Here’s a last-minute post for Insect week. Being as flutter-brained as an insect, I forgot about it until today. This bunch all come from my book, Wildlife Poems (2009, now out of print). Incidentally – or insect-entally – the little illustrations are mine too.
Lady-Birdy
Speckledy-dotty,
dottledy-specky,
freckledy-spotty,
spottledy-frecky,
metally-bright,
petally-light,
whoopsy-daisy
beetly-thing.
(I should confess that first two lines were invented by one of my sons, when aged 3.)
Mike and the Wasp
Mike’s like – Yikes!
And the wasp’s like – Zzzzz!
And I’m – Get on y’ bike, Mike!
But Mike’s like – How?
And the wasp’s like circling
And Mike’s doing swipes,
And I’m – Just get cycling, Mike!
But Mike’s like – OW!
Life Sentence
The mayfly may
fly for one May Day.
Drifting, Drifting
Drifting through the air,
legs a-dangle,
skirting nettles, gorse, brambles,
just drifting.
Drifting in your path,
legs a-tangle,
brushing your knee, arm, hair,
just drifting.
Silver-grey as the evening light,
half in, half out of sight,
thread-legs, web-wings, pin-thin body,
just drifting.
You can wave, clap, shout, jump,
run at the thing with a stick,
but the daddy longlegs has never a care,
a-sail in the fairytale August air,
just drifting.
Butterfly Friend
Tiny gift-wrap bow
lifting, drifting, lifting
sky-high
meadow-low
sky-high
lifting
drifting
lifting
lifting me
over the hedgerow
over the rainbow
over tomorrow
Kate Williams
Resources: creepy-crawly poetry-writing + art for school & home:
Butterfly haiku frames & guidance
Bonanza of creepy-crawly rhymes & frames
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Kate Williams 
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