The Dancing Owl

There once was an owl who hooted
midday instead of at night.
It upset some of the others
but to this owl it was a delight.
It hopped and fluttered when hooting
and really made quite a sight.
The others tried not to stare,
though try and try as they might,
they simply couldn't ignore it
when it happened in broad daylight.

The owls asked, "Why do you hoot
and dance outside of the trees?
Don't you worry what others will think
when you play where others can see?"

"I'm happy to hoot and to dance,"
the owl responded with glee.
"I'm happy to do the things that I love
in the fields where others can see.

"Perhaps one day you will join me
and together we all can play.
Perhaps you can show me what you love to do
and we can do that together someday."

But the others never did join
the owl just played alone,
hopping and fluttering and hooting
and dancing all on its own.

One day a blue jay flew by
then circled back and stopped.
The blue jay watched as the owl danced
and hooted and fluttered and hopped.

"Your dancing makes me happy,"
said the blue jay to its new friend.
"It's fun watching you flutter and hoot.
You may have started a trend!"

You're welcome to join," said the owl.
"It's really lots of fun
hopping and fluttering and hooting
and dancing in the sun."

"I'm rather good at hopping
and fluttering is a breeze.
I don't know how to hoot" said the blue jay
"but I can sing with ease."

The blue jay began to sing
and soon it began to rain,
and though the birds were getting wet,
they carried on all the same,

The blue jay in its song
and the owl in its dance.
The other owls watched and watched,
they all seemed in a trance.

Then something special happened -
something rare for birds to see.
One of the other owls
flew down from its tree.

Through the rain it swooped and swooped
and down it made its way
to the field, where it landed
next to the owl and the blue jay.

It said, "I see you dance and hoot
midday instead of at night.
The other owls think it's strange,
but you are having fun, right?"

"Why yes!" replied the dancing owl,
"I'm having lots of fun.
But I think it would be better
if I was joined by everyone."

"That does sound like a hoot!
I'll see what I can do."
Then the second owl turned around
and to the trees it flew.

The blue jay said "It's getting late,
I had better go home too."
The blue jay thanked the owl
and to its home, the blue jay flew.

So the owl was alone again
but kept dancing in the rain.
It still was having fun, but
without a friend it wasn't the same.

But just as owl planned to leave,
it stopped and heard a flutter.
It turned to see an owl joining in,
and then another

and another and another
until all the others came
and soon they all were hopping
and hooting and dancing in the rain

Owl drawing by Taylor Guinan

I would love to get this story published with an emerging illustrator attached. If you are an interested illustrator: