The Moon and the Mermaid

I had a dream that the moon was a drag queen.
The indigo sky was awash in silvery glitter.
The long tail of the slender mermaid was tumbling
through the liquid night with her long fingers
stretched out to gently touch 
the crescent face of her majesty.

Her long flowing hair could easily 
be mistaken as a wide tailed comet.
The moon took on a golden glow when 
the glittery scales of the mermaid's tail
wound around his face.
She could see the pink blush dabbed on her majesty's cheek,
and she smiled at him in all his feminine glory.

They both waited anxiously for the fireworks to begin.
They knew they would be a grand disguise for the real show,
the drag queen's parade of heavenly bodies.

*This poem was inspired by an old T-shirt.

Chincoteague Pony is Official

“Recently, there has been movement to have the Chincoteague pony declared the official pony of Virginia. Delegate Robert Bloxom (R) and Senator Lynwood Lewis (D) have introduced to the Virginia Legislature a pair of bills doing just that. If the bills pass, the ponies will join the northern cardinal, brook trout, and American foxhound as official Virginia state fauna.” (Quote taken from Chesapeake Bay Magazine, February 3, 2023.)

The bill passed and the governor signed it into law.

All pictures were taken by Katherine J. Krein

Thanksgiving 2010

Pond Songs

The pictures were taken by me, Katherine J. Krein. 

The nights songs of my pond amphibians fill the air 
around my house and garden this time of year.
These songs are a sure sign of summer. 
Their mating calls herald their eager presence.
With their success the pond fills with tiny tadpoles.
Over time their numbers thin and 
they become food for predators 
or learn to hide in order to survive.

Childhood

We were country girls during the summer when school was out.

We visited farms and had picnics with home-made ice cream.

We went fishing and had fish fries with hushpuppies and coleslaw.

Grandfather was the gardener and grandmother was the canner.

Fresh home grown vegetables were a dinner staple.

We swam in our grandfather’s lake which was made into the local swimming hole with a dock as slick as snot.

We wore clothes our grandmother made for us, and some times I wore hand-me-downs since I was the youngest.

We sat on the big covered front porch of our grandparents farmhouse and told ghost stories.

Fireflies lit up the night and my grandfather once gifted me with a firefly ring.

The picture above is of me, my sister, and one of our cousins.

Our grandmother can be seen behind us.

On this particular day the black hen laid an egg in my sister’s lap!

Goldfinch & Seed

Picture taken by me, Katherine J. Krein, in my garden.

This Goldfinch found its pot of gold with tasty treats
Sprinkled in.
When the sunflower has lost its golden petals its seeds
Are revealed.
Black shells cover the seed, so shells are cracked and littered.
Sunflowers reliably leave behind seeds.
The following summer new sunflowers will arise from these.
They truly are a gardener's friend.
Goldfinches will reliably return 
To find their favorite food.
The brilliant sun continues to reward this golden bird.
The gardener is rewarded with glorious reseeding flowers.
The sunflower humbly follows the sun as it moves across the sky.

Rain in Reston

“Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain there would be no life.” John Updike

The overcast sky dominated the day. 
The soft gray clouds blanketed the sky and lazily lingered for hours.
The rain stayed shyly hidden and teased the anxious gardener looking upward for relief.

At one point the clouds began to open and revealed some blue.
I was in a hospital and not out in the garden, and yet, I too hoped for rain.
The beautiful blue was not appreciated.

The hospital window gave us a tall and wide view of the sky.
I turned my back on this view, so as not to dwell in disappointment.

A technician came into the room looking for an IV machine.
She commented on the beautiful window view we had there.
I nodded my head and agreed with her, though I barely glanced back.

It was not long after she left I heard the sound of rain.
I turned around to see a heavy rain pouring out of the sky.
My heart rejoiced.

Eventually the rain tapered to a slow and light pace.
The gentle and steady flow of water is greatly needed.
All the gray in the sky was knitted together once more.
No threats of thunder or lightning were imminent.

The rain was reassuring to me.
I was refreshed along with the nearby grounds and gardens.

Mother’s Day

The breeze sweeps across the agate chime that spirals down.
Each earthly banded slice with variations of brown and amber
have been sliced from a mother stone.
The wooden crown has seven holes where seven strands 
of fishing line hang down, ending with one agate section.

This chime was a gift from my mother to me.
She brought it back from one of her far off travels.
Her travels ended with her death.
Now a distant memory.

Today on this Mother's Day the sun shining
through each translucent section, and
the sound of the striking agate stone brings
My mother briefly back to me.
I hope she rests in peace.
Though from knowing her, it is more likely
that she is still on the move.

Time in the Woods

A day off allowed me to take time in the woods.
Respite is required for sanity these days.
The soothing sound of birds, and flowing water
can pull my mind into my present environment,
and leave behind the torments.

The bright bluebells, and woodland phlox bring color and cheer.
The swallowtails could be seen. Their colors vary.
There was a zebra swallowtail that I could see,
and it seemed to follow me for awhile.
I have only ever seen it in these particular woods.

Birds, turtles, and a long river snake were also observed.
The path I took had many rocks which required my mind's focus
to keep from falling.
The weather was pleasant. The day started sunny and as the day
wore on some clouds accumulated.

I ended my respite at the Great Falls.
Their sound carries their power to my ears.
A few herons could be seen perched on some jutting rocks
in the middle of the falls.
Nature in all its' glory sustains me.
I will return when respite is what I need.