In addition to writing books and filling this site with nonsense, Dom Conlon also visits schools, libraries and, well, ANYWHERE, to talk about stories and ROAR at children.

One of the things he likes to do is to imagine what he would like to do if aliens ever visited our little planet. Would he show them the beautiful hills of the Lake District? Take them deep-sea diving off the coast of Cornwall? Or would he invite them to tea and ice cream at Amorino’s in London? These are, after all, the activities curiously missed off the gold record on board Voyager 1 and 2.

Dom’s Astro Poetica poetry talk at Eureka National Children’s Museum discussed all of this, and looked at how poetry can help us to express excitement about the things we love. Together, Dom and the children wrote down all of the COOLEST things about this planet and even learned how to use kennings to really bring our imagery to life.

Making tiny, six page books helped the children to jot down their ideas whilst Dom picked out the best to create a super special ALIEN POEM. This poem is what the children thought they most wanted to tell the aliens about where they live and what they love.

Dear alien star-chasers,
void-hopping light-racers,
visit our Earth and see us.

See our friends, our social people,
our chuckle-presents, our talkative penguins.

Taste our candy floss, those pink sugar-clouds
and climb our Blackpool Tower which stands
like FIFTY giraffes watching the sea.

Walk along our sandy beaches with their golden grains
and salty water where food fuelled families
walk and stretch and rugrats run
and dance and sing like bouncy bunnies
before going home to happy time.

Visit us and spend time with us
beneath our sky-candle sun
and night-light moon.

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