Our Winners!!!
By Sarah Atherton
(149 words)
https://giphy.com/gifs/majortomagency-easter-happy-sunday-hAkvfzrVfwG1OESPtN
The Easter Bunny had a shock.
All chocolate eggs were out of stock!
He emailed Egypt, phoned up France.
Eggs in China? Not a chance.
Easter was ruined! The Bunny was doomed!
He hopped on his rocket and off he zoomed.
First stop MARS. No eggs in sight.
So Bunny carried on his plight.
No eggs along the MILKY WAY,
Nor in a GALAXY far away.
As if things weren’t already cruel
The light showed he was out of fuel.
The rocket grounded to a halt.
“Now Easter’s wrecked! It’s all my fault.”
But suddenly he found new hope
While looking through his telescope.
For spinning slowly in the sky
An egg-shaped planet caught his eye.
He filled the tank and jumped on board
And off to Planet Egg he soared.
He gathered eggs – a mighty stack!
And just in time, he made it back.
Have an egg-cellent Easter!
2. WAITING FOR HANAMI: OUR CHERRY BLOSSOM PICNIC
By Sayuri Stabrowski
Word Count: 149
https://giphy.com/gifs/subpoprecords-wink-chai-chaiofficialjpn-0rhdRIrNagpVCjJeuH
“Obaasan, is it time?”
“Check the window, Na-chan. What do you see?”
“Nothing… Obaasan, how will we know?”
“We will know.”
Wash blankets, fold napkins.
“Obaasan, now?”
“What do you see outside?”
“Bare trees.”
“Not yet.”
Cut paper, ink pen.
“Now?”
“Sakura bloom when they are ready, Na-chan. They wait patiently all year to open. We must be like the sakura too. Patient.”
Write invitations, address envelopes.
“Obaasan! I see buds! Is it time?”
“We will have our hanami when the sakura are in full bloom, little one.”
Soak rice, pickle vegetables.
“White petals, Obaasan!”
Deliver invitations, summon friends…
Please join our family for hanami under the cherry blossoms.
Let’s celebrate spring and new growth.
Together.
Wrap onigiri, steep tea, pack bento.
“Obaasan?”
“It’s time, Na-chan!”
Under pink and white blossoms, we lay our blankets.
We eat,
play,
laugh,
hug.
Winter is over.
Spring is here.
We rejoice, together.
3. U DREAMS
By Randi Lynn Mrvos
https://media.tenor.com/uYqqagVKQiUAAAAC/red.gif?t=AAX4WhnpltIIWoy0LQ2t7A
Under the plip-plops,
Under the drip-drops,
Under the splish-splash of a spring shower, U dreamed.
With a wish,
With a swish,
With the wind, U sailed from the hands of a child. U floated freely, unafraid
Over the rooftops,
Over the treetops,
Over the tops of ocean waves
To an Irish castle and hopped a jig,
To a Spanish palace and danced a bachata,
To the French Iron Lady and twirled pirouettes and then...
Up for a swing on a star,
Up to have tea with the Moon,
Up to bask in the beams of the Sun until…a little voice cried…I need you.
As gentle as a wish,
As quiet as a prayer,
As light as a kiss, U fell toward the cobbles
To keep off a spring shower,
To shield from the wind,
To be home and in the hands of a child.
4. An Easter to Remember
By Adriana Guitierrez
https://media.giphy.com/media/VgwpZMAbvQtMSAR7t0/giphy.gif
Cascarones!
Mama and Juanito gather empty egg shells, tissue paper and confetti.
Pink, yellow, green-
The colors trickle into the egg.
Orange, red, blue-
They seal the tops with glue.
Easter arrives. The familia visits and the cascarones make an entrance. The primos run around smashing eggs. Abuelo grunts! “Mmmph!” Rainbow colors fly across the sky, and confetti blankets the ground. Lupita smashes one on Abuelo!
