Spring’s Poetry

Skunk Cabbage -- Symplocarpus foetidus

Mudiferous,
squelching ramble
beneath bare branches
and yearning buds
yields a vast harvest
in my wintry soul
of spring faith. Continue reading

Yellow Thing

Daffodils with blue sky

I enjoy every
yellow thing
that blooms in
early spring.

Copyright 2016 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: This ditty is in honor of writing and rewriting manuscripts galore. Plus, today, I won an award-winning book thanks to a cat named Maggie. Continue reading

Puddle Heaven

Puddle on a sidewalk reflecting trees and a chain link fence

Stamp, stomp,
puddle heaven,
fountains everywhere
when you’re seven.

Laugh and howl,
wet socks,
drippy drops everywhere,
forget clocks.

Arrive speckled
with muddy blots,
not welcome everywhere,
stomach in knots.

Will mom see past hems
dripping dark dots?
Rather than dirt everywhere,
she sees cheetah spots!

Copyright 2016 Brenda Davis Harsham

Notes: Poets find joy in puddles:

“The world is mud-luscious…
[and] puddle-wonderful”
—  e.e. cummings

Since writing a haibun on puddles, I’ve wondered how cumming’s mother viewed him, arriving home. My poem’s been in its chrysalis, but finally that wondering took shape and spread wings.

Another fun poem about puddles is Puddle Splash by Roann Mendriq:

What is it about rain puddles,
that make one want to splash?
That turns us into children,
in a quick and happy flash?

Read the rest here.

Poetry Friday with kids

Big thanks to Robyn Hood Black, a wonderful poet and author, for hosting this week’s Kidlitospere Poetry Friday extravaganza.

Gamine Grin

Bark ruffled into a grin

Gray rain, icy day,
can’t take my grin away.

Copyright 2016 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: It rained all day, and I have the flu, but I can’t let it get me down. Have a magical week.

Spring is Green

Dappled Glade

Leaves grow on the trees –
the leaves are green!
I see green everywhere.
I like the color green.
The sun is glowing.
Children are looking at the sun –
some children lay down in the sunlight.
Sunlight,
sun bright.

by A. Harsham, age 5

Note: This post is by and for my daughter, Happy 7th Birthday! Long may she weave herself into spring like yarn art on monkey bars.

Poetry Friday with kids

Also, help me celebrate my daughter’s special Friday with poetry for kids, courtesy of Poetry Friday. Thanks to Teacher Dance for hosting this week!

Here’s what it will seem like to me:

Birthday cake!
Birthday cake!
Bring it now
or I’ll have a cow!
I need it fast —
I might not last!
Once it’s gone,
I’m woebegone.
Presents are fun
until they’re done.
What comes next?
Now I’m vexed.
A whole ‘nother year?
I can’t wait, I fear.

Copyright 2016 Brenda Davis Harsham

Last Berry

IMG_1320

To the final berry,
trembling and silent,
life is scary.
Unchosen,
unpicked,
half-frozen.
Squirrel-missed,
bird-pecked,
sun-kissed.
Little, red and round,
when the snowdrops bloom,
I’ll plant you underground.

Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: My son was at the ER this weekend. My internal compass has been swinging left to right and back again. Upheaval, danger, chaos, progress, crisis. Spring will bring me back into the garden, and life will resume it’s course: toward magic and joy. I hope you are having a magical week. Warmly, Brenda

Heaven in a Wild Flower

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This cold, blustery day, I dream
into being another spring day.
This one is mountain-flavored,
nearer to heaven than the sea,
far away from here, far from me.
A mountain meadow blooms
as far as my eye can see:
pink heads nod their approval,
as if they like what they see.
I’m atilt, upright on this slope,
keeping my feet, holding out hope.
Pollen coats my skin in gold dust
and I run as lightly as a wind gust.
I lift my arms to the sky,
I’m not a gazelle, but I can fly!
l reach the dim of the tree line,
and each leaf sings harmony with me.
Part of me dwells there, in that perfect hour
when spring is eternal: sweet, soft air and
cool breezes. Infinite beauty. Birds sing,
deer graze and rabbits nod to the grass.
The scent of wildflowers is heaven.
Heaven is in our memories.

Note: The title is from a quatrain that has been niggling at the corners of my attention all week. I decided to embrace it, celebrate it. This is the first of two posts about it. Do you know it already? It’s this one:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour.” 

William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

Spring Dreaming

Cherry blossoms

close dreaming eyes
fragrance of cherry blossoms
intoxicates, breathe

Note: Dreams are magic. I dreamed spring into being today as I soaked up the lemon winter sun. The park may have been wet with snowmelt and smelling of mud but I was remembering cherry blossoms.

Winter Color

Red and Green plant

The colors of life,
of all things growing,
form a complex rainbow
in any season.
They linger as autumn
slips seamlessly into winter. Continue reading

Vibrant all Year – WPC

Summer

raspberries

watermelon

Twin Pink Dahlias

hibiscus Continue reading

Juniper Jewels

Blue Juniper berries

Jewel-bright juniper berries
dangled like azure fairies
amidst needles unfurled,
seeking the eyes of every bird.
Berries stayed sugar sweet
until fermenting was complete.
Early spring, greedy bluejays
fell down tipsy over two days,
leaving feathers ruffled aft.
How the crows laughed.

Copyright 2016 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: Some birds actually eat too many fermented berries and behave badly. Once I discovered that, I just had to write a poem about it. I also ran across a hilarious video of African animals overindulging on Marula fruit. A more serious poem about juniper berries is here. Have a great week!

Travel theme: Off-Centre

 

 

Dry Hydrangea on Ice

Winter

IMG_4657

Spring

Orange Mums

Summer

Golden Maple leaves

Fall

Note: This celebration of the seasons is inspired by Ailsa at Where’s My Backpack. She offered a fun quote by George Carlin: Think off-center. Achieving balance despite being off-center is one of my aims. Do you think I managed even though my subjects are off-center? My theme is in honor of the seasons because we are nearly in-between, moving here from spring to summer in a few days.

in-between
off-center
but in balance

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham