who is our next poet?

Queenie: Well, it’s Jack from England. He’s had to stay home, or around his home, for a long time, and so has written a poem all about his experience. I’m sure a lot of people have been through something very similar. Here, let me play Jack’s poem for you.

Jack: Everything Stopped! They closed the schools. Yey! I can play in the paddling pool. But people were getting ill. We have to stay home, not sure when till. The weathers been bright and clear. Birds tweeting, I can hear. Mornings are for school tasks. How much work left? I ask. Sulky, grumpy, tired. Mummy teacher you are fired! Time to play my Switch. And play on the football pitch. Helping with potty training is tough. But haircut and work are the worst stuff. V.E Day I really liked. I’m proud that I learned to ride my bike. Zoom party quizzes are great fun. Baking cakes for in my tum, yum yum. Phones are kind of useful at this time. Talking, messages, FaceTime. I miss my family the most. Writing letters to them to post, I hope I see you all soon. Hopefully by the end of June.

Thank you so much, Jack, for your wonderful poem. You’ve done a great job of capturing how life changed for so many people. At the same time, you end with the hope that you’ll be seeing family again soon. I definitely hope that you do.

Queenie: Well, there’s just one more poem, Little Dazzy Donuts. We’ve received so many, and so Chicken and I just picked out a few for you. You know, more come in every day, and so don’t be surprised if we sit you down to play more over another mug of tea on another day. Although I’m sad that we’ve reached our final poet, the poem won’t make you sad, as it’s really fun. It’s from Charlee in Wales, and is about what her home is like. As you’ll hear, it’s a lot of fun. Here. Let me play it to you now.

Charlee: There's a tigger tiger in my garden, and he's digging through the ground, There's a tigger tiger in my bathroom, and he's splashing all around. There's a tigger tiger in my kitchen and he's eating all the food! He's eating up our treat cupboard, and he's in a terrible mood. There's a tigger tiger in my bedroom, and he's snuggling with my teddies, he wants to eat my fish, but I really do wish, that he would not eat my fish! Now he's in the living room, he's scratching at the telly, He's gone out to the garden wearing my wellies! But wait a minute.... What has he left, is our house totally ruined? Or just a little mess? He's left a can of beans, a toilet roll it seems, and if he's here forever I will have to clean! Now we do tiger school, to teach him not to be mean. He can learn to be tidy and keep my house clean! There's a tigger tiger in my garden, but he's gardening now! He's the best tigger tiger you have ever met. Two years later he's a wonderful pet! And he sleeps with me in my bed

Wow, Queenie – you were right. Charlee’s poem is full of fun. Tigger Tiger sounds a real handful … and a wonderful pet. It must be so nice to snuggle up with Tigger Tiger at bedtime. Thank you so much Charlee for your fun poem, and for bringing it to life by reading it for us.

Well, Queenie, I am so delighted that you found such wonderful poems. I can definitely see why it got you and Chicken thinking about a home for her, and it’s perfect for her to have a home built in the garden behind the Club. Now that you’ve built the home, can Chicken move in today? If so, I’d be more than happy to help you move everything in from the Club?

Queenie: Today? Move in today? No – not at all. We first have to connect her home to the utilities.

Utilities?

Queenie: You know …. Phone, electric, gas. That sort of thing.

Gas? You’re going to connect Chicken to the gas supply?

Queenie: Of course – how else is her gas cooker going to work? Oh, and the satellite installer doesn’t come until Monday … so there’s no way she’s moving in until she has her 100 channels lined up.

Wow! You two have really thought this through.

Queenie: We have, and as nice as it has been to chat and have a picnic, it’s time for us to return the truck. We only rented it for a couple of hours, and the clock’s ticking,

Okay then, while you return the truck, I’ll thank the five poets who shared their Home poems in our episode ….. Ava, Willow, Clarissa, Jack, and Charlee. Don’t forget that you can also enter a poem into the Summer competition on the topic of Home. You can also enter your art. The deadline is July 30th, and you can find all of the detail at the Summer competition page of kidspoetryclub.com.

It has been so lovely to spend time with you! Thank you for being here and 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!!!

MUSIC

SOUND: Truck pulling off and air horn!