The writing of birthday verses gives the Waldorf teacher a unique opportunity to capture an essential characteristic of each student. In our time when so much emphasis is put on the evaluation of academic achievements, the verses offer a refreshing and imaginative portrayal of the child's interests and capacities, which serve as a source of strength for the coming year. The themes for these poems reflect the curriculum, from fairy tales in the first grade, through to Nordic, Asian, Egyptian and Greek myths, and the Arthurian legends in later years. May this collection of poems motivate more teachers to get creatively active and write their own verses for their students.+++Eric Müller