These are the works of Grade 4 Students in Pat Maloney's classroom at Bowdoin Central School. The students were writing in response to a poetry contest called the, "River of Words Poetry Contest". The contest was sponsored by the International Rivers Network.

Merrymeeting Bay

Rivers, Rivers, crying for help
With Salmon and Sturgeon and Bluefish and Smelt
Waterways, Waterways, white and blue
Trout like us, we all LOVE you
Free flowing waters give Otter a place to play
Overhead an Osprey looks for her prey
Bald Eagles, Bald Eagles, soar and fly
Isn't it awful when 10 of them die?
Water bugs glide and Water bugs swim
Kids throw rocks to see them skim
Seagulls catch fish all day long
Then they cry their Seagull song.

By: Bill J.
Bowdoin Central School
Bowdoin, Maine

The Androscoggin River

The Androscoggin River runs wild...
With green, blue and brown fish swimming freely, happily in the clear blue water.
"Blub, blub, blibbery, blub,"
The Anadromous fish says.
The wild wind swirls
Making the short waves crash along the muddy shore.
"Blub, blub, blibbery, blub,"
The Anadromous fish says.

The water bugs skip and skim
on the clear blue surface of the water.
"Peep, peep, peep,"
They seem to say.
Listen to the bullfrog!
"Croak, croak, crickety, croak."
Look at the blue jay!
"Cheep, cheep!"
As I listen to these sounds
I wish I was a river.
Then I would never leave these sounds.

Zachary L.
Bowdoin Central School
Bowdoin, Maine

Green Days

3 cheers for the Bay
Which never stays in one place
But all around the Bay
The Green Days are there
So many Soft Rushes with green leaves
Oak trees as brown as the sand
Slowly swaying back and forth
The Tree Frog climbs in the mud
Watches me with a close eye
As I try to pick him up
He likes to climb on my shoulder
When he hops his cold toes hit my skin
I change my view to a Loon swimming right in front of me
Her blue eyes make contact with my brown eyes
It shows that the Green Days are back

Michelle S.
3/1/96
Bowdoin Central School
Bowdoin, Maine

Waterways

The waves pound on the rocks
Rainbow Trout jump and swim
Eagles and Ospreys fly free in the fresh clean air
Large Mouth Bass chase the tiny smelts
Sandpipers flit across the sandy beach
Seagulls drop clams from high in the sky
Fishermen fry a flying fish on the sandy shore
Wild rice sways in the soft breezy wind
The waves pound on the rocks

Ryan D.
3/1/96
Bowdoin Central School
Bowdoin, Maine

Merrymeeting Bay

Splash! the bass went as he got caught on a sharp hook
Swish! swish! the Canada goose went swishing by with its giant wings
The wild rice is waving in the wind
The river is still
A canoe goes by soft and swift
But the river is still
Caw! caw! as the crow goes by
But the river is still
And will always be still!

Amanda S.
March 1, 1996
Bowdoin Central School
Bowdoin, Maine

THE WILD RIVER

Whoosh! whoosh! as the waves run down the wild river.
The Eastern Bluebird sings and dances through an Oak tree.
The rapids swirl and stir the zooplankton.

Across the river I saw a White Tail-Deer.
Her golden tan fur shimmered.
And danced in the warm sunlight.
As I took a step. the deer.
Slipped away into the dark green forest.

I looked up in the sky and found Canada geese flying by.
When I saw these geese.
They were swooping and gliding
Like an acrobat on the flying trapeze.

As I looked into the water
I saw a weird object floating by.
Looking even harder.
I saw that the bottom of the river.
Was full of cans, bottles, and trash.
Left behind by thoughtless campers.
There is something
We can all do about this.
Remember what you carry in
You carry out!

Kristin Ann C.
3/1/96
Bowdoin Central School
Bowdoin, Maine

Head towardsthe bay!