Everyone stills. No one breathes. Lupita’s giggle emerges, but Abuelo's face remains frozen. A gentle breeze blows and a beautiful butterfly flutters by.
Suddenly, Abuelo chuckles and his belly shakes in delight. He cracks a cascaron on Lupita and the toddler squeals. Their infectious laughter spreads throughout the familia. They cherish a glimpse of the happy Abuelo- the one that existed before Abuelita’s passing.
They know she’s with them as memories flood them. The life of the party- alive in their hearts forever- Abuelita.
5. The Moose is NOT Loose
By Kelly Lee
Word Count: 122
Gif Link: https://kellyleeauthor.com/spring-fling-kidlit/
On the way home from the zoo, Max saw buds blooming, bunnies bouncing and a moose munching.
The beautiful sight inspired him to write a poem.
“In the woods eating blooms was a ravenous moose,
He was scruffy and scrawny, and out on the loose.”
“WOAH! I’m not on the loose! Just cause it’s an easy rhyme does NOT make it a good option. Can’t a moose have a snack without having his motive questioned?” exclaimed the moose.
Max sighed, “Fair enough. Okay, how about:
In the woods eating blooms was a ravenous moose,
He was handsome and strong, standing under a spruce.”
“That’s definitely an improveme . . .”
“COME BACK HERE, MOOSE!” shouted the zookeeper.
“Uh, this is awkward,” said the moose.
6. What Jada Found on the Nature Walk
By Leah Dean Thomas
https://media.giphy.com/media/Zd0t779MY6opQbhnjv/giphy.gif
Lane found a perfect L-shaped stick,
Randall a heart-shaped rock.
Jada picked up a grocery sack
and a lonely baby sock.
Eva arranged a neat bouquet,
Greer grabbed a sweetgum ball,
Jada picked up a coffee cup
and a dirty plastic doll.
Reyna retrieved a roly-poly,
Ace a piece of moss.
Jada picked up a scrunchie
and an empty tube of gloss.
Simon spied a shiny beetle, perfectly preserved,
Belle saw broken robin eggs and tiny baby birds.
Jada picked up a can, two straws,
and a crumpled paper bag,
three bottle caps, a piece of string,
and a ratty, tattered rag.
The class returned with leaves and stones
and a newfound love for spring,
but Jada threw her finds away,
and didn’t keep a thing.
She tossed her stash,
but Jada gained a lasting souvenir:
a passion to clear the trash away
from the nature she holds so dear.
7. Mud Goes Bad
By Kathy Watson
Mud was the star of Summer -
With mountains, monster trucks and sticky pies.
Everyone said, “Mud is rad!”
and Mud was glad.
But when Autumn rain turned him into a mess,
new shoes and backpacks stayed away.
“Mud is bad!” they said.
And Mud got MAD.
He stole Polly’s shoe!
He splattered Jacob’s homework!
And he sucked in the Cloninger twins' favorite action figure.
Everyone was sad
and Mud felt bad.
Drained with loneliness, he welcomed squirrels and birds to bury their seeds and acorns.
But Winter drove away his new friends, too…and Mud turned hard.
He waited in the cold.
Frozen, then spongy… then finally softening as warm sunshine sprouted something new
and old friends visited every day at the bus stop.
Mud was the star of Spring –
with wildflowers and tiny trees.
No one thought he was bad
and Mud was glad.
8. The Bashful Pansy
By Annette Bethers
GIF link: https://tenor.com/bmv2K.gif
It’s spring!
Everywhere flowers are opening their colorful petals
—all except little Pansy.
“Time to bloom,” Wind whispers.
Pansy holds her petals in a tight bud. She’s bashful.
“Show your glow!” Sun urges.
“Open,” Cloud says, “and taste your first raindrop.”
“See me paint the sky,” says Rainbow.
Pansy wants to see Rainbow’s colors,
and taste Cloud’s raindrop,
and feel Sun’s glow.
But she feels safer hidden inside her bud.
“I understand,” a child playing in the garden whispers. “I’m sometimes bashful too.”
