Hippo Hygiene
Listen to Kate reading her poem ...
Hippo’s not keen on getting clean.
He’d rather smell.
He loves his squelchy, muddy gunge,
so save your shower gel and sponge.
Never mind what’s right or wrong.
He’d rather pong.
No, don’t bother with the hose.
Leave him soaking to his nose.
Never mind what people think.
He’d rather stink.
Let him do what hippos do –
semi-sink in gorgeous goo.
A little dirt won’t hurt,
so leave him, do!
And forget the clean shirt.
He’d rather smell.
He loves his squelchy, muddy gunge,
so save your shower gel and sponge.
Never mind what’s right or wrong.
He’d rather pong.
No, don’t bother with the hose.
Leave him soaking to his nose.
Never mind what people think.
He’d rather stink.
Let him do what hippos do –
semi-sink in gorgeous goo.
A little dirt won’t hurt,
so leave him, do!
And forget the clean shirt.
This poem is copyright (©) Kate Williams 2024
About the Writer
Kate Williams
Kate has been writing poems for children for over two decades, with 150 - 200 published to date. She has many contributions to anthologies by major publishers, including Macmillan, Oxford University Press, Hodder, Dorling Kindersley and Bloomsbury, with others appearing in arts magazines such as The Caterpillar (Ireland), Cricket Magazine and Better Than Starbucks (USA), and The School Magazine (Australia). Her work has also contributed to national curriculum support material and she shares her writing passion with children in school workshops.
