seasons

The Common Robin

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The Common Robin.
Poetry by Laurel Trautwein
Artist Debbie Clark


The robin has returned
with her song
and I do not ask her
of her winter whereabouts
nor tell her how much I’ve missed
the open windows
and the outdoor melodies
that float inside
landing within me
as lightly and longed for as feathers


such whistles and trills
become the music
that brings the rains and
summons the hosta shoots
now shouldering through soil
I cannot budge with a shovel


come July
I will not forget
this novelty
I will not take for granted
this common bird
who is telling me every day
you do not have to be extraordinary
to sing


but to sometimes
forget the world
and remember the earth


to create
something out of nothing
with your singular voice
and so
to dance with the gods
just because…


we are alive
and that is exceptional reason enough

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Winter’s Beauty by William Henry Davies

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Winter’s Beauty
By William Henry Davies
Artist Nicholas Hely Hutchinson

Is it not fine to walk in spring,
When leaves are born, and hear birds sing?
And when they lose their singing powers,
In summer, watch the bees at flowers?
Is it not fine, when summer’s past,
To have the leaves, no longer fast,
Biting my heel where’er I go,
Or dancing lightly on my toe?
Now winter’s here and rivers freeze;
As I walk out I see the trees,
Wherein the pretty squirrels sleep,
All standing in the snow so deep:
And every twig, however small,
Is blossomed white and beautiful.
Then welcome, winter, with thy power
To make this tree a big white flower;
To make this tree a lovely sight,
With fifty brown arms draped in white,
While thousands of small fingers show
In soft white gloves of purest snow.

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Autumn at Kincraig

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Autumn at Kincraig
By Tessa Ransford
Artist Steve Sanderson

Yellow birch leaves fall like flakes
on rooted rutted forest tracks
rain splatters
on plastic hoods among the woods.

Tawny oaks and bronzy bracken
beech leaves thickly dark and molten
as we walk
in single rank along the bank.

The living river far below
a dark brownish steady flow
then shower of sun
gently catches golden larche.

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Short Story Review: The Forest Painter by Diane Mae Robinson

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A magical fantasy short story by the author of the multi-award-winning The Pen Pieyu Adventures series.

The changing of the seasons has arrived when a young fairy is unwillingly thrown into the role of The Forest Painter. Aura never learned the art of forest painting. Now, she must paint the forest with autumn colors before the frost queen’s arrival or Majestic Forest will be lost forever to the frost queen’s icy touch.

Join Aura in this fantasy tale as she tries to save the autumn.

Available on Amazon.

 

 

My Review

I chose to read this short story after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I have read several books by Diane Mae Robinson and enjoy her writing so when this short story was available for free a while back, I downloaded it and then kind of forgot about it. I found it again today and read it in just a few minutes since it’s only 12 pages long, but it was a few minutes well spent.

Aura is the new Forest Painter but she thought she had all the time in the world to learn her craft so now she’s in a frenzy trying to get the forest painted for autumn before the frost queen shows up. When Aura realizes she’s out of time, she asks for Boreal’s help just in time.

The Forest Painter is beautifully written and it’s easy to imagine the Magic Forest and Aura and Boreal’s forest painting. It also teaches about a couple of the seasons, procrastination, and asking for help when needed. It’s definitely a great story for children and adults who like fantasy to read when they have a few minutes.

 

 

About the Author

Diane Mae Robinson is a multi-award winning children’s fantasy author and non-fiction author with fourteen international book awards and one provincial award for The Pen Pieyu Adventures series and, her latest release, The Dragon Grammar Book. 

The author lives in central Alberta, Canada. She enjoys riding her horses, playing with her dogs, visual arts, visiting Maui often and, of course, writing. Diane is also an artist, art teacher, writing instructor, children’s book editor, and an international short story competition judge.

Want a free 55-page pdf Sir Princess Coloring Book and the short story The Forest Painter? Exclusive to the author’s VIP readers’ group. Copy and paste this address into your browser to join: https://dragonsbook.com/subscribe/ 

Read more about the author’s books on her website: https://www.dragonsbook.com

“Find your wings and Fly.” DMRobinson

Author website: https://www.dragonsbook.com
Blog site: http://dragonsbook.com/blog/
Blog site: http://www.dianemaerobinson.com
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