The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Why is Cauliflower White?

Listen to Sue read her poem ...
“Why is cauliflower white?”
Asked Amy during tea.
“I have a story,” Gran replied,
“Come here, sit on my knee...
One day a long, long time ago,
A storm brought heavy rain.
It rained so much, the colours all washed
Deep, deep down the drain.
The sky, the grass, the tallest trees,
All lost their vibrant hue.
But back then things were different...
The sky was GREEN not BLUE!
The grass, the trees, the flowers,
They weren’t like they are today,
But that all changed the moment
The rain washed their shades away.
A little girl was watching;
She saw with her own eyes,
And after, when the storm had passed...
A rainbow filled the skies!
She grabbed a brush and got to work,
She had to do it fast.
The rainbow was her palette,
And she knew it wouldn’t last.
She filled in the white spaces,
But she thought she’d have some fun:
She changed the colour of the sky...
The grass... the trees... the sun!
She gave such joy to flowers,
They no longer were all dreary,
The butterflies and ladybirds,
She made them look more cheery.
The rainbow started fading then,
With so much still to do,
She quickly painted most things...
But this vegetable slipped through.
And THAT is why to this day on,
Poor cauliflower’s white,
If the rainbow had not gone,
Perhaps it would be bright!”

About the Writer


Sue Lancaster

Sue is a children's writer living in South West London with her husband, two children and pet budgie, Buddy. Before turning her hand to writing, Sue worked in TV as a Production Manager and got her degree in Media Studies at the University of East London. She grew up in Clacton on the coast of Essex and spent much of her childhood writing stories and poems, playing with her three cats, and being tormented by her two older brothers.