Moose in Winter

camellias from our yard! Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit lovely Linda at TeacherDance for Roundup.

If you haven't had a chance, I invite you to read my Poetry from Daily Life column. Many thanks to David Harrison for including me!

Now, a reminder: I'd love to feature your poems in my public poetry project! Details here.

Also, Charles and I are grateful and excited about folks signing up for our Highlights Working Retreat for Poets June 23-26. Please join us!

Today's ArtSpeak: FOLK ART is after a piece by Vollis Simpson.

 Thank you, Kay McGriff for telling me about Vollis! 

There's even a whirligig park in Wilson, North Carolina featuring Vollis' whirligigs. (Yes, I will be visiting.) 

And if you want to incorporate whirligigs into your STEAM day, check out this lesson plan!

In researching Vollis, I stumbled upon a publication I must get: The Folk Messenger! It's a benefit of membership to the Folk Art Society of America. Yes, please!

I was drawn to the moose in this whirligig, I think, because we don't have moose in these parts. Deer, yes. Lots of deer! But moose are SO HUGE! They definitely bring to mind places like Minnesota and Canada, the North Woods I've read about in so many Gary Paulsen books. Thanks so much for reading!

Moose in Winter

You'll know him by his crown of bone—
and how he enjoys being alone.

He plods across morning—cold, stark—
ripping tender strips of willow bark.

A king's feast! And when twilight falls
he beds against warm-snow walls.

Moon curtsies, and all the stars bellow.
(They rather like this majestic fellow.)
- Irene Latham