Welcome to Poetry Friday!
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amhurst, MA has long been on my bucket list of places to visit. But this week I experienced the wonder of Eric Carle at a special exhibit much closer to home. “Small Living Things: The Magical Art of Eric Carle” is currently on display at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA.
It was wonderful to wander through rooms of child-friendly displays and stand in front of Carle’s classic collages. I let his gentle words and colorful art fill me with wonder and curiosity…just like a kid. And I wasn’t at all surprised when the memories tiptoed in.
Small Things
(a small poem inspired by Eric Carle)
Spider is busy,
firefly lonely,
cricket is longing for love.
They fly crawl and hop
right into your heart
through the wonder
and the magic
of art.
Karen has the roundup today here where she offers a beautiful response to an Arthur Sze poem. Please stop by for lots of poetry goodness and inspiration.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Rose, your sweet poem swept me along with it, and my Eric Carle memories, and is an amazing homage, and tribute to artists everywhere. You should share it with the Eric Carle Museum!!!!
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Thanks, Mona. I jotted most of that poem in a small notebook right there at the museum.
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Ah, yes! What a wonderful small poem inspired by Eric Carle’s art! I would love to see an exhibit. I agree you should send them your poem.
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Thanks, Margaret.
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Rose, the Eric Carle Museum is on my bucket list, too. Let’s go! xo
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OK!
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So glad you got to see the exhibit. Enjoyed your delightful poem. I was lucky enough to visit the Carle once — a magical place!
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I’d love to see this exhibit, Rose, & the Carle Museum, too. And I love your memories that ‘tiptoed in’, from the “magic of art”. Every time a book illustrated by Carle comes into the used bookstore where I volunteer, it “flies” right back to someone else! Thanks for sharing.
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It’s a tiny little museum, with a children’s library, kid’s art center and book store attached to it. Pair it up with another activity in the area as it won’t take but half a day to tour it. But it is sweet, and totally focused on children’s lit in the best way. I know if you are a Mass. teacher, it is free. You can call them about other states to find out that status. They also have children’s lit speakers there, and you might want to pair it with a time they have a lecture scheduled.
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Delightful, Rose! And oh, how I’d love to see that exhibit! So many fond memories of reading Eric Carle with my kids.
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Hooray! Keep a visit to the OG on your list. It’s worth it…but I’m so glad you got a taste of EC close to home. A little bit of EC can jump into my heart any day. Great poem.
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Oh my! I would love to visit either of these museums. How cool. And I love your poem.
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Such a joyful outing! Wonder and magic!
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Such a special visitation, Rose. It delivered this poem and that rare sensation of being momentarily returned to a simpler time. How good is that. Your poem immortalizes the experience.
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