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 27, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

39 Comments

Flame Skimmer Dragonfly

A wandering dragonfly pauses to mock:
“Catch me if you can,” he seems to say.
“I’m a loner, the cardinal of dragonflies,
“You won’t spot me again, if I have my way!”

Note: This dragonfly was spotted in the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, California. Best I can tell, he is a mature male Flame Skimmer dragonfly. He looks a lot like the European Red-Veined Darter or Nomad dragonfly. I have a Scarlet Cardinal living in my yard, and his black eyes often find me in my garden. This dragonfly reminded me of him, even when I was 3,000 miles from home.