I rushed by a field
of drooping dandelions
seeing nothing ’til
a swallowtail flitted by
with a spray of pixie dust.
~~~~
I have no travel photo to share, but I have photos from my (figurative) journeys from day to day. Often, I complain about its ordinariness then get struck how the beautiful the mundane can be. Today, I was crossing the field chasing after my children who went off to see the skeleton of a deer. I’ve crossed the field so many times, I almost do not see it until I noticed the butterfly.
I chose a tanka to accompany this photo because it goes well with my current (literary) mood and situation. These days, I have difficulty stringing words and ideas together. The simplicity and succinctness of the form makes it very appealing. I like the fact that in a few syllables, I could express myself poetically. 🙂
For: WPC: ON THE WAY and dVERSE: Prosody with Bryan Ens.
MY WALL 
Pixie dust makes everything better. 🙂
Between the butterfly and the daisies, I see a lot of magic. I am glad the butterfly woke you up to it.
True. 🙂 Sometimes, it takes something special to take away our indifference. I’ve been seeing to many dandelions lately that somehow they lost their magic. 🙂
Yes.. Dandelion tales do tell.. do tell
a story of wings of butterflies..
and yes.. it’s nice to hear
of butterflies in
search of
yellow Lions..:)
Nice one,Katiemiafrederick. 🙂
I think that something as simple as a butterfly that catches your attention can be captured perfectly in just a few words. I suspect that a longer piece would not have captured the simple beauty of that butterfly. Nicely done!
Thanks, Bryan. I think you stated my reason for the choosing the poem better than I could have expressed it. 🙂
I know that once we see that little butterfly and look deeper into the dandelion heart.
there’s so much magic in those little creatures – and i like how encounters like this can make us see again and bring us out of our routine… nice
Thanks, Claudia. 🙂 Nice to see you.
Beautiful.
Thanks. 🙂
I like just the dandelions but the butterfly makes it extra special. I see details sometimes in the flowers in a field. I also see details in my surroundings, I love houses with cornices and love nature with its special beauty bestowed upon us. Smiles, Robin
Hi, Robin. Thanks much for dropping by. 🙂 It can truly be surprising how much beauty there is around us when we pay attention. 🙂
Beautiful, Imelda.
Thanks, Jane. 🙂
That’s the beauty of the succinct form – it gives us a way of expressing the world in poetry even when we don’t feel like it, when the words don’t flow. As for dandelions, here’s a little story of how my view of them was transformed too:
http://cowbird.com/story/9195/A_Matter_Of_Perspective/?uiid=widget-1531435957-9195
So true, Marina. Thank you very much for dropping by and for the encouraging words. 🙂 I’ll definitely check out your piece. 🙂
Sory, I am not a member of Cowbird so I could not leave a comment on your story. It reminds me of my own children – how enthusiastic they are at picking up the flowers, and when they have turned to puff, how equally enthusiastic they are at blowing away the puffs. 🙂
Tankas cam rule, as yours does. Butterflies make me sad, because their life span is so short, as if Nature allows them to possess extraordinary beauty for a short burst, before they burn out.
Thanks, Glenn. Your observation may be true for all creatures – each one has its strength and weakness.
🙂
what an awesomE! shoT! 😎
Thanks, Quarkshire. 🙂
Perfect words for a perfect photo!
Thanks, Brenda. 🙂
ang ganda!
This is beautiful – both the photo and words. It’s so true that sometimes we are so used to seeing what’s in front of us, we neglect to take notice of the beauty. But it is magical when it does happen!
Hi, Janna. Oh, good to see you. The title of that piece has become my blog these past months. I am kind of looking for the magic again.
Thanks for the pingback. 🙂