“A Bale of Turtles”
After months of hibernation
buried in the mud and muck,
a bale of turtles emerge
into a world of glimmering green.
Heads raised high in jubilation,
they bask in the glittering sunshine,
silent and still,
chasing away winter’s chill.
© Catherine Flynn, 2016
I took this picture at the end of April at a pond near my house. Since then, I’ve been working on this poem, trying to find just the right form, words, and phrases. During that time, I’ve felt like I’ve been buried in the mud and muck of school busyness, which has drained my writing energy. Now that school is over, I decided to revisit these happy turtles, and emerge into the sunshine with them.
Please be sure to visit Carol at Carol’s Corner for the Poetry Friday Roundup!
Reading to the Core 
You are emerging like the turtles to replenish, to oxygenate, and appreciate life.
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I wonder if turtles like stone soup. I don’t know why I wonder that. Isn’t the brain strange? Thanks for your supportive comment on my blog. XOXO
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Probably more than they like turtle soup! (Sorry–that was irresistible!)
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LOL Yes. No doubt.
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They really do look happy, don’t they? I don’t think I knew that turtles lived in groups, nor did I know that they group was called a bale. Hmmm…
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Isn’t it interesting that when we begin to see certain animals we know spring is really here, then summer too, of course. Love the use of ‘bale”, wonder why that too? Now when I see turtles raising their heads I will think of your words, Catherine, & know they’re celebrating! Thank you!
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Another wonderful poem, Catherine! Don’t you love all those amazing words for groups of animals? Like so many others, I had never heard of a bale. I’m so glad you revisited this picture and created your poem. Three cheers for emerging from muck and mud into summer’s sun!
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How cool to see so many turtles all at once. We see the occasional box turtle in our woods or driveway (and we name them all of course). Thanks for the uplifting poem :).
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How beautiful; emerging into the sunshine together. We get clusters of turtles on a fallen tree in our big dam – but I never knew they were a bale.
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beautiful! I am learning and will always need to work on not rushing a poem. It’s so hard for me. What a lovely way to see why not rushing the poem really works. Thank you!
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I love your turtles! Thanks for sharing them!
thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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