The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

A Little Sleep

At last,
she had curled up in a warm spot
a nest of soft decaying leaves
a gentle breeze, a dusting of sun
well hidden from prying eyes
alone but not lonely
quiet as the grave
her sighs slowing
at last

About the Writer


Melinda Szymanik

Melinda is an award-winning New Zealand author of picture books, short stories and novels for children and young adults. Notable titles include The Were-Nana (Scholastic, 2008) winner of Children’s Choice at the 2009 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, A Winter’s Day in 1939 (Scholastic, 2013) winner of Librarian’s Choice at the 2014 LIANZA Awards, and Fuzzy Doodle (Scholastic, 2016) a 2017 White Raven selection. She also writes poetry for adults and children, and regularly teaches creative writing.