- Helen Dunmore - Orange Prize winner - Poetry - Poetry for children - Harbour Seal
Helen Dunmore
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Poetry for children

Harbour Seal
 
Come with the slop of tide up the slipway
come when we’re not looking, come suddenly
cutting salt water like butter and
making a ballet of catching
the fishermen’s litter,

come while we eat our ice-creams and chatter
and make the glow of it happen
from a flash of recognition,
laugh at us as your nostrils close
in your wet black nose,

come for the French student on exchange
flipping the dictionary for your name
saying ‘Seal!’ to her friend,
and for the child looking at you
wondering what it’s like to be you -
come with your fat wet sides shining
cutting salt water like butter and
making a ballet of catching
our hearts’ litter,
and then
go freely again.
 
Poems
Poetry for children
- Smiles Like Roses
- Breeze of Ghosts
- Yellow
- Baby Orang-utan
- Night Cat
- Harbour Seal
- The Speak Mum Speaks
- School midnight
- Big Wicked
- Snow Queen
- Richard the Bad, Richard the Good
- Lubberly
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