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 on my way into the Club, walking down a nice tree-lined street. A lot of the trees are losing their leaves ready for Winter, and so are starting to look a little bare. Now, somewhat unusually, today, the street is also lined with lots of signs. They all say South, with a big arrow that points in the direction I’m walking. My guess is that has something to do with Queenie and Chicken, so I’m going to head around to the back of the Club to find out what they’re up to. Seeing 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 around the back to the garden and see what Queenie and Chicken are up to.

SOUND (Gate)

Queenie: (Whispering) Hi Little Dazzy Donuts.

SOUND (Chicken - Quiet)

Oh, hi Queenie. Hi Chicken. I didn’t see you both up there on the deck.

Queenie: (Whispering) That’s because of our amazing camoflage. It’s just so effective. Come up here and join us.

So, why are you whispering?

Queenie: Well, it’s all part of our special code.

Your special code?

Queenie: Yes – we’re birdwatching, and have agreed a special code.

So, birdwatchers have a code?

Queenie: Well, I’m not sure whether all birdwatchers do – but we certainly do. We didn’t at the start, but then the early lessons of our opening hour of birdwatching made us realize that we really needed a code. For example, it turns out that it really doesn’t help you as birdwatcher if your response to seeing a bird is to suddenly jump up and down screaming, “A bird, A bird. Oh my gosh a bird”. That just scares the birds away. And so the first item of our code is, stay quiet and don’t scream or bounce around. Once we agreed that first item, our birdwatching became instantly more successful.

Well, that makes perfect sense to me. Now, what else is in your birdwatching code?

Queenie: Okay, well item 2 is really directed at Chicken. It states… don’t see what a bird is eating, get jealous, and dash out to try and grab it off the bird. We found out early on that I have no desire at all to fight a bird over control of a worm or bug – however, Chicken has a sixth sense for worms, and so is having to control herself as a birdwatcher.

Great! I’m starting to see why your birdwatching code may not be adopted by all birdwatchers, but is ideal for the two of you. Now, what else is in your code?

Queenie: Oh, just two more items. Both practical, really. Item 3 of the code is … don’t bring out seeds and nuts for the birds, and then eat most of them yourself. Ummm … I’m definitely the guilty party there. And item 4 of the code is … keep our eyes peeled. We learned that one when we put out a load of seeds and while we took a little nap, we missed all of the birds that came and ate it all. Anyway, it feels like we’ve now got a really solid birdwatching code.

You do! Now, what got the two of you birdwatching in the first place?

Queenie: Well, we’ve been so used to being outdoors doing gardening all Spring and Summer. It just feels natural for us to be out in the fresh air – it’s good for our bodies and our minds. So we were thinking about what we could do now that the garden needs less of our attention, and it hit us.

What hit you?

Queenie: A bird. It came out of nowhere … and … well, do I need to say more? ….. other than it’s supposed to be lucky. Anyway, after we’d cleaned ourselves up, we agreed that the bird was actually leaving us a little message about how we should be paying more attention to the birds in the garden. And that bird was right. We get so many bird visitors, and now is the perfect time to get to know them better. You know, watching birds is a lot like watching life – almost everything that happens in life, happens with birds. They’re always busy … they find food … they build homes … they have baby birds that grow up … they move homes … they work together and also have disagreements … they sing … they bathe. I think there’s a lot we can learn from birds.

Well, I’d never thought of it that way.  It sounds really interesting. Do you mind if I join you for a while – I’d love to watch the birds too.

Queenie: Sure – here’s a little stool you can sit on … oh, and we have a Thermos of tea, and so here’s a nice cuppa to keep you warm. Now, while we wait for more birds to arrive, do you happen to know any poems about birds that you could share with us?

I defiinitely do, Queenie. I know the perfect one – it’s called “Feathered Friends”. I’ll read it to you now while you sip your tea:

They’re hopping lots.

They’re in the air.

They’re eating grubs

without a care.

They’re singing songs.

They’re kicking leaves.

They’re on the ground,

and up in trees.

They’re on the feeder.

They’re in the bath.

They’re rummaging through

the cabbage patch.

They’re soaring high.

They’re swooping down.

They’re on telephone wires

all over town.

They’re laying eggs.

They’re building nests.

They’re controlling all our

bugs and pests.

They’re heading South.

They’re heading North.

They’re in flocks migrating

back and forth.

I’m having fun

that never ends,

out here with my

feathered friends.

Queenie: You’re right, Little Dazzy Donuts. That was the perfect poem for our birdwatching. We’ve been watching birds all morning as they’ve hopped and eaten and kicked leaves and sat in trees. It has been quite the eventful morning.

So, did you spot any birds while I read out the poem?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: We did. Not only did we spot birds, we noticed something important too. Three different birds visited the garden during your poem, and they all looked for food in different ways. Our birdwatching guide mentioned that might happen.

What three birds did you see?

Queenie: Well, the first to pop in was a blackbird. That’s an interesting name that, don’t you think? Blackbird. I wonder why they call it that? Anyway, we noticed that the blackbird looked for food on the ground. It ran to a spot, then stopped to look for food and to listen too … and, if it didn’t spot any, it then ran to another spot, and stopped and looked and listened again.  It had a lot of fun at that pile of leaves over there – it was tossing them around with its feet and beak looking for grubs. 

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Oh, you’re right, Chicken. We should write down blackbird in our birdwatching book. We’re keeping a list of all the different types of birds that we see.

What a great idea. Now what was the second type of bird?

Queenie: Chicken spotted this one through her powerful binoculars. It was a blue tit, hanging from one of the lower branches of that tree over there. It was pecking at the bark looking for insects with its short, thin beak. It worked its way up and down the branch until it seemed happy that it had eaten all of the insects, and then it moved up to the next highest branch. Look – it’s still there in the tree working its way around all of the leaves and branches.

