Leonardo da Vinci

A boy looked far and near.

At birds and water clear.

He watched each thing he’d see.

And thought: how could this be?

He drew each curving line.

A shape became a design.

He looked at every part.

One leaf became his art.

He learned to paint and play.

With colours, day by day.

A brush. A dab of blue.

What could two colours do?

He painted dark and light.

Soft shades and colours bright.

A face. A leaf. A tree.

So much for eyes to see.

He drew a moving part.

His plans were works of art.

With wheels that turn and go.

What could a machine show?

He watched the birds fly high.

How did they ride the sky?

He watched their wings, then drew.

Could people fly up too?

He planned a winged ride.

With big wings, spread out wide.

Those plans did not yet fly.

An idea still to try.

He studied water’s flow.

And where a wheel could go.

A plan could be a start.

For one new moving part.

You can look close and play.

Then sketch an idea today.

A boat. A wheel. A tree.

What could your idea be?

A page can hold a start.

A plan. A piece of art.

Look round. What can you see?

What might your next idea be?