Last week, the Poem-A-Day by the American Academy of Poets sent me this poem by Margaret Noodin:

Nimbawaadaan Akiing / I Dream a World

Nimbawaadaan akiing
I dream a world

atemagag biinaagami
of clean water

gete-mitigoog
ancient trees

gaye gwekaanimad
and changing winds.

Click the title above to read the rest of the poem. Noodin explains that she wrote this poem after hearing a talk by Kwame Alexander and Rachel Martin about Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream Speech.” That speech in turn was inspired by the poem “I Dream a World” by Langston Hughes.

Our world is in need of dreams, especially those dreams that inspire us to create a better world. Here is my poem. What dreams do you have for our world?

I Dream a World

I dream a world
where there is enough
fresh air and clean water to sustain us
and abundant food
for all who hunger.
I dream a world
where everyone is free
to walk their paths
without fear
and come home
to those they love.
I dream a world
where we find the strength
to love our neighbor
and create our dreams
for a better world.

Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Susan hosts the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Soul Blossom Living. She s hosting the roundup of all things poetry across the kidlitosphere for April, otherwise known as National Poetry Month. Add your poetry adventure to the roundup or just browse to see what will be happening. Hurry  over and check out all the poetry morsels offered up today.

What a week! It’s been busy and full of many good things, but has left my brain in a most unserious state. Just for fun, I thought I’d share a couple of limericks I wrote during Laura Shovan’s February Daily Poem Project.

This first one was in response to a photo by Buffy Silverman of a dog snout speckled with snow.

The Sniffer

There once was a nose that could smell
the slightest of scents that were swell
from under the snow
where ere it might blow
unless it would lead to a belle.

This next one was in response to some classic advertisements from past decades shared by Patricia Valdata.

The Well-Tailored Man

I once had a well-tailored man
and kept him in check as was planned.
Then pride ran amok
and soon he was stuck.
Now from all style he’s been banned.

Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Heidi hosts the Poetry Friday Roundup today at my juicy little universe. She is celebrating birthdays with two delightful poems. Hurry  over and check out all the poetry morsels offered up today.

One of the things I look forward to each year is spotting flocks of sandhill cranes as they migrate through our area during the late winter/early spring. This year there has been extra excitement as some have spotted several of the much more endangered whooping cranes among them. I haven’t spotted a whooping crane, but on my commute this week, I did get to see large flocks of the sandhills foraging in the flooded corn fields along the highway.

If you haven’t seen or heard these large birds, who like to travel in packs larger than those of middle school girls, check out this short video from Joel Sartore and CBS Sunday Morning. We don’t have quite as many as Nebraska’s staging area, but I couldn’t count the hundreds spread across several fields. And if you just want to hear their call–there’s not anything else quite like it–here s a short video of their song.

Once Again

The flooded fields
have sprouted feathers
and gangly legs
as red-crowned heads
weave and bob
as far as I can see.
Overhead sleek gray
silhouettes streak
across the azure sky,
long legs stretching behind,
until their bugling cries
echo goodbye.

Each Friday, I am excited to take part in Poetry Friday, where writers share their love of all things poetry. Kat hosts the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Kathryn Apel – Children’s Author and Poet. She shares her brand new–at least to the rest of the world–picture book The Bird in the Herd and a poem on perseverance.) Hurry  over and check out all the poetry morsels offered up today.