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July 30, 2015

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Fairy Tale Flowers

Seeds sown wide
scatter color to the wind.
July is hothouse
blooms and wildflowers:
Coreopsis gold,
Cosmos pink and purple,
Day lilies and moonflowers.
Bees, flown off their knees,
crumble dust to honey.
On that perfumed air,
dreams ride Scotch Broom,
trip on witch hobble
and snatch blueberries.
Bee balm bursts into fireworks.
Dragons doze in glades,
and little boys whistle up storms.
Thunder rides stallions
behind black clouds.
Summer is a fairy tale,
wild and free.

This post is part of Poetry Friday, this week hosted thanks to Keri Recommends.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 29, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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40 Comments

Covered Bridge

River rambles and curves,
shallow then deep,
rocky or smooth,
changeable as the weather.
Under the bridge are dark places,
deep pools with hidden depths.
The biggest fish hide there.
Aquatic plants sway
in the current, roots unseen.
The burbling water
covers whispers made, but
sounds echo above,
in the dim covered bridge,
where magic dwells.
Gossamer webs hold fast
lingering traces of lovers past.
Children, clapping hands
and believing in fairies,
once danced here.
Their shadows remain
sweetening the breezes.

Red Covered Bridge

Note: These photographs were taken in New Hampshire in the White Mountains.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 27, 2015

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Photography, Poetry

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Bianca Belle

Bianca Belle knew full well:
A Belle wears white, plain and bright,
To her first ball within fairy Hall.

She wanted to rebel, shh, don’t tell!
She fought, ignoring all she’d been taught,
And did her own thing, finding her inner bling.

She added orange beads, like tiny seeds,
Dangling on citrine fringe: a wild color binge.
Bianca was one in a million at the cotillion.

She set a new trend by refusing to bend
To her parent’s tradition, creating a mission
Of being unique, true to herself, bold and chic.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 22, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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Fairy Tent City

A sudden squall thunders.
Tent City springs up.
Way-sprites huddle –
wayfaring fae kin
dislike staying home.
They travel light:
just dancing feet,
a bit of music
and nature’s magic.
When rain pounds,
they hold fast
to one slippery slope and
conical roofs rise,
followed soon by tunes.
Fiddles sigh and drums thrum.
A lilting song climbs the scale –
a spirited counterpoint
to the pattering rain.
Birds hide under leaves
and bob their heads.
Chipmunks curl up
in their beds.
If only the music
would never stop.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 20, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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42 Comments

Rhodie Abloom

proud full bloom
sprinkled with sage fairy dust
beckoning bees

Note: Hiking in New Hampshire today. Hot, sweltering with thunder shows hovering. I’ll hope for some fairy dust and a well-placed swimming hole. 🙂 Have a great week! Warmly, Brenda

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 18, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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21 Comments

Fairy Queen’s Parasol

The white parasol twirls,
dips and bobs in the
Fairy Queen’s slender hand.

The midsummer sun
dapples her pale cheeks,
gilding her glossy curls.

Beetles play at her feet,
like infants in the grass.
Ruby Columbine drops

petals-tears the
flavor of honey nectar,
tasted beside a wild rose ruin.

Her sisters pass out starry bud cups.
The queen nods her thanks.
The sweet scent combines with

thyme and sage, making the air
alive with color and promise.
The Fairy Queen’s eyes hide

behind the tilt of lace as she
hobnobs with nabobs,
each of them drinking.

None may know
what she’s thinking.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 30, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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45 Comments

Rain Chain

Raindrops linger in a
Caressing slide down
Purple trumpet petals.

Petals are lavender tutus
Worn by fae ballerinas
In endless pirouhette.

Pirouhette in the rain,
Cool on a hot brow,
Steamy from summer fun.

Fun is full moon magic,
On a long bright night.
Dew falls like raindrops.

Note: This poem is my variant of a chain poem. The last word of the stanza is used to start the next stanza, and then the last word of the poem loops back to the first word. Tonight my daughter couldn’t sleep with the full moon shining through her window. It’s the first full moon she ever remembers seeing, and it has a special magic for her. Do you remember seeing your first full moon?

Plus, YEAH to Carly Lloyd who again slotted home a Penalty Kick, leading the women’s U.S. soccer team to a semi-final win against Germany. Yeah to the whole U.S. women’s soccer team!! The final of the women’s world cup is Sunday, and I wish I could be there!!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 20, 2015

Posted under

Holiday, Poetry

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22 Comments

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Part 2

Once I sat upon a promontory,
And heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back
Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath
That the rude sea grew civil at her song
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres,
To hear the sea-maid’s music.

