one of the many bits of subtle poetry that makes me love children's books
Frightful and I went to the meadow when the meal was done, and I flopped in the grass. The stars came up, the ground smelled sweet, and I closed my eyes. I heard, "Pip, pop, pop, pop."
"Who's making that noise?" I said sleepily to Frightful. She ruffled her feathers.
I listened. "Pop, pop." I rolled over and stuck my face in the grass. Something gleamed beneath me, and in the fading light I could see an earthworm coming out of its hole.
Nearby another one arose and there was a pop. Little bubbles of air snapped as these voiceless animals of the earth came to the surface. That got me to smiling. I was glad to know this about earthworms. I don't know why, but this seemed like one of the nicest things I had learned in the woods -- that earthworms, lowly, confined to the darkness of the earth, could make just a little stir in the world.
-- Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain
"Who's making that noise?" I said sleepily to Frightful. She ruffled her feathers.
I listened. "Pop, pop." I rolled over and stuck my face in the grass. Something gleamed beneath me, and in the fading light I could see an earthworm coming out of its hole.
Nearby another one arose and there was a pop. Little bubbles of air snapped as these voiceless animals of the earth came to the surface. That got me to smiling. I was glad to know this about earthworms. I don't know why, but this seemed like one of the nicest things I had learned in the woods -- that earthworms, lowly, confined to the darkness of the earth, could make just a little stir in the world.
-- Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain