Transcript

MUSIC

Let's have some fun 

with things that rhyme

welcome Kids 

it's poetry time!

Hip Hip Hurray!

Welcome everyone to Kids’ Poetry Club with me, Little Dazzy Donuts. I’m heading to Chicken’s home, in the garden behind the Club, to attend a very special event. Now that we’re into Autumn, the time has come for Hedgehog to begin hibernation, and so Queenie and Chicken have planned a special party to send Hedgehog off in style. Seeing as Hedgehog is noctural, and so comes out at night, the party is happening in the evening … and to make it even more fun, it’s a pajama party!

As I’m not quite at the Club yet, why don’t we take advantage of this time to do our registration? This is where you get to shout out your name and get a Club point for being here. So, on the count of three, shout out your name so that I can hear you through your phone, computer, or radio.

Let the drum roll begin. Here goes …. One. Two. Three! ….. Excellent!

Well, I just arrived at the Club. Let’s head round the back to Chicken’s home and see how the party is going.

SOUND (Gate)

SOUND (Door)

Hi Queenie.

Queenie: Oh, hi Little Dazzy Donuts. Welcome to our special pajama party! Now, you do have your pajamas on, don’t you?

I do – they’re under my coat.  I’ll take my coat off and hang it over here.

Queenie: Oh, I do like your pajamas. They’re a very classic vertical stripe.

Thank you! I thought it was best to go classic. So, where is everyone?

Queenie: They’re in the next room, playing a game of charades. It’s a lot of fun – you just missed Chicken acting out the book, Peter Rabbit. That was so funny!

That sounds like great fun. Before I forget, where shall I put my gift?

Queenie: Oh, we’re keeping them all on this gift table over here, so pop yours on there too.

I must confess, I’ve never bought a hedgehog hibernation gift before, and I wasn’t totally sure what to get … and so I’m appreciative of you putting a few suggestions on the invitation.

Queenie: I’m glad they were helpful. I think this is new for all of us, and so we’re learning as we go. It will certainly be fun to see Hedgehog open these before heading off to the Hedgehog Hibernation Station.

To the what?

Queenie: To the Hedgehog Hibernation Station. It’s quite a mouthful, I know … but it’s such fun to say that we’re sticking with the name.

So what is it?

Queenie: It’s a special nesting home that Chicken and I have built for Hedgehog down by the wildflower garden. If you look out of the window here, you can just about see it in the dusk.

Oh yes – that looks quite grand.

Queenie: Yes – we may have gone overboard a little. Hedgehog said it would be fine to use the normal pile of logs and dried leaves – but Chicken and I just couldn’t bring ourselves to do that. There are just too many sad stories of hedgehogs who hibernate in piles of wood that turn out to be bonfires, and hedgehogs get killed that way. I’ve been telling everyone around town to check their wood piles before they light any fires. It’s important that we protect all of the hedgehogs. So, if you combine that with the fact that Hedgehog is part of the Club now, then it’s only right that we built a proper Hibernation Station.

Well it looks wonderful. Plus I love that Chicken can look out of her window here, and can see exactly where Hedgehog is hibernating. It will be comforting to know that Hedgehog is safe.

Queenie: It will! Now, come and check out this display that Hedgehog helped us to make. We thought it would be helpful for everyone to read a few facts about hibernation. It saves poor Hedgehog having to answer the same questions over and over again throughout the party. Look, we made some posters!

Let’s see. Oh these are interesting. It says on this first one that hedgehogs are one of the true hibernators – along with animals like woodchucks, bats, ground squirrels, and dormice. That means that the animals

are not asleep – instead, their body changes the way it works to save energy and slow down bodily functions. Well that’s interesting.

Queenie: It is. Look – it says that that a hedgehog’s heart normally beats at around 200 beats per minute, but that slows to just 14 beats per minute during hibernation. Just 14! Then, the number of breaths they take drops from a normal 50 per minute down to around 13. So, everything slows down. Now, I tried doing that myself …. But it wasn’t a good idea – I’m just not a hibernator. If I slow down my breathing, I just get light-headed. And I’m not at all sure that I could go for six months without eating! Six hours feels a push, to be honest.

Talking of food, I’m feeling ready to eat myself. Now, the invitation mentioned a buffet.

Queenie: Ah yes – that’s over here. I should probably warn you that much of the buffet is hedgehog-friendly – so, you’ll see a lot of bugs, insects, creepy-crawlies. However, I’ve also made us my famous banana sandwiches! Look – there’s a whole stack of them on the plate at the end of the buffet.

