Susan Noyes Anderson » Children’s Poetry

Ode Owed to a Tree

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:03:36 +0000

When life is getting hard for me,

I climb up in my favorite tree

and look down on the world below

where grass is green and flowers grow.

I start to feel good sitting there,

secure within my branchy chair.

Up high, the things that made me frown

look way too small to bring me down.

The sky’s more blue; the sun’s more bright,

and all my dark clouds turn out white

when I climb up my favorite tree.

Oh, what a friend he is to me!

Grandpa’s A Really Good Guy, Oh My!

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:19:24 +0000

Grandpa’s a really good guy.

He knows how to make a kid fly.

He fills up his jeanses

with bright jelly beanses

and blasts our blood sugar sky-high.

~ the end ~

but not the end

Christmas Bliss

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:31:23 +0000

Christmas Bliss

We’re picking out a Christmas tree.

Oh boy, I just can’t wait!

December 25th is near––

It’s time to celebrate.

The family piles into our car

and finds the biggest lot.

“Let’s get the best,” my mother says,

“the very best they’ve got!”

But this one’s crooked, that one’s short,

and those are almost dead.

The rest have broken branches, holes,

or something worse instead.

Five hours pass and still no tree;

my dad’s about to break.

“You want the perfect tree?” he growls.

“Then let’s go buy a fake!”

The Magic Tree

admin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:45:43 +0000

for Jeremiah, Carli and Bryce

c2009 Susan Noyes Anderson

My best friend is a live oak tree.

His branches shade and shelter me.

Beneath these arms of green, each day,

I come to sit and read and play.

If you look up and squint your eyes,

think hard of golden butterflies,

and drink one drop of morning dew,

you’ll see him smiling down on you.

Not every grown-up sees his face

but Grandpa sees it (just in case

you don’t believe me) and what’s more;

around the back, we’ve found a door.

A tiny door, for elf or gnome,

or other folk who make a home

inside my wondrous, magic tree.

Each night, they leave a gift…for me!

Tooth Traffic

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:37:32 +0000

I am losing my teeth
one by two, two by three;
and they’re growing back
crooked as crooked can be.
Some curve left, some curve right,
but not one tooth goes straight.
My two front teeth are posed
in a large figure eight!
From the way things look now
it should not be too long
till the front ones grow back
where the back ones belong.
A disaster, because
what will happen, you see,
is the back ones will grow
where the front ones should be.
It’s a traffic jam!
Tooth Traffic! Out of Control!
SOS! Red Alert!
Subject needs Tooth Patrol!
Send a uniformed molar
as fast as you can
to direct all these teeth
back to where they began.

Right-Side-Up

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:33:24 +0000

©1995 by Susan Noyes Anderson, Lollipops

I’m glad the world is right-side-up
instead of upside-down.
With the oceans topsy-turvy,
I’m afraid someone might drown.

All the floors would turn to ceilings, while
the roof would be the ground.
Going upstairs would be downstairs
(and the other way around).

Our mom would always say, “Hey kids,
come pick down all these toys!”;
while our dad would yell, “Pipe up!”, when
we were making too much noise.

Every frown would be a smile, and
every smile would be a frown.
Aren’t you glad the world is right-side-up
instead of upside-down?

Hair Platoon

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:32:33 +0000

©1994 by Susan Noyes Anderson, Poem Train

My hair marches across my head.
Left face. Right face. Full speed ahead.
A hair platoon, in disarray,
With soldiers who will not obey.
Some stepping here. Some strutting there.
Some standing straight up in the air
At full attention, as they please.
I’ve had enough, Hair. Stand at ease.
Obey my orders. Call me ‘Sir.’
Dismissed. Fall out!
(Oops).
As you were.

Pox Stampede

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:31:20 +0000

©1991 by Susan Noyes Anderson, Clubhouse

The pox! The pox!
I’ve got the pox!
Behind my knees.
Under my socks.
Below my feet.
Between my toes.
Way down my throat.
Inside my nose.
I’ve got more pox
than hives have bees
or nests have birds
or forests, trees.
This many pox
I do not need.
I’m going to start
a pox stampede.
I’ll whistle, wave
my arms and shout:
“Giddup there, pox.
We’re movin’ out!”

Hat Trick

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:29:31 +0000

©1993 by Susan Noyes Anderson, Lollipops

I have a bright red fireman’s hat.
My favorite toy, imagine that!
I help to put out fires and then
I climb back on my truck again.
But when the fires are all at bay,
I turn my hat the other way,
and PRESTO! I’m a jungle star––
Safari Sam from Zanzibar!
I track a tiger to its lair,
then face it down with my fiercest glare.
Uh-oh. It’s growling, a terrible sound!
I quickly turn my hat around,
and ZAP! I’m a boy with a fireman’s hat,
safe at home with my pussycat.

Full Count

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:28:39 +0000

©1995, Susan Noyes Anderson, Fan

“You’re out! You’re out!
Strike Three! You’re out!”

“No way. Ball Four!
Ball four!” I shout.
“What are ya, blind?
Inside and low!
Honest. I swear.
It grazed my toe!
It hit my toe,
then bit the dirt.
I’ll take my base.
Leggo my shirt!
You made a bad call!
Tell the truth.
If that’s Strike Three,
then I’m Babe Ruth!”