The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Pencil Sharpener

With you, there is possibility!

A first tool used in school,
you turn, cut, and smooth
graphite and wood
into a relished instrument.

Blunt nubs become sharp,
glide across the page—
now ideas can be recorded, art created,
letters written, schoolwork done!

Without you,
my paper has no message—
my pencil, no point.

About the Writer


Jenny Klein

Jenny enjoys walks in the woods, making art, singing, and writing. She loves working with children to create their own artwork, poetry, and books. A former teacher, staff developer, and reading specialist, she currently teaches workshops based on her two books written with her co-author, Using Art to Teach Reading Strategies and Using Art to Teach Writing Traits. Her poetry appears in Cricket Magazine and Written in Arlington.