The laureateship [of U.S. Children's Poet] has brought me a couple of appealing contracts, including my first anthology, the 200-poem The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry.Apart from the increased travel, I won't let anything interfere with writing poetry.

Poetry is frosted fire.

Poetry is the tunnel at the end of the light.

The Ladybug wears no disguises. She is just what she advertises. A speckled spectacle of spring, A fashion statement on the wing.... A miniature orange kite. A tiny dot-to-dot delight.

Please bury me in the library With a dozen long-stemmed proses

A bad book owes to many trees | A forest of apologies.

I have always believed that poems beg to be read aloud, even if the reader is in a world all her own.