HERE ARE THE WINNERS

Why Otters Don't Wear Socks
Poems by Roger Stevens
Illustrated by Sarah Nayler
Published by Macmillan Children's Books
This is Roger's brand new book. It contains: laughs (including chuckles, guffaws and grins); sad moments (some); thrills (many); rhymes; haikus; rude words; adjectives (assorted); made up words (including wham-wig); nonsense and a fat penguin called Pete.

We had some otterly brilliant entries. But don't be upset if you didn't win - there's always next time. And you can still buy the book from
amazon.co.uk click here! A big thank you to Macmillan for judging the entries and awarding the prizes.

WINNERS WINNERS WINNERS WINNERS

Well done! Your book should arrive in the next couple of weeks. If it doesn't - please email the Poetry Zone and tell us.

Owl by Alessio (aged 7)

Owl on the sign,
tiny owl in the rain,
owl in the
r ...r... r
.....a... a... a
......i... i ...i
............n ...n... n

I was looking out of the car,
I saw it,
it was there.

Quiet and still,
with only the noise of the car to disturb it,
and the wind.

Paw Pirates by Oliver Bilbie (aged 8)

Captain Bone Sparrow and crew were on their ship when
Land-a-cluck! Shouted the lookout (who was a hen).
Then from a spitfire Captain Black Claw jumped,
The driver (a mouse) accidentally trumped.
Captain Bone Sparrow drew his sword,
Captain Black Claw just clawed.
It was a great fight but they both fell
Into the water to visit hell.
But they got to the surface and grabbed a rope ladder
Hanging from the side of the ship, when they got up they were madder.
Captain Bone Sparrow nearly got hit,
But he grabbed a tortoise and he didn't feel it.
LAND-A-CLUCK! shouted the lookout,
The mouse driver said, Watch out!
But BANG! They hit the island,
They weren't wiped out - they were on Pieland.

Pieland is a country where the rocks,
Trees and even cars are made of rubber,
It's where they invented the movie Flubber.
Captain Black Claw was the first to fight back,
He ran at a tree but just hit a shack.
Then Flubber came out of the chimney and hit him in the head,
He had bad pains on the hospital bed.
Captain Bone Sparrow brought him some flowers,
With special smell to boost his heart's powers.
Soon he was better and wrote Captain Bone Sparrow
A letter saying I'm coming,
Captain Bone Sparrow was on his ship praying.
When Captain Black Claw climbed up,
Then he called him a dirty pup.
Captain Bone Sparrow's almost identical twin walked out,
He had a very long snout.
And he had a gold medal for boxing,
(That's putting things in boxes)
He also loves helping.
He went and got a big box and put Captain Black Claw inside,
He sealed it with boxing tape and then felt lots of pride.

Out In The Field by Jack Weaver (aged 9)

Out in the field
Early on a summer day

There was a rustle
From deep underground

A cautious look
A twitch of a nose

Two long ears pop out
And stand to attention

A round ball of fluff
Follows close behind

With one big push
From powerful feet

The last bit out is
A cotton wool tail

WHAT AM I?

(Answer: A Rabbit)

Owl by Lucy Fardon (aged 10)

Its head spins round
as if it is held on by one nail.
Eyes, two piercing, glowing marbles.
The body, clusters of feathers
making one soft, curved shape.
The silent, night time glider
moves ghostly across the sky.

Feeling: I feel as if it can see
right into my soul.
Wonder: I wonder why,
why is it staring at me?
Who: who is it
looking for?
There: there the Owl sits
waiting
outside my window.

Flamingos by Urvi Patel (aged 10)

Flaming pink flamingos dancing all the time
They can't stop
Because then they'll drop
Pink, prideful, flamingos

How pretty are they?
They flap their furious wings
While still they give out their ravishing beauty.

Flamingo, flamingo, stop!
Don't eat too much,
Or it'll spoil your outgoing touch to the humans

Your strong sharp pin you use to eat,
So powerful and for so much use
Fighting like a warrior
And for eating like a pig

Fiery flamingo,
Fiery flamingo,
You're my fiery flamingo.

