Winter into spring

 

 

 

 

Beneath the layers of curled and crumbled

decaying leaves

and deep in the bosom

of the rich-smelling earth flower

bulbs begin to stir,

thrusting their green shoots above the soil

as slowly spring begins to loosen her coil.

All tightly wrapped in folds

of the richest greens and prettiest yellows

buds wait to peel back their layers

one by one,

until the sun bursts them into flowers.

and day by day these grey winter skies

will melt away into kingfisher-blue.

and day by day

song by song

bud by bud

winter will give way to spring.

Poem and photo by Amy ~

The uncertainty of winter's touch

Now the green has faded into oblivion ,

dance in the glory of the russet shades and

turn to the coming seasons with open arms .

 

Will there be snow , frost, or fog?

or stormy winds and sweeping rain?

The uncertainty of Winter’s touch.

 

The Swallows long gone

and the spring bulbs deep beneath the leaf-rotting soil.

Come Winter!

show your glorious greys and whites

end this year with a spectacular sight.

 

The Hedgehogs all wrapped in crumbling leaves

slipping into a deep slumber after the summer months

wondering if they’ll be here for next spring

or will the frost and snow be too much?

The uncertainty of winter’s touch.

 

Amy – 13 and proud

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

'Graham The Grey Squirrel' - a regular garden visitor, on our bird feeder.

The curve

of a Squirrel’s tail -

the garden’s smile.

November wind-

a squirrel’s old drey

scatters itself

with all the souls

of the leaves.

Photography and short form poetry by Amy (13)

In the thickets

 

 

Male House Sparrow

 

waking

not a moment too late

not a moment too soon

to hear the Sparrow’s

first soft note.

~          ~          ~

 

deep in the hedge -

a dozen worlds , souls and hearts

and that’s just the leaves.

~          ~          ~

in the tangled mass

are many tiny bodies

yet big songs and hearts.

 

Photography and poems by Amy (13)

 

 

 

 

 

Coal Tit Sunday

Coal tits are very active at this time of the year, they collect food

(especially peanuts) and store them for the winter, like a squirrel.

~          ~          ~

Flitting back and forth

the Coal tits play

on Autumn’s breath.

~          ~          ~

The rain stops

the blue sky waits

for the coal tit’s song.

A coal tit holding onto the side of a tree trunk

Veiled behind

the crow’s

dry croak

the humble twittering

of a coal tit.

Photography and poetry by Amy (13)

Autumn's blaze

Autumn’s blaze

catching the edges of the leaves.

We are no longer lost in Summer’s maze,

but in the golden magic that Autumn weaves.

Her flow in the streams

and her song in each robin’s breast

colouring our dreams.

This time when summer is put to rest,

in her bed of petals

that wait to form the flowers of next Spring.

summer’s weary head settles

until the first Swallow takes to wing.

Poem and photo by Amy (aged 13)

Garden Visitors

Two Blue-tits on the Bird feeder in our back garden

A low rainbow

across the grey sky

inside the bird box

blue tits take shelter

from the harsh wind.

~          ~          ~

Autumn has come

the starling’s summer coat

is fading .

~          ~          ~

The swallows have left

and taken summer

with them.

~          ~          ~

Dewy grass -

three Siskins fluff up

their autumn plumage.

~          ~          ~

Breaths drawn in . . .

Shh!

a Blackcap

flits in and out

of bracken.

~          ~          ~

Summer’s end -

the Willow Warbler leaves us

with one last song.

The lovely grey squirrel that has been visiting our garden since last winter.

Grey morning

the squirrel is knee-deep

in fog.

~         ~          ~

Autumn chill -

the curling smoke

of a squirrel’s tail.

~    ~    ~

All photography & poetry by Amy (aged 13)

except for the last poem, which is Claire’s.

Autumn Equinox ~ Mabon ~ Halegmonath ~ Harvest Home (part 2)

We have all been celebrating Autumn Equinox.

Writing autumnal poetry, doing crafts ,and  trying to capture Autumn’s beauty with drawings and photos! we will share some of what we’ve been doing.

Claire’s first drawing in years! sketched from things we collected outside.

~        ~         ~

This one is by Amy (13)

~         ~         ~

And of course Theo joined in and drew some crab-apples and a nice brown leaf. (9)

~         ~         ~

Conker web made by Amy (13)

mini conker webs by Claire and Amy

And as as always we have some poetry and photography to share:

Autumn Equinox -

a spider spins

a new web.

Autumn’s gateway -

sunlight catches

beads of water.

Summer’s end -

the Willow Warbler leaves us

with one last song.

Photography and Haiku by Amy (13)

Early Autumn tesserae

Sunset moment

etched into my heart

-twisting swallows .

~     ~     ~

Answering

my heart’s song

- autumn Robin.

~     ~     ~

Through the butterfly’s wings

the softest light

of September.

~     ~     ~

calm morning

following the curves

of swan  necks.

~      ~      ~

Photography & Haiku by Amy (13)

Summer tesserae

~

Dewdrops clinging

to the delicate Montbretias

after the night rain.

~

Rooks gathering

on the treacle-black mane

of a grazing horse.

~

His breast

stained with berry juice

today the Blackbird

gets to be

a Robin.

~

~

Dithering

thought to thought

flower to flower

I renga

with the Hoverflies.

~

Each day

like a lizard

shedding It’s skin

summer peels

off another layer.

~

Silver cat

arching her back

in the morning sun.

~

All micropoetry and photography by Amy (aged 13)