"A love-song to the Bayou Teche, this inviting book creates its own universe. I suspect there are multiple paths for us to enter that universe, but I am drawn in immediately by Anna Cantrell's luminous watercolor illustrations, a gift to us from her precise observation and quiet love for her subjects. And then Henry Cancienne's photographs add another layer of beauty and understanding. Then I come to brief paragraphs of information, enough to arouse curiosity but press me with too many facts. Then "€" what a treasure box this little book is! "€" Margaret Simon's poems, each one born of minute observation and winsome appreciation of this Bayou universe. And nestled into all of this are Simon's suggestions for writing a poem of our own in the manner of the one we've just read, and a little space right there to do so. Experienced teacher, she suggests with a light touch and offers inviting tricks to make our writing easy.

"This is a generous, generative book that gives and gives and does not make demands. My fingers were itching to hold a pencil, a canoe paddle, a watercolor set, a camera. I leave its universe a little sad to go, but refreshed in my love of the Louisiana bayous and with my own creativity restored." -- Ava Leavell Haymon, "author of Eldest Daughter: Poems Poet Laureate, State of Louisiana, 2013-2015"