The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

When the Light Goes Off

When the light goes off,
the bear comes out
and talks to the crocodile under the bed:
“You take the legs and I’ll have the head.”
The bear has a hairy, snuffly snout.
I call my Mum with a big, loud SHOUT!

The light comes on.
“There’s nothing there,” she says.


When the light goes off,
the bear comes out
and talks to the bat hanging down from the light:
“I think she’ll give in without a fight.”
The bat has a musty, mouldy smell.
I call my Mum with a big, loud YELL!

The light comes on.
“There’s nothing there,” she says.


When the light goes off,
the bear comes out
and talks to the snake curled up on the shelf:
“I think she’s a little too bony myself.”
The snake slides down towards my pillow.
I call my Mum with a big, loud BELLOW!

The light comes on.
“There’s nothing there,” she says.


When the light goes off,
the bear comes out
and talks to the gorilla behind the door:
“I think she’s asleep, but I’m not sure.”
The gorilla hasn’t eaten a thing all week.
I call my Mum with a desperate squeak ...

The light comes on.
“There’s nothing there,” she says.

She picks up the bear, the bat and the snake;
she grabs the gorilla and gives him a shake.
She tosses the crocodile with all the rest
and shuts them into the big toy chest.
The light goes off.

Not a sound -
Not a single animal to be found.
All the creatures had to go.
There’s nothing in the room, I know.

As my head nods down to a sleepy rest,
I hear a whisper from the big toy chest:

HOW ABOUT A NIBBLE ON HER LITTLE TOE?

About the Writer


Sarah J Dodd

Much of Sarah's writing career has been in fiction - several pictures books published by Lion Children's, many graded reading books for South Korean publisher Darakwon and most recently, a middle grade novel about the rewilding of lynx, Keeper of Secrets, published by award-winning Firefly Press. Her poem, Don't Look Into the Cupboard, Dear! was the runner-up in The Plough Prize 2010 and Ground to Air Warfare was published in the Let in the Stars poetry anthology 2014 (Manchester Metropolitan University). Sarah teaches part time in primary schools and loves to get out in nature for long walks, photography and Art.