Transcript

MUSIC

Let's have some fun 

with things that rhyme

welcome Kids 

it's poetry time!

Hip Hip Hurray!

Welcome everyone to Kids’ Poetry Club with me, Little Dazzy Donuts. I’m on my way to the Club.  The Autumn/Fall competition on the topic of gratitude is definitely picking up pace. We’ve been receiving a lot of poems, and art too … and I’m sure that Queenie’s sheep cards are helping to spread the news. All over town, people have been sending and receiving cards with photos of sheep that say THANK EWE, GRATEFUL FOUR EWE, and APPRECI EIGHT EWE. Now, I’ve heard that Queenie has a new idea for spreading gratitude that also helps her with some of the veggies she has ripening in the garden so I’m heading into the Club to hear all about the idea.

Well, I just arrived, so let’s pop in and see what’s happening.

SOUND (Door)

Queenie: Okay, Chicken .. let’s keep sorting these root veggies. We’ll put the potatoes over on this table, and the carrots down there in the sacks. We’ve made good progress, but we still have a long way to go.

Hi Queenie. Hi Chicken!

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Oh, hi Little Dazzy Donuts. How great to see you!

I see that you’re neck deep in potatoes and carrots.

Queenie: Well, we were. We’re actually just knee-deep now. Had you been here an hour ago, then we were definitely neck-deep back then. But we’ve made a lot of progress.

So, what are you doing with all of these spuds and carrots?

Queenie: Oh, we’re sorting them into piles. You see, we’ve been pulling them all up out of the ground, and we’re stocking up the Farm Stand with as many as we can, but it appears that we have grown far more than people can consume. There’s a lesson here somewhere – I don’t know what it is yet, but we’ll figure it out. While we do, we’re sorting them into piles.

So, why piles? Are you planning on doing something with them?

Queenie: Are we ever! We’re putting the carrots in the sacks over there – and that’s because we don’t know what to do with them yet, and we figured that the sacks would keep them safe. And we’re putting the potatoes on the table over in the kitchen ready for our baking.

You’re baking with potatoes?

Queenie: Not yet we’re not … but we will be. We’re going to make potato cakes.

What exactly are potato cakes?

Queenie: Ummmm …. That’s actually a really good question. Strangely enough, it’s the same question that Chicken asked too.

And so what’s the answer?

Queenie: Well, I’ll give you the same answer that I gave Chicken … which is that I don’t actually know what a potato cake is, but I’m going to figure that out when I get into the kitchen and start baking. After all, I have to figure out something to do with all of these veggies. So, I’m going to make potato cakes for my friends as a way of saying “thank you” for all they do for me.

Okay – let me check that I’m following here. You harvested a lot of potatoes and carrots – you’ve brought them into the Club – then you’ve thought about what to do with them – and you’ve decided to bake cakes with the potatoes, and put the carrots into sacks until you’ve figured out how to use them.

Queenie: That’s it EXACTLY! That’s more or less what we’ve been doing for the last hour. In fact, we’ve almost finished sorting the veggies so that we can begin baking!

Well, I really like the idea of you baking cakes for your friends as a way of saying “thank you”. It’s not only a lovely gesture, it also fits perfectly with the topic of the Autumn/Fall competition, which is gratitude. That said, I do have one question.

Queenie: Ah yes – I bet you’re wondering why we’re both wearing Tom & Art Drive-Time Show cooking aprons.

Actually, I was fine with that. I was actually wondering why you’re using the potatoes to make cakes, when you have carrots. Why not make carrot cake? You have so many carrots in your sacks, more than enough for a yummy carrot cake for each of your friends.

Queenie: Oh my gosh – you’re so right. Carrot cake! That’s perfect….. Okay, Chicken … change of plans. Let’s get the carrots out of the sacks and put them into the kitchen, and get all of the potatoes out of the kitchen and into the sacks. We’re going to make carrot cakes!

I tell you what, while you two move around your carrots and potatoes, why don’t I play you a poem that has been sent into the current competition?  It comes from Varsha who lives in the United States, and the poem’s called “I Am Thankful For”. I’ll play it for you now.

Varsha:

I am Thankful for

Healthcare workers helped sick people recover,

Leaders helped by making new plans,

Researchers helped to discover new medicines,

Reporters helped share the news,

Truck drivers helped by transporting supplies,

Farmers and grocers helped by making sure there was healthy food to eat,

Garbage collectors helped by keeping communities clean,

When they went to the market,

Shoppers helped by wearing masks and staying six feet apart,

And kids helped, too, just by staying at home.

It may seem like staying at home was doing nothing. But this was an important job.

A big THANK YOU to Varsha for the wonderful poem. I really like how you’ve called out all of the many people who have helped us through this challenging year, including the role that we played ourselves by staying at home. There’s so much there for us all to be grateful for. Thank you for doing that through your poem, and for recording it so nicely.