“The tulips and the daffodils are so tall and grand,” Pansy says. “I’m so small. Why should it matter if I blossom?”
“You are special in your own way,” the child replies. “The world needs the beauty only you can give.”
“Then I will try to be brave,” Pansy says.
She slowly uncurls her petals one by one
—and smiles at her friends.
9. Holi Spring!
by Suhasini Gupta
(147 words)
Spring sprung after a weary winter!
Flowers bloomed.
Once barren trees flourished with fruits.
Animals cheered.
They were ready to mix and mingle.
Excited elephants bathed in a pond. Trumpet!
Playful pigs rolled in muddy puddles. Oink!
Mischievous monkeys bounced in treetops. Boing!
Bears couldn’t bare growling tummies. Roar!
Busy bees collected sweet nectar. Buzz!
The wise owl watched…
waited…
and worried… "The animals mingled only with their OWN group!"
Soon he cooked up a scheme!
He tossed colorful flowers in the pond and poked the beehive then, hid.
Bitter bees chased the animals,
scared bears threw blueberries,
mad monkeys flung ripe mangoes,
picky pigs splattered mud,
enraged elephants stomped the flowers, splashing colored water!
The animals looked like a canvas of colors!
The owl lost control and cracked up. Hoot! Hoot! Happy Holi!
The fierce fight became a hilarious play.
They laughed, danced, and blended together.
This is a story about Holi (the Indian festival of colors which we celebrate in Spring)
10. Worm’s Wings
By Kelly Kates
Word count: 150
https://media.giphy.com/media/SITV3ENZCyF0kwLUEA/giphy.gif
Worm popped out of the dirt, dazzled by the blooms that had appeared overnight.
A beautiful creature fluttered by.
“Aren’t my new wings incredible? I was like you, crawling around. One day, I woke up and . . . voila!”
She had been like him? Worm couldn’t wait for his own transformation. Every night, he went to sleep hoping tomorrow would be the day. Every morning, he woke up disappointed.
Mother wondered why Worm was sad.
“When will I become beautiful?”
“Worms don’t change. But you add beauty in your own way. Without you stirring up dirt, flowers wouldn’t grow. Butterflies wouldn’t exist.”
The next day, Worm wriggled to the top. “Thank you!” sang the butterflies and flowers. Worm smiled back proudly.
Bright petals lay around him. He chewed through the center of two petals, sliding them on to create his own flower wings!
And, tomorrow, he could make a whole new pair.
11. Tree Trouble
By Stacey May
https://media.giphy.com/media/hzXFuEPTfB2CXGZEeX/giphy.gif
Yaaaaaawn
I’m awake. I’m refreshed. I’m…
bare branch naked!
This is so embarrassing.
“WHERE IS MY WHITE BLANKIE?”
And what is this “spring” the birds keep squawking about?
Don’t they know that my blankie is missing?
It covered me and I was safe and…what are THOSE? Bumps?
I’m sick! I knew it!
“I NEED MY BLANKIE!"
Drip Drop
“I’m down in the dumps. Please wash away my…”
Oh no. They’re everywhere and…GROWING!
“Stay away, birdie buddies! Save yourselves!”
“I’m hideous. Don’t look at me.”
“Look at me! I’m beautiful!”
These flowers smell treemendous.
Stop pulling my branches. Now the flowers are leaves? BEST. MAGIC. TRICK. EVER!
Swish Swoosh
“Leaping leaves! Hold on tight! Come on, green goofballs…hold still…I’m ticklish.”
I still miss my white blankie,
but a green blankie is nice too.
“Don’t ever leaf me. Seriously…what would I do without you?”
12. COMMUNITY BLOOMS
By Cindy Greene
Paper filled the air, pirouetting
like cherry blossoms that had leapt from branches
to dance in the bold, spring breeze.
People hurried by.
Cars passed.
Benson paused,
then frowned at paper plastering the grass.
Benson scampered, chasing paper through air, like fireflies.
Paper was everywhere.
A girl stopped. “What happened to your papers?”
“They’re not mine,” said Benson.
“Then why are you getting them?” she asked.
“Because they need getting,” Benson replied.
“Let’s go,” called the girl’s sister.
“No,” said the girl. “Let’s help.”
The girls pursued paper somersaulting along sidewalks.
“Need a hand?” asked a man.
“Yes!”
A woman stomped to trap paper, triumphantly smiling.
A boy giggled zig-zagging after tricky ones.
When the last paper was
cornered,
collected,
recycled,
Benson looked around.
Cherry blossoms twirled in the wind,
and decorated the grass with pink speckles.
“Thanks,” said Benson.
“Thank YOU,” said the girl. “It’s all of our city.”
13. TEENY GREEN RIDING HOOD AND THE BIG BAD BEETLE
by Jessica Milo
(149 words)
One breezy spring day, Teeny Green Riding Hood mounted her snail and took off for tea at Grannie’s.
On the way, she met a giant beetle.
“Hello,” the Big Bad Beetle grinned. “Where are you going on this fine day?”
“To my grandmother’s mushroom cottage, just down this path.”
“Well,” Beetle nodded. “I won’t keep you. Happy snail-trails.”
While Teeny slinked onward, Beetle skittered down a different path to Grannie’s.
Hearing a knock-knock-knock, Grannie peered through the peephole. “Can I help you?” She asked from behind the door.
“Yes,” the Big Bad Beetle said. “By being my LUNCH!”
Grannie opened her door.
Beetle jumped. “You’re the grandmother?!”
“Didn’t expect me to be a frog, did you?” She croaked.
Beetle scurried off until….
SQUELCH!
He got stuck in a slimy snail trail.
“Teeny, right on time!” Grannie cheered. “And thanks for trapping my lunch, dear.”
Teeny smiled. “Any time, Grannie!”
14. Music is Everywhere
by Kiran Vazir Nair
(140 words)
https://kiranvazir.wixsite.com/apenandacrayon/post/music-is-everywhere-by-kiran-vazir-nair-140-words
While everyone was decorating their guitars and violins for the Boise Musicale, Arun just didn’t want the winter to end.
“I don’t have a guitar. Not even a piano or a drum to play!” said Arun to his Ma.
“How am I supposed to participate?”
“Music is everywhere!” said Ma.
“Close your eyes and sit calm.”
Arun hesitantly closed his eyes.
All he could hear was his younger brother’s giggles.
Ma asked him to try again.
And again.
DING
DING
He heard his brother enjoying his meal.
Arun jumped to the kitchen.
Three glasses, some plates, and spoons.
Two cups, some forks, and bowls.
CLINK
DING
CLINK
CLANK
But he wanted a star instrument.
He picked up the largest vessel and a ladle.
CLINK
DING
CLINK
CLANK
DONG
DONG
DONG
Arun was ready with his musical instruments and a song.
15. SPRING DEBUT
By Sharon Korzelius
WC: 150 words
https://giphy.com/gifs/spring-mistobosco-rinassance-xThuWw6VnADyOOJdug
I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life
years of practice since I was steady enough to stand
fielding and batting, running and sliding
and pitching.
I love this game so much.
Your girl Teagan is eleven years old and
today’s starter for the Babcock Lake Blue Rays
on Opening Day of the Little League majors
ready to play this April day.
I love this game so much.
My cleats are tied, my glove’s on tight
as I make my mark on the pitcher’s mound.
The smell of fresh cut grass brings tears
to my eyes, not because of allergies.
I love this game so much.
“Batter up!” yells the ump.
Deep breath, I tell myself.
Female pitchers like Mo’ne Davis,
Jackie Mitchell, Olive Little, and
Mom all got your back.
I hurl my four-seam fastball
past a boy twice my size.
“STRRIIKKE!”
I love this game so much.
