Here’s a song I wrote using the music from an old song I learned in South Africa.

Click here to download the mp3: Earth

Care for Earth

Water, Air, and Land

(to the tune of “Boobejaan Klim die Berg”)

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V1.

Earth’s the home where we live
It’s such a pretty planet
Earth’s the home where we live
It’s such a pretty planet
Earth’s the home where we live
It has such a lot to give!
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

V2. Water

I can swim in a lake
That’s filled with clean, fresh water
I can swim in a lake
That’s filled with clean, fresh water
I can swim in a lake
Keep it clean, for goodness sake!
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

V3. Air

Every breath is a gift
Breathe deeply and enjoy it
Every breath is a gift
Breathe deeply and enjoy it
Every breath is a gift
That can make your spirit lift
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

V4. Land

Food is good, that’s for sure
We grow it and we eat it
Food is good, that’s for sure
We grow it and we eat it
Food is good, that’s for sure
It grows best on land that’s pure
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

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Sir Jack, the knight, is brave, and smart, and strong
He’s strong enough to fight the dragon, Bill
He knows where dragons do and don’t belong
He fights the dragons when nobody will
Sir Jack is brave, his sword is made of gold
Sir Jack is smart;he studies dragon lore
Sir Jack is brave; he isn’t very old
But Jack will always win the Dragon War!
When Bill, the dragon, started being mean
And burning down the houses with his breath
Sir Jack attacked his flames, and wiped them clean
The water hose he sprayed at Bill was death!
‘Cuz Bill, the dragon, didn’t know he could
But Jack, the knight, extinguished Bill for good!

Yesterday I had the most amazing experience! I was invited to share poetry with some of the students at Parkside Middle School in Manassas, Virginia.
I prepared a worbook for them which included a discussion of 4 poetic devices: Rhyme, Meter, Similie, and Metaphor. Most of the students were already familiar with these devices, so our discussion was not just one-sided!
These students were great! They showed respect and seemed genuinely interested in the material I presented.
I think I may have learned more from them than they did from me!
I gave them the option of analyzing one of my poems, and they all chose a more difficult option instead of an easy one. They chose to analyze my poem, The Ace of Diamonds.
I just want to say “Thank You” again to these wonderful students for the amazing day they shared with me.