The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

New School Year

I’m dawdling down the footpath
in stiff and shiny shoes.
My school bag’s full of stationery
waiting to be used.

I’ve got a brand new lunch box
crammed with healthy food.
My uniform’s like a stranger’s skin,
far too big and loose.

I wish I was still on holiday
sleeping in and staying up late.
Hanging out with my friends,
watching movies and playing games.

Spending endless afternoons
just doing my own thing.
Not having to be anywhere.
Enjoying what each day brings.

So teacher please understand
if I don’t hear what you say.
While it looks like I’m sitting at my desk,
inside I’m still on holiday.

About the Writer


Kathryn Dove

Kathryn writes fiction and poetry for children. She enjoys the alchemy of poetry and seeing how a dash of imagination can transform ordinary life into something surprising and wonderful. She has lived in London and spent a summer working in a small village on the west coast of Scotland. Kathryn now lives with her family in Auckland, New Zealand.