16. WORM HEROES
By Penelope McNally
WC 150
April showers bring…worms!
Will and Grandpa jump and splash over worms into puddles.
“Grandpa, were you a Worm Hero when you were little?” asks Will.
“What’s a Worm Hero?” asks Grandpa.
“A Worm Hero saves rainy day worms. We pick them up off the sidewalk then put them back in the dirt, like this.”
"Do Worm Heroes wear capes?”
“Worm Heroes wear raincoats! To protect us from speeding rain drops and giant hail balls,” says Will. "We know a lot about worms, too. They have jobs you know.”
“Worms go to work?” Grandpa asks.
“They do! In the dirt! They dig tunnels so air and water can get to the plants. Then the plants can grow.”
Grandpa picks up a worm. “If we’re Worm Heroes for saving the worms, so they can dig tunnels to help plants grow, that makes worms…”
“Plant Heroes!” Will yells. “Back to work worms!”
https://giphy.com/gifs/mallrat-worm-ufo-holding-WsYhgB3kZMZ7t9Qqte
17. BUSHYTAIL’S BOOT CAMP
By Jamie Bills
https://tenor.com/view/squirrel-workout-pushups-gif-5989487
“Attention campers, our bird buddies are migrating home as we speak,” Major Bushytail hollered on the first day of boot camp. “What does that mean?”
“Time for a welcome home party?” joked Hammy.
“Incessant chirping?” grumbled Grizzy.
“Spring?” guessed Blossom.
“It means bird feeders,” explained Major Bushytail.
“Every year they’re higher,
farther,
and trickier than the last.”
The squirrels chittered and nodded.
“With proper preparation, we’ll be prepared.”
“What’s our motto campers?”
“There’s no such thing as squirrel-proof!” the squad squeaked.
“That’s correct.”
“Now move to your assigned groups and get to work.”
Sergeant Grippy monitored progress on pole climbs and wire walks.
Lieutenant Savvy taught maneuvers for cages and spinners.
Captain Hoppy drilled burpees and box jumps.
Day by day Major Bushytail’s campers grew smarter, stronger, and more skilled.
By the time boot camp graduation arrived, Bushytail’s squad was ready.
“There’s no such thing as squirrel-proof.”
Our Honorable Mentions
Best Imagery- These honorable mentions missed being in the top by centimeters! We loved these descriptive pieces, but they didn’t quite have the story arc we were looking for.
SPRING CITY
By Siri Weber Feeney
Word count: 62
Spring arrives
Sidewalks bloom
Flower stalls curb
The winter gloom
Pigeons flutter
In hidden nooks
Warming eggs
With skyward looks
Raindrops patter
Children greet
The fresh-washed scent
Of wet concrete
Storm clouds gather
Umbrellas grow
Shielding shoulders
hunched below
Oil slicks swirl
Curb-waters climb
Soggy shoes get
A rainbow shine
Grey clouds thin
Puddles glimmer
Warm smiles blossom
As sunlight shimmers
DESERT by Spring
By Daniella Kaufman
Gif Link: https://tenor.com/view/cactus-flower-bloom-time-lapse-gif-7714144
WC: 136
A desert may appear to have
few colors to display—
a mix of ochre, muted sage,
and daubs of boulder gray.
Through Summer, Fall, and Winter’s reign,
it’s rendered with restraint
‘til glossy rain and gentle warmth
empower nature’s paint.
Then Spring’s artistic vision coats
the desert’s subtle scene
with crimson, terra cotta, blush,
and vibrant, lively green.
Spring stipples yellow flower buds
on palo verde trees
and speckles open sky between
with silver wings of bees.
Saguaro arms are overlaid
with blooms in pearly shades.
Magenta fruit on prickly pears
form delicate cascades.
The sand and mountains scintillate
from brushstrokes made in golds
and sunlit droplets plopped atop
the landscape’s hills and folds.
A desert canvas bursts with views
of hues that soon depart.
Still for its season, Spring creates
a vivid work of art!
