Coming To My Senses

This rhyming, rhythmical senses poem looks at all the different ways that we can use our senses within our surroundings.

When I close my eyes and therefore don’t rely on sight
I need to find another way to tell the day from night.
We take it all for granted, the many little things;
The atmosphere around us, the way that nature sings.

But when I make the effort to find the hidden clues,
I notice there are many other senses I can use.
When my eyes are closed I hear the crickets on the ground,
I know that I am in long grass with peaceful fields around.

Or maybe it’s the choir that I hear up in the trees,
The rustling leaves, the songbirds, and the buzzing of the bees.
Nature clearly whispers messages for me to hear
Alerting me of all the scenes of beauty that are near.

But if I cannot use my eyes and ears for some reason
I’d try to use my sense of smell to recognise the season:
Just as the scent of pollen leads the bees to find the flowers
And cows can smell the air to help them forecast heavy showers.

I’d recognise the harvest-time whilst walking through the field
The smell of freshly cut corn as the farmer reaps his yield
Then touching underfoot, it’s clear the sharpness on the ground
Means that the combine harvester’s already been around.

Then moving from the autumn, and the knobbly pine cone’s touch
I’d find a way to not rely on contact quite so much.
Then opening my mouth I’d taste a snow flake on my tongue
I’d realise that autumn’s gone and winter has begun.

So use your senses, have a go, I’m sure it will amaze.
Now we’ve stopped to think of all these interesting ways:
Tune up your mind and thoughts, while letting go of your defences
Then suddenly, like me, you’ll find you’ve just come to your senses!

Try closing your eyes and writing a senses poem about what something feels like: an orange, a pine cone or an autumn leaf, for example.  Often, our sight takes over so much that we describe colours and shapes more than textures, sounds and feelings, so closing your eyes helps you to concentrate on other senses….Maybe the leaf rustles, or tears as you are feeling it etc. Use all of your senses to write descriptive poems. The simplest of things from nature can be very inspiring.

Tagged as: children's poems, rhyming poems, seasons, seasons poems, seasons poetry, senses, senses poem, senses poetry