Poem: The Fox and the Crow

A coal-black crow sits in a tree, 
A morsel of cheese in his beak has he. 
A fox slinks by as sly as you please, 
And cunningly plots how to get the cheese. 
  
“Oh how I admire your feathers so spry, 
The sheen of your tail and the glint of your eye, 
The elegant curve of your beak sharp and long - 
But would I could hear your sweet voice raised in song!” 
  
At this the crow’s flattered and quite taken in; 
To impress the fox further he will now begin. 
He throws back his head, and rasping and raw, 
He utters a raucous, cacophonous “Caw!” 
  
With beak all agape, the cheese tumbles out, 
The fox snaps it up in his long pointed snout. 
“Sing, Crow, your vanity, long as you please. 
You keep your song, and I’ll have the cheese!”

  

By Paul King

(After the Aesop fable)

poem: Acorn and Oak

“Oh I’ll never be big,” the acorn said 
As it gazed on high to the oak tree tall, 
“I’m little and round as a miller’s thumb, 
I’ll never be big, I’ll always be small.” 
  
The oak tree smiled a knowing smile, 
“My trunk is thick, and my roots are deep, 
My branches and twigs spread high and wide, 
For birds to nest in, and bugs to sleep. 
  
But I was an acorn too on a time, 
- ‘Oh I’ll never be big, I’ll never be strong,’- 
That’s what I thought many years ago... 
 And, dear little acorn, you see I was wrong!”

Paul King

Poem: Avalanche

A thousand pines are sprawled
like broken toys,
snapped like toothpicks
by the crushing mass of snow
that pounded down
the steep mountain.
They tell me it was over
in minutes, a forest
that took a century to grow
gone in a roar,
an enormous thunder of snow.


by Kristine O'Connell George

Poem: Street Tree

All day long, I stand
here on the street,
neatly clipped
a round-headed shape,

minding my manners.
I know my proper place.
I don't spill leaves,
never dribble sap.

So meek and polite,
no one knows that
when all the cars go home--
when I'm standing here, alone--

I dream wild.
I am forest.


*by Kristine O'Connell George

Poem: Trees Place

Tree has staked it's claim,
anchoring itself firmly to Earth.
Tree owns this place in the universe.
Within this space, all belongs to Tree--
turf, shaft of air, even slices of sun.
Tree will not step aside for anyone.
Tree stands its ground.
When you
meet Tree,
you must
go around.


*by Kristine O'Connell George

Poem: Maple Shoot in the Pumpkin Patch

Remember me?
I helicoptered past
your kitchen window last fall,
then hovered over the pumpkin patch.

I had traveled far on the wind that day,
spinning the whole entire way.
I really hadn't planned to stay,

only wanted to look around,
lay my dizziness down,
rest a moment on the ground.

No wind came to carry me aloft,
the dirt was sweet and soft--
I guess
I must
have
dozed
off....


*by Kristine O'Connell George


----
Idea: great o have the kids draw a picture to go along with this story (or act it out while reading)

Poem: Beaver Dam

Do you see the gnawed trees
             piled up like trash?
Did you see
             a quick brown flash?
Did you hear
             a splash?

Must be that architectural team
with another scheme
to redesign the stream.


*by Kristine O'Connell George

Poem: Opposties

The opposite of dark is light
The opposite of black is white
The opposite of dull is bright
   And I eat chocolate cake at night.

The opposite of loose is tight
The opposite of peace is fight
The opposite of of wrong it right
   A circus is a silly sight.

The opposite of big is small
The opposite of short is tall
The opposite of none is all
   Now watch me bounce my rubber ball.


by Mary Ann Hoberman

Poem: Eggs

Eggs are laid by turkeys
Eggs are laid by hens
Eggs are laid by Robins
Eggs are laid by wrens
Eggs are laid by eagles
Eggs are laid by quail,
Pigeons, parrots, peregrines--
And that's how every bird begins.


by Mary Ann Hoberman

Poem: Hippopotamus

How far from human beauty
Is the hairless hippopotamus
With such a square enormous head
And such a heavy botamus


by Mary Ann Hoberman

Poem: Panda

A panda
Planned a visit
But they told him not to come.
He was going to Uganda
(Where of course he isn't from).
Everybody knows the panda
Comes from China, not Uganda
And a
Panda
In Uganda
Would Cause panda-monium.


by Mary Ann Hoberman

Poem: Gazelle

O gaze on the graceful gazelle as it grazes
It grazes on green growing leaves and on grasses
On grasses it grazes, go gaze as it passes
It passes so gracefully, gently, O gaze!


by Mary Ann Hoberman

Quotes: Beauty

Beauty...
“The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.” 
― Albert Einstein

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” 
― Confucius

“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” 
― Franz Kafka

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” 
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” 
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.” 
― Edgar Allan Poe

“The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.” 
― Louisa May Alcott

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emerson's Essays

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all 
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know” 
― John Keats, The Complete Poems

“the voice of beauty speaks softly; it creeps only into the most fully awakened souls” 
― Friedrich Nietzsche

