Wildflower Heart

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wildflower heart
roots hidden in darkness
trembles toward the sun

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

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Green Magic

New Hampshire White Mountains

Green leaves entrance,
make my feet dance
down pathways
through wildflowers
into secret glades,
surrounded by
silent sentinels:
pine, oak and spruce.
The hum of crickets
finds me where I hide
but no other person does.
In that loud silence,
full of ducks quacking,
geese honking,
bees buzzing,
and mosquitoes hunting,
one yellow leaf falls.
Even the crickets pause
in shocked wonder.
Clouds thicken and churn,
rain slashes and dashes,
the sky’s anger interconnected,
a reflection of us all.
The coming of autumn
is part of summer,
as sunset is part of day.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

Phenomenal Bloom

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The prettiest bloom,
youthful and bright,
doesn’t always
attract the bee.
Honeybees visit the
same purple petals
even after the flowers
are thin and worn.
Is it first love’s kiss?
Or is the sweetest honey
made from
wind-tossed blooms?
The bee should not
be alone in admiring
late summer’s song —
the survivor bloom.
That flower speaks to me
in poetry:
fragrance heady,
curve and wit
shining,
alluring
and grand.
Phenomenal.
A Maya Angelou of blooms.
Perhaps my petals
grow thinner each year,
But not my charms.
I have magic still.
As do you.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

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Note: These flowers are wildflowers from Vermont. Can anyone identify them? I couldn’t. Also, this poem references Maya Angelou’s fabulous poem, Phenomenal Woman. A poem that makes me sigh with joy, every time I read it. You don’t need to know where magic comes from, you just need to believe. Have a great weekend!

Vermont Twilight

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Fairies dance and twinkle,
mixing with fireflies.
Lilac skies reach toward
lavender lakes.
Goldenrod nods
farewell to the sun.
Mountains darken
and trees disappear in
the dimming light.
Still the dragonflies hum.
Children seek the first star,
the first wish.
They believe in magic.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

Fairy Tale Flowers

yellow coreopsis

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.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

Blueberries and Bee Balm

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

Poetry Friday with kids

Zinnia Days

Red Zinnia

Bugs may nibble,
and the rain drizzle,
but my color flares
for you.

Heat may wilt,
or age bring a droop,
but my petals widen
for you.

Your smile holds the sun;
your scent perfumes the air.
Always I dream
of you.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

Lavender Longing

Bumblebee on lavender

Used with permission of Diary of Dennis

lavender longing
nothing else matters
ahhhh

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: Thanks to Dennis for letting me use this photograph of his — it inspired my haiku. Please visit him for advice on photographing insects, which was above my head. If my iPhone can’t do it, I’m out of luck.

Rhodie Abloom

White Rhododendron in bloom

proud full bloom
sprinkled with sage fairy dust
beckoning bees

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

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

Butterfly Twilight

Butterfly

Used by permission of Jessica Hagan

Vanessa dances
at dusk in the begonias
scent of lavender

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: Thanks to Jessica Hagan for letting me use her beautiful photograph of the American Lady Butterfly, Vanessa Virginiensis!

Rain Chain

Purple trumpet flowers

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.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

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!!

Daisies Dear

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No pruning,
No fertilizer,
No special care,
Still you bloom,
Wide open,
With smiling flair,
In field, meadow,
Roadside and
Everywhere.
Daisies sing a
Daisy song,
A quiet fanfare.

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

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Note: Woo-hoo to the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team who fought long and hard against Columbia tonight! Congrats to Abby Wombach, a great Captain. She hails from Rochester, NY, where I (mostly) grew up. Yeah Carly Lloyd for scoring on the (second!) PK and then stepping up as Captain! FIFA — International soccer tournaments should not be played on turf!! 130 degrees on the field/pitch?! Shoes MELTING?? Seriously?

Also, hello to Poetry Friday friends! Thanks to Carol at Carol’s Corner for hosting this week.

Poetry Friday with kids

World Building

 

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brainstorming plot
world building with my son
ideas bloom

Note: I had the vast pleasure today of discussing a science fiction idea with my oldest son. I’ve been developing a young adult novel set on a moon colony. He was jazzed, and he contributed lots of ideas toward my world building. Now, he wants to work on writing his own SF novel this summer, and my second son wants to be part of it. Such fun!! Hope you have a great week!