Some Things I Like
I like ocean-polished shells,
I like pine cones scattered on the path,
I like freshly felled trees — a beaver’s dinner,
I like spotting the outline of an owl
nestled in a pine tree pre-dawn,
I like watching a fox slink
down a darkened street,
I like tiny frogs camouflaged
against large pond fronds,
I like a ruby red cardinal
on a bare winter branch,
I like a rugged path opening to the sea,
I like smooth river stones
washed by clear water,
I like the surprise of a bear
standing in a meadow,
I like the quiet of a morning marsh,
I believe I was designed
to dwell in the natural world.
- This poem is modeled after the British poet Lemn Sissay’s “Some Things I Like (A Poem to Be Shouted)”. In the poem, Sissay offers a list of quirky, disparate likes. Yet in the end, Sissay’s list offers a theme — he appreciates the displaced, the discarded. As a child he went from foster home to foster home. He wrote a list that offers memoir too (poem published in Padraig O’Tuama’s Poetry Unbound).
A Reading Life 
Your fantastic imagery painted pictures as I read. I enjoyed the alliteration, too!
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I LOVE a list! Thank you for the idea and for sharing the inspiration; I will definitely take a look at Sissay’s poem. Although I doubt mine will be as eloquent as yours 🙂
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This is SO beautifully written and evocative. I felt I was outside in nature with you and marveling at the wonders of the outdoor world.
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This poem of things you like paints lovely images in my mind!
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As soon as I started reading your poem, I thought “How can I use this with my students?” (always a teacher brain). I, like the others, love your use of imagery and making the nature feel so comfortable.
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Yes, you were made to be a naturalist and a list-maker! One of my favorite images “I like a ruby red cardinal
on a bare winter branch,” Can you create a 12-month calendar out of this list–I’m envisioning watercolor artwork.
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This is beautiful! I teach a creative writing class, and I this might be something they would enjoy.
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Such a beautiful poem full of wonderful descriptions that bring each item you like alive! Thanks for sharing about the poet as well.
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What a beautiful poem! The lines at the end- “I believe I was designed / to dwell in the natural world.” definitely ring true. As I was reading your slice, I thought to myself, Beth loves nature. What a way to celebrate what you enjoy!
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