The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Please Don't Mix

I crack the top and take a sniff.
There’s nothing like the first good whiff.

A bright blue tube that’s just for me.
I dig it out and squeal with glee.

“Excuse me,” says Evangelie,
“Could you please share a bit with me?”

I say, “OK, but please don’t mix,
that’s something that I cannot fix.”

I squish blue dough on my clean mat.
I roll a snake then make it splat.

Evangelie’s returns with red.
Did she not hear what I just said?!

I squish the purple on my mat.
I roll some grapes and make them splat.

“Could I have some,” begs Eloise?
“OK, but just don’t mix it please.”

“Oh no!” she says. “I mixed with yellow.”
I’m really trying to stay mellow.

I squish green dough around my mat.
I roll some peas then make them splat.

Alexander wants some too.
I stare at my remaining blue.

“I’ll trade you yellow and some red.”
I look around and scratch my head.

Red and blue and yellow too.
The three make up most every hue.

I squish the colors on my mat.
I roll a rainbow, make it splat.

I cross my arms and then I frown.
All the colors turned to brown!

But just before I start to cry,
the other kids decide to try.

We squish and roll our big brown dough.
What we’ll make, I just don’t know.

Some trees, a bear, a kangaroo?
I sure am glad I mixed my blue!

About the Writer


Maria Piñero Pope

Maria is a Latina children’s writer and the owner of a bilingual Speech Language Pathology practice in Decatur, GA. When she's not working or writing, Maria enjoys spending time with her husband, hanging out with their two kids, and playing with their mischievous puppy. She writes humorous and heartfelt bilingual picture books and middle grade novels. Maria is a member of SCBWI.