EXPLORING NATURE: POETRY CONTEST

The new year is off to a fine start around my place. In the past few days, I have been delighted to see yellow-rumped warblers, fondly called “butter-butts” by some folks. I’ve also seen ladder-backed and golden-fronted woodpeckers. All were attracted by a hanging block of suet – peanut variety.

I am a big fan of black oil sunflower seeds in a hanging feeder, plus suet blocks in plastic cages. Combined with a birdbath filled with clean water, these are bird magnets which combine to attract all sorts of avian visitors.

Seeing these nifty birds inspired me to create a poem. And that inspired me to create a poetry contest, more specifically, a poetry contest devoted to birds and other wildlife.

The rules are simple. Keep the poem relatively short, make it rhyme — no blank verse, please — and submit it prior to Feb. 20. Use postal mail service and send your entry to Jerry Hall, 750 Cypress Creek Lane, Wimberley, Texas 78676.

Be sure you provide a correct return address and also a phone number so I can notify you if you win and send you your winning prize, which will be a $50 bill. I will also include your winning poem in a future column.

Good luck to one and all, and here is a poem of my own to show you what I have in mind:

Watching Birds

Watching birds is really great,

They flit, they fly, they fascinate.

Colorful feathers soaring high,

Among the clouds and in the sky,

I enjoy all birds, butterflies, too;

I hope the same is true for you!

Surely you can do better than that. Remember, deadline for entries is Feb. 20. Don’t delay, send that poem in today.