Oh, those look yummy! Thanks so much Queenie!

Queenie: Oh, hang on …. It looks like the game of charades is just wrapping up. I promised everyone that you’d read a poem to them when you arrived. Did you bring any with you?

I sure did!

Queenie: Excellent … let me make a quick announcement. Hi everyone – Little Dazzy Donuts is here, and he’s agreed to read us all a poem….. Over to you, Little Dazzy Donuts.

Thanks, Queenie. I’ve brought three poems with me for the party … why don’t we start with this one here. It’s called, “My Slumber Party”. If you’re all sitting comfortably, I’ll read it to you now …

Nobody slumbers

at my slumber party.

We laugh and we chat.

We eat and we play.

Determined to survive

a whole night and whole day,

without falling asleep,

or having a nap,

so we watch some TV

and play some Mousetrap.

We’re snacking on popcorn.

We’re amped up on juice.

We’re flying around

like apes on the loose.

But just when it seems like

this party won’t end,

I get the urge to sit down

and then finally to spend

time with one eye closed,

and then with the other.

I just have to lie down,

and I finally mutter

“I tried all I could

to be party hearty,

but it turns out I slumber

at my own slumber party”                                                                             

Queenie: Thank you, Little Dazzy Donuts. Well, I’m delighted to report that the buffet is now open. Hedgehog, as our guest of honor, you get to go up first. Feel free to pile as much as you want on your plate – I know that’s important for your hibernation.

So, Queenie – how does that work for Hedgehog? Is it a case of eating six months’ worth of food to get through the next six months?

Queenie: Oh my gosh, no. If a hedgehog ate six months’ worth of food, I don’t think its feet would be able to reach the ground any more – or it could just pop! Now, I must confess that I thought exactly the same thing until Hedgehog told me how it works. Apparently, hedgehogs do eat more before they hibernate. However, the real magic is in how their body burns energy while hibernating. Normally, a hedgehog would burn through its food reserves in 16 hours. But when hibernating, the same food reserves last for 120 days. Isn’t that amazing?

It is! Isn’t hibernation a wonderful thing. It helps animals like hedgehogs to survive the cold months when there’s not much food around, and wakes them back up when it’s warming up and food’s back available again.

Queenie: Okay – now that everyone has a full plate of food, let’s open the gifts. Ummm … how about this one first? Here you go, Hedgehog … this one is from Chicken.

SOUND (unwrapping … CHICKEN)

Oh, it’s a bag. What’s in it?

Queenie: Oh, it’s dried apple slices. Chicken dried them herself, and then vacuum packed them so that Hedgehog has a yummy treat just in case one’s needed mid-Winter. You never know!

What a great idea. Okay, whose gift is up next?

Queenie: This one here is from Shasta and the sheep.

SOUND (unwrapping … SHEEP)

Queenie: Oh, it’s a scarf! What a wonderful idea. It could get cold this Winter, and so having a scarf in your Hibernation Station sounds like it could come in handy. And I bet the sheep knitted this themselves from their own wool … so you know it comes with love. Okay, let’s open Little Dazzy Donuts’ gift next.

SOUND (unwrapping)

Queenie: It’s a book!

Yes – it’s a book of poems. I bought a nice journal, and then wrote a short poem on each page. It’s in case Hedgehog stirs from hibernation and is looking to pass the time a little during Winter.

Queenie: Gosh – what a lovely idea! Okay, it’s my gift now. Here you go, Hedgehog.

SOUND (unwrapping)

Oh, Queenie – that looks ideal!

Queenie: It’s a coundown clock. Just like they have for space launches. But this one doesn’t count down to a rocket taking off – it counts down to Spring. It’s so that Hedgehog always knows how many more days it is until we’re all back together again. Chicken and I wired the Hibernation Station for power, and so Hedgehog can plug it in before starting hibernation tonight and the countdown will have already started.

Well, there’s no doubt, Hedgehog, that you have some wonderful gifts. I hope these keep you company during hibernation and get you through Winter.

Queenie: The moment I’ve been dreading is almost upon us. It’s almost time for Hedgehog to leave for the Hibernation Station. Oh gosh! I keep hoping it doesn’t have to happen – but I know it does. Perhaps one more poem, Little Dazzy Donuts, before Hedgehog leaves.

