I am proud to be a council member on the TECHE Project. This weekend the final touches on a kayak dock in downtown New Iberia were installed. My friend and TECHE Project member David Dahlquist designed kiosks for every town along the route of the Bayou Teche. For this kiosk in New Iberia, he placed my poem I am a Beckoning Brown Bayou from my book Bayou Song. It warms my heart to know someone will read this poem every day.
The TECHE project also works to improve the water quality of the bayou. The ultimate goal is to restore the waterway to be a safe recreational area. The work is ongoing and requires participation from many entities. Yesterday afternoon, Jeff and I did our small part. We picked up two plastic chairs and pieces of 3 styrofoam ice chests. We also had a beautiful paddle on a gorgeous spring day. What a blessing the bayou is to us and our neighbors! A place of peace in this crazy world.
Reflections on the Teche 
How wonderful to have your beautiful poem placed there so people can read and enjoy! You live in such a special place.
Margaret, congratulations. It is a great honor to have your lovely poem front and center in the Teche project kiosk. the line, “I say courage lives here,” is a testament to the strength of your area over the years. Your kayak ride not only seems peaceful but productive as you did your part to save your waterway.
So incredibly cool! Great poem. We definitely need to cultivate places of peace.
You are a part of your community in so many ways. I love how the bayou is literally in your backyard. You celebrate the Teche with your presence and your poetry. So glad everyone will be able to enjoy both when they visit.
How wonderful that your poem is there for all to read! I love your bayou and all the parts of it you share with us. It is so different than the Indiana cornfields!
Congratulations! What a great honor to have your beautiful poem displayed on the New Iberia kiosk, where visitors can read your poem, feel your passion of the bayou, and be inspired by your words for years to come. I love how your poem is a tribute to the past, present, and future of the Bayou Teche and invites the reader in. These lines especially spoke to me “I echo egret, heron, and ibis”, “I twist and turn like a water snake”, “I want you to come”, and “I say courage lives here”. I’m thrilled for you! 🙂
Oh, I am really glad that your poem will be there for so many people to enjoy. I haven’t had a chance to tell you this yet, but I am planning to use your book for part of our information unit probably next week. I’ll let you know how it goes!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Oh how wonderful and exciting! What an amazing spot to live.
This project is magnificent – what an honor to have your poem listed on the kiosk for New Iberia! Such a gorgeous place – even these photos are blessings.