One day a few weeks ago, this fine specimen was hanging out on my car. He was quite content and spent most of the morning resting from his night of feasting. I felt guilty about moving him to a nearby bush when I had to go to the grocery store! I was inspired by this master of disguise, so I did a little research. I always called this a stick bug, but here in Connecticut, its proper name is northern walkingstick. What better form to use for a poem about this skinny bug than a skinny? This form was invented by Truth Thomas in 2005 at the Tony Medina Poetry Workshop at Howard University.
Walkingstick
Twig-like bug:
slender,
patient
night-
stalker.
slender,
wingless
leaf-
muncher.
slender
twig-like bug.
Draft © Catherine Flynn, 2021
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Reading to the Core 
Perfect form! And repeated word. Look at those two legs hanging tight, wrapped around your car trim. Are they above his head? (Not hind legs?) Are they eyes I spies?
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Yes, like Kat said, perfect repeating word for a slender subject and a slender poem. What an amazing stance he has taken right there on your car. I wonder if he felt exposed? I’m sure the bush was a safer and more promising experience for him. I like also how you taught us several interesting facts about him in so few words.
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Catherine, I love your skinny poem and I love walkingsticks! I love repeating slender and twig-like bug. When our girls were young we were fascinated by the walkingsticks on our trees and leaves! I haven’t seen them in many years, though. You are a good observer. Aren’t they amazing? I have to look for them again. Thank you for the inspiration.
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Oh, it’s wonderful. My granddaughter Imi is always on the lookout for these magical insects. I will share with her, Catherine. You’re lucky it was on the car, easier to spot!
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Yes, perfect for for a poem about a walking stick. I love this little bug. They are amazing in their stillness and likeness to twigs. It is a slender/ patient/ night stalker. Kids would love this bug and poem.
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perfect!
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Perfect form and execution!
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What a great poem! And the skinny is a perfect form for this bug.
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Wonderful “skinny”! They’re such fun when giving form to all the long, narrow parts of the world!
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Perfect, yes! I like your
“night-
stalker.”
and
“leaf-
muncher.”
Thanks!
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What a perfect form to celebrate this creature! I love the repeated pattern of adjectives followed by a hyphenated noun. Thanks for sharing this!
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Wonderful twig-like bug. And twig-like poem. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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Perfect!
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