Michael Rosen

Michael Rosen secures his place in this collection on the strength of his classic story, We're Going on a Bear Hunt.  There was a memorable wet day in Mittagong when Madeleine, aged about 4, and I went searching for bears.  We found long grass, mud and even a culvert under the road which made a very satisfactory cave.

We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. What a beautiful day!
We're not scared.

Uh-uh!
Grass!
Long wavy grass.
We can't go over it. We can't go under it.

Oh no!
We've got to go through it!
Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy!

We're going on a bear hunt. We're going catch a big one. What a beautiful day!
We're not scared.

Uh-uh!
A river!
A deep cold river. We can't go over it. We can't go under it.

Oh no!
We've got to go through it!
Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh! 

.....


Rosen's other poems are perhaps not as satisfying but here's a sample, nevertheless:


Down behind the dustbin
I met a dog called Ted.
‘Leave me alone,’ he says,
‘I’m just going to bed.’
Down behind the dustbin
I met a dog called Roger.
‘Do you own this bin?’ I said.
‘No. I’m only a lodger.’
Down behind the dustbin
I met a dog called Sue.
‘What are you doing here?’ I said.
‘I’ve got nothing else to do.’ 

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