Dom Conlon, poet & author

Author: Dom

  • A Poet’s Knock-Knock Joke

    Knock knock Who’s there? A man whose knock is the sound of a rose blooming, whose shadow is the weight of a heartbeat, whose path was predicted by the collision of stars. Who? Dom. Oh. Come in. —

  • The Ducks In My Park

    The ducks in my park make this sort of sound: e-OO-e-OO-e-OO HONK HONK! They’re like clowns honking horns on squeaky bicycles. Are they going to the circus do you think? I only ask because the clowns in my circus make this sort of sound: splash splash splash QUACK QUACK QUACK! — Illustration courtesy and copyright…

  • Don’t Wake Before Dawn

    A Badtime Story The twins, Jacob and Jacob, were less than talkative that evening. “I shall remove the gags, but only if you promise not to say those words again,” said Nurse Mariam. The twins nodded like men on the gibbet, their shiny leather gags black with drool. Downstairs, the muted prayers of the Also…

  • The Maroon Baboon

    A maroon baboon Marooned on the moon Wistfully wished For a moon balloon. “I’m marooned on the moon Too soon too soon,” Crooned the maroon baboon On a maroon bassoon. “If only I had a moon balloon I’d sail away on the wind of a tune I’d sail away from now until noon I’d sail…

  • Father’s Turn To Read

    A Badtime Story Jacob and Jacob had been given new bed jackets to wear for the occasion, cut from the shrouds of long dead aunts. Their hairs had been brushed and each tooth polished and blunted. It was Father’s turn to read. Nurse Mariam was not allowed to speak that evening. ‘Must we–’ began Jacob.…

  • Sleep Like The Dead

    A Badtime Story Cloister, the gardener, was raking fresh dirt upon the bedroom floor that night. “What is the meaning of this?” Nurse Mariam demanded. “Ar,” explained Cloister. “Oh very well,” replied the old nurse. “I suppose the moon is as gibbous as a lung tonight.” The gardener, his mouth like a bullet hole in…

  • Amour No More

    I heard this tragic poem, this tale of ‘amour’ or ‘love’ as more common people call it as it was carried upon a thin breeze. I was taking my midnight walk through the abandoned cemetery near my country estate and it struck into my heart. I knew I had to take a spade right there…

  • Before The Bedbugs Bite

    A Badtime Story It was still light when Jacob and Jacob were lowered into their bed that evening. The curtains were in tatters from the events three nights previous, and the sun hung stubbornly outside the window like a sore which simply would not heal. “I can’t sleep with the sun staring at me that…

  • Wild Boar

    The angriest animal Is surely the boar Give it a prod And its temper will soar. But angrier still (And this is a warning) Is waking you up First thing in the morning. — Illustration courtesy and copyright of Jools Wilson. Thank you!

  • No Reading After Dark

    A Badtime Story Nurse Mariam’s voice rose like a bird of prey seeing a mouse after a week, no a month, of rib-dry hunger. “And all the bears and all the rabbits…” she preached. “And all the little boys and all the little girl…” Her cheek bones sharpened, her eyes widened, her pupils narrowed in…