Catching Frogs and Sticklebacks
Looking back on those childhood years
What a wonderful time we had
Who could climb the highest tree?
Got no fear when just a lad.
No time to say I'm really bored
What with Football and Cricket to play
Tomorrow we're all going bird nesting
Found out where there's eggs of a Jay.
The summer days always seemed so hot
Lasting from June till late September
Catching frogs and Sticklebacks
And chasing Butterflies I do remember.
Scrumping apples from down the lane
And knocking doors and running away
That's as bad as we all got
Fairly tame compared with things today.
No such thing as a play station
D.V.D'S, Computers, or Mobile Phone
You were too busy out doing stuff
When it got dark that's when you went home.
So forgive us for stealing those apples
And the birds eggs from out of the tree
But like I said whenever I got caught
Honestly mister it was him and not me!
poem by Kevin Halls
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A Sixties Childhood
Scrumping apples and kicking footballs
climbing trees and scaling walls
playing marbles in the street
I wonder what became of my mate Pete?
Lots of picnics in the sun
Uncle Stan being so much fun
chasing Butterflies and catching frogs
throwing sticks for our two dogs.
Fishing for Sticklebacks in the stream
licking lollies and eating ice-cream
doing wheelies on my bike
I wonder what became of my pal Mike?
Father playing Cricket on the village green
Mother always washing and keeping the house clean.
the garden colourful with a beautiful scent
and a man in a suit collecting the rent.
Watching T.V. in black and white
all gathered round on a Saturday night
it being so quiet on the day of rest
me and my sister in our Sunday best.
Fell out of the tree hurting my legs
dangerous hobby stealing bird's eggs
Woodpecker, Wren, Starling, and Thrush,
Mother says I'm as daft as a brush.
Now here I sit alone in my chair
with varicose veins and thinning white hair
running and laughing and full of such joy
oh how I wish I was that little boy.
poem by Kevin Halls
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The Giving Tree
Once there was a tree....
and she loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come
and he would gather her leaves
and make them into crowns
and play king of the forest.
He would climb up her trunk
and swing from her branches
and eat apples.
And they would play hide-and-go-seek.
And when he was tired,
he would sleep in her shade.
And the boy loved the tree....
very much.
And the tree was happy.
But time went by.
And the boy grew older.
And the tree was often alone.
Then one day the boy came to the tree
and the tree said, 'Come, Boy, come and
climb up my trunk and swing from my
branches and eat apples and play in my
shade and be happy.'
'I am too big to climb and play' said
the boy.
'I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money?'
'I'm sorry,' said the tree, 'but I
have no money.
I have only leaves and apples.
Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in
the city. Then you will have money and
you will be happy.'
And so the boy climbed up the
tree and gathered her apples
and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time....
and the tree was sad.
And then one day the boy came back
and the tree shook with joy
and she said, 'Come, Boy, climb up my trunk
and swing from my branches and be happy.'
'I am too busy to climb trees,' said the boy.
'I want a house to keep me warm,' he said.
'I want a wife and I want children,
and so I need a house.
Can you give me a house ?'
' I have no house,' said the tree.
'The forest is my house,
but you may cut off
my branches and build a
house. Then you will be happy.'
And so the boy cut off her branches
and carried them away
to build his house.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time.
And when he came back,
the tree was so happy
she could hardly speak.
'Come, Boy,' she whispered,
'come and play.'
'I am too old and sad to play,'
said the boy.
'I want a boat that will
take me far away from here.
Can you give me a boat?'
'Cut down my trunk
and make a boat,' said the tree.
'Then you can sail away...
and be happy.'
And so the boy cut down her trunk
and made a boat and sailed away.
And the tree was happy
... but not really.
And after a long time
the boy came back again.
'I am sorry, Boy,'
said the tree,' but I have nothing
left to give you -
My apples are gone.'
'My teeth are too weak
for apples,' said the boy.
'My branches are gone,'
said the tree. ' You
cannot swing on them - '
'I am too old to swing
on branches,' said the boy.
'My trunk is gone, ' said the tree.
'You cannot climb - '
'I am too tired to climb' said the boy.
'I am sorry,' sighed the tree.
'I wish that I could give you something....
but I have nothing left.
I am just an old stump.
I am sorry....'
'I don't need very much now,' said the boy.
'just a quiet place to sit and rest.
I am very tired.'
'Well,' said the tree, straightening
herself up as much as she could,
'well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting
Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.'
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.
poem by Sheldon Allan Silverstein
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The Blue Tit's Nest
Some childhood memories with us seem to linger
And I recall when I was nine or so
Of seeing blue tit fly from hole in standing tree stump
One April day more than forty years ago.
I stood on tip toes and tried to look inside the tree stump
But all seemed dark in there I needed light
I hurried back home for to fetch a flash lamp
And what I saw a memorable sight.
