Much of my poetry is inspired by the gardens, fields and woods here at the farmstead in central Maine as well as by the natural beauty and by the people of The Pine Tree State.
Maine pines and people Survivors, resilient souls Standing tall and proud
Pragmatic figures Independence their calling Rugged yet limber
Growing where they choose While rising ever higher Strong limbs branching out
Tempering spirits Amidst the boundless medley Solid, steady, proud
Diversity (A preview into one of Stevens’s poems to be included in her second—”Heaven and Nature Sing”—collection) was inspired by the early June blooms (photograph), a soothing balm after those long, cold Maine winters. One that never fails to enthrall us each spring. The natural world has much to teach us about life and living…
Diversity
by Bette A. Stevens
Splendor of countless pigments
In gardens they combine
Echoing grandiose harmony
Serenity you’ll find
And so it is with people
Of every thought and hue
Diversity’s resplendency
Reflecting me and you
Take all of your worries and all of your fears Cast them upon Jesus who’s waiting, He cares He came down from glory to save you and me His brothers and sisters who yearn to be free
He proved with his life that His calling is true We trust that He cares about all we go through His love it surpasses, His blessings abound His faithfulness throughout creation resounds
In Scriptures we find Him, His words and His deeds Imploring each brother and sister, He pleads Surrender your worries and all of your fears I’m here to walk with you in laughter, in tears
We’ll dance through the triumphs and trials together Good plans will prevail, no matter the weather God’s love is as sure as the sun, stars and moon Eternity’s waiting, there’s plenty of room
~Bette A. Stevens
John 3:16-17New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, the state of New Hampshire to the west, the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine’s long rocky Atlantic Coast is known for its frigid waters and an ample fishery—most famed for the Maine lobster. Maine has 3,478 miles of coastline.
Nicknamed The Pine Tree State), Maine was initially a province of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In fact, it was decades after the American Revolution before Maine gained official statehood. The Eastern white pine tree helped fuel the region’s economy in an era when shipbuilding and lumbering reigned supreme. The economic value of those pines actually provided a spark for the American Revolution. Massachusetts didn’t want to lose any of those pine profits it gained after the war, while Mainers struggled for political and economic independence. Maine officially celebrated its Bicentennial on March 15, 2020. Due to the 2020 Pandemic, The Pine Tree State will continue to celebrate its bicentennial through 2021!
“A nature-filled land that enlivens the senses and soothes the soul—to me, Maine is poetry.”
–Bette A. Stevens
The Power of Poetry
How Readers & Writers of All Ages Benefit from Poetry
Improves Verbal Skills & Memory
Enhances Cognitive Function
Develops Empathy & Insight
Encourages Creativity
Why Haiku…
Inspired by the beauty and bounty of my home state, I write poetry in many forms; but I chose haiku for My Maine to offer readers a collection of story poems and photo snapshots of the unique land I know and love.
I invite you to join me as I celebrate #Maine2020 by submitting one of your favorite photos taken in “The Pine Tree State” and writing a haiku too! I’ll be publishing submissions here on my blog throughout 2020. Simply email me at bettestevens@tds.netSUBJECT: “Maine Bicentennial Haiku.”
Silvery branches Unveil the old, old folktale A spellbound story
Pine cones and tassels Mirrored in moonlight upon White weighted branches
Chickadees dozing Nestling, captive to pine boughs Till dawn sets them free
Shovels and snow plows Storm’s rook ravings unraveled Till the next arrives
Soups, stews and chowders Stories told round the table Favored winter fare
Silently—Snowfalls Reign over field and forest Supremely sovereign
Winter white gemstones Glistening across meadows Perfect snowshoe day
About the Author
Inspired by nature and human nature, author Bette A. Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of eight. Stevens lives in central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys reading, writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies (milkweed is the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat). Stevens has written articles for ECHOES, The Northern Maine Journal of Rural Culture. As of July 2019, Stevens has self-published five books and has a second poetry collection on the drawing board. Find out more about the author and her books at https://www.amazon.com/author/betteastevens
“Happy reading and writing… May the bounty and beauty of each new season inspire you!”
