The Golden Bear Matthew Alvaro, Year 9 I first met my Master in a hospital, All those years ago, When he was red with blood, As ripe as a tomato. Me and my Master went everywhere. Together. To places we’d both never seen before, Broome and Busselton, All the way to Singapore. But adventures at home were just brilliant, Especially the ones outside, And we tasted my Master’s Mother’s Brussel sprouts, Regurgitated iron fluoride. As my Master grew wiser, And stopped caring about aliens, focused on gold, I grew frail, And soon I grew old. Back then I had a life, Back then I had places to be, Then I was ditched for someone else, Girls, if you can believe me. My Fishing Rod and I William Henry, Year 9 The sky birds sing And The small waves tumble Down by the river My fishing rod and I My fishing rod and I Watch the white fish leap Stare at the ripples beneath And enjoy the free show You see, down by the river Anything goes Issues, out of focus Problems, ignored As my head lies upon the grass I look up at the sky of blue It’s as if I’m a single cloud And just like a cloud, down by the river I am free 20.