The Amygdala Safari
Carmella de Keyser's debut children's collection The Amygdala Safari, is being proudly presented by Parlyaree Press and is available for pre-order now with Waterstones or any other good bookstores.
The Amygdala Safari has been brought to life and raised with a lot of love and respect. In its infancy, and as an early proposal, it was longlisted by The Emma Press into the number 15 spot out of 457 manuscripts submitted, later, it was sought after by two respected UK publishers after having passed through their review panels for suitability. However it finally landed in its rightful home with the wonderful U.S.A based Parlyaree Press who Carmella has long wanted to collaborate with!
Carmella is so thankful to Parlyaree Press for believing in this ambitious collection and to her brilliant blurbists Jonathan Humble, Founder, Author and Editor of The Dirigible Balloon and James Hartley, Founder, Author and Editor of The Madrid Review. They have been of encouragement and support from the beginning of Carmella's poetry journey.
For more information, please see below.
Thank you for reading!
The Amygdala Safari — Parlyaree
The Amygdala Safari by Carmella de Keyser | Waterstones
THE DIRIGIBLE BALLOON
Carmella's published poems within The Dirigible Balloon...
The Dirigible Balloon is a children's webzine edited by Jonathan Humble , a poet and editor, instrumental in the revival of children's poetry within the UK. The wonderful graphics are by Em Humble. It is one of the most diverse poetry banks in the world containing poems by Michael Rosen, Colin West and others. Thoughtfully supported by audios of the poems being read by their authors for accessibility.
FRANKIE AND ME
The Dirigible Balloon
Frankie and Me - a poem about being different.
FRANKIE AND ME 👬 by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
FOLLOWING BAMIDELE'S WORDS HOME
The Dirigible Balloon
'Following Bamidele's Words Home' is a poem about recognising real friendships and navigating envy.
Click on the below link to read the full poem.
WAYS TO THROW A SMALL STONE
The Dirigible Balloon
Ways to Throw a Small Stone - a poem about acceptance and 'letting go.'
WAYS TO THROW A STONE 🪨 by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
DAD'S LONDON DRIVE
The Dirigible Balloon
Dad's London Drive- a poem about London, a city that accepts the heartbeats of other cultures as well as its own.
DAD'S LONDON DRIVE (by Carmella de Keyser, first published in The Dirigible Balloon🎈) - YouTube
THE COMEBACK KID
The Dirigible Balloon
The Comeback Kid: A Poem About Resilience.
THE COMEBACK KID, a poem by Carmella de Keyser, first published in The Dirigible Balloon🎈 - YouTube
BABYSITTING BROTHER IN THE SUN
The Dirigible Balloon
Babysitting Brother in the Sun
Dirigible Balloon - Poetry for Children
CELLOTAPE MAN
The Dirigible Balloon
Cellotape Man - A poem about reparation
CELLOTAPE MAN 🕺🏻by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
CLASS ASSEMBLY
The Dirigible Balloon
Class Assembly- a poem about overcoming fears via friendship.
Dirigible Balloon - Poetry for Children
TINY TAMARIN
The Dirigible Balloon
Tiny Tamarin - an animal poem describing a golden lion tamarin's experience of being in the zoo.
Dirigible Balloon - Poetry for Children
SLEEPTIME GIFTS
The Dirigible Balloon
Sleeptime Gifts
Dirigible Balloon - Poetry for Children
THIS IS MY PLAYGROUND
The Dirigible Balloon
This is my Playground
THIS IS MY PLAYGROUND 🌵by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
SOON
The Dirigible Balloon
Soon - This was written to support The Dirigible Balloon's 'Imagine the Future' collection, celebrating the founding of the 'Festival of Britain'.
Dirigible Balloon - Poetry for Children
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FUTURE
The Dirigible Balloon
Archaeological Future a poem about respecting the past. This was written to support The Dirigible Balloon's 'Imagine the Future' collection, celebrating the founding of the 'Festival of Britain'.
Dirigible Balloon - Poetry for Children
FLOATING CITY
The Dirigible Balloon
Floating City - This was written to support The Dirigible Balloon's 'Imagine the Future' collection, celebrating the founding of the 'Festival of Britain'.
