Stone Soup

Where young artists paint the world with words

The international magazine of stories, poems, and art by young writers and artists. Published continuously since 1973.

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Willow Grove

Willow Grove

My eyes open
and smile
as I hear
the young cry
of a rooster.
I look up
to the sky
and say
good morning
to the world.
The Snow Queen
greets me
with a benevolent gift
of a curly white blossom.
I smell
the fresh gift
of the queen
as I emerge
from the house
to visit
the world outside,
plucking a myriad
of rainbow blossoming buds
that look like
an endless field
of happiness,
dancing with the creatures
of the world.
A cry
from the goose,
whose tender feathers
look like
a long carpet
of shining silk,
calls the flock.
The flock comes
to their humble leader
and dances
with the sun.
A splatter
from the brook
brings delightful treasures
sent as gifts
to our beloved
Willow Grove.
I stretch out
my young hands
hoping for permission
to drink the water
as though I could be
drinking beauty itself.
In return,
I pick
a tender daisy
and carefully
give it to the stream.
I look
to the sun
and say
a humble thanks
for this providential
act of kindness
the world
has given
me.

Eily A. Chiu
Eily A. Chiu, 9
Virginia Beach, VA