Read by Matilda Longbottom

At dawn, Thumbelina woke with cheer,
As sunlight kissed the trees so near.
She hopped aboard her nutshell boat,
And on the breeze, she sailed afloat.
With Oakley, Iris, Juniper near,
They danced through meadows bright and clear.
But as the dusk began to fall,
A marble rolled with sudden call.
It tumbled far through twilight’s glow,
To a place where ancient roses grow.
Beyond a gate of vine and bloom,
They found a hidden garden room.
In this forgotten, secret place,
Where flowers bloomed with gentle grace,
Ms. Jasmine, fairy, soft of wing,
Welcomed them to nature’s Spring.
“Come plant with me,” the fairy said.
“There’s wonder in each garden bed.
With patience, care, and hands so true,
The seeds will grow, and so will you.”
They knelt beside the fertile earth,
And gave their garden wondrous birth.
The seeds took root, the sprouts grew high,
Beneath a silver moonlit sky.
Then one night, as the stars shone bright,
They baked a pie with pure delight.
From lemons picked by Oakley’s hand,
The scent of citrus filled the land.
Fairies danced in sparkles clear,
As Thumbelina held them near.
With every bite, their joy was known,
A garden full of dreams had grown.
They sailed upon a gentle breeze,
Through starry skies and waving seas.
Their nutshell boat, with oars so light,
Carried them through the peaceful night.
Now in that garden by the sea,
Where roses bloom eternally,
Thumbelina and her friends will stay,
Tending beauty, day by day. ❖

About the Author: Dana Zullo lives in Georgia, where her creativity flourishes through poetry and floral art. Her poetic works have been featured in Paprika Southern, Literary Yard, Front Porch Review, Academy of the Heart and Mind, Ink Pantry, and GreenPrints. She has contributed artist biographies to printmaking guides for Crown Point Press and completed artist residencies with South Porch Artists in South Carolina, Dairy Hollow in Arkansas, and the Sundress Academy for the Arts in Tennessee. Dana’s passion for floral art is expressed through the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, and her journey as an art teacher took her to Ghana with the Peace Corps many seasons ago.