Dronkey by Emily Bate (aged 11)

I am a dronkey,
I am half donkey, half dragon,
I breath flames of fire,
And roar even higher.

I love the children that come to play,
And ride on me throughout the day.

I love the name that they call me,
While I'm trotting by the sea.

But when the sun goes down the children frown,
Because I become a dragon.

They think I'm scary,
And become all weary.

But deep down I'm just a dronkey,
That's who I am,

So don't be upset,
And do not fret,
I am as meek and mild as a lamb

The Hunt by Amy Johnson (aged 11)

Soft and gentle are her deep dark eyes,
Out in the wilderness there she lies,
Waiting, waiting in the grass,
Waiting for her prey to pass.

Wonder of Creation
(A poetic autobiography)
by Alysha Bhatti (aged 12)

Starting as a tiny egg
On a branch high

Wriggly little caterpillar
Hungry am I

Making a chrysalis
In a lay-by

Sleeping in cocoon
Hiding and shy

Wa-key, wa-key
Spring's in the sky

Colours of the rainbow
Borrowed from the sky

Out I emerge
A pretty butterfly

Wonders of creation
I'm here to glorify

Helping Mother Nature
And feasting the eye.

Having done my duty
It's time to say goodbye

Hedgehog at School by Katy Mulvihill (aged 13)

I came across a hedgehog,
On my way to school.
His skin was very pinchy,
And his nose was very cool.
I hid him in my pocket,
So that teacher would not see.
He stayed there very quietly,
Until he pricked my little knee.

The Battle That Wrecked the Petunias by Jessica Weeks (aged 15)

Fierce. Fierce the growl
Vicious the claws the teeth and the eyes
Angry the arched back
Venom flows through the marrow
Through the fur of this beast
Stalking the prey of the savannah
The soft grass of sun
The warm ochre earth
Darting the prey sprints and leaps
A tantalizing dance of master and minion
An endless tango of blood and sweat
Dance!
Dance!
Run!
Leap!
Pounce!
Dance!
The prey staggers, slumps.
The cool red of its blood staining the roughness
Of the carpet.
FLUFFY TAKE THAT THING OUT!

SPECIAL BONUS PRIZE

WHY OTTERS DON'T WEAR SOCKS

We had some fantastic answers to the question - Why Don't Otters Wear Socks?
Fiona Williams suggested it was because otters haven't got feet! Amy Johnson asks, Well have you ever tried to swim with socks on? George Nicholas says otters don't wear socks because they can't decide what colour they should be. Hannah Jade Lees says that otters don't wear socks because then their wellies wouldn't fit and Laura Barry pointed out that anyway,they wouldn't know which sock was for which foot.

But the winner of the special prize is Katie Graves for her answer in verse.

Why Otters Don't Wear Socks by Katie Graves (aged 13)

To wear socks as an otter
Is against all etiquette
For if you are an otter
There are standards to be met.
A mother otter was heard to say
"Now darlings don't wear socks
For when you're in the river
You are appealing to the crocs.
Besides wet socks are nasty,
And when are otters dry?
So don't wear socks my darlings,
And never, ever lie!"

Plus let's have a special hurrah for this entry by someone's mum.

Why Otters Don't Wear Socks? by Sofia Rokerya

They don't wear socks
'Cause on the rocks
Where they run and play
It's wet all day
Socks'll get soggy
Heavy and boggy
Giving damp sore toes
And a runny nose
So socks at bay
The otters swim away!

RUNNERS UP RUNNERS UP RUNNERS UP

These are the poems that very, nearly, nearly, nearly won. Well done!!!!!!

My Mysterious Mouse by Emily Holland (aged 9)

My mysterious mouse welcomes visitors by eating them,
My mysterious mouse's weight is as heavy as a feather,
It is as fat as a bouncy ball,
It is as long as a crocodile on a pogo stick,
And it makes as much noise as a non-stopping radio,
And it's claws are as powerful as a fist.
And when I am fed up with my friends...
I let my mouse eat them!

