Kids Read To Us

This poem is about a centipede telling James (in the book James and the Giant Peach) how the centipede eats. I wish I could eat everything the centipede eats but I'm sure my stomach will hurt. Maybe I'll stick to the peach!

‘I’ve eaten many strange and scrumptious dishes in my time,

‘I’ve eaten fresh mudburgers by the greatest cooks there are,

‘I often eat boiled slobbages. They’re grand when served beside

‘I’m mad for crispy wasp-stings on a piece of buttered toast,

‘I crave the tasty tentacles of octopi for tea

‘For dinner on my birthday shall I tell you what I chose:

‘Now comes,’the Centipede declared,’the burden of my speech:

This is a very interesting and intense poem. It is interesting because there are lots of words that aren't really words at all and that I don't understand. It's intense because it's about killing a creature and it's dark, maybe at night. It is scary and fun to read.

BY LEWIS CARROLL

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;

Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree

And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

This is a long poem. It is a poem about Mike Teavee. Mike Teavee is a character from Charlie and the chocolate factory who always watches TV. It is my favorite poem because it is long and funny. It tells us about what happens to you when you watch too much TV. I had fun singing it, too. I  hope you have fun listening to it.  Roald Dahl is my favorite  writer. I also read all the time. 

The most important thing we’ve learned,

So far as children are concerned,

Is never, NEVER, NEVER let

Them near your television set —

Or better still, just don’t install

The idiotic thing at all.

In almost every house we’ve been,

We’ve watched them gaping at the screen.

They loll and slop and lounge about,

And stare until their eyes pop out.

(Last week in someone’s place we saw

A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)

They sit and stare and stare and sit

Until they’re hypnotised by it,

Until they’re absolutely drunk

With all that shocking ghastly junk.Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,

They don’t climb out the window sill,

They never fight or kick or punch,

They leave you free to cook the lunch

And wash the dishes in the sink –

But did you ever stop to think,

To wonder just exactly what

This does to your beloved tot?

IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!

IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!

IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!

IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND

HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND

A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!

HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!

HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!

HE CANNOT THINK — HE ONLY SEES!‘

All right!’ you’ll cry. ‘All right!’ you’ll say,

‘But if we take the set away,

What shall we do to entertain

Our darling children? Please explain!’

We’ll answer this by asking you,

‘What used the darling ones to do?

‘How used they keep themselves contented

Before this monster was invented?’

Have you forgotten? Don’t you know?

We’ll say it very loud and slow:

THEY … USED … TO … READ! They’d READ and READ,

AND READ and READ, and then proceed

To READ some more.

These are short poems

I hope you have fun listening to this very funny poem. If you like you can write your own poem about your name. What are your favorite things? What silly ideas for a name do you have? Write to me and let me know your ideas!

My name is... - Pauline Clarke 

My name is Sluggery-wuggery

My name is Worms-for-tea

My name is Swallow-the-table-leg

My name is Drink-the-sea

My name is I-eat-saucepans

My name is I-like-snails

My name is Grand-piano-George

My name is I-ride-whales

My name is Jump-the-chimney

MY name is Bite-my-knee

My name is Jiggery-pokery

And Riddle-me-ree,

and ME.

"O Captain! My Captain!" is a poem written by Walt Whitman in 1865 about the death of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Walt Whitman lived from May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892 and was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. 

O Captain! My Captain! BY WALT WHITMAN 

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head!

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,

From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;

Exult O shores, and ring O bells!

But I with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

Thank you for listening to my podcast over the last year. I was feeling super shy when I started the podcast because I didn't want to share my voice. I didn't want to talk to anyone but my family. I read something on a tab my mom had opened on her computer that told me it's okay to use your voice. I started telling myself that I need to use my voice more often. Through this podcast I have been able to practice this and I thank you for listening and encouraging me to do more podcasts. 

This year I'm sure everyone will have a lot of fun with me as I bring you new poems and stories and I plan to publish episodes more often. Also, I want to thank you all for your comments and emails as I continue to develop this podcast. Have a very happy new year!

New Years Poem - Author Unknown

At the sound of the tolling midnight bell a brand new year will begin.

Let's raise our hopes in a confident toast, to the promise it ushers in.

May your battles be few, your pleasures many, your wishes and dreams fulfilled. 

May your confidence stand in the face of loss and give you the strength to rebuild.

May peace of heart fill all your days and may serenity grace your soul.

May tranquil moments bless your life and keep your spirit whole. 

This is my wish for you - Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.

This poem is about 600 men riding into a battle. 

This is a short poem about a little girl/boy sitting on her/his favorite step on the stairs. It is a fun poem and I like it. It reminds me of my grandmas staircase.

This poem is about the awesomeness of the letter 'A'. Like my name won't exist without the letter 'A', or my dad's or my mom's name. Can you think of other things that has the letter A?