FLOWERDALE JUNIOR POETS

The kids at Flowerdale are bursting with great ideas. At a recent ARTPLAY workshop,
children had the chance to write and illustrate their own poem and have them published
in our own chapter “Flowerdale Growing” of “HOME is where the poem is..” (Kidsown
Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9807174-8-4). The project brought children, artists and poets
together for a workshop to develop an anthology of poetry.

Our kids loved the experience and are now published authors.

Flowerdale Primary School Captain and Grade 6 student, Katie Varano had her poem
selected for reading at Birarrung Marr near Federation Square.

LAVENDER
As the night fell, a dragon, savage and angry,
Came out of his den.
He snorted in the clean air and puffed out smoke from his particular nose.
He opened his large, leathery wings,
One powerful flap sent him up into the air,
He flew towards a village, getting hungrier and hungrier with every flap.
Alas, he reached the village, watching the folk run and scream.
He smiled coldly and breathed lava fire all over the folk’s crops.
It all lit up.
The folk fled the village.
The dragon ate his fill and flew away, to find more food.
After a few months, the village crops still smoldered, but rising from the ashes, a single
plant grew.
A lavender had sprouted from the ashes and was standing alone, in the blackened earth.
(KATIE VARANO AGE 11)

School Captain and Poet, Katie with her Prep buddy, Megan
 Spiky tall
Years old
Very branchy
Fun to climb
Best view in the world.
(JESSE BOURKE AGED 10)

This is Jesse

They help us build our houses.

They give us lots of shade Guess what we made?
A cubby House
Guess what we saw?
A mouse!
(MOLLY TEMPERTON AGED 11)

This is Molly

When I’m feeling bad and sour

And sooking in my hanky
I go outside
I smell the flowers
Then I don’t feel so cranky.
(LACHIE HUNTER AGED 13)

This is Lachie