Aunty Lope by Violet Macdonald (aged 13)

Today I met my Aunty Lope,
With my cousin Ellie Fant,
She was with my Goat Aunt Pam Da
And my Uncle Leo Pard.
My Aunty Lope was feline crook,
Because of her hippo.
And when she went to see the doc,
I found she wasn't lion.

Lion at School by Julia Collins (aged 13)

I came across a Lion
On my way to school
His hump was very tall
And his trunk was very cool

I hid him in my locker
So the teacher would not see
He stayed there very quietly
Until the teachers had their tea.

Dolphins by Nafeesa Ishaq (aged 11)

Dolphins dancing, day and night
Can't stop or they'll get a fright,
From their almost-a-generation-rival the Shark
Who swam them out of the sea-park

Dolphins discoing, sunset till dawn
Make them stop and they'll mourn
Eating rotten old human beings

My dolphin,
Has claws like pins,
Fins like a shark
But not like Shark's, who swam them out of the sea-park

Dolphins, Dolphins that's all I see
Swinging on the swings and yelling, "Whee!"

Dolphins, dolphins jumping up and down,
What you going to do
If they don't come down?

Taking a Polar Bear to School by Mary O'Connor (aged 14)

I came across a polar bear
On the way to school
His face was very fishy
and his smile was very cruel.
I hid him in my schoolbag
So the teacher would not see.
He stayed there very quietly
Until it came to three.

My Woolly Mammoth by Tahmidul Islam (aged 11)

My woolly mammoth goes like this and that,
He's very clever and very sharp,
He loves to dance when I say "bop!"
But sometimes ends up in my boiling pot.
He has no fingers,
He has no toes,
But goodness gracious me he's got a very long nose.

Gorilla at School by Samantha Stackpoole (aged 14)

I came across a gorilla
On the way to school.
His coat was very soft
And his feet were very stumpy.
I hid him in my classroom behind my coat
So the teacher would not see
He stayed there very quietly
Until the teacher put on glasses and war broke loose.
She screamed so loud the gorilla jumped with the fright
And broke the floor of the prefab.
We sat in the rain very still for a few seconds
Until the roof of the prefab came flying on top of us.
We laughed as we sat in the rain on our chairs
With prefab all around us and dust all over the place
With the teacher collapsed on the floor.

The Zeedonk by Hannah Thurlow (aged 12)

The Zeedonk I am sad to say,
He only likes to hide away,
He thinks he's just an ugly thing,
But when alone you'll hear him sing,

'What is it I cannot see?
Why does everybody hide from me?
I AM ugly; I know I'm right,
So I shall be free only at night.'

He's black and white and brown and blue,
Three yellow feet and an orange shoe,
Two black ears and a big pink nose,
And he changes colour as he grows.

He eats grass and loves lobster stew,
He's always sad, tries nothing new,
He only ever sits alone,
And all the time you will hear him moan,

'What is it I cannot see?
Why does everybody hide from me?
I AM ugly; I know I'm right,
So I shall be free only at night'

He likes people, they don't like him,
Sometimes they fear and sometimes they grin,
They only seek when he's eating,
THEY EVEN HAVE A ZEEDONK MEETING!

He's now captured in London Zoo,
When he should be free like me and you,
His cage is tiny, with not much space,
He lies on his back with a miserable face.

'What is it I cannot see?
Why is everyone staring at me?
I'm getting freed with Zebras. OH JOY!
SOON I'LL HAVE A WIFE AND A BABY BOY!
FINALLY

King Of The River by Catherine Phillip (aged 11)

K ing of the fisherman
I 'm a hunter of fish
N o one can catch more than me
G reeny-blue feathers and small beady eyes
F isherman King am I
I 'm beauty and brilliance combined
S maller then most but better than many
H ake, Cod and Salmon are mine
E veryone looks up to me
R iver King

Friend or Foe? by Katie Graves (aged 13)

I stood there on the pavement,
And looked up towards the sky.
I saw your face smile at me.
From oh so very high.

