The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Naughty Jack-in-the-box

Knockety knock, says the Jack in the Box
Tickity tock, tocks the little green clock
Cluckety cluck, clucks the little white hen
Oinkety oink, oinks the pigs in the pen.

Jack in the Box with a knockity-knock
Jumped out from the box to the little green clock
Says Jack to the clock jump into the box
then fall to the floor, with a rockety rock.


Knockety knock says the Jack in the Box
Let’s all run away with the little green clock
Cluckety cluck agreed the little white hen
We’ll Oink and we’ll hide, laughed the pigs in the pen.

Then the little white hen with her cluckety cluck
Flew over the yard and the muckety muck
While the oinkety pigs ran out of their pen
Then trotted away with the cluckety hen.

But Knockety knock said Jack in the Box
And Tickity tock the little green clock
With Cluckety cluck the little white hen
And Oinkety oink the pigs in the pen
Longed to go home, all together again.

About the Writer


Fran Bridger

Frances lives on Exmoor and always writes a poem for the local Exmoor News. She has been published in Mslexia, the Parrakeet Magazine and the Dirigible Balloon. In response to a relative's death during covid she published a book of poems to raise funds for Marie Curie. Much of her poetry reflects the environment, wildlife, farming, and nature.