Creek Side Poems: poem

Showing posts with label poem. Show all posts

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 sable

Shetland sheepdog,

a small Sheltie, a fluff of fur 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

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.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Late January Magic Tricks - a Creek Side poem by Anne Selden Annab

Late January Magic Tricks

After the snow

and an early morning

sunrise

at zero degrees-

Our frozen creek

and birdbath both

breathe steam...

Up where we are

momentarily

safe inside behind

the cold clean window

of our home we are maybe inches away

from suddenly shimmering bits

of ice crystals

that are

floating on cold air

here and there

out side . . . . . eye level

everywhere we look...

Like tiny sparkling gems

levitating & spinning &

randomly mirroring

minuscule rainbows

to give us rapture.

Monday, May 6, 2024

Maple Seeds in Spring

I long be out, totally outside right now- out on our lawn this breezy May

out where the maple seeds spin and twirl and

dance down- dropping

where ever whim

and breeze

takes

them.

Spring

gusts

set

one

two

three

four

five

ten

twenty

fleets

sailing

soaring

... some might land into saplings & trees

Engagement

Mid-March acrobatics

with blustery winds when

our dancing daffodils bloom,

many of our littlest finches

do too.

Molting winter's camouflage

those tree branch beige shadows

and putty shades are replaced

As new feathers

are brightening

lightening

into gold.

And the promise of more.

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Connections

The big white bird

with black wing tips*

was flying low

alone

away...

hours pass.

I read of fields and farms,

of migrations,

of hope

and dreams-

of hunger

and hard work.

By chance I look up

thinking- digesting

themes

to see

three big white birds

with black wing tips

flying low

in the opposite direction.

*Snow Goose

Thursday, November 9, 2023

Black Squirrel

Black squirrel leaping out

and dashing -

in a world of gray

you are

exquisite depth

like an eye's pupil

widening in the dim

of winter lit woods.

Monday, October 30, 2023

Dear Randy St John - Pulling Us Into Understanding This And That

A Poem for a Beloved Teacher

by Anne Selden Yellott Annab

Pulling Us Into Understanding This And That

Dear Randy St John,

I liked you because you liked teaching

and all your students- everyone of us,

the bright the dull the difficult

the awkward the shy the brazen

the clutzy the smooth

the spark of brilliance

in every one.

You were fair,

and funny

with your handlebar mustache.

You were also astounding

with your model gorgeous wife

(Cindy) who stayed with you

studied, became a librarian.

You two together were

the best role models I knew

the best guides on how

to find and navigate books

and people... and life.

You both truly liked books

and shared your passion

pulling us into understanding this and that-

enjoying and exploring symbolism

and metaphor and poetry

and other such stuff

like the power of words

and simplicity.

But you also liked sports-

and the great outdoors.

Hunting fishing

real life as it is:

The beauty

of fly fishing

on a creek.

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

So I Slow

Some pain

(such as youth yearning thwarted

love betrayed

dreams dashed etc)

is all emotion. But other pain

such as this hard lump on me

tangled up in muscles and motion

is all reality- sharp smart

cringe crippling

no matter what

so I slow...

slow to savor

today

coffee. egrets.

rain on the creek.

yesterday's walk outside

with summer wind.

So I slow, hoping

I'll wake after surgery

and my heart will be strong enough

to take me through old age

or at least another year.

Monday, March 20, 2023

Geese Math Games

Do geese do math games

flying formations

here a V

now a diamond...

space 3 wings apart, now four.

Take turns- you lead

you chose

now up now down

skim the creek

then back up into the clouds

vary speed

counting fields

and trees and ponds

until we land.

Friday, October 28, 2022

Uplift

Coming home from my

appointments,

a smooth downhill glide

gathering speed

47 miles per hour

straightening out

on the long level bridge-

now matched exactly

by a bird of prey

gliding beside me

PARALLEL

horizon and road

hawk and human

as we cross high above

the creek and trees.

Hawk and human

tied geometrically

for a minute in space

and speed

making my heart soar.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Antares

Antares flickers

round red heart of Scorpius

in our summer sky.

Star Constellation Facts: Scorpius, the Scorpion

Sunday, October 27, 2019

An Autumn Poem by Anne Selden Annab: A Sycamore Leaf in Fall

A Sycamore Leaf in Fall

Autumn leaves and a little squirrel-
plus a rapid rain drenching all.

Scampering down our tall maple tree
the little squirrel blends into the wet bark.

He pauses. Then leaps, landing on a wet
sycamore leaf that is larger than he is by far.

That big leaf is on an edge. The squirrel's front paws,
frantic for traction, claw and the leaf moves

moves like a magic carpet sweeping him up and over.
The little squirrel lands... and finds shelter.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Blue Birds

Blue Birds

Blue birds
dulled by
a dim day,
flitting through
a leafless tree.

Heaven hides
waits midair
to fleetingly
flash bright
brilliant
blue

against storm
grey skies.

Susurrus

Susurrus

Our maple leaf litter-
brown orange red
gold glinting
all over the lawn.

Wind currents tug
and toss, stirring
susurrus...

More oak leaves
dance down
fluttering.

A trick of light
near my feet
reveals a curious
brown wren,
a leaf shape
shadow
there all along
watching.

Reprieve

Reprieve

There is PAIN
always

but there is also
beauty...

The sun rise spurge
in every shade of rose-
and orange, as if flowers
and fruit and fish
taught dawn
what to do.

Daylight discloses
the colorful wood duck
and then mallards
with their mates
drifting upstream
dabbling.

Sycamore leaf boats
float past, as a chick-a-dee
flits up to perch
on a spindly twig
nearby.

My own movement
so often curtailed
is but one tiny red berry
on the burning bush.

Later on a drive
I chance upon
the startling bright
golden light
of an autumn tree
brimming with
luminescence.