You whispered something to me,
I knew not what about.
I thought you were my friend now,
I laughed and started to shout.

Then suddenly a big thing,
Rose up to the sky.
And started coming closer,
I knew I was going to die.

I thought you were my friend,
I know now that I was wrong.
As your foot came down,
I sang a little song:

"All my life was ruined,
My marriage never came.
I thought I'd have a funeral,
But alas that thought was in vain.

Oh boy, oh boy, how could you
Be so very mean!"
You squashed a little woodlouse,
Then wiped your shoe all clean.

Here are the BEST OF THE REST. We're sorry there wasn't room to show you everybody's.

Monkeys by Keir Bown

Monkeys everywhere,
swinging through the air.
Like a chimpanzee,
why do they act like me?

Down Behind the Dustbin! by Olivia Davies (aged 10)

Down behind the dustbin,
I met a dog called Mollie,
"Would you like to play with me?" I said,
"No, I want my dolly!"

Down behind the dustbin,
I met a cat called Stevie,
"Would you like to have lunch with me?"
"No, I'm watching TV!"

Gorilla at School by Joanne Barrett (aged 13)

I came across a gorilla
On my way to school.
His beak was very big,
And his tusks very yellow.
I hid him in my match box,
So the teacher would not see.
He stayed there very quietly
Until he heard the children scream.

My Cat by George Nicholas (aged 10)

I have a very strange cat
Who plays with a red and green baseball bat,
That's very strange, I hear you say,
But still I'd make you pay,
To see my very strange cat,
Who plays with a red and green baseball bat.

Dinosaur at School! by Juianne Galvin (aged 13)

I came across a dinosaur
On the way to school.
His beak was as long as Croke park and
His toe nails super size too!!!
I hide him in my pencil case
So that teacher would not see
He stayed there very quietly
Until stabbed by my locker key!!!!!

Snake at School by Caitriona Dillon (aged 13)

I came across a snake
On my way to school
His tongue was very slimy
and his back was very colourful
I hid him in my shoe
So that teacher would not see
He stayed there very quietly until
The teacher caught me!

They Are More Like Us Than You Think by Danny Clarkson

Misty is the mother of them all
And enjoys a cuddle from all.
Misty will follow you all day,
As she is calm and soppy.

Sprite-lee by name,
Sprite-lee by nature,
The wild horse,
Struggle tacking him up,
He hates being fussed.

Nemo is messy,
The loose cannon,
Likes to choose friends,
But likes to pick fights,
Nemo is biggest of them all,
The leader of them all.

Bizmark can be stroppy,
But he can also be soppy,
Bizmark is stubborn,
So he disobeys orders,
Bizmark is the oldest of them all,
But acts like the youngest of them all,
Bizmark likes to be out,
And says no in the middle of the road,
Bizmark is the crazy one.

Chippy is always stroppy
But is never soppy,
Chippy's rules are different,
Compared to the others,
Chippy likes to be left alone,
So we leave him to it.

The Hungry Dog by Vivek Varu (aged 11)

The juicy red meat was laid on the floor.
There were lots of other food but that's all he saw.
The fearful dog smelt the meat,
He couldn't stay on his feet.
His mouth watered, and his head turned red,
Just because he wasn't being fed.

He was as hungry as a lion hunting for his prey.
His owners didn't feed him all day.
The poor old dog cries for food.
He is in an awfully dreadful mood.

My Dog by Nadia Sultana (aged 11)

My dog is very sweet
He's very fluffy
And loves to eat meat
But sometimes he can get a bit scruffy

My dog gets all muddy
He can get a little bit moody
He loves to go out when it sunny
And everyone thinks he's a cutie

His eyes shine as bright as a diamond
He has a long wagging tail
And my dog's eyes are the colours of almond
Every morning he wakes up to get the mail
But one day my dog will die and then it will be good-bye

Armadillo by Jennifer O'Donoghue (aged 13)

I came across an armadillo,
On my way to school,
His arms were very heavy
And his eyes were very wide
I hid him in my locker
So that teacher would not see,
He stayed there very quietly,
Until he hurt his knee.

