The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

The Leaping Lemurs of Madagascar

Listen to Val ...
The Grand Tsigny
Is a protected park
Of limestone pinnacles
Razor sharp.

The leaping Lemurs
Of the Grand Tsingy
Are brave and strong
And very springy.

Their rubbery pads
Ensure a good grip
And protection from
A fatal slip.

Across these limestone
Peaks they race,
Bouncing off
The jagged face,

Seeking pockets
Of new vegetation,
The lemurs make
Their bold navigation.

A thousand feet
Above the floor
With daring giant leaps
They soar

From peak to peak
Across thin air
With springing moves,
They are almost there.

With one last leap
They reach the trees
To live and feast
On new green leaves.

About the Writer


Val Harris

Val lives near Farnham with a horse and husband and several grandchildren living nearby, who like to mark her poems out of ten. She used to write for adults, but decided she much preferred writing poetry for children, after her debut poem was published online with The Dirigible Balloon in 2021. Since then, several others have appeared on various balloon flights, and she has had poems published in The Caterpillar Magazine, Paperbound Magazine, The Toy Press and Little Thoughts Press. You can find her as Val Poet on Instagram and @dragontripper Val Poet on Twitter.