Poetry Friends! I have a new book coming out next month: Wood Duck Diary: Tanka poems in English and French.
I wrote the book of tanka and haibun poems to capture the miracle that my husband and I have witnessed each year by watching a Ring camera in our wood duck house.
Irene Latham wrote: “Readers of all ages will JUMP at the chance to celebrate the life of wood ducks in this inviting volume. Delightful verse, scientific facts, and striking photographs combine in this heartwarming tale of real-life animal adventure (and the humans that make it happen).”
The humans that made this book happen are my dear friends David Dahlquist and Mary Ubinas, through a donation to the TECHE Project. All proceeds will benefit the TECHE Project. One of the goals of the TECHE Project is to promote the well being of wood ducks along the 135 miles of the Bayou Teche through educational workshops and placement of wood duck houses.
My hope is this small book will inspire others to take the time to notice and wonder about nature and our environment. Wood ducks are beautiful birds that were once considered endangered. When we watch the dozen or more ducklings jump from the house a mere 24 hours after hatching, we do not know their fate. I don’t like to think about all the dangers lurking in the bayou waters, so I write poems about them. I’m sharing a few here. The book is available now on Amazon. I will receive my first shipment in a few weeks, so you can also order from me.
February 24
House Hunting (Haibun)
The hens are showing up! Now that the drake scouts have identified a safe nesting box and area, it is time for the hen’s approval as they begin to inspect the boxes for themselves.
Dawn, when sunbeams stream,
an expectant glow invites
a wood duck couple—Female shimmies through the hole,
Chatter-chipper to her mate.la maison de chasse
L’aube, quand les rayons du soleil coulent,
une lueur d’attente inviteun couple de branchus—
La femelle se trémousse dans le trou,
Chatter-chipper à son compagnon.Margaret Simon, from Wood Duck Diary
New Chicks
Gentle peeps echo.
Jumping onto mother hen,
New chicks jitterbug.
Like petals on a pinwheel
fluffy down spins together.
Nouveaux poussins
Doux piaulements résonnent.
Sautant sur maman canne,
Nouveaux poussins font le jitterbug.
Comme des pétales sur un moulinet
duvet moelleux tourne en rond.
Margaret Simon, from Wood Duck Diary
Reflections on the Teche 