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The Seeds of Gratitude by Sharon Davson (oil on canvas)

On Sunday 20th October 2019 I was proud to deliver this following speech at the District 69 Area 9 Toastmasters Conference:

Friends share all manner of things.  And sometimes, the effects of what we give & take reverberate in amazing ways.  Has your world ever been rocked by a fabulous friend?  Mine was recently.  It involves a picture, a poem and some children in India.  Ladies and Gentlemen, you are all someone’s fabulous friend, even if you don’t realise it.

My friend Sharon Davson is a spiritual artist, whereas I write Science Rhymes for children.  Sharon is very religious, whereas I am not.  I respond best to fact and evidence, whereas Sharon gives prayer and gratitude.  I tell her off for not reading her emails whereas she empowers me to follow my dreams.  We both agree … to disagree … sometimes!

Of course, we have things in common as well: similar age, backgrounds in teaching, and we’re both passionate about creativity.  And since neither of us have children, our pictures and poetry have become our progeny.  And we want them to leave home and do good in the world.  Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t – depending on how you look at it.  So would you consider my poem The Garden Within is a success or a calamity?  Here are three facts to help you decide.

Number One: The poem The Garden Within was inspired by Sharon Davson’s painting of a koala sharing a variety of seeds with other creatures, amidst a big blue sky and rocky foreground of flowers.  Titled The Seeds of Gratitude, this oil painting is one of Davson’s treasured successes.  It’s housed in the Hikaru Museum in Takayama, Japan and has strong ties with the Sukyo Mahikari faith.  You can see it on the Science Rhymes website with the poem, The Garden Within, which I wrote especially for Sharon.  It goes like this:

There is a garden in my heart,
where beauty grows in fits and starts.
Where smiles are petals from the flowers,
bestowed by others from their bowers.

Nutritious hope reaps seeds to feed
my spirit for its every need.
With gratitude I’ll reach my goal
and touch the island of my soul.

Fact Two was a complete surprise: in 2018, I received an email from a school teacher in India revealing that, since 2015, this poem has been recited by children there, because it’s published in the official government’s school textbook Our World Through English Class 8, in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana.  When sharing this news with writing friends, they say “What? They published your poem without asking your permission? That’s not allowed.  What a calamity! … No royalties for you then”.  I’m not concerned about the royalties, I’m honoured my poem has been chosen. But I really want them to give me a physical copy of this book to cherish.  I’ve sent requests, but as yet, no reply, no book and yes I am disappointed!  But …

Fact Three: Discovering all the YouTube videos of students reciting and singing the words to The Garden Within has overwhelmed me, but I remember I wrote this poem in Sharon’s voice. It was my gift to a Fabulous Friend. And now, this little poem has been embraced by people who measure richness, like Sharon, with prayer and gratitude.

Love and friendship are filled with give & take.  And now I’ve befriended those children on YouTube, they have shown ME …  With gratitude, I’ll reach my goal, to touch the island of my soul.

May you share this sentiment with your Fabulous Friends too.

Shanti.

For students who wish to write poems about their reef and rainforest experiences at Cairns Aquarium.

Celia Berrell is offering year 4-8 students (groups of 12-16) who have participated in a guided educational tour of Cairns Aquarium a 45 minute poetry presentation with follow-up support so they can share their poems for possible publication. Celia will attend your school and share poems and poetry techniques with an aquatic theme. This programme is available on Wednesdays in Terms 2 & 3 (cost $60) and requires PowerPoint facilities. Each participating student is asked to provide a parental/adult email address, so Celia can correspond with each student about their poem after the presentation. Please make bookings directly with Celia via mobile 0408 069 192 or email celia@sciencerhymes.com.au.

Selected poems will be submitted to Cairns Aquarium for future display and/or publication opportunities.

Celia Berrell’s poetry is regularly published in the CSIRO’s children’s science magazine Double Helix and Australian Children’s Poetry. She holds Blue Card #836652/4 and is registered in the One School system through previous school presentations. This website www.sciencerhymes.com.au offers free resources that are appreciated worldwide.

Sunday 21^st October 2-3pm at Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside, 209 Esplanade, Cairns.

This year, local author Deanna Henderson will be reading her picture-book There’s a Zoo in my backyard, and sharing some of her fascinating stories from Minibeast Wildlife, where she works with insects (such as the praying mantis), spiders and other fascinating invertebrates.

Students from Whitfield State School will be reciting poems created for this year’s National Science Week, themed Game Changers & Change Makers, and students from Trinity Beach State School are sharing poems about INSECTS!