A little nest of moss and hay and lined with feathers
And nine pale eggs with freckles brown to red
Laid by the little bird with yellow unders
Blue wings and tail and tiny blue cap on head.
I marvelled at this wondrous sight of Nature
How one small bird so many eggs could lay
The memory all those years has remained with me
And I still can picture what I see today.
I still can picture forty five years later
Nine speckled eggs in nest of moss and hay
Some things from childhood always remain with us
And from the memory never fade away.
poem by Francis Duggan
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The Poem Tree
The poem tree is a very safe haven,
for birds and fowl, a hawk, a raven, or
a little barn owl.The tree could be a
silhouette, or the finest place to raise
your pet.The poem tree could bear
the fruit of life.Such as apples and
pears, with morning dew.A wonderful
place to play the flute.The poem tree
could have a nest.Giving birds with
eggs, a place to rest.It could capture
a kite who someone lost, or be bitten
by the morning frost.It could capture
a balloon, which went astray, or drop
all its leaflets by the bay.The poem
tree could have a lollipop, or maybe
a candycane, umbrella branches, to
stop the rain.The tree could protect
all animals, from an oncoming flood,
and keep all the tree bugs out of the
mud.Above the tree the sun will shine.
Home for a raccoon, or a porcupine..
The Poem Tree by Kim Robin Edwards
Copyright 2011.All rights reserved.
poem by Kim Robin Edwards
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Treecreepers
Elusive birds them one don't often see
Treecreepers build their cup shaped nest of bark behind loose bark of tree
From predators concealed and hidden away
And pinkish spotted eggs the female lay.
Shy woodland birds of humans they show respectful fear
They climb tree trunks in search of insects and when human to them venture near
Of the tree trunk they disappear to the other side
Of watchers eyes they'd much prefer to hide.
They will never be renowned as birds of song
Though their familiar chirps one hardly could get wrong
The ornithologists and bird watchers on studying them don't spend much of their time
And they seldom have inspired the poets to rhyme.
From the day they leave the nest until the day they die
From ground up they climb the tree and then to the next tree fly
To climb again in search of invertebrates such things they like to eat
They must have great strength in their tiny feet
In wooded places they like to reside
And from predators their cup shaped nest they hide
Shy little birds when human to them venture near
To the other side of the tree trunk they disappear.
poem by Francis Duggan
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At Least
Oh, hmm oh yeah, hmm, hmm, hmm
I'm on way back to Atlanta
About to start a new life
Cause I can't take it here
It seems the more we fight
The more the pressure
I'm in this lonely house
Sitting high up on a hill
Pressin' the buttons on the control
Flipping through channels on TV
Wondering when you're coming home
And take care of family
At least you can call and say I'm busy
At least you can say I'm running late
At least you can give some kind of notice
Let somebody know that you're okay
At least you can take some time to phone
At least you can just one day stay home
At least you can take me out to me
If you love me, you would've done those things
You won't miss me till I'm gone
Impossible to drink from a well that's gone dry, yeah
And every night you come in singing the same old song
How could you do me wrong?
When you know it ain't right
Pressin' the buttons on the control
Flipping through channels on TV
Wondering when you're coming home
And take care of family
At least you can call and say I'm busy
At least you can say I'm running late
At least you can give some kind of notice
Let somebody know that you're okay
At least you can take some time to phone
At least you can just one day stay home
At least you can take me out to me
If you love me, you would've done those things
Take in a movie show, a carnival
A place to go, we can be alone
But instead I'm staring at these matching walls
The weekends spent, a compliment
Flowers sent would've kept me at home
But now instead I'm packing my bags and I'm gone
At least you can call and say I'm busy
At least you can say I'm running late
At least you can give some kind of notice
Let somebody know that you're okay
At least you can take some time to phone
At least you can just one day stay home
At least you can take me out to me
If you love me, you would've done those things
At least you can call and say I'm busy
At least you can say I'm running late
At least you can give some kind of notice
Let somebody know that you're okay
At least you can take some time to phone
At least you can just one day stay home
At least you can take me out to me
If you love me, you would've done those things
All I wanted was a smile
For you to stay a little while
It's too late for it
Cause you forgot the little things, whoa, oh
At least you can call and say I'm busy
At least you can say I'm running late
At least you can give some kind of notice
Let somebody know that you're okay
At least you can take some time to phone
At least you can just one day stay home
At least you can take me out to me
If you love me, you would've done those things
song performed by by Kelly Price
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Little Red Apples
Out of Mother Nature
Came little red Apples'
That were grown
In the Garden of time
But God don't like
Little red Apples'
From which the Devil does dine
Women love to eat little red Apples'
In the Summer time
Men desire little red Apples'
Any old time
Winter, Summer, especially
When the Sun is high
In a clear blue Sky
The Devil does love
Little red Apples'
Man does love
Little red Apples'
Women love
Little red Apples'
poem by Allan James Saywell
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Tree Climbing
When I was 6 years of age,
I would go tree climbing all through the day.
