The Little General and the Giant Snowflake

In this compelling tale, the "little general" heads an army called the Realists. Every day he and his troops practice battle formations on a field while the Dreamers use it to play strange, peaceful games. The little general's soldiers include Sergeant Samantha, who is very tall and wishes the general would pay attention to her, and Lieutenant Lyle, an imaginative fellow who always seems to get into trouble. One day the little general sees a giant snowflake hovering in his garden and realizes he is suffering from a disease of the imagination. He is very ashamed and pretends not to see it, but eventually he discovers that everyone in his army has a similar problem. What magical message is the snowflake trying to bring to the general, and to the world? In a time of violent military solutions to global problems, this illustrated allegory by a leading poet has a particular, powerful resonance.