“Beauty is not caused. It is.” 
― Emily Dickinson

“Beauty is a sign of intelligence.” 
― Andy Warhol

“Whatever the imagination seizes as Beauty must be truth -whether it existed before or not” 
― John Keats

“Beauty awakens the soul to act.” 
― Dante Alighieri

"Every beauty which is seen here by persons of perception resembles more than anything else that celestial source from which we all are come."
-- Michelangelo

“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection”
Michelangelo

“Beauty is the purgation of superfluities.”
Michelangelo

"My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth's loveliness." 
-- Michelangelo

Quotes: Truth

“Our job is to integrate these various truths into the whole truth, which should be our only loyalty.” Abraham Maslow

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” 
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

“I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” 
― Malcolm X

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.” 
― C.S. Lewis

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” 
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“There's a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure truth.” 
― Maya Angelou

“Whatever satisfies the soul is truth.” 
― Walt Whitman

“Love truth, but pardon error.” 
― Voltaire

“Three things can not hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth.” 
― Gautama Buddha

“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard

“Who is more humble? The scientist who looks at the universe with an open mind and accepts whatever the universe has to teach us, or somebody who says everything in this book must be considered the literal truth and never mind the fallibility of all the human beings involved?” 
― Carl Sagan

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to 
succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.” 
― Abraham Lincoln

“If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed.” 
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.” 
― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

“The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.” 
― Aristotle

“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.” 
― René Descartes

“When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.” 
― George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah

“All should be laid open to you without reserve, for there is not a truth existing which I fear, or would wish unknown to the whole world.” 
― Thomas Jefferson,

“Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” 
― Blaise Pascal

“Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living.” 
― Gautama Buddha

“Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.” 
― Albert Einstein

“To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world, and the seed-plot of all other virtues.” 
― John Locke

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” 
― Albert Einstein

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” 
― Albert Einstein

Quotes: Goodness

“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” 
― Albert Einstein

“If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.” 
― Albert Einstein

“She began to see that character is a better possession than money, rank, intellect, or beauty, and to feel that if greatness is what a wise man has defined it to be, 'truth, reverence, and good will,' then her friend Friedrich Bhaer was not only good, but great.” 
― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

“Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others.
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Quotes: Truth

“Our job is to integrate these various truths into the whole truth, which should be our only loyalty.” Abraham Maslow

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” 
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

“I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” 
― Malcolm X

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.” 
― C.S. Lewis

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” 
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“There's a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure truth.” 
― Maya Angelou

“Whatever satisfies the soul is truth.” 
― Walt Whitman

“Love truth, but pardon error.” 
― Voltaire

“Three things can not hide for long: the Moon, the Sun and the Truth.” 
― Gautama Buddha

“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard

“Who is more humble? The scientist who looks at the universe with an open mind and accepts whatever the universe has to teach us, or somebody who says everything in this book must be considered the literal truth and never mind the fallibility of all the human beings involved?” 
― Carl Sagan

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to 
succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.” 
― Abraham Lincoln

“If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed.” 
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.” 
― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

“The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.” 
― Aristotle

“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.” 
― René Descartes

“When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.” 
― George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah

“All should be laid open to you without reserve, for there is not a truth existing which I fear, or would wish unknown to the whole world.” 
― Thomas Jefferson,

“Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” 
― Blaise Pascal

“Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living.” 
― Gautama Buddha

“Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.” 
― Albert Einstein

“To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world, and the seed-plot of all other virtues.” 
― John Locke

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” 
― Albert Einstein

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” 
― Albert Einstein

Poem: Heaven-bound

Where are the limits?

Who draws the bounds?

Are they written inside me or elsewhere to be found?

How are they marked?
Shall I know the way?
Written in sand, chalk or spirit?
...I cannot say.

I cannot. Do I know not?
Or do I know deep down inside?
Do the bounds keep me out, or keep me in to hide?

Are they self imposed or heaven sent?
So many questions I feel...

Who draws the lines?
Are they even real?

....

"With love come those lines."
An answer is heard.

For what purpose...?

"Know Ye not?
Listen. And feel."

"I draw some lines, but see them you can't.
Feel them you must, through your heart, not your mind.
Attention, do give them. Trust and obey,
Give me your all and the bounds go away.

"Some may still see lines. But lines make you free.
Trust. Don't ask questions that you feel need to be.
Just keep moving forward.
Let faith guide your path.
Listen. Learn.
And do what you can.
The journey isn't doing. It's feeling with love.
It's giving of self and looking above.

"Keep looking toward heaven.
Heaven-bound is the way."

So, Who draws the bounds?
....???

...from "heaven-bound," Let me not stray.

by Shelley Schneider

Poem: So Much

So much I feel

So much to say
So much I know
Yet that thought hedges the way...

There's so much more unknown
And always more to learn
So much to seek, to do and to earn

So much can be beautiful.
And so much can overwhelm.

So much for "so much"
So I bid thee farewell!

by Shelley Schneider

Poem: The Simple

"The simple life."

What is that?
So many have asked.

Who finds the answer?
Only those willing to give...

Give what?
The next question that tugs at the heart.

