ESI guest post: Blue jay appreciation poem

Amarii by the water

Amarii Kipka, a 2023 Environmental Stewardship Institute (ESI) fellow

This is a guest post from Amarii Kipka, a 2023 Environmental Stewardship Institute (ESI) fellow. ESI fellows design and carry out a capstone project during a six-week summer program. Amarii created a poem about the beloved blue jay. (Note: Opinions expressed in ESI projects are those of the program participant and do not necessarily represent those of FMR.) 

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For my final project, I wrote a poem about my favorite bird:

I love how loud and proud you are every time I see you. 
Even if it's hard to take a picture of you I'd love it if you just came to say "Hi" in my yard.
You can mock other birds such as a hawk but I admire you for you through and through.
During the summer weather I appreciate how beautiful your feathers really are.
You're so smart I wish I could purchase a pet blue jay from a place like PetSmart.
People may think you're violent but it's crazy you can see ultraviolet. 
You may not actually be blue rather brown but you're still worthy of the crown in my book of #1 bird.

Why I chose this project

I figured a poem would be nice while also including nature, and some research I did about blue jays.

What I hope you take away

Appreciation for the blue jay!

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FMR created the Environmental Stewardship Institute to address the gap between environmental education and a career path in the environmental field. We hold a summer intensive program and a school-year youth advisory council. Learn more about the 2023 ESI summer program, including other final project highlights.

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