From an early age, I felt the need to rhyme things – I think poetry is in my blood as my great-uncle Harry also enjoyed writing poems and many of my family have or had a way with words. My mother worked as a secretary and I remember asking her to type out these poems on her manual typewriter. One of my early memories was lying in bed listening to the clickety-clack of the typewriter keys as she worked downstairs. I always marvel at the speed at which computer technology has advanced – in my lifetime, we have gone from typewriters to word processors to computers to laptops to handhelds …
I Wish I had a Train
I wish I had a train that went along the track
I wish I had a train that went there and back
Its wheels would go click-clickety clack
Its engine would go a shrill toot toot
As if it were playing a shrill, shrill flute
And through the tunnel there’d be hoot hoot!
I remember this as my first ever poem and it was written long before the Mozilla email platform! We were learning about native Americans at school. Back then, everybody still called them “Red Indians”, but that was before anybody had even thought up the concept of political correctness.
Thunderbird, thunderbird, flying through the sky
Thunderbird, thunderbird, flying up high
Thunderbird, thunderbird, thunder will you bring
From your tail, your head, your leg and your wing
Thunderbird, thunderbird, your handsome long curved beak
Thunderbird, thunderbird, good luck you seek
God’s Creation
As the flowers grow
All the buds will show
And the stream will flow
All the grasses tall as the birds call
Thank you, thank you for a lovely day
Hip, hip, hip, hip, hip hooray
Snow
The cold winter wind will blow and then it will snow
Down, down to the earth below, below. It will snow, snow, snow
The snow flakes go down to the earth below, below
Sunshine
I dream of the sun’s golden rays
I dream of the sun’s golden rays
I dream of many, many happy days
I dream of the clouds in the sky
And then I think, “My, oh my”
I dream of a happy day in the sun’s golden rays
I dream I’m in the shade of my sunshade
Drinking ice cream and lemonade
Christmas Time
Christmas time is full of joy
Christmas time is full of joy
For every little girl and boy
Christmas trees and church bells ring out
Every little girl and body will sing and shout
They’ll wonder what this is all about
Christmas crackers go bing, bong, bang
The church bells will go cling, clong, clang
The angels will sing in heaven above
Christmas time is full of love
Every little girl and boy
From Santa will get a lovely toy
Candles and baubles on the tree
Decorations for you and me
Christmas
Snowmen and fir trees
I think I’m going to freeze
Snow falling down
A white blanket on the earth
Jesu’s crown
Jesu’s birth
Christmas Candles
Candles alit upon the tree
Holy peace and harmony
Robin perched upon a gate
Icicles come rather late
Shining stars twinkle in the sky
The Lord Jesus is nigh
Mary cradling her babe
Angels singing clear and still
Santa laughing with Christmas goodwill
Christmas is a season with love above measure
Christmas is as season of happiness and pleasure
Yuletide
The church bells ring
The angels sing
Joy will bring
Love, holly and ivy on the tree
Soft crystal flakes falling down
Frozen lakes, feet by the fire
Joy is nigh
Every Christmas Wish
Every Christmas wish that we hope will come true
Every Christmas wish is especially for you
Every Christmas joy that’s from the Holy Saviour
Every Christmas joy is a child in a manger
Every Christmas joy that’s from the God above
Every Christmas joy, the best one must be love
Every Christmas joy, Christmas crackers and all
The ox is in the stable, the ass is in the stall
The child is in the manger bed, the Lord and king of all
And high above the stable a star is shining bright
To show the world a child is born in Bethlehem tonight
And don’t forget the kindness he’s sent down from above
And don’t forget the kindness, the special kindness of love
The Snowman
Snowy white figure by the tree
Come and see, come and see
Coal black eyes, carrot nose
Likes the nose I suppose
Warmed by the hat and also the scarf
Christmas time makes him laugh
Autumn Goodbye
Autumn goodbye, away birds will fly
No more crispy leaves of crimson or gold
No more ripe berries all red and black
No more wood in the woodman’s sack
No more mist on the hillside today
Winter good morn, winter good day
Not a bit of the sun’s golden ray
Winter good morn, birds fly away
Little Mr Honeybee
Little Mr Honeybee, come with me to a tea party
Come into my garden do, there’s lots of lovely flowers for you
You would buzz around the flowers and hum a little song
You would buzz among the flowers humming all day long
As you hum you’d say “Yum, yum, yum!”
The Fair
I’d love to go to the fair
There’d be lots of things there
Let’s have a try at the coconut shy
Or have a balloon that went to the moon
Or buy a toffee apple too
At the fair there’s lots of things for you
Goodbye (A Swallow’s Flight)
Goodbye swallow, you’ll sing your little song
Goodbye swallow, flying all day long
Goodbye swallow, you’re on your little flight
Goodbye swallow, you’ll be there by tonight