What a great idea. You know what, given the importance of what’s happening tonight, I feel like a have the perfect poem, Queenie. It’s called “My Long Goodbye” – and it’s all about what goodbyes mean and why they are so important. Here, I’ll read the poem to you now …

When I say “goodbye”,

I say it five times,

so you know what I’m saying’s

not some throw-away line,

but is coming from a place

deep down in my heart.

You can take these all with you

as you now depart.

I miss you already.

More than you’ll know.

I feel empty inside,

from the moment you go.

I’ll be counting the seconds

‘til you safely return,

and share stories of places,

and of all you have learned.

Until then, I’ll be cherishing

memories of you,

and all that we’ve done,

and all we’ve been through.

This world’s just not right,

without you nearby,

but I’m glad that you’re traveling

with my five goodbyes.

Queenie: You’re right, Little Dazzy Donuts. That was perfect. You can carry all of our goodbyes with you, Hedgehog … and know that we’re counting the seconds until we see you again. Okay, everyone, let’s all give Hedgehog one last big hug.

Queenie: Now, you have everything for hibernation – your sweater, your poems, your dried apple slices, and your countdown clock? … Perfect. Now, when you get into the Hibernation Station, plug in your countdown clock – it has a nice yellow glow, and we’ll be able to see that from all the way down here – that way, we know that you’re okay. Okay, well, take care Hedgehog … I’ll be thinking of you … and can’t wait until Spring. Bye!!!!

SOUND (Door)

Are you okay, Queenie?

Queenie: Yeah – I’ll be okay. I’m going to watch out of the window to make sure that Hedgehog gets to the Hibernation Station safely. I can just about make out a hedgehog shape drifting off through the dark…….. It’s just tough, you know. (sniff)

I do. Oh hang on … what’s this here. There’s one more gift on the table. Did Hedgehog forget one?

Queenie: Oh, that’s strange. Let’s see … no, this one has MY name on it. That’s even more strange.

Why not open it up and see what’s inside?

Queenie: Okey dokey.

SOUND (Unwrapping)

Queenie: Oh my …. Look …. It’s a framed photo. It’s me, Chicken, and Hedgehog taken on Chicken’s deck outside. I remember when this was taken – it was after the Games Night … and there’s a little inscription … it says … “To my best friends. See you in Spring. Love Hedgehog”.

That’s relly beautiful. So much so, it’s making me teary.

Queenie: Me too. It shows just what a wonderful friend Hedgehog is.

Oh look out of the window – Hedgehog made it to the Hibernation Station – the lights have gone on inside … so I bet that they’re getting everything ready to start hibernating for Winter.

Queenie: While we watch, do you have a poem that could cheer me up, Little Dazzy Donuts?

You bet I do, Queenie … it’s called “Just Around The Corner”. I think this will do this trick …

When it’s cold or rainy,

or covered in snow,

and the days are short

and there’s nowhere to go.

When the trees are all bare.

The flower beds too.

The birds have migrated.

My thoughts turn to you.

As we all need some one,

a friend or a place,

that gives us some hope

and in my special case,

it’s Spring that I cling to.

I feel happy and warmer,

knowing you’re heading my way,

just ‘round the corner.

Queenie: Oh, that really cheered me up! Thank you! You’re right – Spring isn’t that far off, and it gives us all something to look forward to. Just imagine the party we’ll have when Hedgehog is back with us. What a wonderful thought.

So, how’s it going down at the Hibernation Station?

Queenie: I’m watching. The light is still on, and I’ve seen a shadow moving about … but it seems to be settling down now…. Oh hang on, the light just went off …. And all that’s left now is a beautiful yellow glow of the countdown clock…… It’s now officially started – Hedgehog is hibernating … and the countdown clock is counting us down to Spring….. Take care, my Friend, and see you soon.

Well, I’ll help you tidy up the party things, Queenie. Before I do, I should first remind everyone that there are lots of ways to join in with the club. If you go to kidspoetryclub.com, you can see the PodSnack video for the episode, plus there’s information on how to send your poems and drawings into the club, including your poem and art entries into the Autumn/Fall competition on the topic of gratitude – don’t forget that the closing date for entries is October 30th. You’ll find everything you need at kidspoetryclub.com.

It has been so lovely to spend time with you! Thank you for joining me, Queenie, Chicken, Shasta and the sheep, and, of course, Hedgehog – who we are all looking forward to seeing again in the Spring. I hope you enjoyed yourself, and hope you’ll be back for more next time the Club meets. Join us again next week when we’ll have a brand new topic, and new poems.

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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