Daffodils
Brilliant yellow
Bloom in the greening of spring
Sun bright daffodils


Spring
Buds of beauty bloom
New baby birds hatch from eggs
Ice melts from warm ponds


The Ocean
Blue, green, and turquoise
Sharks, whales, dolphins, and flounder
In the deep blue sea
-- Melanie Antle (age 10)



Abandoned Farmhouse
The house lies a corpse
Rotting in the sun
Intoxicating to flies


Autumn Despair
Splotch on the walk
Dead leaf crushed under foot
Add to autumn despair


Burial Ground
Cool garden dirt
Chilling bare feet
Thoughts of father in same, cold ground
-- Anne Eller)


open door,
welcoming
a whiff of mock orange


appaloosa's mouth
through split rails: a carrot
on our granddaughter's palm
-- Jay Bryan)


Like a puppy's paw
or a breeze that surprises--
your smile as you turn.


Feelings slide inside,
but I recall your tulips--
leaning, they still sang!
-- Stuart Burroughs)


The cover of night,
Two lovers swim in the sea,
Silent sand shifting


A song never heard,
The bird flies by towards the sun.
Eternal journeys.
-- Elizabeth Sloan)


Ouch!
Bee fascination
to stung animosity--
now, say you’re sorry!
-- Shawn Bailey)


June
Magic mist appears,
Not falling, not oozing. Just
There, dampening shoes.


Tension
I seem to cause stress
In other drivers when I
Obey speed limits.
-- John B. Adams)


Chapel Hill’s April:
when we can see its beauty,
we know winter’s gone.


Cardinal arrives,
considering the prospect
of summering here.


Can anything be
more beautiful than a chord
perfectly in tune?


I heard a child laugh
and I wept inside for joy:
Life’s happiest sound.’ -- Raleigh Mann)


Sunny yellow butterfly
Winging by,
Enroute to Eternity.


Chapel Hill springtime
White clouds of Pear trees blooming
Earth and sky are one.
-- Annette Rathbun)


The bird soars into the sun's farewell
with an out reached wing, wanting
for a destination unknown


The monk
retires by the bonzai tree
silence, his companion


The tree whispers
in soft, melodious tongue
yeiding, desperate to love the other
-- Will Jackson (age 14)


Wind
The wind whistles past.
--As if running in nothing,
Running to nowhere.


Sweetness
The sweetness in life,
shall come by so very soon,
but no one will see.
-- Chloe Hultman (age 10)


The brilliant result
Of a turbulent downpour
Arcs of pastel stripes.
-- Peyton, (age 12)


Hummingbird
Flitting fluff of feathers
Flash of pretty colors
Tiny fragile bird


Mother
Super woman
Strong in body and mind
Mother can do anything
-- The Charles House Poets)


The Joy Flower
The flower of spring
Is here to bring joy to all
All have been waiting


The Tree of the Holidays
The tree of winter
Sparkles when in the moonlight
But at day; normal
-- Ryan Armstrong (age 8)


Butterflies flit by
Meandering on spring breeze
Maple seeds twirling
-- Ray Collins


June in North Carolina
summer rain sizzles
on hot pavement steam rises
now I smell sunshine


treetops stir to an early breeze
leaves patter with last night’s rain
my heart knows this song


Daguerreotype Portrait
the light holds still now
cupping the veiled, silversoft cheek
like a lover’s hand
-- Kathy Keating


Cool clear light of Spring
Reaches through high greening boughs
earth receives with warmth


A fleeting visit
pink petals fall from his coat
too soon they catch tears
-- Peter Mork


Wait
Time waits for no man
Love waits for even fewer
Life, should not have to.


