Exquisite Praying Mantis

In my grandfather’s garden on St. Mary’s Street,

they crept, stemmy creatures with Popeye arms.

Every day at lunch we assembled toy blocks

with letters around the chipmunk’s fountain.

Eating peaches, juice running down our chins,

sticking fingers tossing pits in the grass,

watching the clouds fly by and imagining the

exquisite animals,

feeling the clouds filling my eyes, throwing

all the strange creatures into shadows of shapes.

The winged creatures donned their shadows,

landing beneath the clouds in peace,

two and two flew throughout the night,

and all five felt the magic of flight.

- by Mary Lynn Callahan, Tammy Christel, Meg Daly, Alice Grant, Sue Mortensen, Benj Sinclair, and Olivia Wheeler

This poem was created at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in conjunction with the “Exquisite Animal” exhibit, which runs through February 5, 2012, at 2820 Rungius Road.

Exquisite Heron

The great blue heron broke her driftwood pose;

her wings plumed wide, over the stream she rose.

Rising high above the crystal waters,

a journey to a far off place she goes.

Floating on the air

the eagles’ wings flow,

gnashing their teeth

on a rumpus they go.

Glistening in the moonlight,

the blue, blue moonlight,

shimmering beams of stars

dance gleefully in azure.

Points of light coming from

how far? No one is sure.

- by Meleta Buckstaff, Carrie Geraci, Amy Goicoechea, Jennifer Hoffman, Doug Miller, Terry Roice, and Carol Schneebeck

This poem was created at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in conjunction with the “Exquisite Animal” exhibit, which runs through February 5, 2012, at 2820 Rungius Road.

Exquisite Chickadee

Dapper chap in your cap

and ebony cravat, sing, sing!

Though darkness brings fearsome shadows,

within the blackness there be stars.

So sing into the night,

sing until the sky shines like diamonds.

In the dawn, the cold rocks grace your skin.

Pick up the red balloon and run.

And the sun

calls all beings into life.

Livin’ the dream!

- by Meg Daly, Kjera Strom Henrie, Elizabeth Kingwill, Rob Kingwill, and Abbie Miller

This poem was created at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in conjunction with the “Exquisite Animal” exhibit, which runs through February 5, 2012, at 2820 Rungius Road.

Exquisite Porcupine

She nibbles on old wooden steps,

wild roses shrink away in awe,

ambles on her way

poking around… curiously,

wondering why…

but knowing not.

The dark lines

would lead her back.

The bees get their breakfast,

“Eat at Joe’s.”

I didn’t know I would come

but I wanted to.

The snakes undulating all the way

through wildflowers.

- by Matt Daly, Fred Kingwell, Wendy Merrick, Mimi, Sue Mortensen, Carol Schneebeck, and Connie Wieneke

This poem was created at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in conjunction with the “Exquisite Animal” exhibit, which runs through February 5, 2012, at 2820 Rungius Road.