From the Top of a Grain Elevator

By Barbara Nickel

Short-listed for the 1999 CLA Book of the Year for Children Award

Award-winning poet and playwright Barbara Nickel returns to her Prairie roots in a beautiful collection of seasonal poems that chart, with a bird’s-eye view of the western landscape, nature’s glorious playground. Nickel’s experimental verses are perfectly complimented by Kathy Thiessen’s black-and-white etchings, making this ideal for any young Canadian – Prairie-dweller, would-be poet, or otherwise.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dundurn
• Release date: Apr 16, 1999
• ISBN: 9781554885374

Barbara Nickel

Barbara's young adult novel The Secret Wish of Nannerl Mozart was shortlisted for numerous awards. She lives in Yarrow, British Columbia.

Book preview

FROM THE TOP OF A GRAIN ELEVATOR

FROM THE TOP OF A GRAIN ELEVATOR

BY BARBARA NICKEL

ILLUSTRATED BY KATHY THIESSEN

Copyright © 1999 by Barbara Nickel

Illustrations copyright © 1999 by Kathy Thiessen

Second Printing 2000

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage, retrieval and transmission systems now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

This book is published by Beach Holme Publishing, #226–2040 West 12th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V6J 2G2. This is a Sandcastle Book.

The publisher and author acknowledge the generous assistance of The Canada Council and the BC Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture.

Editor: Joy Gugeler

Cover Illustration: Kathy Thiessen

Production and Design: Teresa Bubela

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Nickel, Barbara Kathleen, 1966–

From the top of a grain elevator

Poems.

(A Sandcastle Book)

ISBN 0-88878-397-3

1. Prairie Provinces--Juvenile poetry. I. Thiessen, Kathy. II. Title.

PS8577.I3F76 1999        jC811’.54        C99-910314-8

PZ7.N557Fr 1999

For Courtney, Danica, Zoey, Connor and Sophia

and for my father, Arnold Nickel, with gratitude and love

—B.N.

For Nicole, Jacquie, Brad and Bernie with love

—K.T.

Table of Contents

CROCUS HUNT

The Slough Cycle: Spring

Gopher Tales

Crocus Hunt

Songs for Jumping Rope

The Wind in May

Spring Recital

TASTING FLOWERS

The Slough Cycle: Summer

At Nemieben Lake