Let Him Write
Let the rivers flow
Let the stars and sun to shine
Let the writer, write
-- Daniel Kamakura


A Rose Bud
full of small beauty
coming out of a deep sleep
sprouting in the spring
-- The Room 407 Rockstars (Kendra Fisher’s third-grade class at Carrboro Elementary School


Poems gentle and strong,
Let your feelings speak
Like they had mouths.
-- Chase Lewis (age 8)


Happy Day
it is slightly cool
with a nice breeze so you can
wear shorts and short sleeves
--Connor Leech (age 11)


seed bud tuber sprout
vine twine tangle make each Spring’s
hopeful quiet noise
-- Fred Stevens


folded, unfolded
tucked away in her wallet
her mother’s last words


angry hornets
attack the gardener
his glasses lost


praying mantis
your head is so little
-- late day shadows
--Maria Tadd


Candy Apples
CANDY apples at-
the fair makes your teeth rot like-
-- a year old egg shell


MR G.B.O (GREAT BOLD ONE!!
BALD, BALD G.B.O
TALL,TALL, G.B.O
MATH TEACHER OH NO!
-- Maritere Guerrero (fourth grade)


Gossip
Loud squawking gossip,
Are they talking about me?
Grackles in the tree.


Surprise
Pink azaleas glow
Humming bird buzzes my ear
I'm a flower too!


Spring Fiesta 2008
Azaleas rumba in the breeze
Bright lacy skirts sway
A Morgan Creek fiesta!
-- Marsha Jepsen


Christmas at the beach
Better to give than receive
Oyster shell wind chimes.
-- Margie Emshoff


My Kitten
Cute, soft animal
Likes my comfortable lap
My awesome kitten.
-- Sarah Waugh (age 9)


The pollens of spring
Stain yellowness all around
Making nostrils twitch.


Crass becomes the lawn
Where "good doggies" like to pause
Before passing on.
-- Wallace Clyde


Today I fill up
with a deep delicious breath
No need to eat more
-- Laurel Wilkinson


Hairshirt of habit
I am wearing it today
Oh how it itches!
-- Mike Bissonette


Eyes both blue and green
look to me to meet their needs
Makes me want to run
-- Mimi O'Grady


McCorkle Place spring.
Blossoms dusting brick.
Squirrels chasing, owls watching.
-- Robin Schectman


The Old Willow
Gentle old willow
Branches aged and knobby
Leaves a soft silver
-- Juliana Dunn


Columbine, Virginia Tech
April showers
Bringing May tears


Red and blue Jayhawk,
Slightly askew o’er the heart.
Why did it break mine?
-- Alice Anderson


A moment’s silence
Adrenaline pumping
Flashing flag we’re off


A storm front coming
Wings flapping feet scurrying
To escape the rain
-- Ian Brown


Lifting so loudly
flying fast off the runway
going off into the sky.


The baseball flies fast
going into the outfield
landing outside the fence.


The sun is white hot
its glare is nice and precise
and hits your face hard.
-- John Knox Wilson


The red cowgirl boots
Strutting along the highway
And going click clack


Water in a pond
Frozen but slowly melting
As winter passes


The moon in the sky
On a warm night in May
In the dark silence
-- Katie Williford


Multiplication
Yellow bursts in grass
white puffs waiting for a breeze
to spread weeds abroad


Omens
Verdantly leafy
spring maple leaves tinged with red
predict brilliant fall


Maples
Samaras hanging
heavy under tents of green
soon to twirl to earth
-- Russell Stott


Lying in the rain
The skeletal remains
Of an umbrella


Furious flapping:
Ten baby wings fight for crumbs
Under the table


Son of Peleus
Quit your sulking, join the fight,
And Greece will prevail


I reach out my hand,
Eyes in the pond blink,
Sink beneath the leaves
-- Chris Wolf


Flowers, white candles
Bridesmaids, groomsmen, you and I
Fifty years ago
-- Elizabeth Joan White


garden gloves
blotchy dark green stains
last year's weeds
-- Charlie Smith


Hush-hush now
about the odyssey
beneath this poem.


White lightening
strikes seas of sagebrush
without thinking.


Wall-to-wall
willows weeping
on the walkway.


Drifter unhorses
mid-afternoon
to pray again.


Moonlight creeps
along the walkway
following you.


Baby boy
sleeps to hymns
of midnight freighters.
-- Chris Moran


Trees
People clear the land.
Years of growth gone in minutes,
Squirrels reforest!