My older brother would say to his friends,
“My sister Suzy can climb highest, you want to bet? ”
I would then look up at the tallest tree,
I knew I could make it without falling on my knee.
Yes, I would go straight to the top,
the top of the highest tree and then I’ld stop,
I would look down to see the world,
I was the happiest little girl.
All the trees where close together,
I felt like a bird with a lot of feathers.
I had made it to where the birds do roam,
I was at the top of the tower at my throne.
This reminds me of “Rising of the Planet of the Apes,
When Cornelius was happy to escape.
Climbing the tallest tree,
watching him brought back memories.
Memories of my tree climbing days,
I will always remember it in a special kind of way.
Written by Suzae Chevalier on August 28,2011
www.purplepoems.com www.christinasunrise.com
poem by Christina Sunrise
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Willow tree by the lake
Willow tree by the lake standing tall since the day one
Home for birds and squirrels, place of fun
Breeze will come and play with her branches
Whistle at them before they move on
Any time, at mid day, at night or at the crack of dawn
Humming bird feeder and bird house hanging all over the tree
They swing back and forth and hang free
All summer it is a fun house as the birds come and go
Rabbits will hop around on the ground below.
Ducks will sit idle or sleep under her shade
Squirrels will carry food up the trunk, not afraid
During winter when nature sleeps no life around
Willow tree will shelter the birds, the squirrels
and even the worms under it's ground.
Many yrs ago I planted the tree, saw it grow day by day
Sat under it, wrote poems, it made me happy and gay
I know one day my time will be up and I will be gone
But my willow tree will still be here, singing with the wind at each dawn.
poem by Syed Karim
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7. Childhood
It was hard when I tried to think back
To remember the bad and the good
Reliving old memories I thought I’d forgot
Way back in my early childhood
My brain started sorting out data
So much how did one childhood cope?
I lived for today’s not tomorrow’s
All new days were full of fresh hope
My winters had snow covered pathways
So deep my poor frost bitten toes
With cotton wool coatings on rooftops
Where long slender icicles froze
In springtime’s the weather was milder
Like frolicking lambs we would play
Hide and seek, football or cricket
Would keep us amused through the day
By summer the sun stayed much longer
And gave off much more of its heat
Sandcastles, seaside and hotdogs
Where often a late weekend treat
Each autumn saw changes in colour
Leaves turned brown with much less green
Days got much darker by teatime
So outside no children were seen
Once again back round to winter
The rough weather fading my tan
My childhood became one year older
With seasons back where they’d began
poem by David Threadgold (2008)
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My Innocent Childhood
soil soil and soil, , playing in the soil,
No fear of disease, no fear of toil.
What a wonderful days that was,
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
Only friend no foes,
no thinking of what dont and what does.
No fear of future, no thinking of present,
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
What was the past, leave it, it surpassed,
what has to happen, lets face when it comes.
Future planning! What is this?
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
Play was religion and play was God,
only thing which gave fear, was my fathers rod.
Crying crying crying a lot, then said love you pappa,
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
poem by Zeya Mallick
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Remember A Day
Remember a day before today
A day when you were young.
Free to play alone with time
Evening never came.
Sing a song that cant be sung
Without the mornings kiss
Queen - you shall be it if you wish
Look for your king why cant we play today
Why cant we stay that way climb your favorite apple tree
Try to catch the sun
Hide from your little brothers gun
Dream yourself away
Why cant we reach the sun
Why cant we blow the years away
Blow away
Blow away
Remember
Remember
song performed by by Pink Floyd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Child's Play
Bang bang your dead
shot by a long wooden stick
pretend to throw a hand grenade
when it was just a bit of brick.
Spot a bird's nest in a tree
a race to get to the top
the boy who was the slowest
had to buy the sweets in the shop.
Staging our own Wrestling bouts
between pals over the local park
thinking you were really tough
when you were still afraid of the dark.
Thinking you were really grown up
having a drink of your Fathers beer
and having a drag on a cigarette
when ever your Mother wasn't near.
Fishing for tiddlers in a dirty stream
with a worm on the end of some string
telling your mates you caught loads
when really you never caught a thing.
Football matches went on for hours
going home covered in grass and mud
we'd think we all played for England
but only one or two of us were any good.
I miss those childhood days I really do
when I was young and so carefree
everything was an exciting adventure
but now I'd need a ladder to climb up a tree!
poem by Kevin Halls
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My Childhood Faded Away
My childhood has faded away
In those days I had no bills to pay.
I close my eyes and remember those days.
Childhood dreams filled with love,
Hide and seek, my baseball glove,
No heavy chains,
Warm summer rains.