"Well what do you seek?" (...more questions to follow.)

And follow we must.
For the spirit leads the way.
Quiet thoughts and moments to guide us each day.

Do we listen?
Do we feel?
Do we use higher thought...to rise above our own judgments and worldly things of naught?

So much good to see and learn.
But are there questions found therein?

Is My journey my question...
Where do I begin?

"The simple."

Keep looking...and you'll find what you seek
Less is more.
Less will make you meek.

Meekness is strength and power -- it's real.
"The simple" is truth.
Truth you can feel:
True to yourself
And to others
And to God

"The simple" keeps simple-ing.
Until all you need is the rod.

Hold fast to "the simple"
Keep asking it's name.

The simple. The true. Our savior.
(All one and the same)

by Shelley Schneider

Poem: O is Open

O is open
O is round
O's a circle
O's a sound
O's a wheel
O's a hoop
O's an orbit
O's a loop
O's a ring, made of gold
O's a moon, halway old.


by Mary Ann Hoberman

Poem: The Sun

The sun calls little seeds to come;
They wake from sleep and grow.
Sunlight is very good for them,
And good for us, you know!
It warms the Earth which circles it;
It gives the world its light.
When it rises, we have day.
And when it sets, there's night.

by Mary Lou Healy

Poem: The Microscope

Anton Leeuwenhoek (layu-wen-hook) was Dutch.

He sold pincushions, cloth, and such.

The waiting dry goods gathered dust.

He worked, instead of tending store,

At grinding special lenses for

A microscope. Some of the things

He looked at were:

                               mosquites’ wings,

the hairs of sheep, the legs of lice,

the skin of people, dogs, and mice;

ox eyes, spiders’ spinning gear,

fishes’ scales, a little smear

of his own blood,

                                  and best of all,

the unknown, busy, very small

bugs that swim and bump and hop

inside a simple water drop.

Impossible! Most Dutchmen said.

This Anton’s crazy in the head.

We ought to ship him off to Spain.

He says he’s seen a housefly’s brain.

He says the water that we drink

Is full of bugs. He’s mad, we think!

They called him dumkopf, which means dope.

That’s how we got the microscope.

*by Maxine Kumin

Poem: Ants

The busy ant works hard all day
And never stops to rest or play.
He carries things ten times his size,
And never grumbles, whines or cries.
And even climbing flower stalks,
He always runs, he never walks.
He loves his work, he never tires,
And never puffs, pants or perspires. 
Yet though I praise his boundless vim
I am not really fond of him.

Poem: Mosquito

O Mrs. Mosquito, quit biting me please!
I'm happy my blood type with your type agrees.
     I'm glad that my flavor
     Has met with your favor.
     I'm touched by your care,
     Yes, I'm touched everywhere.
On my arms and my legs, on my elbows and knees,
     Till I cannot tell which
     Is the itchiest itch
     Needs the scratchiest scratch.
Your taste for my taste is the reason for these,
So Mrs. Mosquito, quit biting me, please! 


*by Mary Ann Hoberman

Poem: Cricket

A cricket's ear is in its leg,
A cricket's chirp is in its wing.
A cricket's wing can sing a song.
A cricket's leg can hear it sing.
Imagine if your leg could hear.
Imagine if your ear could talk.
Imagine if your arm could talk.
Would everything feel upside down
And inside out and wrongside through?
Imagine how the world would seem
If you became a cricket, too.


*by Mary Ann Hoberman

Poem: Classification of Animals

MAMMALS
Mammals cover their tender skin
With a layer of fur or hair,
The babies are born, not hatched from eggs
And when young, need lots of care.
Dogs and cats are mammals that walk
Bats are mammals that fly.
Dolphins and whales are mammals that swim.
And mammals are you and I.

AMPHIBIANS
An amphibian starts life in a pond
As it hatches from an egg.
It learns to swim with its sturdy tail
Since it has no arms or legs.
After a while, as it eats and grows
Its tail shrinks very small.
And its tiny arms and legs grow big
So the amphibian can hop and crawl.

BIRDS
The animals that can fly are birds
Because of their wonderful feathers.
They rise with ther wings, and steer with their tails
And frolick alone or together.
Birds build their nests from leaves and twigs
And lay their eggs in batches.
Their parents sit upon the eggs
To warm each til it hatches.


FISH
A fish has fins which lets it swim
In its ocean, lake or pool.
It has no arms or legs or nose
And groups of fish are a school.
Some fish are fresh-water, some are salt,
All have scales, not hair.
They force some water through their gills
To breathe a little air.


REPTILES
A reptile breathes like you and me
Not water, like fish, but air.
Its body is covered with bony plates
Or scales instead of hair.
Some like deserts, some like swamps
Some like their home a plain.
They hatch from eggs like tiny adults
And in that area remain.


INSECTS
Insects number in the millions
They crawl, swim and even fly.
Exoskeletons help protect them
They live in water, dirt and the sky.
Smelling with feelers and tasting with feet
Three-part bodies and hatching from eggs.
Two antenna, and four wings
And three pairs of jointed legs.