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May 4, 2015

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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!

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 30, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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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

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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

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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

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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!!

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Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 14, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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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

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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.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 4, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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49 Comments

Catkin Cold

Catkin young,
Soft, sage and fuzzy,
Catkin brave,
No leaves are open,
Catkin cold,
Snow freezes toes.
Catkin grow!
Early sign of spring.
Catkin open:
When ripe but soon!
Catkin bloom:
Bring back the birds.

Note: Fingers crossed for spring here. Someday soon, we’ll have blooms here, and lots of spring-green shoots! For another catkin poem, see Catkin Fuzzy.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

April 2, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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33 Comments

Ghost Leaf

Oak leaf rimed,
Bleached winter white,
Stark skeleton aglow.

A bit of starlight,
Its light grown white,
A transient in the universe,

The writing is plain:
An early calling card
Of Lady Spring’s visit.

Perhaps I’ll pour the tea,
Remembering heat,
Wishing for sunlight.

Note: I’ll lift my teacup in a toast to Lady Spring, whose velvety green cloak will swirl around us any day. And I’ll dedicate this ghostly post to Poetry Friday, this week hosted by a wonderful children’s poet, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, at her blog, The Poem Farm. It’s National Poetry Month, and the kidlitosphere is lit by the radiance of many special events, some listed by Jama, the Poetry Potentate. If you like poetry, you can dine until sated this month!

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

March 30, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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40 Comments

Sycamore at Sunset

Winter light dwindles to a pale sunset.
Sycamore bark peels in patches.
Ever on sentry duty, an eye on the horizon,
Glowing like a desert landscape,
The silent tree watches for
Spring, as winter melts away.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

March 26, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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41 Comments

Diamond Snow Tanka

pink morning light
gilds young trees, knee-deep in ice
thousands of diamonds

break light into rainbows,
blinding me to spring

Note: Tanka is defined in Oak Leak Tanka. This photograph was taken this spring. You can compare it to a picture taken last winter of the same trees in Five Brothers Tanka. This poem is in honor of Poetry Friday, hosted this week by Check it Out.

Posted by

Brenda Davis Harsham

Posted on

March 22, 2015

Posted under

Photography, Poetry

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55 Comments

The Love Challenge

There are four questions of value in life, Don Octavio.
What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made?
What is worth living for and what is worth dying for?
The answer to each is the same. Only love.

— Lord Byron

Purple flowers in stone wall

Love is elusive prey,
Love curves and flows
Down lonely love’s path,
Can I find love?

Love’s flower-shaped bell rings:
Love calls to hearts,
Stony in love’s graveyard,
Can love find me?

Love weighs like stone,
Yet, somehow, love floats.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love’s light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

— Maya Angelou (from Touched by an Angel)

Note: Perhaps you read and enjoyed my poem. Perhaps you thought, that’s not how I would write about love. Perhaps the quotes have inspired you. Whatever you may have thought, I invite you to please take up your pen or let your fingers dance over the keyboard. I welcome you to join in the Love Challenge, just comment here and give me a link. I will be happy to read your poem.

I dedicate this poem to Marlyn, who invited me to take up the Love Challenge, and gave me these rules (some of which I even followed):