Giraffe at School by Heather O Rourke (aged 13)

I came across a giraffe
On the way to school
His trunk was very long
And his coat looked very new.
I hid him in my pocket,
So that teacher wouldn't see.
He stayed there very quietly,
Until he got hungry and yelled out Feed meeee!!!!!!

Cricket at School by Chloe Sheehy (aged 14)

I came across a cricket
On the way to school
His trunk was very fluffy
And his mouth was full of drool.

I hid him in my polka-dot wig
So the teacher would not see
He stayed there very quietly
Until bitten by a flea.

Pink Worm in my Sock by Luzanna Gorzalcrynska (aged 15)

I came across a pink worm
On the way to school
His ears were very hairy
And his nose was as soft as wool.
I hid him in my sock
So that teacher would not see.
He stayed there very quietly
Until he came out for his tea.

Crocodile at School by Charley O'Hannon (aged 14)

I came across a crocodile
On the way to school
His ears were soft and furry
And his eyes were all red and blurry
I hid him in my shoe,
So the teacher would not see.
He stayed there very quietly
Until I squashed him accidentally.

My Cat by Imtiaz Jalal (aged 11)

I have a little cat,
Who is as small as a hat,
It likes to play in a mat,
With a toy bat.

I taught it some tricks,
With some sticks,
Now it gives my mom some licks,
On the cheeks.

Now it has a baby,
It purrs like it's in the navy,
It goes in the garden and touches the daisy,
And now it became very lazy.

Lions are Great! by Raksha Patel (aged 10)

You may not think but I really do,
That lions are really, really cool,
They run around,
They never make a sound,
They growl and jump,
And never get the bumps.

They have long claws,
And have great big paws,
They are cool,
They are too too cool.

Peacock Poem by Shalini Sagar (aged 11)

Peacocks are great there beautiful and fluffy,
They have blue eyes and millions of feathers,
Peacocks are rapidly fast when they run in the wild,
Their skin is smooth just like pieces of leathers.

I just wish I could have one,
Maybe to cuddle to bed when I get the chills,
Maybe to show off to my friends when I get to school,
Or maybe to keep me company when I'm really, really ill.

I really love them because there so delicate and fragile,
Just one touch could terror them away,
I will be lucky and great full once in a blue moon,
I will get a peacock one of these gracious days.

Hippogriff at School by Regina Cremin (aged 14)

I came across a Hippogriff
On the way to school
His scales were very slimy
And his beak was very cool.
I hid him in my schoolbag
So the teacher wouldn't see.
He stayed there very quietly
Until twenty minutes past three.

Monkey at School by Shauna Sweeney (aged 14)

I came across a monkey
On the way to school.
His coat was very funky
And his jeans were really cool.
I hid him in my schoolbag
So the teacher wouldn't see.
He stayed there for a while
Until he got stung by a bee.

A Mouse at School by Grace Brosnan (aged 14)

I came across a mouse
On my way to school.
His nose was very small
And his tail was very long.
I hid him in my bag
So the teacher would not see.
He stayed there very quietly
Until he got the smell of cheese from my lunchbox.

Bumblebee at School by Julie-Anne O'Brien (aged 13)

I came across a Bumblebee
On the way to school.
His stripes were very monotonous
And his sting was very hard.
I hid him in my schoolbag
So the teacher wouldn't see.
He stayed there very quietly
Until he buzzed with glee.

Peacock Poem by Shalini Sagar (aged 11)

Peacocks are great there beautiful and fluffy,
They have blue eyes and millions of feathers,
Peacocks are rapidly fast when they run in the wild,
Their skin is smooth just like pieces of leathers.