Fiery dragons, flying high in the sky,
Pirate ships, Captain Bligh.
Munching sweet apples,
Candy peppermint,
Rosy red cheeks,
Innocense.
Long ago, not by chance,
Under my bed, monsters danced.
Through the years a backward glance,
Wishing I had my bell bottom pants.
Eyes so bright,
Flying a kite,
Birds singing cheeful songs.
Quiet days, star filled nights,
Winter snow, on frozen lawns.
I wish that I was back today,
But I've put that life far away,
My childhood moments that I recall,
Childhood years, were the best of all.
poem by Philip Lore
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Busheled Together
See those apples hanging ripe,
All yet to fall...
From that one tree.
Even though they appear,
To look the same...
If one should examine closer,
Each would have a unique and distinct...
Quality.
Although on that one tree,
One may declare...
Them to have similar identities.
Upon tasting from those apples picked,
One will come to a core...
With seeds inside of it.
And delicious is a sweetness,
When the juice is licked.
But when busheled together from that one tree,
Some may have blemishes.
While others upon inspection may be blemish free.
And all of them have been witnessed,
To be the product of the same tree.
See those apples hanging ripe,
All yet to fall...
From that one tree.
Even though they appear,
To look the same...
If one should examine closer,
Each would have a unique and distinct...
Quality.
And when busheled together,
They are all apples.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Eggs
Catch that bird, catching does disgust
And sit it in your hand, like a canary.
It shall fly, flew it did, and lift it first,
This is to make it flight to enlist the fighter
Of the birds on a regular basis.
Catch or teach the birds so that birth may result in death.
Catch us always, for we are birds with eggs,
And eggs are given to us.
poem by Naveed Akram
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Summer Stars
Do you remember the time when you and i were fine
hiding under the apple tree there was no one but you and me
we would hide from passing cars and we would have the summer stars
and we were better then then we'd ever been before
you came back to me after walking out my door
you would call me on the phone before you even got home
without me you said you were all alone
the cold wind that blows all the things i used to know
how could it play so fast never thought you'd be part of my past
would i trade it all again to get you out of my head?
cause we were better then then we'd ever been before
you came back to me after walking out my door
you would call me on the phone before you even got home
without me you said you were all alone
alone
without me by your side
you said you were all alone
give me one more chance
to prove myself to you
all the little things that i long to do
...(when you run away)
would you trade the course
...(you said that you'd be)
so that i could hold you
...(coming out my front porch)
would it all go away
...(just to see me)
and my heart is breaking
would you hear me baby
as the tears are longing
for what it used to be
song performed by by Taking Back Sunday
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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5. Friends
I remember in the fifties we didn’t have a lot
We were always pleased with everything we had
I remember how we utilised the things that we had got
Making things we knew would make each other glad
I remember sticks of rhubarb were red but mainly green
Tasting sour it would shrivel up your face
I remember hide & seek we tried hard not to be seen
Or running fast and calling it a race
I remember playing football in the middle of the road
Using jackets as a makeshift sort of goal
I remember by the pond on the day we found a toad
Where the tadpoles swam around it in a shoal
I remember in the summer playing out till it was dark
Made up games from almost anything we found
I remember bits of wood that we took down to the park
Wickets, bats a ball we had a cricket ground
I remember setting standards for other kids to beat
Always being there to set the latest trends
I remember summer sun that gave out a pleasant heat
But I remember most those very special friends
poem by David Threadgold (2008)
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From A Suggested But Wrong Tree
They've been reaching to grab apples,
From a suggested but wrong tree.
They chose to accept,
Their own offerings not as competitive.
And...
Their own apples just as sweet.
And far more delicious to nourish and eat.
They have been conditioned to ignore,
The brightness of their own colors...
Many others said they adored.
Letting those apples dropp and rot.
Only to discover too late,
The weakness of their branches...
That could have sustained them to enhance.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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One Hundred Years From Now
One hundred years from now when I am long gone
And there is not one mention of my name
Life it will carry on as it has always
And people will enjoy their weekend game
Of golf or tennis, bowls, football or cricket
Or whatever work free leisure they enjoy
And birds will sing on bush and tree and hedgerow
And lark to sing up to the clouds will fly.
One hundred years from now when I'm forgotten
The migratory waders will fly to the Northern Spring
And raise their families by the Artic waters
The call of Nature is a marvellous thing.
One hundred years from now the crimson lory
Will lay her eggs in cavity in tree
And little blue penguins will nest in their burrows
On grassy heights above the southern sea.
One hundred years from now there will be roses
And wildflowers in the Spring will come to bloom
And despite the high increase in the human population
For Nature's beauty there will still be room.
One hundred years from now you'll have the rich and famous
And the forgotten millions living in poverty
And there will be wars and rumours of destruction
And things won't have changed much in a century.
poem by Francis Duggan
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