Poem by Genesee-area author David Wahl.
Illustrations by Ilena Dennison.
“The Setting: Our farm lies among rolling hills between the town of Genesee, Idaho, and the Little Potlatch canyon. It is near a prominence called the ‘Green Nob.’
“Many birds come to our farm, and a variety of animals cross our fields. We often see them in the daytime. Some of them come up from the canyon at night, and we may only see their tracks.
“There are deer, elk and moose, raccoons, badgers, and even a cougar. We have not seen a bear, but we have seen his tracks.
“But sometimes, on a frosty winter morning, just when the sun is rising, we can tell that a mystic creature has been here the night before. She is a mythical creature, but without a myth. The only thing to do is to make up a myth of our own.
“She is: ‘The Ice Dragon’
“About the author: David Wahl is an engineer. He worked in circuit design from 1964 to 1974. He then returned to the family farm, when his father was contemplating retirement. He and his wife, Dorothy, wanted their two young daughters to have the opportunity to grow up on a farm, where they would have lots to do, and to attend an excellent small-town school. His favorite title is now: ‘Grandpa’ or ‘Papa-Dave.’
“The art and the artists: Because poems use so few words, they must call up images from the readers own memories. That is why each person who reads a poem will have a different image from another reader.
“Wendy once mentioned that ‘The Ice Dragon’ was her favorite of my poems. I told her I thought that it might make a nice children’s book, if I could find someone to illustrate it. She immediately pulled out a set of line-art drawings which she had made. My first thought was to color these and use them. I had Lori do a line-art version of the closing scene. Both of them persuaded me to have their former schoolmate, Ilena Dennison, do the illustrations in the lovely softness of watercolors.
“This book is printed using modern methods on alkaline archival paper from Fox River Paper. It has a laminated paper cover and is sewn using time-honored techniques. The result is both attractive and durable.
“Entirely produced in the U.S.A.”