The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Some Young Poet Responses to Monday is ...

Hello ...
A few weeks ago, that nice man Michael Rosen allowed the Dirigible Balloon to upload his poem called Monday is and some of you clever lot have sent your own versions. Lesley James, who is a DB poet, teaches some wonderful children whose work we’ve included below. Come and have a read of these lovely poems by Pihu, Jahnavi and Aryav

Pihu’s Days of the Week

Monday is pun day, all about fun day but I’m already done day. (Too tired for school)

Tuesday is refuse day, to listen to the news day, reduce, recycle, reuse day. (Put the bins out!)

Wednesday is spends day, will the pocket money extend day? Or try to make amends day (for all the money I spent)

Thursday is defer day because all my homework’s a blur day, I wonder what will occur day (if I hand it in)

Friday is my day, not a do or die day, where I can say goodbye day (to school for two whole days)

Saturday is chatter day. Natter like it matters day. (Trying to forget about all the weekdays)

Sunday is gun day, trying to kill Monday coz I can’t put up with pun day. (I hate my dad’s dad jokes)

Pihu, Year 7
Written with Lesley on a Tuesday



Jahnavi’s Extracurricular Activities Week

Sunday is swim day, like a fish with fins day,
Monday is dance day, prance in a trance day,
Tuesday is just school day, don’t be a fool day,
Wednesday is English, there are no rhymes for English,
Thursday is Guides day, she’s making big strides day,
Friday is football, make sure I score a goal,
Saturday is sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep day
I need all my energy for the upcoming week.

Jahnavi, Year 6
Written during afterschool English on Wednesday with Lesley



Aryav’s Eye-popping Timeloop Week

Monday – no fun day
I never have a rest
I start with a spelling test
Two homeworks due tomorrow
Orchestra comes next
There’s no time for fun
It’s the furthest from the best.

Tuesday - neither here nor there day
I don’t think I require
Two hours of choir
Especially every week
But then there’s art
My friends love it because it doesn’t make you
Mathematically smart.

Wednesday – endless day
It starts with double maths
Arithmetic, geometry and symmetry paths
At least the rest of the day is more fun
And there’s a while until it’s done.

Thursday – jigsaw puzzle day
I piece my day together
But some pieces just won’t tether
It starts in the morning with a drum session
But then it’s back to those hard lessons.

Friday – the week is nearly done day
It is very rare
But sometimes the teachers just don’t care
It’s the last day of the week
So they don’t correct your technique
And after school, it’s not guaranteed,
But it’s a free-rest-of-the-week for me.

Saturday – work hard play harder
First I make sure all my homework is complete
Then I do it in neat
I go for a quick swim
Then it’s time for a film.

Sunday
I wake up early in the morning,
But after a single blink,
It feels like the days gone down the sink
It feels like magic
But there’s always that last minute panic …

The week then loops over and over again
Will it never end?

Aryav, Year 6
Written in Extra English on Thursday with Lesley



These poems are copyright (©) Pihu, Jahnavi and Aryav 2022

About the Writer


Lesley James

Lesley writes for young people and less young people. Many of her stories and poems for children are set in Lesley’s Garden, where a cast of birds, beasts and minibeasts live. She loves playing with words - rhythms, rhymes, tongue-twisters - and telling real tales. Nothing is more funny, thrilling or entertaining than the real life you can see from your own window.