Verses for pre primary children in Indlish

Foreword. As a child, I learnt ‘Rain, rain, go away, come again another day, little Johnny wants to play.’ We in India welcomed the rain, we celebrated its arrival, we longed to go out and dance in it. I also read about houses with bathtubs, foods that included scones and crumpets and games like lacrosse. All unfamiliar in my Indian neighbourhood. Things have changed since then and children now have access to books that deal with their culture, their country, language, food and times. However, I found a need for those attending the little budget school (in Porvorim, Goa, where I work) to have some fun verses that related to their daily lives, which they could learn easily. Many of the students are first generation literate and their parents feel proud when they recite these and, more importantly, understand the words and sentences. This small compilation of some poems is an offering to the future citizens of India, may their lives be healthy and happy. 1. Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday. I washed my face today. I washed it yesterday. Wash today, washed yesterday Tomorrow is still far away. When tomorrow becomes today And today becomes yesterday, Where will today go? That’s what I want to know. *** 2. Counting from One to Ten. One, two, three, Are these rotis for me? Four,five, six, Rice and dal I mix. Seven, eight, nine. These fruits are mine. And T-E-N Is how I spell ten. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 t-e-n *** 3. Parts of my Body. Two eyes, two ears, a mouth and a nose. Two thumbs, two hands ten fingers and ten toes. When I want to clap-clap-clap. Or my arms to flap-flap-flap, I put my hands together, like this. Or raise my arms up, like this. Two legs, two feet, a head and a chin. Two lips, some teeth, one smile and I win. *** 4 About Birds and Animals. Cows are brown and crows are black. Cats say miaow and ducks say quack. Horses are big and mice are small. Dogs are short and giraffes are tall. *** 5 My House. In my house there is a bed. It is not yellow it is not red. In my house there is a door, A fan, a chair, a table and a floor. In my house, there are some windows Air comes in through them and out of them it goes. In my house there are tables and chairs, Tiles in the bathroom are shaped like squares. In my house there is a kitchen where we cook. And a shelf where I keep my favourite book. *** 6.Letters of the English Alphabet. A for Aiee, B for Baba, C for Chacha, D for Dada, E for egg, F for flower, G for girl, H for hour, I for India, J for joker, K for kilo, L for letter. M for me, N for neighbour O for orange, P for paper, Q for queue, R for rubber, S for school, T for teacher. U for us, Vfor view, X for x-ray and Y for you, Z is last, Z is for zip. a-b-c-d-e-f and g, h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p q-r-s-t -u and v, x and y and zed-ed-zee. *** 7.Inside my Home. I look outside my window, and open wide a door. I close a latch, a curtain draw and walk upon the floor. I sit at a table, and close to it I pull a chair. I drink from a glass, and eat my food until my plate is bare. *** 8.Going to School. Ricksha-Dada, Auto-Dada, take me to school. I must reach on time, daily, that is the rule. Tempo-Appa, Bus-Bhaiyastop when the signal’s red. In my tiffin I carry, sometimes upma, sometimes bread. Driver-Uncle, Driver-Kaka, my shoes are clean, see here. I will take my bag from you, when you stop, when school comes near. *** 9. What I Carry to School. Rubber, ruler, pencil, check. Hanky, tiffin, bottle check. Book to read and book to write, With my friends I must not fight. *** 10. Mobile Phones’ Ringtones. My Baba has a mobile phone A cat’s miaow is its ring-tone. My Aiee has a mobile phone. A car’s horn is its ring-tone. My Ajo has a mobile phone, A baby’s laugh is its ring-tone. My Aji has a mobile phone, A pip-pip-pip sound is its ring-tone. Tai and I don’t have a phone. We have to grow up to get one of our own. *** 11.The Toilet--1. The toilet is also called a bathroom. Or loo, gents’,ladies’ or restroom. When your job inside is done, Wash your hands, don’t hurry and run, Pour water down the drain. Keep the toilet clean, come sun or rain. *** 12. The Toilet- 2 To the toilet we go, To the toilet we go. Walking, walking. Not too fast, not too slow. Some water we pour. Half mug and some more. Keep it clean, always clean,And keep dry the floor. Remember, remember, never forget, To wash your fingers andyour palms. Scrub and rub with soap Yes, your fingers and your palms. After that, wipe and dry,With a hanky wipe and dry. Why do we do this? Why? Why? To stay healthy, that is why. *** 13. Our Food: Bread, pao, poi, roti, puri, Chapatti, phulka, bhakri. Kurmura, chawal, bhaat, poha, Sabudana, shevya, sooji, rawa. Bhaaji, shaak, daal, kadhi, Koshimbeer, usal, aamti. Eggs, meat, chicken, fish, We eat well, whatever the dish. Mirsang, hing, jeera, dhania, salt, hallad, we add for spice. A little oil, toop or ghee, makes food taste very, very nice. For sweet we use gur or sugar, sometimes honey, too. Chaat or bhel, fruit or juice, what’s good for me is good for you. *** 14.The YEAR. January, the year begins, it is quite cold, the weather. February, North Indians wear woollen caps and knitted sweater. March, the trees get green with leaves, ‘paalvifutli’, we say. April, examinations over, gets hotter by the day. May, schools are closed, masti time, mango season. June, we buy umbrellas, light downpours are the reason. July, the month of storms, floods and damage everywhere. August, rains still heavy, with strong cyclonic winds here and there. September is kinder, drizzles come and drizzles go. October life is dry again, winter winds are yet to blow. November sees a temperature dip, a nip in the air outside. December, end of year, We plan for the future, So in time to come, we can look back with pride. *** 15. Where Stands My School in Goa. From the Vidhan Sabha to Saligaon, The National Highway goes. It leads from Panji to Mapuca, That everybody knows. Three bridges cross the Mandovi, Atal Setu stands on high. The High Court stands on one side, The jetty low does lie. From Succour to Brittona, Torda to Pittona, Penha de Franca to Betim, Including Salvadore da Mund, ....... ...Is all a part of Porvorim. My school stands on a Service Road,Gauri Petrol Pump is very close. There are restaurants along one side.And a big shop called Delfino’s. When we cross that road, so busy and wide, We look first this side, then that and again this side. Then we cross, Carefully cross. *** Author’s name: Sheela Jaywant. Address: 96/6, Mae de Deus, Sangolda, Goa 403511. Phone number: 9766413016. Email: sheelajaywant@yahoo.co.in