I just wish I could have one,
Maybe to cuddle to bed when I get the chills,
Maybe to show off to my friends when I get to school,
Or maybe to keep me company when I'm really really ill.

I really love them because there so delicate and fragile,
Just one touch could terror them away,
I will be lucky and great full once in a blue moon,
I will get a peacock one of these gracious days.

Monkey by Lauren Cargill (aged 11)

My monkey likes to eat good nutritious treats.
He sits up in his tree smiling down at me.
My monkey gets a frown when hunters hunt him down.
He's happy and hairy and definitely not scary.
He lives in a cage and is always in a vex-up rage.
He used to be all light and free, playing around his family's tree.
He never used to be angry until he met me.
He bounces on the ground to any sort of sound, he never used to be down until his bananas went brown.
But now you bow down because he's wearing the crown.

The Thing With No Name by Jennifer Edwards (aged 12)

It slips and slides through the trees.
It creeps through the forest where no-one sees.
In camouflaged colours of brown and green,
Creatures fear this mean machine.

Its luminous tongue flicks as it hisses.
Females avoid its halitosis kisses.
Its humungous feet bang on the ground,
In the distance you hear this thundering sound.

Its hairy eyebrows are thicker than ice,
Its furry coat infested with lice.
Everyone despises this hideous thing,
Why an I hated? It begins to think.

It was spotted in the forest all alone,
Some boys came along and each hurled a stone.
Its eyes shrivelled up, scared and in fear,
Then down his black face fell a single tear.

Now they feel guilty as they bow their heads in shame,
Was it all a misunderstanding or just a funny game?
So why did it all have to end like this,
Without a hug and without a kiss.

He cuddles himself to keep himself warm,
And turns his head towards the treacherous storm.

He faded into the distance and he was gone.

My Cat Scratched Me! by Mulham Al-Assad

My cat was sleeping on the tree
Young, she used to be

Called her to play with me
After a while, she scratched my skin
Two cuts, I didn't win

Suddenly, I saw a flying bird
Cried and told him what Lucy did
Rarely Lucy scratched I said
A lot of times she licked my face
Tried to play with me in grace
Cats can create a big mess, but
Hearing their meow's is a bless!
Easy, the bird said to me
Don't ever play with Lucy

Me, I said it's my fault
Expert I'm is what I thought

What Am I? by Hannah Jade Lees (aged 11)

Up to 39cm of which tail is less than half,
I am very much smaller than a new born calf.
I roam in the forests of Scotland and Wales,
And still appear new the Yorkshire Dales.
Can you guess yet what I am?

I eat seeds from a wide range of trees,
But my life is not simple - so listen please.
Foraging, harvesting for food all year,
Because the least we can hand each other is care.
Can you guess yet what I am?

The grey squirrel is violating my home,
And I am distraught to say I'll soon be alone.
If you cannot picture yet what I am,
You better get your stomach a sandwich with ham.

My rusty red tail seems to follow me wherever I go,
Darting, prancing, skipping along the forest floor so low.
Are young one's are cute little kittens,
But oddly enough they do not wear mittens.
Have you guessed yet who I am?

Babies call me ... The Red Squiggle

Gazelle at School by Catriona Sheehy (aged 13)

I came across a gazelle
On the way to school
His wings were very big
And his tail was very long
I hid him in my bag
So the teacher would not see
He stayed there very quietly
Until he got hungry and ate the teacher

Monkeys by Smriti Ramakrishnan (aged 8)

Monkeys are so cute
But they also steal the loot
Monkeys are so clever
And they are ever not funny? Never!

Monkeys never do what they are told
And they're very greedy when it comes to gold!
Monkeys are a nuisance sometimes
And without knowing an commit bad crimes

Monkeys are such a dear
But can be a pest when they come near
Of monkeys there are many types
And I bet some of them can play the pipes!

But remember that we have to like monkeys
Although they do make a fuss
For after all without monkeys
There would be no us

Back to the top, please