FLOWER GIRL
By Ellen Seal
https://media.giphy.com/media/QBYiy2UH4jGzQr2iaB/giphy.gif
I stare at the fancy card.
Dear Jimena,
Will you be my flower girl?
Love, Tía
A flower girl? What’s that?
If it means what I think it means, there’s NO WAY!
I grab a marker and write Tía a list.
A perfect list fixes everything.
Why I CANNOT be a FLOWER girl:
- Flowers can’t eat popsicles. Or popcorn. Or *anything* yummy.
- Flowers can only grow. Growing = waiting. Waiting = boring.
- Flowers get nibbled by caterpillars. Ick!
- Worst of all, flowers don’t wear shoes. Say adios to my sparkle-tastic kitty boots!
Mom glides over. “Jimena, aren’t you excited? We’ll get you a pretty dress and practice throwing petals down the aisle! I can’t WAIT for Tía’s wedding!”
Wedding?
I test her. “Can I wear my kitty boots?”
Mom laughs. “I’ll ask”
As I start to crumple my list, my brother shouts from downstairs,
“But I don’t wanna be a ring BEAR!”
We loved these honorable mentions and agonized over these decisions! These stories were fabulous. You were so close!
EM AND FLORA, EGG EXPLORERS
By Sarah Parlour
“My egg is lost!
It’s vanished.
Gone!”
Em puts her magic spy-glass on.
A cat?
A fox?
Here on the farm,
Em’s precious egg might come to harm.
A scrap of shell?
A crumb...
A grain!
“Quick, Flora. Let’s go search the lane!”
Through the puddles.
Splish, splash and LEAP!
“Hello, piglets.”
“Good morning, sheep.”
Feathers?
Footprints?
Em’s getting near.
“What’s that Flora? What can you hear?”
Rustle, rustle, scratch and CHEEP.
“Did little egg just make a peep?”
Flo sniffs, she barks, she wags.
“Quick, quick!”
Em’s lost an egg, but found…
… a CHICK!
See The Wind.
By Don Barone
https://gfycat.com/basicgrippingamurstarfish
It is early morning, and the park is all hers.
The breeze blows gently for the little girl who twirls within it.
Her hair is dark, her dress is green, her sneakers have stickers all over them.
Her kite is red and blue.
And she twirls.
And her kite above follows her.
Under a nearby tree her parents sit drinking coffee.
Mom glances up while looking at her phone, Dad closes the morning paper, together they watch their daughter twirl.
And her kite twirls with her.
Her name is Ashley.
In the mist of the morning there twirls a little blind girl within the breeze.
And she is flying a kite.
And she giggles.
And she twirls.
Because her kite let’s her see the wind.
It is early morning, and the park is all hers.
The breeze blows gently for the little girl who sees the wind.
The Silver Linings Crew
By Karen Pickrell
136 words
<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/YqpjHWJwIRKWR6wckd" width="480" height="270" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/rain-frog-pond-YqpjHWJwIRKWR6wckd">via GIPHY</a></p>
Clouds loomed overhead.
A bleak outlook hovered.
The Silver Linings Crew to the rescue!
“Ok, guys, things look gloomy. Let’s get to work. Steady the ladder, Walt. Send up the silver, Pete. Grab the paint brushes, Gwendolyn.”
Paint, paint, paint.
Brush, brush, brush.
Splatter, splatter, splatter.
“That’s better. Nice job, team. Now every cloud has a silver lining. That should make things look more hopeful.”
“Wait. The clouds need more silver.”
“Not again, Walt.”
Boom! Crash! Crack!
“Oh no! Not another thunderstorm. Time for more silver, Pete. Will this rain ever stop?”
“You know what they say, ‘April showers bring May flowers.’”
“Way to find the silver lining, Walt.”
“That’s our job—to bring out the bright side. Don’t you love it? Take a look now.”
“Beautiful, Walt. I feel better already. Way to go, crew.”
