Kate Williams

Here are three FRIEND poems of mine, all published a while back:

MUTUAL WISH – published in My Gang, Macmillan, 1999

If only I was Natalie,
I’d have everything going for me.
She’s a brilliant friend and we gossip no end.
I just wish she was me.

She’s quick, sly, slick, knows every trick,
makes things happen, makes life tick.

She’s a joker, a mimic, a rebel, a cynic – 
looks on life as one big gimmick.

She’s wild and daring past all caring.
There’s just no comparing her 
with cautious, mousy me.

But guess what Natalie said to me
yesterday in the dinner queue – 
suddenly, right out of the blue!
She said: ‘I wish I was you’.

Kate Williams

__________________________________

NEW BOY – published (twice) in The School Magazine, Australia

Last week, a new boy came in the door.
He’d gone to a different school before.
He didn’t join in – just sat on the floor,
so we
made some space 
and found him a place
and told him our names
and taught him our games
and clapped when he won
and laughed at his fun
and now he’s not new anymore.

Kate Williams

DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME   

Published in A First Poetry Book, Macmillan 2012

Jo’s tall.                     I’m small.
She’s vegetarian.      I eat meat.
She’s a swimmer.      I’m an acrobat.
She’s got gerbils.      I’ve got a rat.
She has a sister.        I have a brother.
We’re totally different  from each other!

But in a way, we’re just the same.
We always agree which game to play,
and whatever she says, I was going to say,
and everything we say makes us giggle away,
So we’re not really different at all.

Kate Williams

FRIENDS – we all need them, especially children, as they’re growing up. Classmates, neighbouring kids, cousins, team-mates, other children in the after-school clubs or the Saturday morning activities, grandparents, even pets. Yes, pets can play a vital role for youngsters in loyalty, company and comradeship. You’ll find some child/animal relationships in my new book of animal poems –
Squeak! Squawk! Roar