A selection of poems that are suitable for children from the Scottish Poetry Library online collection.
He’s five year auld, he’s aff tae school,Fairmer’s bairn, wi a pencil an a rule,His teacher scoffs when he says ‘hoose’,‘The word is “house”, you silly little goose.’He tells his Ma when he gets backHe saw a ‘mouse’ in an auld cairt track.His father laughs fae the stack-yard dyke, ‘Yon’s a “moose”, ye daft wee […]
Shote! here’s the poliss,
the Gayfield poliss,
an thull pi’iz in the nick fir
pleyan fi’baw in the street!
See ma mammy;
says eat yer dinner.
Gies me cabbidge.
We cry her Mrs Nae Offence –
That’s whit she likes tae say
‘The door is shut fast And everyone’s out.’ But people don’t know What they’re talking about! Say the fly on the wall, And the flame on the coals, And the dog on his rug, And the mice in their holes, And the kitten curled up, And the spiders that spin — ‘What, everyone out? Why, […]
I like a mouseWhen he’s not in my house,And a ratWhen he goes nibble, nibble, like that.I like a mole; he’s a kind little soul,And a stoatWith a smudge like snow on his throat.I like a shrewWith his nose in the dew,And a hare,For he leaps and runs everywhere;I like a foxWith his little white […]
Tha sìol beag san talamh
Ach ciamar a nì e fàs?
Woolly, woolly bear
Who feeds on the weeds,
Hurry furry chestnut,
Move at speed.
I’ve made my own Museum of / Happiness, which isn’t built of brick / or stone or wood…
What is poetry for? (Maitreyabhandu)
/
/ It’s for weddings
/ and funerals
/ and reading on the train
/ and for taking a person out of herself
/ and bringing…
I opened a book and in I strode
/ Now nobody can find me.
/ I’ve left my chair, my house, my road,
/ My town…
Tune: Ti, ti, ti, ta (wi’ apologies tae Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony)
/
/ I
/
/ Duddingston Loch
/ Skate ower…
