10. Summary of the poem

The poem "Meadow Surprises" is written by Lois Brandt Phillips. It talks about the surprises that a meadow offers. The poem is divided into six stanzas with four lines each.

According to the poet, the meadows offer plenty of surprises. However, one could find them as long as one knows how to move around and where to look. The poet asks us to take a stroll and listen by the stream. We might discover a butterfly unfolding its "drinking straw" to suck up the nectar from the wildflowers. We may also find rabbits hiding behind the bushes or hopping around. The poet asks us to walk slowly because, otherwise, we might scare the butterfly or the rabbit away. Meadows unfold more surprises through wildflowers such as dandelions. Interestingly, dandelions transforms as it matures. It turns into white "airy parachutes" from yellowish-golden flower. The texture of the flower also changes from smooth to fuzzy. When you blow onto it, you would see the pieces fluttering across in the air like parachutes. The poet also says that one can discover various meadow houses such as burrows, nests, and anthills.

The poet concludes the poem by reminding us that meadows are filled with surprises, and it has got many things to tell. People could discover them by themselves if they know how well to look and listen for them.