Note: Happy Saturday! Hope your weekend is going well. This is Part 2 of 3 Shakespeare Quotes offered for the 3-Day Quote Challenge, thanks to an invitation by Marlyn at Kintal. Find Part 1 for the rules and an invitation to participate for any quote lovers. For a midsummer fairy tale, click here. Check back tomorrow morning for the final part. Have a magical day!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 19, 2015

Posted under

Poetry

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23 Comments

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Part 1

Over hill, over dale,
Through bush, through brier,
Over park, over pale,
Through flood, through fire,
I do wander everywhere
Swifter than the moon’s sphere;
And I serve the fairy queen.
To dew her orbs upon the green .
The cowslips tall her pensioners be:
In their gold coats spots you see
Those be rubies, fairy favours ,
In those freckles live their savours:
I must go seek some dewdrops here
And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.
Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I’ll be gone:
Our queen and all our elves come here anon.

Notes:

Happy Friday!

This is Part 1 of 3 of my Shakespeare Quotes offered for the 3-Day Quote Challenge, thanks to an invitation by Marlyn at Kintal. I am bid to thank my challenger, offer three quotes in three days and pass the challenge along to three others. Instead of putting anyone on the spot: if you comment here and express interest, you’re invited to participate and link to my post.

This is also offered for Poetry Friday, this week hosted by A Year of Reading.

For a midsummer fairy tale, click here. Have a great weekend!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 23, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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46 Comments

Fairy King

Mantled in green and crimson,
Still stiff with winter’s ice,
Silent Fairy King is courted
By ladies in yellow and white.

Note: This poem was inspired by the burgeoning of spring, bolstered by a spring break spent in the garden rather than in DC as planned. I planted pansies, ranunculus, dahlias, elephant ears, butter lettuce, wildfire lettuce and parsley. I noticed the bunnies had nibbled some of my tulips, but they will probably prefer the lettuce. This poem is posted also in honor of Poetry Friday, thanks to No Water River, the picture book and poetry place. If you visit Renee at No Water River, she explains Poetry Friday. I hope you’ll visit her if you like kids poetry.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

March 19, 2015

Posted under

Holiday, Photography, Poetry

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55 Comments

Spring Magic

And above all, watch with glittering eyes
the whole world around you because the greatest secrets
are always hidden in the most unlikely places.
Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.

— Roald Dahl (Minpins, 1991)

Drip,
Rain
Drop
Plops,
Spring will come
With black mud, bees
And crocuses beneath trees.
Baby robins will scatter shells.
Fairies will chant vernal spells.
Birds will sing madrigals at dawn
To wood violets blooming on the lawn.
Foxglove’s speckled trumpets will play
With snowdrops and magnolias in May.

snowdrops

Ours shall be the gypsy winding
Of the path with violets blue,
Ours at last the wizard finding
Of the land where dreams come true.

— Lucy Maud Montgomery (from Spring Song)

Note: My poem, Spring Magic is a concrete poem, taking the shape of a drooping tulip or possibly a lily of the valley bell as suggested by Matt Forrest Ersenwine. Thanks, Matt! Happy Spring! This post is an ode to Spring in honor of the Vernal Equinox which is at 6:45 p.m. here on March 20, 2015. And a happy coincidence, also in honor of Poetry Friday, hosted this week by Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core who shared a wonderful original poem for World Folk Tales and Fables Week. I hope you have time to visit her. The photographs were all taken last spring — this year the ground is covered by a knee-deep sea of receding white ice.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

March 3, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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54 Comments

Frosted Evergreens

What slumbers on
Evergreen boughs —
Snow? Or is it more?
Are they angels slippers
Left as tokens of love?
Are they lacy linen
For mountain troll tea?
Or dryad eiderdowns?
Maybe royal cloaks swirled
Round highland princelings.
Or white fairy dream-dust,
Spun from dancing and mischief.
Perhaps each icy crystal is a
Frozen wish, yet to be granted.
The clouds have floated down
To kiss the children of earth,
Pausing to embrace entwined trees.

Note: More snow is due tonight. I hear Northern Maine has over eleven feet and counting. Makes our eight feet seem paltry. I hope you are warm and safe and having magical thoughts.