Creek Side Poems

Friday, January 30, 2026

All Four Plus her Swishing Tail ... a winter time Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

All Four Plus her Swishing Tail

Suburban dog walking- strolling

slowly

after an immense snow storm:

My tall son is shadowed by little Bea

who is an exquisite

small sable Shetland Sheepdog

on a long leash.

In the deep snow

little Bea

carefully zig

zags

a little to the left,

then a little to the right,

vaulting ballerina leaps

with her dainty little paws

(all four, plus her swishing tail)

landing to fit perfectly

filling each man-sized boot print

left, right, left

as she looks closely, thinks, aims, & then follows

with finesse and a flourish

in each

of my tall son's thoughtful footsteps

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Autumn Discloses ... a Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

Autumn Discloses

As the leaves

the GREEN YELLOW ORANGE RED GOLD

leaves

twirl

lriwt

& fall

we see more & more...

Autumn discloses

ducks, geese, kingfishers

on the creek.

Glorious sunrises

sunsets

loud

& soft colors...

Star sparklings in the sky

meteor showers

& moon shapes.

Clouds. Time passes.

Air & water currents...

Green dries- fades- falls

to disclose

deer deep in the woods.

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Interactions ... A Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

Interactions

There is a sparkle

an early morning shimmer

on the creek

but only at certain angles

when the risen sun

catches texture

and stays

while the current

takes a separate set

of scintillating

downstream.

Investigations ... a Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

Investigations

In last night's dusk as day twinkled away

into the star light of lightening bugs

I watched. Suddenly, low to the ground

an unexpected shadow took shape...

I thought at first a small cat BUT not a cat,

investigating our garden path, a creature-

a smallish being, a humped darker earth

brown waddle with a wide flat tail.

Slowly moving, hesitating, not sure

a muskrat or beaver, not a badger or mink

or opossum, probing here in our backyard

on the brink of the creek... I had to research

to be sure, to look it up by day light and here

I am this morning- knowing that what I saw was

a kit, a beaver kit! It was and will always be the

size shape outline and movement of a small young

beaver exploring- looking perhaps for twigs to chew, or herbs to taste... and memories to keep.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Lampyridae ... a Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

Lampyridae

There are only a few fireflies-

star sparks - lightening bugs-

this early summer’s eve in my sixties.

Decades ago, twilit lawns

would fill with children

running to catch the magic

in their hands. I was one once

carefully cradling the glow

and then letting it go.

Almost every language on earth

seems to have a word for these winged

lamps from antiquity, the Lampyridae, glow worms,

beetles

with numerous species and flash patterns,

some synchronized

some not. But all enchanting…

hotaru*

luciole*

ildflue*

Glimworm*

koukouy*

blysbjalla*

kunang-kunang*

lucciola*

ildflue*

swietlik*

pirilampo*

licurici*

lagomu afi*

svetluska*

luciernaga*

lysmask*

kipeperushi*

Te mau nota*

Pryf tan*

*Japanese

*French

*Danish

*Dutch

*Haitian Creole

*Icelandic

*Indonesian
*Italian

*Norwegian

*Polish

*Portugese

*Romanian

*Samoan

*Slovak

*Spanish

*Swedish

*Swahili

*Tahitian

*Welsh

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Equality - a Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

Equality

I caught you kissing

in that beautiful bower

of the Redbud's pink blossoms

one day. The next day

it was under a profusion

of bright daffodils.

Random moments

here then there

stealing kisses

as Spring flowers bloom

and bounce on zephyrs

heaven sent.

Accoutre - a Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

Accoutre

Pink and gold blossoming

from branch to branch-

Bush and tree bloom

the earth does too- brown into

green into gold and pink

as life comes back

surging and shimmering

like a silk kimono.

A Great White

Egret catches my eye

gliding past.