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August 1, 2014

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Japanese Garden Magic

Magic hides in the quiet spaces:
Weights lift in the greening.*
Tree branches and bark take shapes
In the corner of the eye;
Lights flicker like fairies dancing.
A turned head, and the magic’s gone.
An arched bridge holds infinite
Possibilities for revealing
Secrets, just over the crest.
Only children can climb it.
Invite the magic to sup jasmine tea
And nibble an almond sweet,
And soon the whole day seems a dream.

* Note: This use of “greening” is meant to refer to the process of feeling younger in a garden, feeling the years drop away and spirits lift. Greening can be defined as the return to youthful characteristics.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 30, 2014

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Photography, Poetry

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Frog, Alone

Frog was completely alone! Toad was worried: was Frog sad? Frog answered: “I am happy. I am very happy. This morning when I woke up, I felt good because the sun was shining. I felt good because I was a frog. And I felt good because I have you for a friend. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to think about how fine everything is.”
— Arnold Lobel, from Days with Frog and Toad, Alone

Today the sun was shining,
Breeze and sense of ease, entwining.
The frogs were swimming,
All the world was grinning.
Dragonfly fairies danced,
The scent of lilies entranced.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 26, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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12 Comments

A Prince, A Wince and a Shy Summer Fairy

Jilly-June the Summer Fairy
Lived high on a magic hillside,
Making cordial from black cherry
And hiding her sadness inside.

Continue reading →

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 10, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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49 Comments

Fairy Ballerinas

Arms curve gracefully,
Petal skirts twirl open in full circles.
Heads dip, legs stretch,
Fairy divas grace the garden,
Entrancing bees and butterflies.

Magic is scattered by dance.
The four winds lift the ballerinas high;
Down they touch, light as kisses.
Too fast for the eye to follow,
Fairy smiles unfold like wishes.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 9, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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66 Comments

Orange You Blue?

Don’t be sad, don’t be blue,
The whole world is blooming, just for you!
Life might be hard, it might even be grim,
But the music of flowers is like a hymn.
Magic surprises await you here and there,
Under the stars, in the sunshine, everywhere!
I choose to greet magic with a saucy grin.
Gossamer castles built by the spiders’ spin,
Bluebells, lavender, and tiny white lily of the valley bells,
Daisies, Coneflowers, Foxglove: therein magic dwells.
A shady bench, a fragrance sublime, a reverie,
A friendly fairy, that is all I need to be happy.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 9, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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38 Comments

Fairy Ball Gowns

Once upon a perfect night, unclouded and still,
there came the face of a pale and beautiful lady.
The tresses of her hair reached out to make the constellations,
and the dewy vapours of her gown fell soft upon the land.

— Kit Williams

Designers of fairy couture collections
Grow the very best gowns ever worn,
Lacing perfect petals into dashing confections,
Borrowing starlight to gild and adorn.

Queen Peony, in her ball gown,
Casts the smaller ladies into the shade,
When she dances, in her shining crown,
Hearts are kindled and dreams made.

References: Brainy Quotes

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

July 4, 2014

Posted under

Holiday, Photography, Poetry

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32 Comments

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day!!

Holiday today,
Now we shall play.
Popsicles, tricycles,
Big kids on bicycles.

Let’s fire up the grill
Flip burgers with a will.
Eat the first home-grown tomatoes
With salad made from potatoes.

We just need to see the sun
For the whole day to be fun.
We plan to see the fireworks tonight:
The whole day will turn out right!

Note: Due to rainy weather, all of the above fun will happen tomorrow when we see the sun. Luckily we are flexible. 🙂

If you need a story to read the kids, try Fairy Independence Day.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 24, 2014

Posted under

Holiday, Photography, Poetry

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63 Comments

Happy International Fairy Day!!

Here is a poem in honor of the fairies, Flower Bower:

Fragranced wind blows steadily,
Sparkles of magic spin and settle to the meadow.
Fairies dance jigs when the fiddler plays
Under the shady flower bower.

Happy International Fairy Day!!

References: Days of the Year, Punchbowl, Fae and Enchantment Magazine, and The Examiner.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 21, 2014

Posted under

Holiday, Photography

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42 Comments

Happy Midsummer!

May your inner light shine on the longest day,
Reflecting back the light of the universe.

I also offer a free midsummer fairy tale set in Ireland, about a young girl and the traditions of her family on Midsummer. Here is a link to Midsummer Stew, a tale of fairy retribution and redemption and of the interconnectedness of us all.

Blessings, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 20, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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54 Comments

White Butterfly Dream

The white butterfly raises her wings,
Setting sail across the wide Dogwood Sea.
Wind makes the crossing choppy,
White wings jibe and come about,
Alighting nowhere, like a fae albatross.
The cabbage-white butterfly blends —
She could be a dogwood petal
But for her mesmerizing aerial dance.
One tiny egg laid on the underside of a mustard leaf,
Gave birth to her brief but ecstatic life.
Her tiny white wing-sails make of the air an endless ocean.
Oh, to dance with her on the white breakers,
Smelling sweetly of spring rather than salt
With nectar’s spray dampening my skin.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

June 12, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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27 Comments

Succor for Soul Ninette

Still
Garden
Succulents,
Thick and fleshy,
Summer heart pulsing,
Pride of Wood Elves,
Flowers not,
Dry Wit,
Root.

Note: This poem is a Ninette, with 5 lines, starting with one syllable on the first line, increasing by ones to five on the fifth and then decreasing by ones to one syllable on the last line. Or a syllable count of: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Reference: Poetry Soup – Ninette