This is a FREE EVENT, aimed to delight pre-school & primary-school aged children and their parents.  Bring along a favourite Picture-Book to receive a raffle ticket in the draw for a book voucher from Collins Booksellers Smithfield or a gift from Minibeast Wildlife.

This is the fifth POETRY PARTY hosted by Celia Berrell & Science Rhymes.

• View an album of the event here: Picture-Book Poetry Party album 2018
• Download the poster here: 2018 Poetry Party Poster

Sponsored by: Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside & Collins Booksellers Smithfield

How exciting – to be granted a 2.30pm LAUNCH at this year’s Cairns Tropical Writers Festival for The Science Rhymes Book – Second Edition!
It is going to be a really enjoyable event.

I have invited Dr Clifford Jackson from James Cook University to say a few words. Cliff spent over a year analysing the poems in this book to check that the science concepts portrayed were sound. And this is what makes “The Science Rhymes Book” rather special. It isn’t simply a fun book of verse, it’s also a carefully crafted science resource book!

After sharing some highlights about this book’s journey – from concept, self-publishing and then partnership publishing with Jabiru Publishing – we will showcase a selection of the poems. I say “we”, because most of the poems will be delivered by students from Whitfield State School who have been attending this year’s lunchtime Poetry Club.

Here’s a plan of The Science Rhymes Book LAUNCH Programme:

I hope to see you IN THE BALLROOM if you have time to attend.

In twenty-first century civilisation, most women quest for equal standing with men. On International Women’s Day, we take stock of our journey so far, thinking of and thanking the women and men who have helped along the way – be they prominent figures, family or friends – before pressing on.

In 2017, Danish Physiotherapist Dr Hanne Albert was invited to Frankfurt to give a lecture on the use of antibiotics as a treatment for Modic Back Pain. Five days before the conference, Hanne received a telephone call, advising her that she was being awarded The German Pain Prize – the highest award given for pain research. She had 5 days to prepare an honorary lecture to summarise the last ten years of her research to an audience of over 1000 conference participants.

“The Chairman of the Pain Society said that I had brought a brand new and ground-breaking treatment concept into the treatment of patient’s back pain; that I fought against all odds and resistance and continued to give lectures so that my research is now being used in clinical practice to change the life of patients. I got the longest applause lasting for several minutes and by so many people. It was completely overwhelming and a huge day in my life.”

Marie Curie was the first female scientist to be awarded prestigious prizes for her work – a Nobel Prize for physics in 1903, then a Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1911.

Marie The First  by Celia Berrell & Sukarma Rani Thareja

Madame Curie
first Polish then French.
A physicist-chemist
with questions to quench.

“The Courage of Knowledge”
a film that attests
her radioactivity
research was best.

At first, PhD, then
female professor.
Achieved when men saw
the fair-sex as lesser.

Then love-team in physics
Pierre and Marie
wed Nobel acclaim
with the name of Curie.

But tragedy struck.
Marie stood alone.
Despite Pierre’s death
her research went on.

With funding so scarce
for a woman in science
her hardships were fierce.
Down to much self-reliance.

Marie persevered
and awards ensued,
including her Nobel
prize number two!

For women in science
the first we elect
is Madame Curie
for equal respect.

A Message from Associate Professor Sukarma Rani Thareja

May each girl-child have creative potential
and scientific aptitude in her own right.
Alas, this may still be wishful thinking!
But may this hopeful message continue to ring
through our halls of science
for hardworking women
like Madame Curie.

Sukarma Rani Thareja,
Alumnus-IIT-Kanpur (1986),
Associate Professor of Chemistry-Retired,
CSJM Kanpur University, UP, India.

Recommended reading: “A Lab of One’s Own” by Patricia Fara

The 28^th February is a day for scientific celebration. Since 1987, National Science Day has honoured Nobel Prize-winner Sir Chandrasekhara Venkarta Raman and all things scientific in India. Discovering the “Raman Effect” (named in his honour) in 1928 has provided fantastical new ways of “seeing” with certain light-waves.

The Raman Effect  by Celia Berrell
(Sir Chandrasekhara Venkarta Raman 1928)

Chandrasekhara
Raman’s a knight
and Nobel prize winner
for physics in light.
A new radiation
he came to detect.
A scatter of rays
called the “Raman Effect”.

This change in light’s wavelength
when passing-on through
a gas or some substance
in spectroscope view
reveals the ID of
its chemistry zoo.
A tool to make
scientist’s dreams come true!

Doing no damage
discerning gem quality;
checking a pill
for content and purity.
Uses: amazingly
varied and rife.
Such as scanning remotely
for Mars signs of life.