So that’s a second type of bird to write down in your birdwatching book. Now, what was the third bird?

Queenie: Oh, that was a sparrow over at the flower bed. There’s some grass at the edge of the flower bed, and the sparrow was working through the grass and plants. It looked like it was pecking at the plants, and also looking for seeds too. So that’s three different birds – two eating on the ground, and one in a tree … two eating insects and grubs, and one eating plants. It’s all so interesting.

It is, and it must help having Chicken’s binoculars. That way, you can see the birds all the way down at the end of the garden.

Queenie: It definitely helps. Although I haven’t yet got the hang of them. I’ve struggled all morning. I just can’t seem to point them towards a bird and, even if I get a bird in my sights, I can’t seem to focus quickly enough. So, I see a series of quite blurry birds. In fact, earlier, I spent five minutes watching what I thought was a blurry bird, only to discover that it was actually a cabbage.

Never mind. You’ll get the hang of them. Your description actually reminds me of a poem I know that’s called “Fuzzy and Blurry”. While you watch for more birds, I’ll read it to you:

My world’s all fuzzy and blurry.

It makes for quite a sight.

I’m spinning dials,

and squinting hard,

but just can’t get

it right.

For sure, objects seem bigger.

I just can’t tell what they are.

They’re just a blend

of colored shapes

that mash-up near

and far.

I’ve tried with one eye open.

I’ve tried with glasses off.

But nothing works.

I may give up.

The whole thing’s just

too tough.

My 20-20 vision

is zero-zero today.

With my focus gone,

the time has come,

to put these binoculars

away.

Queenie: Oh, that definitely reminds me of my experiences with the binoculars today.

Now, with all of the excitement over the birds, I forgot to ask whether you two know anything about all of the road signs I saw on my way to the Club today? They all say South with an arrow pointing towards the Club.

Queenie: Ah yes – that’s us. You’ll notice on your way home that the reverse side of those signs says North with arrows pointing away from the Club.

So what are they for?

Queenie: Well, we started our bird watching this morning, and one of the first things we noticed is that we were seeing a lot of migrating birds. At first, we saw swallows and a couple of cuckoos – they were landing, drinking some water from our pond, and then heading off again on their journey south. Those birds have been around here all Summer, and so were leaving us for warmer weather elsewhere. But then, a few geese landed – those had just arrived from up north where it’s getting really cold, and so they’ve arrived to spend the Winter down here. It was all so confusing – birds landing and taking off from different directions. So, we figured that if it’s confusing for us, it could also be confusing for the birds … and we therefore put up some signs in case any of them wondered which way they should be going.

That’s definitely kind of you. After all, it’s not like birds have maps.

Queenie: Exactly! It says in our birdwatching book that 40% of the world’s birds migrate – just imagine the chaos if they’re all getting lost. Fortunately, the book also explained that birds are really good at migrating, and they use several ways to get them to the right place, including following mountain ranges or coastlines, and rivers too. They also follow the sun for direction, and I don’t know what magnetic fields are, but it’s something to do with those too.

That book of yours is definitely handy, and I am so impressed that you two are enthusiastically watching birds. It feels like a really wonderful hobby. Especially this time of year with so many migrating birds.

Queenie: You’re right. It was because of the migration that we’re camoflaged this way.

Oh yes, I meant to ask you about your camoflage. What exactly is it?

Queenie: Is it? What exactly is it? Look! ….. let me spin around and perhaps it will become clearer.

Nope – I appreciated the twirl, but I’m still no wiser. What are you dressed as?

Queenie: I’m a goose. See? I found an old coat, and then made some feathers by cutting them out of old newspapers. Look – this feather here is parts of the sports page from the Weekly Bugle. I then made some wings out of coat hangers and cardboard, and stuck newspaper feathers on those too. I just figured that more geese would land to use our pond if they saw another goose already down here.

So what is Chicken dressed as?

Queenie: Oh, the same. It’s just that she’s a smaller goose. I don’t know what the official term is – perhaps Goosette or Goose Pup or a Goose Cub. Whatever it is, Chicken is a small goose.

I think the word you’re looking for is a gosling…. Well, you’ve certainly put a lot of thought and effort into all of this. I tell you what, why don’t we open the biccies and have another cup of tea, and I’ll read you a final poem? This one is about birds migrating, and so it fits perfectly. It’s called Migration. I’ll read the poem to you now …

Hang on, birds, I’m coming.

Migration’s sure for me.

I’ll pack my clothes,

and bathroom bag.

Just wait there in a tree.

A Winter in the sunshine

by a pool or sea,

with smimming, sports,

and lots of fun.

It sounds ideal to me.

Who needs a plane, to reach the warmth,

I’m with the swifts and geese.

They know the way,

I’ll follow them.

I’ll get there in one piece.

Come March, I’ll join you coming home.

I’ll be back again by Spring.

So, wait a mo,

for me to pack

and then to grow my wings.

Queenie: That’s so funny – the idea that I could grow wings and migrate. I just couldn’t do it – I’d miss you both so much, and the Club too. I’m very happy staying here for Winter. Plus, I get to keep a close eye on our friend Hedgehog who is hibernating down there at the bottom of the garden. There’s no way I could abandon Hedgehog.

You’re right. We should all stay here for Winter. It’s nice to be around our friends, that’s for sure.

Well, sadly, that was our last poem. Mind you, I’m very happy to stay here on the deck with the two of you and watch birds for a few more hours. Before I do, I’d like to 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. In Thursday’s bonus episode, we’re announcing the topic for our new competition. I hope you’ll join us to hear all about it. You can also learn more at kidspoetryclub.com.

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 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!!!

MUSIC