I’ve discovered a new addiction – nonfiction poetry! It’s so much fun to write poems about different creatures, especially because it means I get to do one of my other favourite activities – research!
Have you met Costasiella kuroshimae? Also known as the leaf slug or leaf sheep, these teeny tiny little sea slugs are only about the size of a grain of rice, and graze on algae in warm, tropical waters. Leaf slugs aren’t just adorable, though – they’re also one of only a handful of animals that can create their own food. In a process called kelptoplasty, leaf slugs take chloroplasts from the algae they eat and use them to photosynthesize, turning sunlight into energy!
Have you been enjoying my series of ocean-themed poems? So far I’ve written about the sea pig, the vampire squid, and the star gazer, in addition to today’s adorable little friend. Who knows where this journey will lead us next?
If you’d like to dip your toes into the world of nonfiction poetry, What We Do All Day and Literacious both have great posts on the subject, filled with fantastic recommendations.
Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading is our Poetry Friday host this week.