Treasure
In summer when we go away
and spend time at the seaside,
I like to look for treasures
as I walk the beach at low tide.
I look for empty sea shells and for
pebbles full of sparkles.
Sometimes, I find a mermaid’s purse,
or glass, sea-smoothed as marbles.
At home again, I spread my treasures
where our wildflowers grow.
Like Mary in the nursery rhyme,
I lay them in a row.
And when I’m feeling lonely
or my day has not gone well,
I go out in the garden and I
choose myself a shell.
I watch the birds and insects,
the flowers, the rowan tree,
and, with a shell pressed to my ear,
I listen to the sea.
With a shell pressed to my ear,
I listen to the sea.
and spend time at the seaside,
I like to look for treasures
as I walk the beach at low tide.
I look for empty sea shells and for
pebbles full of sparkles.
Sometimes, I find a mermaid’s purse,
or glass, sea-smoothed as marbles.
At home again, I spread my treasures
where our wildflowers grow.
Like Mary in the nursery rhyme,
I lay them in a row.
And when I’m feeling lonely
or my day has not gone well,
I go out in the garden and I
choose myself a shell.
I watch the birds and insects,
the flowers, the rowan tree,
and, with a shell pressed to my ear,
I listen to the sea.
With a shell pressed to my ear,
I listen to the sea.
This poem is copyright (©) Rhona Stephens 2026
About the Writer
Rhona Stephens
Rhona Stephens grew up in Northern Ireland and now lives in Scotland. She loves words and music, living in the country and visiting the coast, especially the north coast of Ireland. You can find her poems for children in Tyger Tyger, The Toy, Parakeet, Dirigible Balloon, PaperBound, Little Thoughts Press, Charles Causley Trust, and Children’s Poetry Summit.
