Early in March, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater challenged the readers of Today’s Little Ditty, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes’s blog, to write a poem about a small object. I immediately thought of this little hen that had sat on my grandmother’s what-not for years.

Then I tried to write a poem about it. That turned out not to be so easy. Throughout the month I wrote other small object poems, but kept thinking about this one. This morning I finally wrestled it into something I’m mostly satisfied with. In the spirit of all the poets who are writing a poem a day this month, I’m sharing draft number twenty-one.

Unlike the biddies nesting
out in our chicken coop,
you roost upon a bed of glass
instead of sweet, fresh hay.

You’re always poised and calm,
never cluck-cluck-clucking
or ruff-ruff-ruffling
your milky white feathers
when I lift you off your nest.

For it isn’t speckled eggs
you’re keeping safe and warm.
The eggs I find rainbow-hued.
You’re hatching jelly beans!

© Catherine Flynn, 2016

These pressed glass hens were also made of white milk glass, so I took some poetic license with my model so the surprise made more sense.

My friend Margaret Simon challenged me to write a poem each day in April with her. She has written and shared her poems at her blog, Reflections on the Teche. Be sure to visit her to read her inspiring words.