The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

The Lion and the Balloon

The lion had a balloon.
It was a big, plump, shiny balloon.

People said the lion was going to pop the balloon
because the lion was scary.

People said the lion was going to pop the balloon
because the lion was violent.

People said the lion was going to pop the balloon
because the lion was angry.

The lion felt sad hearing what the people said.
It wasn’t scary, it wasn’t violent, it wasn’t angry.

The lion hugged the balloon and popped it
because the lion was clumsy.

About the Writer


Carl Burkitt

Carl likes telling tales. He tells long tales, short tales, silly tales, sad tales. He tells them online, behind a mic, in books, in schools, and on the sofa with his young family. His debut kids’ collection, Elephants Sleep in Bunk Beds, was published by Beir Bua in 2021.