Down a river of creativity

“River of Words”

Edited by Pamela Michael $18 Paperback, 256 pages.

“River of Words” is an anthology of art and poetry created solely by children. Every year, editors at Milkweed Editions receive thousands of submissions from all over the world. To read selected samples of the children’s work, see below.

Rivers

Rivers splatter,

hitting rocks below.

But don’t be afraid,

there is poetry

deep inside each crevice.

Jose, 7

Wishing Dust

The rain, the trees

the road and my heart

are part of the world.

The windy moonlight

and sunlight

are like wishing dust

that is coming down on me.

Tyler, 8

First Winter’s Fog

The fog floats upon the fields, blanketing each hay bale, barn,

animal -- Shrouding every object in its icy, cobwebbing

Mist.

The moon reflects upon the stilled waters of the slough, shining as bright

as in the sky, glowing with the stillness of the night.

Trees, bare from winter’s cold, stand alone, silhouetted against the sky

Of evening, reaching, gesturing as the breeze stirs

Their freezing branches.

“On the night you were born,” Mom says,

“There was fog.”

“Fog,” you think.

“Fog.”

Margit, 10

When I’m happy

100 deer

Jump over the sun

When I laugh

100 bears

Laugh with me.

Angela, 6

I Am

You may think

I am a shadow.

But inside

I am a sun.

Damia, 9

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Kids, find out how to submit your work to the Milkweed competition. Visit https://www.riverofwords. org/contest/index.html

Next week, Book Reviews will revert to its regular format. Kids, send us your reviews and drawings. See How to write to us, on the opposite page, lower left.