Okay then, Queenie – how’s it going in sorting your carrots and potatoes?

Queenie: Oh, they’re all sorted now. We have the potatoes over there in the sacks, and we have the carrots up here on the kitchen tables.

So, you’re all ready to make your carrot cakes?

Queenie: We are! … or, we would be if we actually knew how to make carrot cakes. I mean, we’ve made a strong start in that we have this massive pile of carrots … but there has to be more to carrot cakes than just a pile of carrots …. Oh, I know … we should call up Chef Katie Currant. I bet she knows how to make carrot cakes and can give us a recipe. Let’s call her up now.

SOUND (Phone)

Katie: Hi, this is Chef Katie Currant.

Queenie: Hi Chef Katie, it’s Queenie.

Katie: Oh, hi Queenie. Are you phoning up to talk more about my role as Fairy Godmother in your December show?

Queenie: Actually, Chef Katie, I’m phoning up for some recipe advice – you know, from one chef to another.

Katie: Of course, Queenie. Anything to help – although, I have a quiche coming up of the oven any moment, and so we’ll need to be quick. What do you need to know?

Queenie: Well, I want to make some carrot cakes for my friends. I have a lot of carrots here, and so was wondering how to turn them into carrot cakes. Do you have a recipe you can share?

Katie: I do, Queenie – grab a pen and paper so you can write it down.

Queenie: I have them here all ready, Chef Katie. Fire away.

Katie: Well, I think the first thing to check is … are your carrots grated?

Queenie: Are my carrots great? … ummm … sure – they’re amazing. I harvested them this morning. So, yes, my carrots are great.

Katie: Wonderful. Well the first step is to mix together all of the following ingredients into a bowl. So, mix together your plain flour, vegetable oil, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, eggs, salt, and cinnamon. Then, when you’ve done that, stir in your grated carrots and your chopped walnuts.

Queenie: Oh, hang on Chef Katie – that was a lot in the first step. I’m writing as fast as I can, but I think I missed a few things. I’ve written down vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, salt, cinnamon, my great carrots, and some walnuts … but what did you say about the flowers? And I need a can of soda too? Oh gosh – I’ll just write it down best I can. I’m sure it will be fine.

Katie: Then spoon your mixture into your small individual cake tins, and bake them for about 45 minutes. While they’re baking, you can make your icing. For that, you’ll need cream cheese, butter, and caster sugar. You do have some cream cheese don’t you?

Queenie: Ummm … let me check, Chef Katie … yes … I have some cream …. And oh yes, I have some cheese too. So I have everything I need for the icing.

Katie: Mix all of that together to make your icing, and then put it on top of the cakes after they’ve cooled down … Oh gosh, there’s my timer for the quiche. I have to dash, Queenie. Good luck with your carrot cakes, Queenie.

Queenie: Oh hang on, Chef Katie … what about the carrots … do they really go in whole? …. Won’t they stick out of the cakes? … Chef Katie? Chef Katie? …. Oh, she’s gone!

So, Queenie – how did it go with Chef Katie?

Queenie: Ummmm …. Well, I have a recipe now. That said, there are a few surprises in it … but I think I can pull this off. I mean, just how difficult can it be when you have great carrots like these?

Wonderful! Well, while you mix together all of your ingredients, why don’t I play you another poem?  This next poem comes from Xinyue in China and is called Being Born. Here, I’ll play the poem for you now.

On that sunny morn,

I was successfully born.

I became a part of my country,

and a member of my family.

On that day,

I saw all the grass and trees.

On that day,

I saw all the flowers and bees.

In the womb for my first breath of air,

how that moment is rare!

If I didn’t take that breath,

I’d most likely meet death.

I wouldn’t have those friends of mine,

I wouldn’t see any sunshine.

But I was lucky,

some might even say blessed.

As I was born with success.

If I wasn’t born,

I wouldn’t be able to see, I wouldn’t be able to hear,

I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be there.

Like in the middle of nowhere.

I wouldn’t know that I was in the dark,

while other people are in the park.

But I’m truly grateful,

for I was born.

A big THANK YOU to Xinyue for your wonderful poem. There’s so much in life that we take for granted, and I really like how your poem calls out how grateful we should be for being here in the world, and for all of the wonders that come with life. Your poem really makes me pause, think, and be grateful. Thank you for sharing your poem with us, and for recording it so nicely.

So, if Xinyue’s poem was about being born, our next poem explores growing up, and it comes from Turanya who lives in India. The poem’s called Should I Grow Up? I’ll play it for you now.

