Top 14 Beautiful Poems for Children

THE CHILD AND THE SEA

Hong Vu

Mother, why is the sea so blue?
Why does the water taste salty, like a stew?
Mother, why do the waves always roll?
Why does the wind blow endlessly, never getting old?

My questions never seem to cease.
Birds chirp and sing from the sky’s release.
My eyes twinkle like the stars at night,
My lips speak words that are gentle and bright.

Innocent, sweet, and clear as the sky,
A mother's heart melts with each joyful cry.
With little feet, I run and play,
Chasing the waves as they dance by my way.

The waves splash, white foam rising high.
They kiss the footprints that pass them by.
My mother’s hand holds mine so tight,
Her loving shadow wraps me in its light.

GRANDMOTHER'S FOLK SONGS
Poem by Mrs. Le Hương

Grandmother loves the melodies
Flowing gently through the village's songs.
She stands near the bamboo grove,
And calls the hearts of travelers home.

Grandmother's soul sings with delight,
Her heart beats to the music's flight.
Whenever the sound of music rings,
Her voice joins in and brightly sings.

Grandmother, I love you so,
Your hair is touched with silver glow.
Mother’s hair is kissed by the sun,
And Father’s is dusted with the road we’ve run.

I sing a song that’s soft and sweet,
And bring joy to Grandmother’s heart to greet.
Where is happiness, you may ask?
It’s with you, dear grandmother, in every task!

HCM City, May 31st, 2019

A STORY FOR MY GRANDCHILD
Poem by Duy Hạnh Trần

(The collection of Vietnamese folk tales, compiled by Nguyễn Đổng Chi)

I once read a tale of bravery,
Thạch Sanh fought the fearsome Chằn tinh valiantly.
Today, I tell it to my grandchild,
His eyes wide open, listening closely, so mild.

Grandchild asks: What is the Chằn tinh?
What does this creature look like, what is it’s thing?
I think to myself: How do I explain?
I’ve never seen it, how can I entertain?

The little one asks difficult questions,
So I think hard for answers with no exceptions.
But the question he asked, so hard to explain,
It left me feeling quite drained.

But then I thought “The duck is smarter than the egg”,
I found a way to answer the riddle in my head.
Pointing to the toy beast I said,
It looks just like this, my dear friend.

Grandchild exclaimed, “This one looks so dull,
It doesn’t seem unique, it’s not cool.”
So I pointed and spoke with care,
This toy monster is plastic, beyond compare.

But the real Chằn tinh breathes fire,
It flies up, with smoke coming from its rear.
Upon hearing this, my grandchild smiled,
The Chằn tinh seems terrifying, quite wild!

Folk tales handed down by the wise,
With lessons for everyone, they do advise.
To teach the young, to guide their way,
Through stories passed down from day to day.
(May 26, 2019)

I LOVE THE SUN
Poem by Đinh Thi Hiển

I love the sun up in the sky,
It shines so bright, far and high.
It gives life to plants and trees,
And makes the birds sing with ease.

Every day the sun comes down,
Bringing laughter all around.
As I go to school, I feel so glad,
And my mother, she smiles, so sweet and rad.

Tomorrow, I’ll grow up and play,
With the sun, I’ll have my day.
But please, don’t turn off your light,
I will miss you, day or night.

Do you ever wonder, oh sun above,
What would happen if you’re not here to love?
I thank you, dear sun, for all you do,
I love you always, forever true...

May 29, 2019

PLAYING DOCTOR
Poem by Hồ Viết Bình

I play doctor, oh so bright,
I make Grandpa my patient tonight.
He says his leg is aching bad,
So I take his temperature with a glance, so glad.

He complains about his sore throat,
I tell him to open wide, to gloat.
He says 'Ah', and I quickly say,
That's it! You have a sore throat today.

I give him some medicine to take,
A smecta pack, I made a mistake.
Oh no! I mixed it up, I see,
Doctor, help me, please, help me be!

Someday I’ll go to medical school,
I’ll study hard, and be so cool.
No more mistakes, no more missteps,
When patients call, I’ll answer with no regrets.
Doctor, oh doctor, I’ll be one to be!

THE LOVELY CHILD
Poem by Nghi Lâm

The little one, so pure and bright,
Living happily in peaceful Hà Thành.

Goodbye to school and classrooms neat,
With cicadas singing, and summer’s heat.

The International Children's Day brings cheer,
As we gather in joy, the laughter so clear.

Bright eyes full of dreams and hope,
With Mother by her side, waiting to cope.

We’ll journey to a land of flowers,
Where sunlight dances and winds are ours.
Streams babble and butterflies flutter by,
The forest changes, with beauty that never dies.

The child gazes, lost in a daze,
Admiring the white orchids in a gentle haze.
Her cheeks rosy, so sweet and bright,
Summer’s joy, shining in her sight.

With joy and innocence, she beams,
As the lovely summer creates her dreams!

(Saigon, morning of May 28, 2019) N.L

GRANDMOTHER'S WISH
Poem and image: MaiLan

Today is the Children's Day celebration,
Grandmother, with her grandchild and aunt, writes poetry,
She always dreams and wishes,
That her grandchild is always good and obedient every hour, every moment.

She wishes for the night, and hopes for the day,
For her grandchild to always be healthy and full of joy.
When you grow up, my dear,
Never forget the kindness of your parents.

To be a good person, you must be firm,
Overcome difficulties to become someone strong.
Be humble and learn your whole life,
Be well-behaved and avoid mischief, understood?