Cloud Shapes
Crazy clouds today,
A turkey gobbler running,
Dogs in close pursuit.


For Gus
The years quickly pass,
but memories hold my heart,
in love and embrace.


Strange World
Children play and laugh,
Men hold up weapons and laugh,
God watches and weeps.
-- Jean Stasi


Thanksgiving
a smaller table
this year


boyhood church
standing at the door
a child peers in
-- Robert B. McNeill


Bird calls
announce my presence, wings spread
The cardinal stays.


Tall dead tree,
Cascading wisteria
bringing new life.
-- Caroline Rupert)


Sunflower yellow
seeds bright pretty
Sunlight flower is the sun
-- Ahrianna Keefe (age 7)


everywhere
I turn, robins
in new feathers


in just spring
a mockingbird's
first song


drained lake
a trio of geese
float in air


mountaintop
I reach out to feel
clouds
-- Richard Straw


The Joy of Spring
The hot dogs are cooked;
A brand new bull is in place.
Baseball has returned!


Signs of Spring
They dart to the screen,
then quietly peek outside.
Birds chirp; the cats watch.
-- Donna McMillan


in the drought
the bird bath has been filled
by the spring storm


april moonlight
a black cat waits silently
in the yard


rainy evening
home alone with tears
chopping onions
-- Ed Bremson


chenille bedspreads--
silver queen corn tassels
in a Carolina field


chain link fence
against the brown lawn
fishnet stockings
-- L. Teresa Church


The dark curse of war
is on us and our children
for generations.


There is only
one Earth, ocean and sky
for all of humanity.
-- Sankey Blanton


Green growth in the yard.
Teevee season’s end at last.
Now I view outside.


Garden work in fresh air,
Warm and active breath of life.
Re-runs on teevee.


Leaves of color on trees.
Previews of new programs start.
I’m inside too much.


Winter brings cold storms;
The warmth inside is comforting.
My window is teevee.
-- Lewis Tisher


Fireflies
Lighting up the sky
Beautiful to young and old
Flashes of magic


Bird Song
Wake to the sound of
Harmony, notes and rhythm
Music of the sky
-- Clare Heine (age 9)


spring rain--
we pull the dark red spread
off the bed


car waxed--
unannounced spring rain
into town
-- Lenard D. Moore


Silly Monkey
You silly monkey
You sit in the highest tree
and think yourself tall


Tell Me
Tell me little one
What stories you have to tell
and I will listen
-- Hannah Dyess (age 14)


Too big for my car
Fingers blister, muscles ache
Love my upright bass!


Lesson plans are trashed
TAs are royally pissed
The copier smirks
-- Nancy Bierman


Waves crashing onshore
Carving the innocent beach
With it’s own design
-- Ryan Egan


Maxine Swalin
Veined leaves, floating blossoms,
Light on water:
Aged pianist’s hallowed hands.
-- Herbert Harned


Small tree leans in wind,
Keen mind notes the light:
Infants’ heart doctor
Still sees all.
-- Sheila Curnen Lennon


Outliers absent
Homoscedasticity
Residual bliss


Here the data are
Many models can be fit
Residuals guide
-- Len Stefanski


'The Cardinal.'
Fluttering its wings
High in the sky with a breeze
It glides down calmly
-- Emile Charles (age 7)


Inclement weather.
What is 'snow'? What 'ice'?
Tell me, December iris.
-- Aggie Stachura


Just before sunset;
Cottonmouth skirts the creek bank
Reeds hide wary frogs


under the full moon
cherry blossom petal fall
-- stars upon the ground
-- MaXine Carey Harker


Cherry blossom
pink bleeze
around my house
-- K Melody


Grandma’s Pizza Parlor manners lesson
Look...here’s your napkin
and right there is your shirt sleeve.
They are not the same
-- Joan Walecka


What is that loud noise?
It is Lance roaring hello
He's glad to see you
-- Forrest Greenslade


Fog forms around us
a coalescence of souls
the sun reclaims


plastic clarifies sight
so one can see its harm
so transparently
-- Melanie S. Dubs


Future:
Small child waves farewell
Standing still, moving forward
With a hopeful smile.


