Wood Wise

The gray squirrel has a bushy tail
And the juniper bough is cedar green
The Bobwhite quail has brownish feathers
And marigolds are colored yellow.
The cottontail is a crafty rabbit
And the Iris petal is somewhat purple.
The mallard Drake lives on water
And the Dogwood berry is soft and red.

Master Woodsman, old and wise
A Delta Riddle I did craft.
Now answer this, my eldest teacher;
Juniper boughs and marigolds—
The Iris and the dogwood berry—
What do these colors symbolize?
The gray squirrel and the Bobwhite quail?
The mallard Drake and the cottontail?

1999

Not being a woodsman or hunter, I’ll have to think about this; but I liked the poem.

Jack

Me too -- but I think I might not be able to think that hard. I'll post a reply later...

This riddle was written right before Christmas in 1999. It was posted on a web site for hunters to ponder. It was not solved in the competition period of ten days. In order to solve the riddle try matching up an animal with the color given in each verse. It is unlikely that a non hunter can solve it without the help of a hunter.