Although it’s been a dry summer and monarch sightings have been sparse here at the Farmstead in central Maine, these amazing pollinators continue to stop by to visit, lay eggs on our milkweed plants, emerge from their chrysalides, metamorphose into monarch butterflies and fly off on their annual migration to winter inMexico, where their life cycle will begin again next spring… ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author and monarch butterfly advocate
A monarch butterfly visited our flowers. S/he was determined to stay, in spite of excited children and adults reaching out to touch. This butterfly is endangered, so the visit was very special.
I always give the children I teach roots- the foundation to become strong and happy. That comes naturally for the teacher in me. Wings are the final journey, after roots have become secure and sturdy. The monarch was showing me the power of wings.
This monarch butterfly stayed for a very long time. I knew there was a reason and a message:
Jennie, never forget how important roots are. The more you give to children, their wings can grow.
Yes. I thanked the monarch butterfly. What a gift!
STATUS UPDATE: As of Juy 25, 2022—Monarch butterflies are on the Endangered Threatened Species “Red List.”
Their status was announced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature last week, but we still await a status change from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Some of the largest contributing factors include significant loss of milkweed habitat and growth, as well as an increased use of herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals. Now for the good news.
As said by John F. Kennedy, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”
The Great Monarch Migration
Each year from August through October, masses of monarch butterflies embark on a journey from the southern reaches of Canada that takes them 2500 Miles to remote mountain treetops in central Mexico. Millions of overwintering monarchs were discovered roosting there for the first time in 1975. Here at the farmstead in central Maine, monarch butterflies visit us from early June through mid to late September. As a citizen scientist, I report my sightings to Journey North . I invite you to visit their website to find out more about our amazing monarch butterflies and find out how you can help.
Hubby Dan and I have sighted sixty (60) monarchs so far this season. The monarch chrysalis in my photo collage was spun by a caterpillar Dan discovered on a day lily leaf when he was cleaning the garden on August 13, 2019. We transferred the caterpillar and part of the leaf to our back porch. By the time I put fresh batteries in the camera and returned, this chrysalis had already been spun. On August 31, a beautiful monarch butterfly had emerged and was resting on her chrysalis (yes, it was a girl, our 2019 Matilda) about noontime. We sat and watched for hours as she dried her wings. I moved her to a nearby phlox plant where she could rest and sip nectar as she prepared for her long journey south. One of her friends (most likely a monarch sibling) stopped by to check on her several times. By 4:45 p.m., she was flitting and fluttering through the garden before she began soaring and landed on the birch wood pile before soaring away on her long journey south.
Note:The top left monarch was one of our earlier arrivals that stopped to lay eggs on our milkweed. The others are all of our amazing Matilda who is on her way to Mexico!
Leaders from U.S., Mexico & Canada have agreed to help protect this threatened species through the NAFTA trade agreement. Groups and individual citizens continue to band together to support and protect monarch butterflies. Together we can make a difference!
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Plant native milkweed
Provide nectar plants
Avoid pesticides
Report your monarch sighting observations to JourneyNorth.org
“A beautiful message of love, patience, perseverance, and belief. The story is told with a frog, bird, rabbit, and the butterfly as the main characters. A perfect book for children mainly to teach them about the cycles of life and the importance of patience, perseverance, and keeping faith in a dream.” ~Karen Ingalls
“I can’t wait to give this to my grandchildren and will enjoy our reading time together with this delightful tale!” ~ D.L. Finn
Thank you, Liz, for your insightful and extensive review of MY MAINE and its ending, “Finally, I highly recommend My Maine to anyone looking for a constant in tumultuous times. The book will be a comfort.” Thank you, Sally, for sharing Liz’s wonderful review and for introducing us to Sue and her awarding-winning books as well. ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author
Over the course of the summer months I will be sharing the recommended authors who feature in the Smorgasbord Bookshelf along with their books and a selected review.
