Monday, April 22, 2013

Earth Day with Amy

There would be very little point in my exhausting myself and other conservationist themselves in trying to protect animals and habitats if we weren't at the same time raising young people to be better stewards.
~Dr. Jane Goodall




Whatever my friend Amy Ludwig Vanderwater does, she does with her whole heart. She doesn't just talk about taking an interest in the natural world, she lives it.


Amy's poetry picture book Forest Has a Song came out this spring and she has kindly given me permission to share a poem from it:

Farewell
by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Forest breathes
a spicy breeze.
It blows
into my ear:

When you go home
do not forget
my leaves
my song
my deer.
Remember
I am Forest.
Remember
I am here.


**************

Some of my other favorite Earth Day/nature-related poems of Amy's include:

* Song for Garbage Day
* Sticks
* Animals All Know
* Fear

Links:

* A OneFourKidLit interview with Amy
* Kids for Saving Earth
* Symphony of Science from Climate Reality (prose song)
* Earth Day from the Environmental Protection Agency
* Easy Eco Blog

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.
~John Muir


2 comments:

Amy LV said...

Tabatha, Thank you so much for this kind post. I love these quotes and the links you have shared and am sending teachers your way. Many thanks for your generosity today...and every day. I am very grateful for my poetry community and you. xo, a.

Linda B said...

What a wonderful book to share on Earth Day, Tabatha. The book is just great, I've used it already in a classroom & the students loved it. Thanks for your favorite links, too!