Transcript

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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. With us quickly approaching the October 30th deadline for the current competition on gratitude, I’m busy at home looking through all of the hundreds of poems that have come in. It’s a lovely thing to be doing as we’ve received so many wonderful poems about what people are grateful for, thankful for, and appreciative of.  While I’ve been reviewing the poems, Queenie has been busy with a special 24-hour fundraiser she’s organized to raise money for the local food bank. It’s such a good cause, and so I’m so proud of all of the work that she’s put in together with Chicken and Shasta. It started yesterday down at the Club, and so must be close to wrapping up soon. Queenie said that she’d be calling me up to let me know how it’s going.  

SOUND (Phone)

Oh … I bet that’s Queenie now. Let’s answer the phone and see if it is.

Hi, this is Little Dazzy Donuts.

Queenie: Oh, hi Little Dazzy Donuts! It’s Queenie.

Hi Queenie. How great to hear from you! I’m glad you called as I was wondering how’s it all going down at the fundraiser.

Queenie: It’s going so well. We started around this time yesterday, and that means we’ve been going for almost 24 hours. Can you believe that!? 24 Hours!!!!! That’s almost a whole day. The good news is that we’re raising a lot of money for the food bank. I’ve lost track of how much… but the last I heard, it was in the thousands. Isn’t that amazing?

It really is. Well done! So what have you all been doing for 24 hours?

Queenie: We decided that we should all do something challenging so that people feel like we’ve done something worthwhile for their donation. So, I’ve been reading poetry for 24 hours, and Chicken and her Jazz Quartet have been doing a 24-hour jazz concert, and Shasta has been doing 24 hours of standing on two legs – I know that sounds easy for me, you, and Chicken – but, believe you me, it’s tough to watch a sheep balancing on 2 legs for a long period of time. Poor Shasta has almost fallen off the stage several times – but she’s battling on and is well worth a donation.

You’ve read poetry for 24 hours?

Queenie: I have. Fortunately, we each get a few minutes’ break every hour … otherwise there’s no way we would have got through 24 hours. But, even with that, things get a little loopy after a while. I mean, simply being awake for 24 hours is strange enough … but doing it while reading poetry brings a whole different dimension to it. The first few hours were a total breeze. I did an hour of Gwendolyn Brooks, then an hour of Walt Whitman, and then a beautiful hour of William Wordsworth’s poems. At that point, my confidence was sky high. But things started to get a little strange after an hour of Edgar Allen Poe.

I bet it did. How ever have you coped with so much poetry reading?

Queenie: Early on, it was mainly a case of drinking lots of water and staying hydrated. A bit like running a marathon. But, then the lack of sleep meant that I started to see hippos floating around the Club. I’m fairly sure that they weren’t really there … and so I was hallucy … I was halluca … I was hallucu … I was seeing things.  There were floating hippos everywhere … pink floating hippos… and that made it somewhat challenging to do an hour of Maya Angelou. But I survived the hippos.

I hope you’ve been eating as you’ve gone. If you’re reading poetry for 24 hours, you should be on a balanced diet to get you through.

Queenie: Oh, I’m on a balanced diet alright. I rotate between three types of sandwich …. Each hour is banana sandwiches, or avocado sandwiches, or tomato sandwiches. You know me, I love bread … but 24 hours of poetry and sandwiches is straining my love a little. I’m not sure I can face another sandwich. I have just one left – it’s a sad limp tomato sandwich that’s waiting to be eaten, but I just don’t have it in me.

How are the others doing – Chicken and Shasta?

Queenie: Well, the Chicken Jazz Quartet are just rolling. Once they get into their groove, they clearly lose track of time. The thing about jazz appears to be that a single tune can go on almost endlessly …. There was one a few hours ago that lasted at least an hour. Every time I thought it was coming to an end, the trumpet player or drummer would launch into another solo and keep it going. It only actually finished when the bass player drifted off asleep … then, I think the rest of the quartet got the message that it was time for a break.

Talking of breaks, isn’t yours over around now. I mean, shouldn’t you be reading poetry?

