Parrots in the Classroom
Listen to Ian ...
There are parrots in the classroom
and monkeys in the gym.
Yak herds crowd the corridors –
what a mess we’ve gotten in!
Racoons in the lunch hall,
scavenging for snacks.
Giraffes in the library,
peering round the stacks.
Boars all in the staff room.
(No surprises there!)
Cheetahs racing on the field,
an ibex on the stair.
Out in playground puddles
there’s a flappy penguin crew.
Did I really come to school today
or turn up at the zoo?
and monkeys in the gym.
Yak herds crowd the corridors –
what a mess we’ve gotten in!
Racoons in the lunch hall,
scavenging for snacks.
Giraffes in the library,
peering round the stacks.
Boars all in the staff room.
(No surprises there!)
Cheetahs racing on the field,
an ibex on the stair.
Out in playground puddles
there’s a flappy penguin crew.
Did I really come to school today
or turn up at the zoo?
This poem is copyright (©) Ian Brownlie 2026
About the Writer
Ian Brownlie
Ian lives with his family in Marlow, Bucks (UK). He has poems and stories for children in The Dirigible Balloon, Tyger Tyger, Little Thoughts, The School Magazine, Nimblewitlit and The Toy. He has been longlisted for the Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition and Searchlight's Best Novel Opening award. Ian's writing for adults has appeared in SHINE Quarterly, Rough Diamond, Underbelly, Cosmic Daffodil, streetcake and Viridine Lit. BlueSky: @ianbrownlie.bsky.social Instagram: @ibrownlie
