The Flower by Joanna Turner

flower and fairies, by Annette Hashitate in Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure

Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure is an appreciation of artwork and the poetry and stories a work of art can inspire. We're excited to feature stories and poetry by young writers who submitted their work for this theme.

Thank you to Joanna Turner for sharing her story, "The Flower" which was inspired by the illustration, flower and fairies by Annette Hshitate.

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One spring day in a forest with the most beautiful flowers, a little fairy named Lily went for a walk. She saw a beautiful flower and decided to sit on it for a bit. She heard someone in the distance so she hid. She saw someone but they weren't like her. He didn't have wings.

"Hello, what are you?"

"Hello. I'm a human. My name is Luke. What are you?" Luke asked.

"My name is Lily. I'm a fairy," she said.

"That's a pretty name," he said.

"Thank you," Lily said.

They talked for hours and then Luke asked, "What's it like being a fairy?"

"We get to fly and do magic," she said.

"We?" he asked.

"Oh there's a bunch of us, "she said.

"Where?" Luke asked curiously

"I can't say," Lily said.    

"Why?" he asked.

"I just can't," she said.

"Oh ok," he said sadly.

Then Luke had to go. So Lily went home. The next morning, Lily woke up bright and early. She went to Luke's house but no one was there. Then she saw a note that said, "I'm sorry I had to move. Maybe we'll find each other." Lily went home and cried. She didn't go to school. She went and sat on the flower where she and Luke had met and talked to herself. "Why did you have to move?" she said to herself. "Why couldn't you stay?" she asked.

Then she heard someone.

"Luke?" she whispered.

"I'm here! I had to run here, my mom said I could stay at our old house," Luke said.

"I'm glad. Why did you have to move anyway?" she said.

"My mom got a new job where I was going to move," he said.

"Oh that makes sense. So you're staying?" Lily said.

"Yeah, I'm staying," Luke said.

"How?" Lily said. 

"A kind person at the thrift store let me work there. So I have money for food and clothes," he said happily.                                               

"Why did your mom get a new job?" Lily said.

"I don't know but she likes it better than the old one,” Luke said.

"I'm just glad she let you stay here,” Lily said.

"Same,'' Luke said.

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Joanna Turner is 9 years old and in 3rd grade. She loves to read and her favorite book is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban. She loves animals and has a cat and a dog. She also has two older brothers, one is 12 and the other is 17. If she could travel anywhere in the world it would be Hawaii.

Our Ekphrasis Adventure issue is about using visual art as inspiration for poetry and storytelling.

Can you tell us about what stood out to you in the illustration you chose to write about? What in the image sparked the idea for your story?

The fairy,and the boy sparked my idea.

Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out?

I'm not really into comics.

What is your favorite topic to study in school?

Math or writing.

What is the most interesting thing you recently learned?

Everybody thought the Titanic couldn't sink but it did,because the men didn't do what they were told like usual.

What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers?

I'm reading The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn. Yes I do recommend this.