Iris

Her name was Iris,

Not Daisy,

Not Violet,

Not Jasmine, 

Not Rose,

Nor Zinnia

She sprang suddenly in the spring

At the first warmth and rain

She came a surprise, a fragile delight

So we named her Iris.

Oak Tree

Oak tree, stay with us

Another year. Give us another 

Summer of sweet shade.

June when day lilies bloom orange

Around your trunk,

July when bees make sticky honey

In your hollow,

August when a red-tailed hawk roosts

In your upper branches,

September when wind makes music

With your drying leaves,

You will be glad with us,

Old oak, for having given another

Year. You'll be glad you stayed.

Snow Hydrangea

Sunlit blooms—

Green spring song!

Like dozens of snow-white butterflies

Blossoms burst 

Wild on the unsuspecting day,

Smelling like honeysuckle, 

Lilacs and brook water, with

Southern breezes

And superlative sunshine.

Windowsill

Spring comes inside

To the windowsill

In installments

Pinks and purples,

Whites and yellows

Reds and oranges

Bright blooms.

Eager children come 

Bringing these

Clasped in sweet fists

Behind their backs.

A Bug's Life

A caterpillar in a jar,

A mystery.

Such an odd sound

The pink, ponk, punk 

Holes being poked in the metal lid.

Leaves will do for food;

A stick to climb.

Her mind wonders

Will this worm

Build a cocoon? 

When? How? Why?

Just Like

Pecan pie just like

Grandma used to bake

Flaky crust, custard just like

Mama always made

Toasted pecans, syrupy sweet

Just like—home.

Amish

Wagon wheels roll on by

While time stands still

Progress stymied by religion

Dressed in Black and blue cloth

Under heat-saving black felt hats

Sun shielding bonnets and 

Newly-woven straw hats

Big-eyed boys and babies

Out for an afternoon ride

Watch the world as they go past.

Time Vine

Vine crawls the barn walls

Growing up and someday over

Inside trees have sprouted

Through the dirt floor

Metal rusts

Wood cracks and grays

Bees and wood ants riddle beams

The prairie reclaims its spaces.

Wood Music

Afternoon sun makes long

Lacey shadow fan-flare

Lines and swirls

White light curves and curls
Notes and sonata song

Blue Bottle

Holds you pretty,

Purple tulip, a blue

Bottle, stem still

Sipping warm spring

Rain up to keep your

Petals unfurled.

Facing the waning 

Afternoon sun from 

A sweet spot on 

The dinner table.

Wind and Wishes

Sunshine and wind 

Spin horse hair on barbed

Wire. Wind whips your brown hair

Too, little girl. Pucker up, blow

Lightly; make a wish!
Whisper. Whistle.

Springtime comes only 

Once a year. 

Yellow

As yellow as sunlight

As yellow as lemons

Symbol of friendship,

Happiness, joy

Light up the lawn like

Bulbs lit from within,

Like laughter,

Like singing,

Like friends.

Flood

Thank you, Lord, for rain

So much rain that it sits 

Misplaced in the pasture.

The yearling heifer watches

As it rises, hasn't

Seen much rain in her day.
She appears to be

Loving the lush green

Spring has provided after

Drought and a long

Hard winter.

Cornbread

Hot from the oven

Tipped from an iron skillet

Unto Mama's brown platter.

Brown and crusty,

Buttery, salty, sweet

Nothing better

Nothing! 

Cornbread.

Day Dream

What will I wish for, 

Wistfully wish for

On a dandelion bouquet, 

What shall I say?

A swing on a star?

A friend from afar?

A perfect summer day?

A ride in a sleigh?

What do I dream of?

A prince for a true love?

A lovely new dress?

Soft, pink, ruffly, yes!

What will I wish for, 

Wistfully wish for

On a dandelion bouquet, 

What shall I say?

Lily

She loves to be petted

This dark-eyed beauty

Comes to the gate

At the sound of children's voices

Comes lively

Comes softly

Comes sweetly

Comes Lily.

Jonquils

Jonquils bloom with the daffodils

On the grassy brow of the greening hills

Sweet the scent on the springtide breeze

Bright with sun 'neath the redbud trees.

Like pale yellow taffeta bride's maids' dresses

On a wedding day I softly remember 

Makes me smile at the reminisces

Those soft creamy buttery blooming kisses

When the jonquils appear so suddenly,

Like that newfound love that shot so strong,

So long ago yet so swift and truly;

It startled us with its lasting beauty.

Iris

Iris fronds like swords of green

Buds of purple in between

Earth and sky so blue

Spring open; show us something new.

Pert and Purple

Pretty little purple tulip

Trampled before your time

Still in a vase on the windowsill

You devise to bring me still

A glimpse of God's design

'Tis so sweet of you to share

What few moments you have to spare.

Cardinal Tulip

                              

A cardinal in flower form

Red and black on wing;

Tulips make me want to sing.

                                                                                                  

Spring Faces

Do you see frowns on these little faces,

Or winsome smiles?

Do you see grass greening 

Or lawn soon needing mowing?

Do you see nourishing rainfall 

Or canceled outings?

Is your glass half full 

Or half empty?

Mine is full in April.

Pink

I found a tulip the color of plum juice,

The color of cotton candy at the county fair,

The color of the last of a summer sunset,

The color of a little girl's first tutu.

I found a tulip and left it to open

 To the sun's warm rays.

Blossom Time

When blossoms sprout on shrub and tree

When robins hop across the green

When iris sprouts up in between

It's spring, it's spring, it's spring!

Forsythia

One morning after a rain

You wake and find forsythia glowing

Like streamers of sunshine

On red/gray branches

Like fireworks

Exploding

In all directions

Glowing bright for a few days

Then going green.

Skeleton

Old barn,

Ghost of your former self,

Skeleton open to winds

That sweep the prairie

Once someone trusted your sturdy walls

Sought shelter from rain and storm

Kept tools, hay, animals inside 

Your generous belly.

Old barn,

Piece of prairie story,

Bones and sinew of yesteryear

When, why did they go away 

Leave you to the weather

Leave you to rot and rust

Winter and summer tottering

To the waiting earth.

Kansas

      Where grass and sky dance

       Wind slips through barbed wire fences

                     Whistles through creaking barn walls

          Whips thistles dry and sends them flying

         Waits in the afternoon heat

         Wanders through the evening's cool

              Waltzes with bluestem to meadowlark song.

Peace

Doves of steel can

Never fly around the globe

The earth and sky

Nor will I ever hear one sing

Life is such a fragile thing.

The loveliest thing 

A man can make,

Can sculpt or paint, design

Only faintly imitates

The wonders that my God creates.

Courage

Fragile flowers

Struggle to pass through

Winter's blanket of brown

Stretching on tiptoe

Pressing, persevering through

To spring's cold sky

Promise

Sculpture

Laughing horse with

Windblown mane and tail

Playfully listing

Laughing, laughing at the show

Flowers waving to the beat

Of spring's sweet 

Sunshiny music.

Sunshine Girl

Running down the hillside

Sunlight in her hair,

Through the new spring grasses 

And wildflowers singing there.

Innocence of childhood

Free of fear and care

Not a note of worry

Beautiful and fair.