earth’s ozone layer
Absorbs ultraviolet rays
It helps to keep us safe
From the sun’s scorching blaze
But as you’ve probably heard
It’s got several holes these days
Now you’ve got to watch out
For those harmful UV rays
So slap on that sunscreen
And whip on those shades
To protect your skin and eyes
From those nasty UV rays
The earth’s ozone layer
Takes care of me and you
Don’t you think it’s time
We took care of it too?
Use ozone-friendly products
And plant a few new trees
To protect our ozone layer
From chemicals and CFc/s.
Rapunzel
Fanie Viljoen
Locked up in a faraway tower of stone,
Lived princess Rapunzel, well, almost alone.
A talkative cat also stayed there with her,
A cynical creature with flea-ridden fur.
With very little to do, but twiddle her toes
Rapunzel would burp or pick at her nose.
Sometimes her cat would snuggle into
Her ample white bosom or crazy hairdo.
See, Rapunzel’s hair had never been cut
For the tower door had always been shut.
She grew her hair mop in thick, stringy strands
Adorned it with bows and golden hair bands.
And then one fair day, a strange voice could be heard.
Rapunzel and her kitty quickly conferred.
“A prince!” cried Rapunzel. Her cat said: “It’s not!”
Who would rescue a princess that eats her own snot?
Rapunzel longed to have a word with the lad,
And if he’s a pauper, that’s really not bad.
Out the window she dropped her stringy long mane
And she hoisted the man up like a cable and crane.
Rapunzel pounced on him when he got to the top.
She drowned him with kisses, though he asked her to stop.
She squeezed and she tickled every inch of the guy.
She salivated on him and then let out a sigh.
Once more the petrified man cried: “Stop, princess, please!”
’Cause his nose started twitching and he let out a sneeze.
Allergic to cats, he beat a hasty retreat.
All he left dear Rapunzel was something to eat.
Vocabulary
cynical – distrustful, negative, pessimistic
flea-ridden – covered with fleas
ample – enough, plenty, large
adorned – added beauty
pauper – beggar, someone who is poor
confer – talk and discuss
mane – hair
pounce – suddenly jump onto someone
salivate – discharge a large amount of the liquid produced in the mouth (saliva)
petrified – paralysed with fear
1. What does the expression “to twiddle your toes” mean?
2. Give another word from the poem for:
(a) beautiful
(b) young man
(c) swoop down
3. Look at line 4, stanza 1. What poetic device is used? Underline the sounds that are repeated.
4. Quote two consecutive words from stanza 3 to prove that Rapunzel had thick, untidy hair.
5. In stanza 3, the word “bows” means ribbons. Give two other meanings for the word “bow”. When words are spelled the same, but have different meanings, they are called . . .
6. The diminutive of cat is kitten. Provide the diminutives of the following words:
(a) frog
(b) tower
(c) dog
7. What poetic device is found in stanza 5? Write down the words.
Memorial gate
Mervyn W. Woodrow
There’s a plaque on the wall of the old stone gate
That stands at the side of our school
Where I and my friends used to run and jump
And shout and play the fool.
And I read one day the names on the plaque
Then the date and the words “Great War”
And
