Autumn leaves tapped the small windows. Elspeth blew the dust off the book. She knelt amidst generations of clutter and debris in the Martin family attic. She was looking for a costume, because Halloween was that night. On the leather book cover was burnt a full moon surrounded by a five-sided symbol. As the dust settled on old crocheted blankets and old-fashioned high chairs, she opened the book at random.

hidden in the trunk

voice rusty with disuse

still with much to say

“Scarab powder, dash of scaly rot, and ground bat bones sprinkled on seven squashed wolf spiders. Stir widdershins under a howling moon with a finger of oak. Stroke quarter over the main mast and quarter on the crow’s nest. Every particle that remains, seal in wax and burn until gone in the hold. Soon will come to you a strong headwind, fair weather and enemy bane. Beware shoal and reef, but raise proudly your flag, for safe port you will make, wise cargo making your fortune.”

seek the howling moon

sailing toward future fortune

magic within you

Fate had brought her to her ancestor’s spellbook, and fate denied becomes foe. Elspeth decided to be a witch for Halloween. She had no immediate need for a sailing spell, but perhaps it could be adapted for her car. Elspeth embraced the book, and put it back under the crocheted afghans in Grandma Demeter’s favored avocado and pumpkin colors. Grandma Demeter had always seemed to have a charmed life. Now Elspeth knew why.

hold close heritage

its magic will come to you

when fate brings you home

Prepared from the weekly Līgo Haībun challenge. Please visit them if you want to see some great writing!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

October 24, 2013

Posted under

Holiday, Poetry

Comments

35 Comments

Cobwebbed Skull Haiku

Silly skull laughing;

Nylon spiders hard at work;

Halloween bones ready.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

October 21, 2013

Posted under

Holiday, Poetry

Comments

21 Comments

Halloween Scene Haiku

Bats flying, silent,

Leaves rustle on windless nights

Silver moon hiding.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

October 18, 2013

Posted under

Poetry

Comments

30 Comments

Bottomless Treasure Haibun

My memory is a bottomless treasure trove, full of beloved moments. Photographs are the jewels, the pieces of eight, the doubloons. One day in early summer, we visited the Bronx Zoo, and my children were enchanted with the animals. We rode the Wild Asia Monorail, and heard about deer and buffalo species protected from extinction. Some of the animals were extinct in their natural habitat and were reintroduced to the wild from the Zoo’s protected herds, which had thrived in a large enclosure for over a hundred years.

Zebras, giraffes, deer,
Species preserved from the past,
My children held rapt.

Note: This was prepared for this week’s Ligo Haibun prompt, treasure.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

October 18, 2013

Posted under

Poetry

Comments

23 Comments

Changes Coming Haiku

This newest Haiku is dedicated to all of you, my readers, who have supported and encouraged me over the last miraculous seven months! I am redesigning the appearance of friendlyfairytales. I plan to use a more customizable theme, primarily to celebrate nature more. The new appearance will be more simple and clean, I hope. Please do give me feedback.

Also, I have two Halloween stories coming in the second half of October! Thrills and chills await you, should your path cross here again soon!

Without further delay, Changes Coming Haiku:

Grown no longer new
Something new comes from the old
New growth embraced, held.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

October 17, 2013

Posted under

Poetry

Comments

54 Comments

Rainbow Haiku

Magic wings lightly
Paint the earth a bright rainbow,
Vivid joy dancing.

Note: This post is dedicated to my friend, E, who walks with me most days, and is endlessly patient and encouraging of my taking pictures, and to my children who love to find things for me to photograph, too. And to my hubby, who stops the car when I just have to take a picture. Photography has become much more important to me that I could have imagined, and I owe that to the people I love, who bear with me. Hugs, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

October 16, 2013

Posted under

Holiday, Poetry

Comments

13 Comments

Grave Haiku

Young Ghost is not grave,

Dancing with a poltergeist;

Gravestone dominoes.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

October 14, 2013

Posted under

Poetry

Comments

40 Comments

Be Crabgrass Haibun

Picture by Penny

Crabgrass can grow on bowling balls in airless rooms, and there is no known way to kill it that does not involve nuclear weapons. — Dave Barry

Crabgrass can grow without fertilizer, mulch, watering, edging and protection from other plants. It springs up in any crack or crevice in the walkway, in the middle of the lawn or between bushes and the house foundation where light shines for less than five minutes in a day. What if good thoughts were like that? Even if the day was dark and cold, with a stiff wind blowing the rain sideways. What if happy thoughts took root like crabgrass, growing deep roots, sending thick green arms in all directions, blocking all dark thoughts from coming near.

Peter Pan taught Wendy to concentrate on a happy thought, and she could fly with the help of some fairy dust. What could you accomplish if you concentrate on a happy thought? Picture it taking hold like crabgrass and nothing can kill that happy thought. Perhaps you could even smile, all day long.

I’m going to be the crabgrass. I’m concentrating on the ocean. My happy thoughts involve a waterfall, a volcanic valley, snorkeling and the best sushi I ever had in my life. Do you know where I was? I hope you have a happy thought that can take hold like crabgrass.

blue waves curl inside
lapping on the golden shore
of my memory

To find the prompt for the haibun, click on the Ligo Haibun Challenge.