DISCOVERY is the process of finding some – THING for the first time. Discoveries can be exciting, scary and even hazardous. Some scientific discoveries are all three. And, like letting a genie out of its bottle, it’s nigh-on impossible to put them back!

Origins of the Future by Sharon Davson

Mother of Invention
by Celia Berrell

Neotenic humankind
is ceaseless of inquiring mind.
With science and technology
the stopper’s out, dynamically!

From fire to furnaced energy;
from steam to electricity.
We modify genetically
and glean the stars effectively.

We can’t slow down this gain in pace.
The fascination’s well in place.
Much to learn – with good intention
drives this mother of invention.

Humans have made life-changing and world-altering discoveries throughout history. Which of the following three discoveries do you think is worthy of being in a SCIENCE HALL OF FAME?

First is a young cave-man. Let’s call him Ugg. Ugg accidentally discovered how to start a fire with sparks from two stones. Do you think his parents praised him for giving them a reliable way to keep warm, protect them from predators and cook up a meaty meal? Or was he punished for accidentally setting fire to the forest and scorching his sister’s hair? Starting a fire is exciting but not without its dangers!

How we use and view scientific discoveries can depend on capability, culture and comprehension. Something once thought harmful can later be seen as helpful – as in this 16^thC Astronomer’s story.

Galileo Galilei made the best telescopes of his time and gathered evidence for a heliocentric Solar System. Although it looks as though the heavens spin round the Earth, Galileo showed that the planets go round the Sun. When he published his findings, he was imprisoned for contradicting words in the Bible. Changing our understanding of how nature works can be scary. The Pope didn’t cope and sent him to jail!

What was first believed to be helpful turned out to be harmful in this French scientist’s story, where a “cure-all” turned out to be a “death-knell” for many.

Marie Curie won her first Nobel Prize in 1903. She discovered and named radioactivity and isolated the radioactive elements Polonium and Radium. At first, these glowing elements were thought to have health benefits. But then people began dying from exposure to their harmful radiation (including Marie). Science discoveries can be hazardous – especially if we don’t understand their implications.

Game Changers & Change Makers is this year’s National Science Week theme (which runs from 11-19 August). FIRE, a HELIOCENTRIC Solar System and RADIOACTIVITY are all Game Changers.

Whether we see these discoveries as helpful or harmful can depend on how they’re used.

Ugg, Galileo and Madame Curie were all Change Makers. They show how science is a journey of both successes and failures. We build and adjust our scientific thinking and understanding as new discoveries come to light. Our search for the truth about nature and the cosmos (including the effects of human actions) will continue. Our aim is to collectively understand enough to ensure these discoveries are used in a helpful rather than harmful manner.

So which of the three Discovery Stories did you choose for a SCIENCE HALL OF FAME? And who else would you include?

We can’t wait to discover your suggestions – especially if you can put yours in a Science Rhyme (and send to feedback@sciencerhymes.com.au)!

Our annual Picture-Book Poetry Garden Party was held at the Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside, 209 Esplanade, Cairns on Sunday 22^nd October from 2-3pm. It’s like Book Week meets National Science Week … with a poetic twist!   This year’s feature author was Pamela Galeano with her picture-book Glissandra the Glider. As well as hearing an accomplished published author read some of their own work, we  learnt aspects of Pam’s writing journey as well.

People who brought a Picture-Book they liked,  received a raffle ticket for the draw for a book voucher from Collins Booksellers Smithfield. After a group photo of all those picture-books, everyone took their picture-book home with them.

This FREE event of Storytelling and Science Rhymes happened shortly after World Space Week. Students from Whitfield State School  recited their poems about Water (which were created for National Science Week) and Trinity Anglican School students shared their passions for Space and our Solar System. It was a cosmic event!

You can:

• View photos & poems from this event here: Poetry Party 2017
• Download a PDF of the 2017 poster here: 2017 Poetry Party Poster

Sponsored by: Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside & Collins Booksellers Smithfield

Hosted by: Science Rhymes & Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside.

This is it!  National Science Week is here (12-20 August).  On Monday, we have our Poetry Presentation of Science Rhymes at Whitfield State School.  Students from years 5 & 6 have created their own poems about WATER to compliment this year’s National Science Week theme of FUTURE EARTH – as water is important for future life on Earth.  (You can view the student’s poems on the Your Science Poems blog.)

Then on Wednesday 16th August, Jonathon and Coby are sharing their poems on ABC Far North Radio, just before the 7am news during BREAKFAST WITH KIER SHOREY.