Poetry from the Trail
Editor's note: Guest blogger Taylor Woolsey is an Environmental Science Educator at NatureBridge Olympic.
Sixth grader Cade Sutton and his school are from Colorado, and during our week together the students were getting really stoked about Pacific Northwest tree identification. Recognizing their interest, on our challenge hike day up Mt. Storm King I offered recitations of a couple tree-themed poems I had written to those who wanted to hear. Cade was particularly excited about these and continued his curiosity and engagement in learning about the trees around him.
A couple days later while spending time in a grove of massive Western Red Cedar trees near Barnes Creek, Cade asked if he could share with me a poem he had been working on. He seemed to have brilliantly come up with this in his head without writing it down and it was incredible! As we walked back to campus, he gave me permission to record it in writing while he recited and tinkered with the wording. Knowing our shared interest in poetry, he even said I could include it in any publications and "didn't even need to credit him," to which I responded, "OF COURSE I WOULD CREDIT YOU!" And alas, here it is published!
Our final reflection that day was one where everyone finds a small rock, stick, and leaf and we go around in a circle to share what "rocked" about our day, what we want to "stick" with us, and what we would like to "leaf" behind. On Cade's turn, he shared that what rocked about his day was "being able to express myself through poetry". Teary eyed, it warmed my heart to know he not only had the courage and confidence to share his work with our trail group, but also that he had an opportunity to follow his passions at NatureBridge. Experiences like this remind me how our programs can make a lasting impact, or are made to last—just like the cedar tree of Cade's poetic affection.
Experiences like this remind me how our programs can make a lasting impact, or are made to last—just like the cedar tree of Cade's poetic affection.Taylor Woolsey, Environmental Science Educator
Stories
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