Fish Grin

Blue fish grins.
His scales gleam with
labyrinthine markings.
Perhaps lady fish
get lost, tracing their
path through the bends.
His charm bewilders
and intrigues, and we stare
at each other through
the ocean tank glass.
Close, but not connecting.
Near, but breathing
different elements.
Each puzzled by the other.
His liquid gaze and citrine eye
as mysterious and fleeting
as a golden leaf on a tree.
What does the leaf remember,
hanging there for one last day?
What does the fish see?
A swish of his tail and
he’s gone. A cypher,
a code of the universe,
a mystery to contemplate.

Note: I’m surrounded by swirls of wrapping paper, twinkling lights and the smell of brownies. I’m planning to make brownie Christmas tree cookies. If they turn out well, I’ll put up a picture. And my husband just bought girl scout cookies. I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 15, 2014

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

28 Comments

Mystery Flower Quinzaine

I am small, yellow and round.
Where have you seen me?
What’s my name?

Notes:

I offer this riddle, because I know many of you know lots more about plants than I do, and this is one I don’t recognize. I suspect it’s related to a buttercup, but it’s too short, only a few inches high, and buttercups usually bloom later in the summer. It looks a bit like wild lettuce, but it doesn’t have the thick greens of wild lettuce. Also, the flower is about an inch across, which is bigger than buttercups and wild lettuce. Can you name it?

This photograph is part of the Word A Week Photograph Challenge, by A Word in Your Ear. This week’s word is Round. You can see another entry at Cee’s Photography.

My riddle is also a second Quinzaine for the Paint the World with Words Poetry Prompt, Quinzaine. If you’re interested, you can find my other one at New Queen Quinzaine.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

December 19, 2013

Posted under

Humor, Poetry, Tales for Kids of All Ages

Comments

60 Comments

‘Tis the Season Haībun

There’s nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.
— Erma Bombeck

When I was a child, I hated suspense, and all my energy went into solving mysteries quickly. I generally figured out who did what where in the game Clue, where the flag was in Stratego and what I was getting for Christmas. Continue reading →