Laura Rodley, a Pushcart Prize winner, has been nominated for the prize seven times and has also received five Best of the Net nominations. Her recent works include Turn Left at Normal (published by Big Table Publishing Company), Counter Point (published by Prolific Press), and Ribbons and Moths: Poems for Children (published by Kelsay Books). With a talent for capturing the essence of life, Rodley’s writing resonates with readers of all ages. Whether exploring the natural world or delving into human emotions, her words evoke a sense of wonder and connection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PClY8G6HQwk

Miser

The squirrel is not a miser
with his pile of sunflower seeds.
He flips thorough everyone
seeking the kernel within.
Others come and batter with him,
his tail quilled with rain-soaked fur,
his fluffy coat drenched but
still he keeps digging in
the surfeit of seeds.
In this he is indeed a miser,
shuffling his seeds right to left.
But, ah, how hard he works for them.
His gleaning necessary to survive.
So, in fact, he is not a miser,
just a rain-drenched solitary
worker feeding his hungry belly.