I hope we all have moments when the natural world takes our breath away! From a cloud that you feel amazed by to an inchworm climbing onto a picnic table, you can find a sense of surprise, delight, awe if you pay attention to the world around you. The goal of this project is to share and spread the joy we feel when we open ourselves to our natural world.
For this project, I am inviting poets from anywhere to find a partner to work with. Maybe a kid and an adult work together? Or, work alone if you prefer.
Once a month(or season), go outside with your partner. Find one natural thing that grabs your breath or makes you wonder. Write a short snippet or poem (could be a haiku) to capture your subject. Post it here in the comments.
Start anytime in January 2026!
Humble Beginnings
I recently taught my 7 year old nephew how to write his very first poem. Haiku is always a great place to start. We talked about traditional haiku, how they tend to focus on nature, and he started coming up with ideas right away. We brainstormed about tigers, and then (one of my favorite topics…
The Potato-Banana Tree
A Cardinal Royal Mountain Ash is good enough for me (even though I kinda wish it was a Potato-Banana Tree). At least when I climb its berried branches in the snowy, crackling winter, it’s guaranteed I will NOT get a potato-banana splinter. by Léna R. and Jay B. Dominion Arboretum Ottawa, Ontario
Coast of Maine, January
All day silence drifted White tufts blanketing earth Quiet as our breathing by Mary Jo and Steve M.
Encouragement for Poets 