by Charles Waters

Ebony,
Cobalt,
Frosted
Gold,

Gazing at this
Never gets old,

Ruby,
Chestnut
And
Daffodil

Splashes of color
On a toucan’s bill.

Copyright © 2012 Charles Waters. From the book National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar. National Geographic Children’s Books. Reprinted by permission of the author.

About this Poem

This poem was courtesy of J. Patrick Lewis e-mailing me asking for poem concerning a toucan and/or an elephant.  I sent one of each, he didn’t choose the elephant poem though he picked the toucan one and I was thrilled.  Honestly, not because my poem’s in it, this book is one of the most beautiful visual feasts I’ve ever seen.  When a Children’s Poet Laureate (like Pat was at the time) asks you for poems and you come through with one that they like, there are few better feelings as a writer.

About The Author

Charles Waters’ poems appear in the following anthologies: Amazing Places (2014) edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis (former Children’s Poet Laureate of the United States), The Poetry Friday Anthology and The Poetry Friday Anthology for Middle School both edited Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, The Arrow Finds It’s Mark: A Book of Found Poems edited by Georgia Heard and And the Crowd Goes: A Global Gathering of Sports Poems edited by Carol-Ann Hoyte and Heidi Bee Roemer.  He performs his one man show POETRY TIME to elementary and middle school audiences and you can check out his youtube channel at www.youtube.com/thecharleswaters

Where to Buy this Book