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March 8, 2015

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Calla Curl

Pink
Twirl,
Calla curl,
Silky swirl.
Snow may hide
New England’s color,
But trucked-in treasure
Startles and entrances,
My heart dances —
A wild whirl.

Notes:

On the poem: This is a concrete or shape poem, meant in this case to take the shape of a calla lily.

On the weather: We’ve had one day of sunshine, with temperatures above freezing. Old Man Winter is not gone, but at least he’s growing sleepy. The Calla Lilies are from Trader Joe’s, where the floral section is a summer garden. Here is a picture better reflecting what it still looks like outdoors here:

On Poetry Friday: super-late this week, but life gets in the way at times. Thanks to Robyn Campbell, Kids Author and Poet, for hosting!

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

February 23, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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38 Comments

Winter Symphony

Fingertips of trees
Gusts of wind bear thistledown
Symphony in gray

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

February 19, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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52 Comments

Speak for Compassion

On this bench, many times I have contemplated skinned knees, heard stories of woe or watched battles royal fought by three- and four-foot folk. Now the snow and cold drives us indoors, where children’s pains seem more internal as well.

Speak softly
Without haste,
For a word,
Ill-placed,
May strike a blow
To one hurt
On the inside.
This we can avert.

Reflect on any
Plans or actions.
Evil arises from
Creation of factions.
Harsh words divide,
Conquer and defeat.
Imagine being the other.
Use compassion. Repeat.

Whether we are talking about children, adults, religions, towns or countries, we all need to pause and reflect. To imagine life as the other.

I don’t like to moralize,
Or antagonize,
But in the face of evil
Speak I will.
Choose an action
From compassion.

Note: The combination of poetry, interspersed in prose, is called a haibun. This recent rash of school shootings, terrorism and racial and religious violence moved me to speak together with many others, in a movement started by Yvonne Spence. Let’s create a better world for our children, a magical, safe world where differences are celebrated rather than used to divide and ridicule.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

February 11, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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25 Comments

Very Red Berry

Berry Cordial,
Cherry Pie,
Wild treats
Made under the sky.
Winter crimson,
Sudden and rare,
Makes me imagine,
Makes me stare.

Note: We are buried in snow in NE. An ocean of snow as far as the eye can see, walls of snow over our heads. And it’s snowing!! With more to storms predicted for later this week. It was all fun and games until the snowblower broke.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

February 8, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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43 Comments

Wild and Stormy

Snow creatures fly through the night,
Swat the tree and stick there tight.
The storm is wild; the creatures light.
Next day they remain, mossy and white.

Note: I hope to catch up on your blog posts tomorrow when my traveling is done. Hope you have a great week ahead, all my friends! Warmly, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

February 6, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry, Tales for Kids of All Ages

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33 Comments

Three Tree

Fairies rocket down the Three Tree,
On zooming toboggans, happy as can be.
Can you see them tumbling and swerving?
Oh to be tiny, magic and free. Yearning.

Note: This poem is offered as part of Poetry Friday. Thanks to Elizabeth Steinglass for hosting this week. I am out of town, but I will be back in a few days. I look forward to catching up with all of you when I’m back. Warmly, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

January 28, 2015

Posted under

Humor, Photography, Poetry

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53 Comments

Now You See It, Now You Don’t

Here is the bench before the Nor’easter,

And where is the bench now?

Now you see it, now you don’t!
Mother Nature’s sleight of hand
Is more magical than any of man.
What could be hiding under there?
Perhaps a family of icy hedgehogs
And a passing brownie sipping chai.
Under the bench, they stop to say Hi,
Peeking out at other passers-by.

Note: New England was blessed with over two feet of snow in 24 hours and two snow days! We shoveled four times. We went sledding twice. We had one epic snowball battle. We drank hot chocolate with friends. We had a weekend in the middle of the week! Stay warm! 🙂 School is on again tomorrow.

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

January 23, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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80 Comments

On Ice

held in my petals
memories of last summer
slumber here on ice

Note: This haiku is my contribution to a long-standing meme, Poetry Friday, which is organized by Kidlitosphere Central and hosted by various bloggers, around the web. I am very excited to participate for the first time. This week you can visit A Teaching Life and see links to the poetry. Some of my friends write kids poetry. If you do, you should check this out. They publish anthologies of the Poetry Friday offerings periodically, and I have it on good authority that they actually PAY for the use of the poem!!! LOL What a concept! (Okay, it’s not going to make me rich, but hey, a dinner out… maybe.)

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

January 19, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

44 Comments

White Queen’s Fall

Pawn lost at the dawn,
Blacks carrion crows
Checkmate at the close,
Victory now seems small:
King mourns White Queen’s fall.
Perhaps the price of war
Is too high after all.

Note: The game of chess is a bloodless battle to the eventual doom of an opponent. Do you play? Are you ruthless? Are you willing to sacrifice your queen?

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

January 15, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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52 Comments

Snow Day Wanted

One of the very best reasons for having children
Is to be reminded of the incomparable joys of a snow day.

— Susan Orlean

Cold, gray day with
Snow on the way.
Tiny flakes fall,
Hardly any at all.
Just a tease,
Tickling trees.
Children haunted:
Snow day wanted.

Notes: I read this to my son. He sadly shook his head and said: “I don’t think we’re going to get a snow day this year.” Poor guy, we’ve had almost no snow. No sledding, no snow shoeing and no snowmen! On a more prosaic note, I have just spent days updating all my contents pages, poetry, flash fiction, haiku and haibun. I’m still emotional thinking of the many outrageously wonderful compliments left, which make me blush to read the reviews on the contents pages. You might see yourself quoted there. 😉 Thank you all for reading and commenting. I know how busy you are, and I am deeply moved and appreciative!! You’ve restored my ego to almost life-sized just in time for attending a writer’s conference in NYC! I’ll be preparing for that in the next few weeks. Remember the magic! Warmly, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

January 11, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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28 Comments

Frosted Pain

Snowflakes,
Frost snakes
Down the pane
Blurring the lane.
Cold rattles,
TV prattles,
Frozen thought:
What was sought
By crazy terrorists
Killing cartoonists?
The earth may still turn
But do what we learn?
Did they feel pain and rage?
Want a world stage?
But don’t praise god —
Your reasoning is flawed.
Revenge, blood, death,
Stop and take a breath.
Remember joy and love,
They come from above.
Embrace life and creation
And stop the devastation.

Note: Je suis Charlie. I am Charlie. I stand with free press and with peace through love of differences. I honor all religions, and my heart weeps for all the Jews who feel fear, all the Christians who feel under attack, all the muslims who don’t agree with the actions of terrorists, and all the other religions who feel sorrow. I feel sorrow at having to explain these events to children and immense sadness for the families of victims. No matter your beliefs, please help me speak out against violence and terror.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

January 3, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

48 Comments

Snow White Seeds

Winter Queen Snow-White,
Reigning over gardens past,
Spreading seeds near and far:
Tiny spin-drift wind-sailing
Sprites, tiny bits of last year,
Carried through cold to the next,
Come fill my garden with purple,
Amber and russet possibility.