The Dirigible Balloon
Poetry for Children

Colin Coleus

My name is Colin Coleus,
a leafy type of chap.
Some say, “Ooh, aren’t you folious?”
That’s ‘leafy’. Yes, I flap.

I’m also known by other names.
Flame nettle’s one of these.
My leaves, some reckon, look like flames!
I once scared several bees.

I’m not too fussy in my ways,
just like a daily drink,
a little sunshine through the days
to keep me green and pink.

Pinch out my tips, and I’ll become
a great big bush for you.
I’ll show you’ve quite the gardening thumb
and folks will cheer, “Woo-hoo!”

About the Writer


Felicity Teague

Felicity Teague (Fliss for short) lives in Cheltenham, not far from Pittville Park and its wonderful wildlife. She has lived with autoimmune arthritis for over thirty years, yet she is able to work in publishing and enjoys writing poems during her playtime. Her poetry has appeared in a number of journals and she has published a first collection, From Pittville to Paradise. She also enjoys art, birdwatching, films, music, and photography, and she loves guinea pigs!