Should I grow up

once came a thought

"How can adult life be"

will it be good or

will it be frightening

then I thought

should I grow up

let me ask someone and see

I asked a friend

a senior of mine

I asked

how is adult life

he sulks up and says

oh! it's bad

it's boring and sad

I think you are lucky

but just wait and see

I was disappointed

is this adult life

how bad it can be

I think I need a view

then I found somebody

a cousin of mine

and asked the same

he said

it's cool

it's nice

you must check it out

it's nice

I am confused

what to do

I think I should be chilling

adult life would be thrilling!

A big THANK YOU to Turanya for the wonderful poem. I’m sure that you’re thankful for your cousin who helped you to answer the question and put your mind at ease. I hope that everyone has somebody that they can turn to when they have questions or problems – and we should all be grateful for their help. Thank you, Turanya, for writing your poem and sending it in.

So, Queenie … how are you and Chicken going with the carrot cakes?

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Ummmm …. Keep stirring, Chicken! Don’t give up yet.

So, it’s not going well?

Queenie: It depends greatly on how you define “well”. On the plus side, we’ve used every ingredient we were supposed to use. On the non-plus side, the batter is very lumpy. We’re putting that down to the whole carrots. It seems that no matter how much we stir the batter, those carrots don’t dissolve.

I guess that one of the defining characteristics of a carrot is that it doesn’t dissolve. So, how about the icing?

Queenie: Ah yes … the icing. Well,  it looks exactly like what it is – cheese covered in cream. I’m thinking that this is some new-fangled type of icing. You know, Chef Katie is on the cutting edge of the culinary world, and I bet that she’s experimenting with all sorts of new icing types. This must be one of them.

So, what happens next?

Queenie: Next? Oh, we’re pushing ahead based on the assumption that all of this will turn out great in the end.

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: Okay, you’re right, Chicken – let’s pour the batter into the small cake tins, and then put those tins into the oven.

SOUND (Chicken)

Queenie: You’re right again, Chicken. It is very obvious what we’re making– with at least one carrot sticking out of every cake, it’s easily identifiable as a carrot cake. So, there’s another plus …. Gosh, when you think about it, this is actually going far better than I realized…. Okay, Chicken – if you open up the oven, I’ll slide in the tray of cake tins … and then let’s close the oven door … and now we wait!

While you wait, how about I play you another poem?  Our final poem for today comes from Urvashi in India, and the poem’s called My Sweet Family. I’ll play it for you now.

I love my mother, I love my mother

She improves me too much further

She taught me everything including the weather

She also taught me about the feather

I love my father, I love my father

He taught me about all the farmers

And how in the farms they grow crops together

He always wants to improve my sports further

I love my grandfather, I love my grandfather

He teaches me grammar

He wants to improve my English further

He likes to see Virat kohli the cricketer

I love my grandmother, I love my grandmother

She tells stories of Rohan the joker

To me my brother and to my sister

She also tells us about Sara the juggler

I love my family, I love my family

We all live together

My pet's name is Emily

I want to live with my family forever

A big THANK YOU to Urvashi for the lovely poem. I love how you’re grateful to each member of your family for different reasons. So, not only is family important – each person within the family is too. I’m sure that we’re all grateful for our family and other relatives, and your poem does a wonderful job of reminding us to spend more time appreciating them all. Thank you for writing your poem and for recording it so nicely.

So, Queenie – how are the cakes?

Queenie: Well, they’re out of the oven now. Look! Here are our amazing carrot cakes!

They certainly look … different.

Queenie: They do! I’ll take that as a compliment! As you’ll see, each cake has a carrot sticking out of it … and so, if you want, you can use those carrots as a stick, allowing you to pick up the cake by the stick, and eat the cake off the carrot. Then, having done that, you can eat the carrot! It’s like two meals in one.

I think you might have invented something here. It’s cake on a carrot stick.

Queenie: Now, would you like to be our taste-tester, Little Dazzy Donuts? If you can check that they taste okay, we can then take them around and deliver them to all of our friends. So they know the cakes are from us, we’ll leave each cake on the doorstep together with a THANK EWE sheep card.

Of course, I’ll be your taste-tester. Before I do though, first let me thank everyone for joining us for the episode, and also thank our poets today Varsha, Xinyue, Turanya, and Urvashi. Also, I want remind you that you can enter your own poetry and art into the competition. Just check out kidspoetryclub.com for full details on the competition and how to enter. The competition is open until October 30th. One final reminder is that we’re back with a normal episode on Monday, with a brand new topic, and new poems.

As always, let's finish with our short goodbye poem:

We've had some fun 

with things that rhymed

goodbye Kids 

until next time!

This is Little Dazzy Donuts saying .... keep rhyming!!!

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Okay then, Queenie … let’s try one of these cakes on a carrot stick …. Ummm …. This is definitely different.

Queenie: YIPPEE!!!! Would you like a second one?

Oh, it’s okay. I think one is enough.

Queenie: Okay then, Chicken, off we go to deliver them to all of our friends. See you later, Little Dazzy Donuts!

SOUND (Door)

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