Vivian Kirkfield’s annual 50 precious words contest inspired me to write this 33-word story about the life cycle of a milkweed plant. Illustrator notes are not allowed for this contest, but I envision this story as a board book with a boy and his dog playing throughout the seasons of the year–jumping in a pile of fall leaves, building a snowman, splashing in spring rains, and running through a field of milkweed flowers. A rough sketch idea of these characters are included above. And of course the illustrations would include the lifecycle of the monarch butterfly that depends so much on this plant for its survival. So here’s my entry about a milkweed plant from seed to flower and back to seed again. Click here to read more story entries on Vivian’s blog.
SEEDS: A MILKWEED STORY By Cheryl Pilgrim
Seeds…
scatter in the breeze,
Glide
Spin
Twirl
float to the ground,
Chill
Soak
Soften
sprout under the sun,
Stretch
Bud…
BLOOM!
Flowers fade with time,
Wilt
Wither
R-e-l-e-a-s-e…
seeds in the breeze.
Cheryl Pilgrim 