Grandmother's words are always meaningful,
Be respectful and considerate towards your elders.
You, my dear grandchildren, are my treasures,
The joy and happiness that fills our home, and we all love you...

31/5/2019. MaiLan.

1-6 GIFTS!

Nguyễn Bình Thiêm
(To my grandson, Hoàng Việt Anh)

Oh my!
A June has passed, and you're far away.
A small gift for you, as we always do.
Your grandfather, who lives far above,
Has too many things to do, but didn’t forget us!

I have a gift for you, a pair of chickens,
Waiting for when your mother comes in mid-month to bring them back.
This is a little rural gift,
Hoping that you grow up and visit us soon!

Now you’re in the southern region,
In Saigon, with its hot sun and frequent rainstorms.
Summer vacation means no school,
Go to the park, the swimming pool, and enjoy the clear path!

NB Thiêm 27-5-2019.

A WALK WITH THE MOON
Poem by Trương Túy Anh

The moon peeks through the window
Whispering softly, I ask,
'Shall we go out for a walk with the moon?'
The night breeze is so refreshing.

I smile brightly and skip along,
Dancing beneath the moon's glow.
We stroll through the village,
Watching the coconut trees reflect in the water.

We run to the distant fields,
Where golden rice stalks bow with weight.
The sweet fragrance fills the air,
Absorbed by the farmer's sweat.

The moon calls me to the town,
To watch the bright street lights,
Like stars from the sky above,
People laughing, feeling the joy.
.....................
The moon begins to fade towards the west,
Gently kissing my cheek.
We pause here for now,
As the moon casts its shadow at the doorstep.

Waving goodbye, it hides behind the clouds.
I drift into a dreamy slumber,
Hoping for another walk tomorrow...

Full Moon in April (19/5/2019)

DREAMS
Lâm Bình

I wish to grow up fast,
Wear a police uniform,
Walk beneath the blue sky,
Protect and serve the people.

Peaceful in the neighborhood,
And every evening, walk down the street,
No traffic jams at all,
Thanks to the whistle blowing sound.

With sweat dripping in the heat,
In the blazing summer sun,
I stand firm and never hesitate,
Even through rainstorms or winds.

I stand strong and guide the way,
Directing traffic like a pro,
As if I were a guardian angel,
Helping mothers take their kids to school.

Even if the roads are flooded,
I go to school right on time.
Oh! I'm not foolish at all,
But you don't understand a thing.

I need to be like this officer!

24/5/2019

GRANDPA AND GRANDCHILD FLYING KITES

Poem: Nguyễn Đình Hưng

When summer arrives, some evenings

Grandfather and grandchild go kite flying

The kite dances high in the sky

While the flute plays a soft melody

When the kite sways and tilts

Grandfather and grandchild tug the string

Once, the kite string broke

The kite fell and soared away

The child searched for the kite, tirelessly

Asking grandpa why the kite flies

It needs strong winds to rise

And the string must be taut, you see

With many questions in mind

The child learns through Grandpa’s wisdom

To make the kite fly steadily

It must be balanced and kept steady.

HARVEST DAY
Lê Huyền

The child returns to the countryside for summer

Going with Grandma to harvest rice

The golden fields are so joyful

The sunlight dances through the air

The sun smiles brightly in the sky

Its rays shining all around

The breeze blows gently down the path

Teasing the golden rice stalks

The sparrows chirp, fluttering about

What’s so exciting, they ask?

The threshing machine hums loudly

“Quick, get the rice inside!”

Grandma, the sun is getting hotter

Sweat soaks through my shirt

Whose hands are so hardworking

To ensure a bountiful harvest?

Little Tí nods approvingly

He tilts his head and whispers softly

The rich harvest is thanks to

The perfect score of the diligent child.

MOON GAZING

Hoa Diễn Vỹ

Hey kitten, stop playing around,
Come sit with Na,
Bring Miu Miu along too,
Let's enjoy the moonlit night.

Do you see, the man on the moon,
Is he crying on his lunar throne?
Probably scolded by his father,
For being lazy with the cattle chores.

Yesterday, I asked grandpa,
And learned so many things,
Look at that tiny constellation,
It’s a silver spoon high up there.

The sky is so beautiful,
Shimmering with a thousand lights,
The moon comes down to join us,
And learn with sister Mai.

The fireflies are so persistent,
Lighting up the garden to help mom,
What a bright light,
Never runs out of batteries!

Goddess Chang'e is amazing,
She can fly so gracefully,
She was just climbing the jackfruit tree,
And in the blink of an eye, she’s on the clouds.

Now, I’m closing my eyes,
Let’s go to sleep,
There are still so many fascinating things,
See you on the next full moon night.

THE LITTLE ARTIST

Trần Thị Tĩnh

The little one draws a tiny boat,
Cutting through the waves, setting sail,
Amongst the endless crashing waves,
It glides gently and floats away.

The little one draws the sun,
Squinting, smiling proudly,
Releasing thousands of tiny rays,
Jumping joyfully at the doorstep.

The little one draws a distant field,
Green and lush, stretching far and wide,
Draws a little sparrow too,
Perching and hopping quickly from branch to branch.

The little one draws leaves, flowers,
Draws chickens, fishes,
Draws mom, dad, grandparents,
Draws all the friends, everyone...

The little one draws so much,
But...the colors are all gone,
Only the little one remains,
Yet hasn’t drawn themself.