Rhamphorhynchus (Beaksnout)
Listen to Fiyuri reading Jacqueline's poem ...
I’m sure I saw a pterosaur
Crouching on the sand.
I watched her glide across the bay
And then come in to land.
Her beak was long, and curved, and sharp,
She’d fine hairs on her wings.
My dad was busy on his phone
And didn’t see a thing.
I caught a glimpse of needle teeth,
Her tail trailed in the sea.
My dad was busy playing games,
Not listening to me.
Suddenly she flexed her wings,
Beat once, beat twice, took flight.
“Look, Dad!” I cried. He raised his head
But she was out of sight.
I dragged Dad to the water’s edge;
There’d be footprints left to find.
But the sea had washed them clean away.
There was no trace left behind.
Crouching on the sand.
I watched her glide across the bay
And then come in to land.
Her beak was long, and curved, and sharp,
She’d fine hairs on her wings.
My dad was busy on his phone
And didn’t see a thing.
I caught a glimpse of needle teeth,
Her tail trailed in the sea.
My dad was busy playing games,
Not listening to me.
Suddenly she flexed her wings,
Beat once, beat twice, took flight.
“Look, Dad!” I cried. He raised his head
But she was out of sight.
I dragged Dad to the water’s edge;
There’d be footprints left to find.
But the sea had washed them clean away.
There was no trace left behind.
This poem is copyright (©) Jacqueline Shirtliff 2024
About the Writer
Jacqueline Shirtliff
Jacqueline is a poet and primary school teacher on the Isle of Man. One of her favourite things is helping children to love poetry and reading and encouraging them to be writers themselves. She lives in a rose-covered cottage near the sea and enjoys gardening, crochet, and playing the tuba and harp, but not all at the same time! You can read some of her other poems in The Caterpillar, Tyger Tyger, Northern Gravy, The Toy, and Little Thoughts Press.
