Thursday, April 5, 2012

The Tale of the Easter Bunny

©2010 Susan Noyes Anderson
all rights reserved

I know a great story you may not have heard.
It really did happen. For sure. Every word.

It's all about Easter, which seems pretty right.
Cuz Easter is here. Well, almost, but not quite.

One day, Easter Bunny woke up feeling blue.
His hen friends had quit laying eggs. Yep, it’s true!

Not one single egg for three days. No, not one.
Would his Easter bunny-ing ever get done?

That gathering, dyeing, and hiding job's tough
without any eggs. None just isn't enough!

It's not even close to enough; let's get real.
This Easter egg thing is a pretty big deal.

So Bunny took notes till his brain was quite sore.
He thought thoughts that he’d never thought of before.

Had something gone wrong with the hens? Something bad?
Had someone done something to make them feel sad?

Or maybe their stomachs were feeling quite sick.
He had to find out, and it had to be quick!

He hopped to the henhouse and made his way in,
then straightened his bunny ears, stuck out his chin...

And took a deep breath. There were eggs to be laid…
fresh eggs, yolky stuff of which Easter is made.

(His whiskers were twitching; he’d heard some reports
that hens could be mean when they felt out of sorts.)

The oldest one clucked and looked up from her perch.
"We ain’t got no eggs, rabbit! Don’t even search.

You've been a good friend to us over the years,
but we’re plum fed up with them pigs and their sneers.

They look down on us cuz we can’t be ham dinners…
like Easter’s a contest, and they’re the big winners.

What’s wrong with egg salad and sweet, deviled eggs?
These swine think that they’re the best thing on four legs.

Hmph. Next thing you know, they'll be stealing our wings!
They treat us like peasants and call themselves kings.

Soon, they're gonna learn Easter's not about ham.
Most humans would be just as happy with lamb...

But Easter eggs can’t be replaced; it's a shame.
Without eggs from us, Easter won't be the same.

No colorful baskets. No Easter egg hunts.
These porkers will find out they're nothing but grunts."

“But what of the children?” the sad bunny cried.
They’ll just have to manage. We hens have our pride,”

sniffed the bird. They can make it through one egg-less year.
We’re striking. That’s it! Chicken power is here!!

Chicken power indeed, thought the hare with a frown.
These henhouse hysterics will not keep me down.

I’ll make eggs of shiny-bright plastic to hide,
with Easter-y colors and candy inside!

These hens need to realize (just like each pig)
that they aren't the reason why Easter is BIG.

Oh, sure, ham is yummy and egg hunts are fun,
but Easter’s a symbol of new life begun.

The birds in their nests and the buds on the trees
remind us of nature and sweet mysteries…

Of birth and of death and of living again
because of our Savior, who died for all men.

He rose on the third day, that first Easter morn,
when death was defeated and hope was reborn.

(This made Bunny smile, just as all bunnies do
whenever they think of things lovely and true.)

I'm telling his tale to remind everyone
that Easter's about something more than just fun.

It’s all about Jesus, as simple as that.

(But I’ll still be wearing my cute Easter hat.)

And you can wear yours, too. How perfect is that?

=)

Happy Easter to Jeremiah, Carli, and Bryce
with lots and lots of love
from
Grandma Anderson

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34 comments:

Brian Miller said...

ha a delightfull cute tale...esp that part aboutthe pigs taking the wings but you brought it around nicely to the true meaning of easter...love it sue

karen said...

I love this poem, and your little ones must love it too! It's become quite the tradition, yes?

21 Wits said...

Oh Sue, you always weave such wonderful tales when you share such lovely stories. I'm quick to be sure to be ready to read it all through, and then, maybe just once more to view all the photos again in a quick little row! Although, silly, silly blogger today it is not letting all the photos come through today...oh blogger why or why do you do that!!!!

Cathy Kennedy said...

I think this is quite perfect! What a lovely little poem and it's so fitting with Easter just around the corner! Thanks for sharing yet another delightful poem. =D

Leovi said...

Delicious, which beautiful story and excellent pictures, really lovely.

minifilhasara said...

This blog is beautiful!
I'm happy to be here and meet her.
God bless you!

Donna Heber said...

Hi Sue,

A wonderful post for this week. Just loved reading your cute tale. Wishing you a Happy Easter!

My name is Riet said...

What a beautiful Easter post. I love it.

EG CameraGirl said...

LOved this!

Heather{Our Life In a Click} said...

So sweet!!! Great post1

Caroline said...

Sue, I just called the kids over from what they were doing and read this aloud to them.
It was perfect.
And at the end Lizzie said: "It's Jesus!"

What a perfect way to remind the children that it's okay to have fun but that the real meaning is about our risen Lord.

Loved this. Thank you. :)

anitamombanita said...

Oh Sue, that was wonderful. Love love loved it!!

Unknown said...

What fun! I love the verses and the wonderful pictures!

Cheryl said...

What a sweet poem for the grands.

CB said...

I wish I had a cute Easter hat!!
That goose made me laugh :-D

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

Well done! love it...

jen said...

Tradition from Grandma Anderson. What a gift you have to share with your kiddos. Lucky kids.

Grandma Honey said...

as I was reading this cute poem I'm wondering if any of your grandchildren have inherited your gift of poetry writing?

Anonymous said...

Great poem and well written. I wish I'd seen this before the end of term - I'd have used it with my class!

Darlene said...

This is such a great poem and I love the pictures that go with it. I do hope that everyone who reads this will read it to their children and grandchildren. Would it be okay if they copied it to give to them? I just think that every child should have the chance to hear this beautiful story. I think it is good enough to put in a little Easter book all by itself. I wish some publisher of children's books could see the possibilities of this beautiful poem and the the pictures that go with it. All children would love it I know.

storybeader said...

cute poetical tale, and the pics were so fun! {:-Deb

Erika said...

beautiful and love how you brought it back to the great meaning of Easter.

Erika

Amy said...

This tale should be a book. I want it to be a book for my little kids to read with them on Easter. It is lovely! Sue, you are wonderful. If I were a publishing company, I would be all over you like white on rice. :)

momto8 said...

it is perfect!
and Happy Easter!

Lola said...

Visiting from Mrs Matlock’s T-Party, thanks for stopping by and look forward to *seeing* you again!

Great post –and Happy Easter!

Lmkazmierczak said...

Nicely done♫♪

The Poet said...

hello.
What a lovely, whimsical tale. Great way to get the kids to learn about Easter. thanks for sharing & visiting.

Tears Of A Beautiful Woman

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

What a cute story! Thanks for sharing- Happy Easter to you and your family.

Terra said...

Sue, that was just lovely, adorable, sweet and more! I hope the grandkids enjoy it as much as I did

Vicki/Jake said...

In my next life, I get to have you as my Grandma:) LOVE this weeks post Sue, you're awesome!

Karen Sue said...

I really like this! great Easter bonnet at the end. We were talking about singing the Easter Bonnet song in school and how they don't sing it anymore and I looked it up and I think it was Irving Berlin! No slouchy song! of course that led to the April fools day song!! This is just a great piece of writing. Thanks!!

Jenny said...

Oh Sue. This is terrifically wonderful.

I love your writing.

You make me smile!

Thank you for that!

Hugs and A+

Tonya said...

Oooo, this one made me smile!! What a perfect poem about Easter!! LOVED it! :)

Brian Miller said...

ok of the two...this one gets my vote.....