RAINY DAY FRIENDS
by Lindsey LeBlanc
I’m wishing and hoping these clouds blow away
The rain’s pouring down on this stormy spring day
Sunshine – where are you!? I need a break!
How much “indoor fun” can an only child take?
Played puzzles and Go Fish and Candyland (twice.)
Baked gingerbread cookies (went light on the spice.)
Built forts out of pillows and cities of blocks.
I even helped Mama patch holes in my socks!
I long to be dancing outside in the sun!
I want to do cartwheels and tumble and run!
But wait – what’s that sound? Perhaps a cruel joke?
I perk up my ears and I hear it – a CROAK!
I yank on my boots and I smash on my hat.
I race to the door (don’t slip-side on the mat!)
I go out in search of my new froggy friend.
Now wishing and hoping this rain NEVER ends!
Spring (Hairball) Cleaning
By Stephanie Maksymiw
GIF Link: https://stephaniemstories.wixsite.com/home/post/spring-hairball-cleaning
Humans are odd.
They let a robin or a groundhog tell them when it’s Spring.
Foolishness...
The real predictor of Spring is me!
What does a robin do?
That silly bird flies back home and starts chirping.
Big deal!
And the groundhog?
That sleepy rodent wakes up and looks for his shadow.
That proves nothing.
What I do is much more impressive.
I shed my winter coat when the weather turns warmer.
Then I bathe.
Lick.
Lick.
Hurk.
Hurk.
HurUUUUUAAAAAGHAGHUUUUUUH!
Behold...
I have made the TRUE first sign of Spring.
An ooey, gooey, fur filled hairball.
Do humans take delight in the soothing sounds like they do with the robin?
No.
Do humans gather from near and far to see like they do with the groundhog?
No.
What do the humans do?
They see it.
They hate it.
They clean it.
Humans are odd.
The Fire Grows
By Deborah Holt Williams
GIF link: https://giphy.com/gifs/illustration-spring-april-M0vagrHYfX1l0KhedY
WILDFIRE! Mom said take one thing, and we’ll drive to get Granny. One? I pick the treasure box Gramps carved when he was sick. The trees are dry as cornhusks, the smoke tastes like burnt beans, and the fire grows. Granny cries, leaving her cabin and her garden. It’s hard to sleep at the shelter. Inside, people sob. Outside, helicopters come and go, dropping water on the flames. I hold my treasure box all through the night. News comes in the morning: our home is OK, but Granny’s cabin and garden are gone. All that’s left is her old clawfoot bathtub. Granny comes to live with us, and I tell Dad my idea. The truck rumbles down the hill, carrying Granny’s tub. My treasure box holds seeds from her garden. We fill the tub with soil, and start over. And now, the garden grows.
IT’S MAPLE SUGAR TIME
By Laura Martinez
GIF
https://twitter.com/i/status/1642525177832435713
Warmer days
And freezing nights…
Grandpa says, “It’s time.”
He grabs his satchel.
We pull on boots.
Up the hill we climb.
Muddy squishes.
Snowy crunches.
Snowdrops beneath each tree.
In the woods
we scout each maple
bigger around than me.
Grandpa drills out
clean round holes,
I push the spile in.
Tap, tap, tap.
The bucket’s hung.
Another to begin.
A dozen trees
with spiles and buckets
catching precious sap.
Once the bright
green leaves appear,
we pull each shinny tap.
Grandpa’s says
each tree will heal
by next year in the spring.
For now we let
the sweet sap flow
while Robins chirp and sing.
Snowy crunches.
Muddy squishes.
Down the hill we climbed.
The wood is stacked
and kettle ready.
It’s maple sugar time.
Mantis Munch
by Rebecca Andrew Loescher
https://images.pexels.com/photos/7123960/pexels-photo-7123960.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1600
“My legs? Hush! I’m praying!”
the mantis keeps saying.
“You moths go on playing in patches of light.
“No reason to mention
my tight-lipped intention.
