14 Comments

Tara, this is one of your greatest performances most charming and inspiring poems yet. I’m woefully behind on my April challenge. But this one may light a fire.

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I really enjoyed the poem, Tara!

As a kid, I had a field guide to British birds (or Birds of the British Isles, I forget the exact title). It taught me so much, and I treasured its mud-spattered pages (I lived on a farm) for years afterwards. Sadly, it flew off somewhere years ago and never came back.

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Gray tree frog.

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I had to double take your photo of frog-toad. It looks like optical illusion of a cat- toad. The placement of eyes are a sight to see.

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Blue spring anemones sound lovely!

Your post and poem have me thinking back to my World Book encyclopedias. I loved to sit and leaf through them, so much information at my fingertips -- wondering if I would ever 'know' it all. And, I must confess, I am still seduced into buying a book that is a compendium of information. Especially if there are pictures. :)

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The magic of a proper name ... ! Enchantment for children and grownups alike.

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This is such a lovely poem. An Ode to Field Guides really. I never know the names of things. It reminds me of one of my favorite poets, Carolyn Miller, who is good friend too.

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I love the poem, Tara! It reminds me of summers in New England. I've been reading about lexicalization lately, and how naming the parts of the world around us helps us to see them more vividly. You capture that experience beautifully.

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