Queenie: Oh my gosh, yes!!!!! I’ll get back up on the stage, and carry on. The finish line is in sight now. Oh, did you know that you can listen to all of this? It’s on the local radio – they’re broadcasting the final hour live on air so you can tune in and see how it all wraps up. Oh well, I better dash now.

Thanks, Queenie – I’ll turn on the radio now and listen….. Well, that was a fun call. I know, I’ll put the radio on in the background while I listen to a few of the entries for the current competition on the topic of Gratitude. Some really good recordings have come in, and I’d love to listen to them. But first, let’s turn on the radio.

Queenie: Hi again, everyone, in radio land … and welcome to the Clubhouse here at Kids’ Poetry Club. If you’ve only just joined us, we’re down to the last few minutes of our 24 hour fundraiser in support of the local food bank. You know, this is the perfect time for you to put your hand into your pocket, pull out a credit card, and call us up to donate. There are people in our community who can’t afford to have a proper meal every day, and with your help, they can. So, while you grab your credit card, here’s more poetry and jazz … oh, and Shasta is still here balancing on two legs too. We’re well worth the donation, people! Okay, I’m going to continue by reading out some poems from Little Dazzy Donuts …. Starting with one called Counting Sheep … I tried really hard, but totally failed, to fall asleep in my bed …

Wow! Queenie is doing so well raising money for the food bank. Well, while she reads more poems, why don’t we listen to some that have been sent in for the competition? This first one is from Millie, in England, and is called My Dad. Here, I’ll play the poem for you now…..

Millie:

I think of the trips we take so often

And I think of trucks and coaches.

The bike ramps we always make

With pallets from work, we ride down.

We listen to songs in the car on the road or on the record player.

Songs made in the 80’s

When I think of him, I think of the holidays to Disney

And Germany, and wales and tons more.

There wasn’t a place he couldn’t name, where he hadn’t been to

I loved hearing all the stories about coaches and the cars he has crashed and bikes he has crashed.

His voice I’m hearing in my head right now

I don’t know why but I see him as good as I can actually see him

I suppose it’s because he’s always telling a joke or a story

Travelling the world with me

Thank you, Millie, for your wonderful poem. I really like how you describe your Dad – and you’ve written it in a way that encourages everyone to reflect on their own family members, and their precious memories. You’ve written a very touching poem, and I appreciate that you sent it into the competition, and also recorded it so nicely.

Well, before we listen to another poem, let’s check back in quickly with Queenie on the radio.

Queenie: That poem was called Worms and was by Little Dazzy Donuts. Okay folks … we’re down to the last few minutes, and we’ve raised thousands for the food bank … but every penny counts, and so please keep donating. Before I read another poem, let’s check in quickly with Shasta … how’s it going, my friend?

SOUND (Sheep)

Queenie: Okay – clearly the lesson there is don’t disturb a sheep that’s concentrating on standing on two legs for 24 hours. I’m delighted to report that Shasta is still upright … after a bit of a wobble. As for the Jazz Quartet, they appear to be going strong. The weak-link is the bass player, who does drift off to sleep every now again, but nobody seems to care … and a good drum solo always wakes them back up again. Okay, how about I read another poem while more of you listeners call in to donate. This next one is called “Bee’s Knees”.

Queenie is definitely holding everything together there really well. Imagine raising thousands for the food bank. While she battles on, why don’t we hear another couple of poems. This next one is from Achyut in the United States, and is called “What Is Gratitude?” Here, I’ll play the poem for you now …

Achyut:

What is gratitude? my brain ponders

Thanks to the brain

to help me think

What is gratitude? my eye glances

Thanks to the eyes

to help me see

What is gratitude? my ear listens

Thanks to the ear

to help me hear

What is gratitude? my mouth utters

Thanks to the mouth

to help me speak

What is gratitude? my heart pumps

Thanks to the heart

to keep my beat

What is gratitude? my hand feels

Thanks to the hands

to help me touch

What is gratitude? my stomach grumbles

Thanks to the stomach

to help me digest

What is gratitude? my foot strolls

Thanks to the feet

to help me walk

What is gratitude? my body parts ask

Thanks to the body parts

to keep me healthy

A big THANK YOU to Achyut for your lovely poem. You’ve done a wonderful job of calling out all of the parts of the body that we use, and should be grateful for. I’m sure that very few of give enough thanks for our body, and so your poem really reminds us to do that. Thank you so much for writing it, and for recording it so nicely.

