birds

Poetry·Summer Loh, age 8 — A child's observational poem captures an evening landscape where sea meets shore, birds hunt, stars emerge, and a hen settles into her nest.

Poetry·Enni Harlan, age 13 — A father and daughter discover a dead bird at dusk and create an impromptu funeral with autumn leaves, watching as wind carries both leaves and spirit away.

Poetry·Ikran Mohamed, age 11 — A young refugee uses nature metaphors to describe feeling different and new at school — a red bird among blue birds, a fish out of water.

Poetry·Gabe Horowitz, age 10 — A swan gliding across a lake becomes a meditation on how serenity can expand from a single creature to transform an entire landscape.

Story·Elaina Heinitz, age 10 — A grumpy man captures the town's beloved wake-up bird, but when the whole town mourns its loss, he realizes his mistake and sets it free.

Poetry·Tatiana Rebecca Shrayer, age 13 — Morning fog lifts as blackbirds sing and a coyote chases a dog, leaving the speaker wondering who cleared the fog away.

Poetry·Isabel Goodey, age 11 — A child's boredom becomes a moored boat rocking in a dreary bay, while stars twinkle merrily and gulls squawk terribly above.

Poetry·Isabel Goodey, age 11 — A child observes birds soaring through clouds and returning to birdhouses where they know they're free, celebrating their joyful sounds and movements.

Poetry·Naomi Angel Farkas, age 12 — A meditation on feeling trapped by others' expectations transforms into a plea for empathy and a vision of freedom through flight and song.

Story·Leon Antonov, age 12 — After a killer whale destroys his research ship, a marine biologist and his pet cormorant survive on a deserted island until they can build a raft to escape.