Going:
Weary traveler--
Are you going already?
Does the dirt road call?


Time:
Dipping in your toes
Is difficult to do when
The stream goes ahead


Success:
Speeding down the road;
The only guaranteed way
To taste your own lightning.
-- India Lassiter (age 13)


Want Ad
Special tool, few skills
Requires frequent polish
from a steel wool brush


Good Dog!
Come sit stay
For my best friend a
Scooby snack
-- Nathan J. Hagens


Spring Peepers
The frogs are singing
The chorus rises upwards
Sending a prayer for spring


Hot Chocolate
The football player
Orders a large drink from me
I forget myself
-- Megan O’Donnell


My Daddy
Daddy is smelly,
I spank my daddy's behind
When he passes gas!
-- Kyra Finkelstein (age 6)


My favorites
Twix is delicious,
Jolly ranchers are yummy,
Gum is really cool!
-- Max Finkelstein (age 8)


Moved here from Boston
And escaped its harsh winter.
Friends were envious.


Life's full and rich here...
but many streets near me share
former lovers' names.


When I close my eyes,
dark silence centers me, and
reminds me what's true.
-- Jeanne Hillson


shell phone in my ear
the ocean is calling me
on white-crested waves


april showers refill
the half empty cup from which
death and taxes drink


reading in public,
propriety keeps laughter
bubbling at my lips


frogs in the frog pond
croaking into the crevasse
of an endless night


Elgar's Cockaigne
He composed London,
made an overture city,
bridged time across minds.
-- Julie Tuttle


night falling on trees
dark trunks on sky melting to
puddles of blackness


the sun gets up now
again each day like clockwork
can greatness rise in us
-- Peter White


Free from life's demands,
Lost to all but those who know
Eternal Soldiers.


Relinquish and Fade;
Time will unwind sleeping fates,
Only to abate.


Courage to relate,
Screeched out to huddled masses,
Lambs from lions made.


Emerald Zero Eight
Do you copy? -- I am here,
So far down below.


Quiet striving mines,
Borne back unto peace before,
Turned upward too late.


Well met and greeted,
Concerned or completely spurned,
We will never burn.


Burst out and shredded,
Welded to antiquity,
Finite notions split.


Warded and guarded,
Armored from within, without
Our best discarded.


Spirited to Earth
In empyreal order,
Heaven's syzygy.


Indivisible,
Ineluctably elite,
Incidence at last.
-- Noah Katz


Pinned against the violet sky--
an ochre cloud, a satin moon--
lilies on her dress.


Lightening sears the summer sky
like wrinkles on your brow:
surely it will rain.
-- Julia Krantz


My Hair
So thick, so flowing
So perfect, so showing
It’s never going
-- Maxwell Daum


Unusual spring
Fantastic's a moon
Playing over the flowers
Spring is jumping.


Spring spray
Spring is coming
Allergy showers my eyes
Achu! Ahhh Chu! Ah!...
-- Helen O’Neal


Never get involved
in a land war in Asia.
Not seen Princess Bride?


Jalapeno bite,
gastrointestinal churn,
unpleasant odor.


In a fancy bowl,
trifle. In the South, simpler:
banana pudding.


Texting is so short,
sonnet, sestina so long.
Haiku is just right.
-- Glenn Cassidy


Suddenly I looked up and
Saw how high the corn had grown
That summer alone
-- Emily Bonus


draw down the sunset
wrap its wild colors on you
paint your life with them


I am the mother of the stream
I am the stream
the banks are me
-- Sharon Blessum


Forgetting you
Isn’t going to happen
In this lifetime.