Okay, up next is Oliver in Ireland with the poem “Autumn Care”. Here’s Oliver’s poem …

Oliver:

Autumn leaves are falling right down to the floor,

in September we shall be going to our school once more,

days are getting darker the nights are drawing in,

Halloween is almost upon us and dressing up will begin,

no trick or treating this year for we all must take much care,

we all will still have fun as we are reeling in the year,

let's hope we have fun for Autumn is here.

A big THANK YOU to Oliver. Your poem highlights why we should be grateful for Autumn. There’s so much to do and enjoy this season – and Autumn can be a lot of fun, just like we fun we had at Queenie’s and Chicken’s non-pumpkin patch recently. Who knew that it was possible to carve a cabbage? Thank you so much, Oliver, for sending in your poem and for recording it so nicely.

Okay, let’s turn the radio back up and see how Queenie is getting on.

Queenie: (Wheeze …) Gosh, I think I’m losing my voice … water …. Does anyone have any water?! …. (drinks) …. That’s better. Oh my – reading poems out loud for 24 hours definitely does a number on your vocal chords. Now, where was I? Oh, I know …. We’re down to the last five minutes of the fundraiser. So, let’s start our giant countdown clock that will count us down to the end….. Ummm … where’s the giant countdown clock?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: No, I didn’t get it – I thought you were getting it.

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Ummm … so what do we have that can count us down?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: okey dokey … if that’s all we have, let’s use us …. Well, folks, we’re going to use this egg-timer. Let’s wind it up …. And set it to 5 minutes … and off it goes……. Right, if we just have five minutes to go, I’ll launch into another poem. This one is called “My Specialty” … If you’re coming to dinner, you really should know …

Okay – if we just have a few minutes before the fundraiser wraps up, let’s listen to one more entry into the Gratitude competition, and I’ll then head down to the Club to help them all to tidy up. This final poem comes in from Atira in the United States, and is called “The Wind, The Sky, The Nature”. I’ll play you the poem now …

The crunch of animals scurrying through the leaves

The singing of birds in the trees

Sitting there thinking while I stare at the leaves

Falling from the sky

The wind lightly blowing in my face

The wind blowing the trees making the leaves

Fall faster down from the sky

I sit down and watch

The sun shining through the trees as I sit

The sun shining on my face

Not a cloud to be seen

As I sit I think

The Wind, The Sky, The Nature

Is calm and quiet, I will miss

All of this when winter comes

Thank you so much, Atira, for your lovely poem. You’re described a beautiful scene – animals scurrying, birds singing, leaves falling, the wind blowing, and the sun shining. There’s just so much to be grateful for in nature, and your poem calls it all out wonderfully. Thank you for writing it, and recording it so beautifully.

Okay, well the fundraiser should be wrapping up about now. Let’s turn the volume up on the radio and catch the ending.

Queenie: The timer is counting us down …. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 .. and we’re done!!!!! 24 hours of poetry, sheep balancing, and jazz! And we’ve raised so much money for the food bank. A big THANK YOU to everyone who donated – in the last few minutes, we got calls from Breadmaker Ronnie and Judy down at the Rising Bun, and they donated – thank you! We also heard from Postie Dale, and he donated too … and Bill Ding, and Chef Katie too. Okay, well, we’re wrapping up now … so thank you for listening … and I’ll hand you back over to your normal radio programming ……….. Ummm … does anyone want this final tomato sandwich? It’s a bit limp, and the bread’s quite soggy now, but it’s the only food left in the Club. If nobody else wants it, I’ll eat it …. Oh, we’re still on air, aren’t we?

Okay, well I better head down to the Club to help them tidy up. Before I head off, I first want to thank everyone for joining us for the episode, and also thank our poets today Millie, Achyut, Oliver, and Atira. Also, I want remind you that you can enter your own poetry and art into the competition – but the deadline is October 30th, and so you’ll need to be quick. Just check out kidspoetryclub.com for full details. One final reminder is that we’re back with a normal episode on Monday, with 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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