April is National Poetry Month! All month long we’ll be celebrating by posting some of our favorite poems for Poetry Friday. To celebrate Earth Day, for today’s Poetry Friday, we chose a poem from Animal Poems of the Iguazú/Animalario del Iguazú, written by Francisco X. Alarcón and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez.
Same Green Fate
let’s listen to
the green voice
of the rainforest
the colorful chorus
of so many flowers
trees and birds
let’s learn
the distinct
living alphabets
of so many species
so many insects
and butterflies
let’s be part
of the clamor and
song of this land:
you all belong
to us and we all
belong to you
protect all of us
for the Earth’s fate
for your own sake
let’s make the world
a true Ybirá Retá—
a Land of the Trees
Purchase Animal Poems of the Iguazú/Animalario del Iguazú here.
Our Earth Day Poetry Collection is now 25% off! Purchase it here.
Further Resources
Reading for the Earth: Ultimate Earth Day Resource Roundup
Happy Earth Day from LEE & LOW BOOKS
Earth Day: Saving the Pufflings
What We’re Doing to Celebrate Earth Day
Seven Children’s Books to Celebrate World Water Day
Resources for Teaching about Wangari Maathai and Seeds of Change
Turn a Blanket into a Scarf! Book-Inspired DIY Projects
Where in the World: How One Class Used Google Maps to Explore the Vanishing Culture Series
Beyond “Did You Know…”: Teaching Geo-Literacy Using the VANISHING CULTURE Book Series
How to Be an Explorer in Your Own Backyard: The Olinguito Activity Kit and Teacher’s Guide