My prayers will be answered. I’m preying tonight!”
With spring plants now blooming,
and mantids resuming
their search for free meals that taste pleasingly right,
it might find a flower
with camouflage power . . .
pretending it’s part of it there in plain sight.
But flowers can’t snuggle
a moth in its struggle—
a razor-legged mantis grabs insects mid-flight.
It sits motionless . . . hunting,
with dreams of confronting
a fluttery mouthful with eager delight.
One SNAP . . . undetected.
Moth never suspected.
With thanks, mantis munches each moth-eaten bite.
Puddlequariums
By Haley Thomas
gif link:
https://giphy.com/gifs/water-green-plants-G0Odfjd78JTpu
Have you seen the puddlequariums?
They pop up each time it rains!
When the clouds roll in, and the day gets dark
The puddlequariums return full of mystery and life,
If you just look a little deeper.
Each puddle is its own underwater world
Swishing, moving, reflecting the tiny streaks of sunlight
That stealthily sneak through the thick clouds.
And the creatures inside! You don’t see them? I promise they are there!
Different rains, different storms bring different creatures to my puddlequariums.
A downpour means tropical fish in every color,
A steady sprinkle a whole tide pool of crabs
A drizzle means a beluga whale or two
Sometimes it really is quite the zoo!
So after the next storm, find your own puddlequarium and care for the creatures inside.
You can’t see them? Just look a little deeper. And imagine where they might hide.
Spring Sings Different (97 words)
By Amy Chini
Spring sings different on my street,
Ocean breeze AWAKE with the scent of a million orange blossoms,
Flower spikes rocketing skyward
UP, UP, UP!
Who can reach blue first?
Silhouettes of agave
Or maybe Brachiosauruses,
Their long necks drooping
Everything draped in Spring song.
Now comes the night-time jingle,
Paleteros making the rounds
Tamale carts,
Their strands of lights
An invitation,
The laughter of people out past dark.
Chimeneas glowing,
Firepits crackling,
The occasional excitement
Of barbecue on the air.
Sweatshirts and sandals
We’re cold, but not
Shoe cold,
Folks on my street
Clapping high-fives with Spring.
POTATO AND AVOCADO: LOST & FOUND
By Kathy Fork
Potato was a down-to-earth fellow, grounded in his routine.
Every day he tended his flock of oats. After they were milked and turned out to pasture, he took a nap.
One day Avocado moved in next door.
Loud guac & roll blared.
The oats spooked, bolted through the fence, and trampled Potato’s prize tulips.
After rounding up the oats, Potato was covered in soft spring mud.
“This is the pits!” Potato grumbled, banging on Avocado’s door.
The door swung open.
“Holy guacamole, you must be my new neighbor!” exclaimed Avocado. “I’m sorry about the noise. I run a daycare and guac & roll is the only thing that puts the baby carrots to sleep.”
Within minutes, Potato had a warm mug of clover tea in his hand and Avocado’s a-maize-ing story in his ear.
Potato no longer missed the silence. He had a peeling he’d found his best spud.
THE MIDNIGHT GARDEN
by Ashley Karges
Midnight looms.
Sisters are snug in bed, drifting in peaceful slumber.
But in their dreams, they walk through the garden at midnight.
Here the magic of the circadian rhythm is at hand. A circadian rhythm much like that of the sleeping sisters.
Moon beams glow. Warm breezes swoop in. The garden beauties awaken and stir.
Daffodils.
Peonies.
Tulips.
At the stroke of twelve, the light shifts. The temperature turns. And the flora know what they must do. It’s time to repair! It’s time to grow!
Stretching their leaves, spreading their blooms.
Pansies.
Hyacinths.
Bluebells.
The garden is alive.
The sisters tip toe on soft flower beds. Crouching to see petals in low light. The subtle perfume of spring brings them back to their dreams. Snug in bed.
Sunrays appear. The air shifts once more. The sisters rise from their dreams. Stretching and spreading, like the midnight garden.
