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Borrowed from the Wild

Patti McAlpine and BioBlitz *

     My first involvement with BioBlitz was in 2006 as an environmental educator. Kira Stillwell, a RI Natural History Survey organizer, asked if I’d lead a children’s poetry workshop. I wanted to use poetry to connect people with nature; this was a perfect opportunity.

     In 2013 the RI Natural History Survey added a writing team to BioBlitz and I signed on. While others collect data and specimens of species to annotate for the Survey, I collect words and shape the observations around me as I learn more about RI's Natural History.
 
 
 
 
* BioBlitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. (WikiPedia)  BioBlitz is held every June at a different RI locations. Visit www.rinhs.org.
 
Patti's collection of BioBlitz inspired poetry is available below as a single-page, PDF micro-chapbook.  Activate both the book and selected poems by clicking on the titles.

Origami Micro-chapbook

Selection

Borrowed from the Wild

 
 
Photo by author

 

{mooblock=Rocky Point Park - New Beginning}

 
- from the Bioblitz 2014

Amid ruins of an amusement park,
nature abounds.
A house finch perched atop
the derelict dining hall
sings a welcome song.

Behind a fence memories of childhood--
rollercoaster rides and family fun;
music from a carousel echoes from the past
blends with the sound of laughter.

Children collect shells and crabs awash
in salt and sand.
Walk along the shore,
new amusements to share.
Rocky Point Park remains a natural treasure
for all to take pleasure!

Patti McAlpine © 2015

{/mooblock}

 

 
 
The Origami Poems Project is a non-profit which promotes poetry by
publishing free micro-chapbooks of poetry.