The first book today is a poetry collection by Bette A. Stevens – My Maine – Haiku through the seasons.
About My Maine
Inspired by The Pine Tree State—Maine’s diverse landscape, natural beauty, rural communities, and independent people—the author’s 150 haiku poems, along with her photographs, reflect the Maine she knows and loves. Bette A. Stevens’s imagery draws the reader into her world of wonder and delight. My Maine takes readers on a poetic journey through Maine’s four seasons. Whether you’re a native Mainer or from away, Stevens’s short story poems and photographs will resonate.
The collection opens with a haiku tribute, “Maine Pines and People.” The journey continues with the rejuvenating spirit of “Spring Awakenings” and “Summer Songs”; then on to…
This “Gem of a Tale” about a Monarch Butterfly teaches kids lessons in friendship, patience and persistence as AMAZING MATILDA transforms from egg to caterpillar to butterfly. (Children’s Picture Book/Ages 5-11).
Take all of your worries and all of your fears Cast them upon Jesus who’s waiting, He cares He came down from glory to save you and me His brothers and sisters who yearn to be free
He proved with his life that His calling is true We trust that He cares about all we go through His love it surpasses, His blessings abound His faithfulness throughout creation resounds
In Scriptures we find Him, His words and His deeds Imploring each brother and sister, He pleads Surrender your worries and all of your fears I’m here to walk with you in laughter, in tears
We’ll dance through the triumphs and trials together Good plans will prevail, no matter the weather God’s love is as sure as the sun, stars and moon Eternity’s waiting, there’s plenty of room
~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author
John 3:16-17New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Looking for the perfect picture book for the kids this spring?
AMAZING MATILDA’s got you covered!
One concern parents have is how to inspire their children to meet challenges with patience and persistence. This is the plot of the award-winning picture book, AMAZING MATILDA, A Monarchs Tale, written and illustrated by Bette A. Stevens. In this story a caterpillar wants to learn how to fly. She asks all of her friends in the meadow, but doesn’t find an easy answer. Yet, she continues the quest until, at last, she becomes what she wants to be—a butterfly. AMAZING MATILDA offers adults the opportunity to inspire the children in their lives to meet their own challenges with patience and persistence.
For a Limited Time you can DOWNLOAD the eBook of AMAZING MATILDA for ONLY 99¢/p at http://bit.ly/19Qr3Y0 GRAB A COPY TODAY!
Be sure to check out the #FREE PDFs. Amazing Matilda Finger Puppets and Fun & Learning with Monarch Butterflies— two excellent reading and life/environmental science resources to go along with the book. Find the download links below.
Missed the Limited Time Deal? NO WORRIES… Award-winning AMAZING MATILDA is available in paperback and eBook versions and it’s an AMAZON KINDLE MATCHBOOK every day—that means, when you purchase the paperback for $9.49, you can download the eBook version for FREE! Click the link to Order your copies today
Check out these #FREE Reading & Monarch Butterfly Resources from Bette
Stevens has put together two (2) FREE #PDF companion pieces to make talking to the kids about AMAZING MATILDA and learning about Monarch butterflies exciting and fun.
CLICK THE TWO LINKS ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD. These resources will not only keep the kids talking about the book with their finger puppets, they’ll learn even more about Monarch Butterflies, their endangered habitat, monarch and milkweed conservation and preservation. Fun & Learning offers activity sites and resources for butterfly gardeners and teachers as well. Don’t miss these two great resources for families, clubs, classrooms and homeschoolers.
Welcome to 4writersandreaders
I’m a writer inspired by nature and human nature. You’ll find great books, authors, writing tips and more right here. I advocate for kids & families, childhood literacy and the protection of monarch butterflies and their habitat.Happy reading & writing!~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author
Much of my poetry is inspired by the gardens, fields and woods here at the farmstead in central Maine as well as by the natural beauty and by the people of The Pine Tree State.
Here’s what two readers have to say:
Bette A. Stevens, Maine Author 
Written
on 06/18/2024