Little Flower on Banner Mountain

one small flower
by road on Banner Mountain
lonely evening

© Freeda Baker Nichols

BANNER MOUNTAIN GIRL # 41

Fireflies and Memories

When lightning bugs turn on their blinking lights
that signal sweaty, little hands to try
to catch them on the muggy, summer nights,
my memories slip in to make me cry.

I squeeze my eyelids tight to stop
the moisture forming there.

The fireflies take me back to childhood, free
as hummingbirds that sipped pink four o’clocks,
and apple blossoms from the twisted tree
that Mama planted deep beside the rocks.

As whippoorwills called to each other
and June bugs buzzed by the lilacs,

my mama, dad, and all the children sat
on edge of porch to watch the daylight fade.
We laughed and played. What fun it was to chat,
with voices joining evening serenade,

and splash our feet with cold water
from an old enamel pan!

My tears are falling freely now in spurts.
That last reflection is the one that hurts.

© Copyright, Freeda Baker Nichols

Freeda, Bill, Yvonne, Walter, Sephrona, Dean, Emma Jean, Aaron and Merle

 

BANNER MOUNTAIN GIRL#28 “Red Daylilies”

RED DAYLILIES

The house is empty now
and no one tends
the flowers, growing still
along the walk where once
I strolled with Mama.

My hand in hers, she walked
with me and talked about
the blue hydrangeas,
Phlox of pink,
daylilies red, and
golden black-eyed Susans,
dazzling at their peak
of color
in the sun.

I walk along the
silent footpath now,
where only shadows move.
I miss Mama.

© Freeda Baker Nichols

Yvonne & Freeda Baker

Red Roses in the Rain

Haiku 11-01-16

once drawn by horses
half-hidden by yellow blooms
an old hay mower

© Freeda Baker Nichols

SURPRISE

a spider–

a magic surprise

clothed in red

© 2016 Freeda Baker Nichols

Along About Sunset

                                                                     summertime

                                                                      along about sunset

horse starts to barn

 © 2016 Freeda Baker Nichols

She Named Me Cougar

 

She named me Cougar–
why, I don’t know.
I’m more than a big cat,
I’m the whole show.

© 2016 Freeda Baker Nichols

 

End of Summer

end of summer
drained watering trough
goodbye “Old Paint”

© Freeda Baker Nichols

 

 

 

 

Mourning Dove

 

summertime
the mourning dove feeds
alone

© Freeda Baker Nichols

One Rainy Day

soggy from raindrops
papa redbird feeds the grain
at end of summer

© Freeda Baker Nichols