Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

May 25, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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29 Comments

What Peace Looks Like

Lilies of the Valley
Was the scent my grandmother wore.
Her warm hugging arms filled me with
Boundless approval.

The tiny white bells
Remind me of a baby bonnet
And wrappings my children wore
Coming home.

Each spring
The lilies bring back moments
When I was heart-full, cherished and
At peace.

Note: Artists4Peace are taking submissions for June with the theme: What Peace Looks Like. If you want to add your voice, you can find June’s submissions call with one click. Peace is a way of life!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

May 19, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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15 Comments

Flowers Unlaced, An Invitation

pinwheels of nectar
enjoy their moment in the sun
bees kiss and flirt

gold dusts my skin from
wildflowers unlaced

Note: You are invited to add a haiku or even another tanka in the comments below. For those new to haiku and tanka: they are brief, present-tense observations of the world. They are written as snapshots of moments with meaning. They often relate to nature and the season, in this case spring. A haiku is often framed as three lines with syllables of 5, 7 then 5. A tanka contains the haiku and then two lines of 7 syllables added. These are guidelines, rather than strict rules, and I have seen haiku of only one line. These are the basic rules, but there are many, many more. You can spend a lifetime perfecting poetry, but only if you write it.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

May 14, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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45 Comments

Spring Rain Crescendo

Raindrops
Rain plops
Plink, plink
Pitter, patter
Crack of thunder
Howling gusts
Shake the windows
Rain drums sideways
Young plants flatten
Trees bend sideways
Dry earth drinks deep
Lemon tulip petals scatter
Blacktop steams and hisses
Pollen washes into soil
Puddles swell to lakes
Wind softens, sighs
Drip, drop, stop
Greens deepen
Flowers glisten
Birds sing
I listen

Note: We are having a dry spring, and we need rain. If we don’t get rain soon, we might be dancing for it like the children in the fairy tale, Rain Dance. This poem is a prayer for rain and a celebration of Poetry Friday, where poetry falls like rain on a dry earth. The host and poetry gathering point this week is Random Noodling. The hostess, Diane, offers a quote by Mark Twain and a poem about sanity. Worth a look! Write a poem for kids or quote one by another, and you can join the fun by visiting and contributing your link. Here is a bonus poem by a favorite author:

April Rain

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.

— Langston Hughes

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

May 10, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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52 Comments

Cherry Blossoms for Mother’s Day

Our oldest love, our first love,
Unfolds with our own birth,
Grows as we take our first steps.
The love that makes us children again.
We love you, Mom!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

May 7, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

45 Comments

Duchesses

duchesses abloom
raspberry silk smiles
radiant, dancing

Note: Here’s a haiku in honor of the UK’s new Duchess of Cambridge and to celebrate May flowers. My son’s foot is healing, and he is proud that the grass seed he planted on Earth Day has sprouted already. He may be in pain, but he has a green thumb. And a mom who watered the seeds. 😉 This haiku is also another Poetry Friday offering, hosted this week by Today’s Little Ditty.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

May 4, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

34 Comments

Squill Overkill

Too
much Squill
is overkill.
The smallest spill —
tiny blooms of white,
lightly striped with blue starlight —
brings a taste of spring to excite.
Yet my neighbor’s grown a sapphire glade
that tempts me into yearning for cool shade.

Too much Squill or just enough?
Mother Nature struts her stuff.

Note: The first flowers are Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica or Striped Squill. I wrote a previous poem to the blue Squill. I hope the spring is singing to you, as it’s singing to me. Have a wonderful week!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 30, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

41 Comments

Wings Spread

IN FLIGHT
by Jennifer K. Sweeney

The Himalayan legend says
there are beautiful white birds
that live completely in flight.
They are born in the air,

must learn to fly before falling
and die also in their flying.

Click here to read the rest of In Flight.

I remember flight,
Rush of cold air,
Banking, turning,
Pulsing with life.

I was a bird,
Gliding on thermals,
Spreading my wings,
Lighter than air.

I remember falling,
Disconnected, unsure,
Turning and spinning,
Landing too soon.

Now I dream:
I fly, rising, soaring,
Lingering in trees,
Connected and warm.

Note: This feather is from a blue jay, and it was 6-7 inches long. Welcome to a new Poetry Friday, this week hosted by Elementary Dear Reader.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 23, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

46 Comments

Fairy King

Mantled in green and crimson,
Still stiff with winter’s ice,
Silent Fairy King is courted
By ladies in yellow and white.

Note: This poem was inspired by the burgeoning of spring, bolstered by a spring break spent in the garden rather than in DC as planned. I planted pansies, ranunculus, dahlias, elephant ears, butter lettuce, wildfire lettuce and parsley. I noticed the bunnies had nibbled some of my tulips, but they will probably prefer the lettuce. This poem is posted also in honor of Poetry Friday, thanks to No Water River, the picture book and poetry place. If you visit Renee at No Water River, she explains Poetry Friday. I hope you’ll visit her if you like kids poetry.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 19, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

29 Comments

Lion Alone

winter scarred, care worn
gazing at eternity
lion without pride

remembers school vacation
three playful cubs squabbling

Note: Hurray for vacation week! Tomorrow is the Boston marathon. Hope you all have a great week. Be healthy and be safe! Warmly, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 16, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

42 Comments

Yellowest Green

The yellowest green
Is the daffodil,
One day away from
Letting yellow spill.

What makes the flower
Pick that day to bloom?
The sun’s the power!
And it makes bees zoom.

Note: My van is mobile, my son’s foot is mending and my novel is submitted. Fingers crossed. Maybe my eyes, too. This poem is to celebrate Poetry Friday, and the warm breeze it’s brought into my life, perfumed with rich words. This week is hosted by Robyn Hood Black, thank you!!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 14, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

27 Comments

Fairy Squill

Salutations small Siberian Squill,
Rising from the icy dregs of a hill.
Bowing in breezes on a fairy mound,
Its still shadow doesn’t make any sound.
After Lady Winter’s chill ermine shroud,
Its azure beauty makes me sing out loud.

Note: This drooping blue beauty is Scilla siberica, one of the earliest blooming bulbs. I apologize for not having time to comment on posts this week. My van is in the shop, my middle child is on crutches, my novel deadline is looming and I’m nowhere near done. My kids will soon be on spring break. If only I had more time, or more brains or more hands. Something. Meanwhile, at least there’s magic! Hope you have a great week! Warmly, Brenda

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 9, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

Comments

60 Comments

Spring a ling!

Spring a ling!
Hear spring sing;
Flower bells ring:
Spring a ling!
Spring a ling!
Spring a ling!

Note: We’re hearing it! A few days above 50 and a vast flood of snow melt is all the encouragement these little hardy crocuses needed. My lucky neighbor already has blooms. I hope you’re enjoying National Poetry Month. I am participating in Poetry Friday, organized by Kidlitosphere Central and hosted this week by Laura Purdie Salas at Writing the World for Kids. She has lots of great tips for reading poetry to kids.