The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Interstellar Wellies

Listen to Jonathan read his poem ...
When I was five I got a pair of interstellar wellies;
a cosmic present from my Aunty June.
In pride of place amongst the gifts of toys and books and jellies,
sat the wellies wrapped in paper from the Moon.

For Aunty June was visiting from up there in the stars,
along with Uncle Phil and Cousin Jake.
They’d all arrived in space suits on a rocket ship from Mars,
just in time to have a slice of birthday cake.

Then we all played hunt the thimble, drank more juice, ate buns and pies,
while the grown-ups had a chat and drank their tea.
And I wore my birthday wellies, as I zoomed around the skies,
flying through the clouds and round and round a tree.

I practised loop-de-looping, barrel rolls and humpty bumps,
while Mum and Dad applauded on the ground.
And once I flew so fast they must have heard a sonic thump
as my wellies zoomed me past the speed of sound.

But at six o’clock I had to stop and pack away my boots

so that Cousin Jake along with Phil and June
had the time to say their fond farewells, put on their astro-suits
and go back to Mars lit by the stars and Moon.

About the Writer


Jonathan Humble

Jonathan lives in Cumbria. His work has been published online and in print in a number of magazines and anthologies. His first collection of poetry, My Camel's Name Is Brian, was published by TMB Books in 2015. His second poetry book, Fledge came out in 2020 through Maytree Press. His poems for children have been shortlisted and highly commended in the Caterpillar and Yorkmix poetry competitions and he is the editor of The Dirigible Balloon. His poems Masterclass and This Work is Done were chosen as the Milk House Poem of the Year at the end of 2022 and 2023.