The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

The Bug

Listen to Carmen read her poem ...
I was sitting this morning down by the lake,
With a book and a slice of dark chocolate cake,
When a bug flew by in a terrible haste.
She said: “I’ve just hatched, I got no time to waste!
What’s that book you’re holding? ‘cause I’d like to read.
Do you know any boys I might fall in love with?
I want to get married and raise kids quite soon,
At the very latest, by mid-afternoon.
Is that chocolate cake? I’d sure like a bite,
All this rush does wonders for my appetite!
Is anybody hiring? My money’s all spent
And I have bills to pay, not to mention the rent.
A couple of good friends would have been great,
But time passes so quickly, and now it’s too late.
I must find my place of perpetual rest,
So nice having met you, I wish you the best!”

I dared ask: “What’s the hurry, dear bug, if I may?”
“Duh, I’m an insect, I only have one day!”

About the Writer


Carmen Tiderle

Carmen is poet in chief at Funny Rhymes for Funky Times Inc., a copywriter and also Dora and Roman’s mother. She lives in Bucharest but she wrote her many poetry books for children (in Romanian) while travelling to the township of Joyville and the West Pole: Turvy-Topsy, funky rhymes for funny times (also in English), The Township of Joyville, West Pole Stories, The Great Outside, Who put pepper in the sea?, Selfie with the elves, The Glue Factory … poems translated by Victor Ghiga.