I love chickens.
Really, I love them.
Unrequited love, alas.
-- Tod Andrews


A sound in the night
Looms dangerously nearby
Wolves howl at the sky


Calmness flows by me
Watching and looking at peace
A river glitters


Hear the waves crash loud
Feeling sand between my toes
Walking on the beach
-- Elizabeth Kihm


Haiku from Third-Graders at Carrboro Elementary School

Windy Day
The vast blue ocean
The strong waves rock our small boat
The sheer winds bellow


Old Pine
Squirrels play on your bark
Green needles defend your trunk
Ever calm is pine


Potatoes
Harvest in the fall
For the long, frosty winter
The brown potato
-- Liam


I saw a big tree
The big tree fell on my head
I had a headache
-- Will


Flying high beauty
Over the flowers in woods
Landing gracefully


Rainbows in the sky
Birds flying high over you
Colorful beauty


White flakes coming down
On the trees and on the ground
Snowflakes are falling
-- Alexandra


Such beauty and grace
A beautiful sight to see
One cute ladybug
-- Priscah


Little Miss Robin
Nesting in our cherry tree
Nest of twigs and leaves


Leaves of vibrant red
Your leaves are shaped like the stars
Sometimes high or low
-- Daniela


Seed growing small roots
Secret sprouting in springtime
Showing its beauty
-- Katie


A little brown seed
That is buried in soil
Grows into a tree


Little red robin
Nesting in a great oak tree
Your chirp is so soft


Small baby tadpole
swimming in the small river
You’ll soon be a frog


Oh nest in the tree
Your builder created you
And you’re very glad


Eagle of the west
Gliding in the great blue sky
Flying to its nest
-- Erika


Snow is falling down
Hibernating animals
In the cold arctic
-- Alec


The flowers have bloomed
The thunder is very loud
This means spring is here


All the leaves are gone
White puffy snow is falling
The coldness is here
-- Elijah


A bird on a tree
A very big rainbow bird
That sings A-B-C
-- Lucas


Blue Jay flying high
Making a nest in a tree
Gently laying eggs
-- Carter


A bird that’s hopeful
Sitting on a branch catching
A sweet summer breeze


Full of chirps and peeps
Flying through the summer air
Coming in to land
-- William


A hidden treasure
Looks a little bit like gold
See the northern lights


Cat Attack
He watches birds eat
Crouching behind the big tree
Before he pounces
-- Aiden


Raindrop sparkles bright
Falls from the sky into mist
And brightens a heart


Beautiful snowflake
Falls on someone feeling sad
Cold but warms their heart
-- Mattie


Haiku from Room 103, Kitty Heller’s first-grade class, Carrboro Elementary School

I have a pet mouse.
It is beautiful to see.
I love my pet mouse.
-- Kassidy


Water is dark blue
Swimming in the blue water,
Me, splashing around
-- May


It is fun to sing
I sing in the dogwood tree
Singing is so fun.
-- Kyra


The red lava hot
And it comes from volcanoes.
I think they are black.
-- Sam


Whales’ babies drinking
Fifty gallons of mom’s milk
A day Ð growing strong! (like her mom)
-- Jahon


Dolphins are swimmers
Birds can fly Ð We look at them
Ladybugs are red bugs
-- Elizabeth


My dog is Shadow
Black with white spots on her chest
I really love her.
-- Zoe


Shoes are colorful
Red, brown, blue, pink and white shoes
Shoes are colorful.
-- Camryn


I played basketball.
I went outside to play.
I ran, jumped and shot.
-- Natnael


I love animals.
My favorite are penguins.
Penguins are funny.
-- Katie


Football is so fun
I like to kick and to throw
It is a good sport.
-- Austin


Legos are a piece
A world of lego is great
Legos rule the place.
-- Bryan


Tarheels should have won
They only came in 3rd place
They were really good!
-- Isabella


When I pass first grade
I wish I had my own dog
I wish I had my own dog
-- Angelina


I don’t like the cold.
I want to change the weather.
I like the summer.
-- Raven


If things could hover
That would be so really cool
We could fly to school.
-- Jack


I wish I could build
Houses, airports and huge malls.
I’d be so happy!
-- James


Animals are nice.
Do not hurt the animals
People should help them.
-- Laura


Rattlesnakes have fangs.
They have sharp teeth and rattles
And they are poisonous.
-- Aaron