Dirigible Balloon - Poetry for Children
THE HUB
The Dirigible Balloon
The Hub - This poem was published on World Book Day 2026 (05/03/2026)
VENUS AT MIDNIGHT
The Dirigible Balloon
Venus at Midnight- This poem was published as part of The Dirigible Balloon's summer callout for poems inspired by 'Fun, Frolicking, Friendship, Fascination and Flying'.
It is dedicated to Carmella's mother.
FRIENDSHIP TROUPE
The Dirigible Balloon
Friendship Troupe- This poem was published as part of The Dirigible Balloon's summer call-out for poems inspired by 'Fun, Frolicking, Friendship, Fascination and Flying'.
CATAMARAN SMILE
The Dirigible Balloon
Friendship Troupe- This poem was published as part of The Dirigible Balloon's summer call-out for poems inspired by 'Fun, Frolicking, Friendship, Fascination and Flying'.
MACMILLAN ANTHOLOGY
I AM ALONE
You're Never Too Much
Editor - Charlie Castelletti
Carmella was thrilled to have been selected by Macmillan Publishing, to be anthologised alongside other wonderful poets, from past and present, including Emily Dickinson, Philip Larkin, Wendy Cope and Alfred Lord Tennyson.
Her poem 'I am Alone' was placed in the chapter heading of 'Hope,' and is about perspectives, and reframing loneliness.
I AM ALONE 🪐 by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
I AM ALONE ✨by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
You're Never Too Much: Poems for Every Emotion by Charlie Castelletti - Pan Macmillan
DREAMBEAST POEMS
POEM FOR AMANI AND ZAYN
Carmella was invited by renowned contemporary poet Mark Bird, to create and donate a poem in memory of Amani and Zayn, two pupils from the school where he teaches, who tragically lost their lives, in the Air India crash of 2025. The poem is included in Mark Bird's collection titled "Bereavement Poems for Children." This collection features poems by various poets, gifted to the families and friends of Amani and Zayn, serving as a remembrance of their lives. 🕊️
Bereavement Poems for Children. Memorial Poems of Reflection & Empathy
TICKETS TO SCARY-NESS ON THE POETRY EXPRESS
This is a poetry resource for children with an emphasis on fear, mystery and fun.
Editors and team - Tim Pointon, Alison Hramiak, Louise Crosby, Daniel Last.
Carmella has two poems featured within The Poetry Express.
COSTUMES – Carmella de Keyser – Tickets to Scary-ness on the poetry express
WHAT I USED TO BE AFRAID OF – Carmella de Kyser – Tickets to Scary-ness on the poetry express
COSTUMES
Ticket to Scary-ness on the Poetry Express
'Costumes' is a poem about only doing things you are comfortable with, when you are in a crowd
WHAT I USED TO BE AFRAID OF...
Ticket to Scary-ness on the Poetry Express
'What I used to be afraid of...' is a poem about overcoming fears through focusing on commonality and community.
WISHBONE WORDS MAGAZINE
Wishbone Words Magazine is a publisher focused on writing and art, arising from injury, disability, chronic illness, and neurodiversity.
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A TITANIUM PHOENIX RISING
A Titanium Phoenix Rising
This is a poem about overcoming.
It is a poetry piece concerning spinal injury, grief, loss, the journey towards acceptance and what grows in one's soul through adversity...
It was featured in Issue 15, within the wonderful Wishbone Words Magazine.
Editors - Hollie Bardgett, Daniela Fois and Noelle Thomas
MOTHER BLACK CAP OF CAMDEN TOWN
Ticket to Scary-ness on the Poetry Express
Mother Black Cap of Camden Town is Carmella's brand new historical horror poem for kids.
It is loosely based/inspired by several stories surrounding the 17th century Camden Town legend Jinney Bingham who was described as a witch, she lived near to the Camden Town tube station and pub and was said to have connections to the devil.
MOTHER BLACK CAP OF CAMDEN TOWN – Carmella de Kyser – Tickets to Scary-ness on the poetry express
All poems are copyright
©
Carmella de Keyser
2025