Fallen

Early and perfect
maple leaf has just taken
the ride of its life.

~dkm 73/365

Elmore State Park, Vermont

Salutations!

Charlotte-like, you drop
on invisible dragline
in front of my screen.

~dkm72/365

American Dagger Moth

Aptly named, this one.
Poisonous. Avoid touching.
Found while stacking wood.

~dkm 71/365

Fungi Kingdom 9

Floating white petal
Sprinkled with red paprika
Pointing to green pond

~dkm 70/365

By tiny house pond in Morrisville, Vermont

In Miniature

Wild strawberry plant
growing in the window box.
White flower, red fruit.

Three ripe berries prompt
a tasting ceremony.
Sweet, tart, delicious.

~dkm 69/365

H&L's Mountain

Sun rays slant through clouds.
Symbolic of yesterday's
breakthrough writing day.

Light is always there.
Clouds determine what we see.
Writer's block. Ahem.

~dkm 68/365

Fungi Kingdom 8

One moment in time.
Penny brown mushroom caplets.
Haiku walk to pond.

~dkm 67/365

Morrisville, Vermont

Surprise in the Woods

Found a pond today
down by the new Tiny House.
Followed the mown path.

Frogs in the edge grass
Squawked and leapt into water
when I walked past them.

~dkm 66/365

Toad Interrupted 3

Speaking of ugly
underbelly of nature,
Third dead toad, same week.

By dog, car, other?
Habitat danger for sure.
Clearly not food chain.

Unless toads, like newts,
have foul-tasting skin toxin...
Protection, too late.

~dkm 65/365

Morrisville, Vermont

Small in Vermont

Green inchworm, red sleeve.
No bones, feet on ends only.
Searching for safe place.

~dkm 64/365

Toad Interrupted 2

Another toad found.
Larger, longer dead than last.
Dried, black, skinny, foul.

Permeable skin
makes frogs more susceptible
to habitat ills.

Despite her beauty,
Nature's underbelly is
often not pretty.

~dkm 63/365

Morrisville, Vermont

Hickory Tussock Moth

Lovely white larva
will become a dull brown moth
unremarkable.

Touching the spines may
cause allergic reaction.
Why the stark beauty?

To be food for birds?
Birds find drab moths just as well.
Need science degree.

~dkm 62/365

 Lophocampa Caryae larva in Morrisville,Vermont

View From Daughters' Deck

George Washington's nose
Emerges out of the fog
Mt. Mansfield, Vermont

~dkm 61/365

Legal CBD Demand

Suddenly, hemp fields
replace acres of soy beans.
Bushy plants, pretty.

Fragrance saturates
Northern Vermont's cool breezes.
New phenomenon.

~dkm 60/365

Fall Woods

Visiting Vermont,
Comes that sound again. One branch
Against another.

Friction and clatter,
Not noticed in Georgia woods.
Air too damp and still.

Or might it be that
Vermont's tree species hold more
bend and sway and song?

Constant fresh breeze here.
Haiku masters' "autumn wind."
Oft repeated phrase.

~dkm 59/365

Morrisville, Vermont

Toad Interrupted 1

Dead toad found in grass
Leg folded at odd angle
Eyes still catch the sun

~dkm 58/365

Morrisville, Vermont

Harvest Moon

Late night hike to field
Biggest prettiest moon night
With daughters and dogs

~dkm 57/365

Painting by Sarah Miller Nathaniel

Fungi Kingdom 7

Prickly Chardonnay--
Or nestled hedgehogs. Don't know
scientific  name.

~dkm 56/365

Morrisville, Vermont

Vermont Retreat Day 1

Quiet settles in
Slow deep listening stillness
Filling all the gaps

September leaf watch
Daily photo from same spot
Love me a good quest

~dkm 55/365

Morrisville, Vermont

Fungi Kingdom 6

Tiny fresh mushrooms
Round white caps until transformed
Into bowls of eggs

~dkm 54/365

Middleton, Wisconsin

Five o'clock Flight

Deep white clouds below
Thin blue sky above. The sun,
Eye level, God-like

~dkm 53/365

Vestment

Green drape on stone church

Wild vine of unknown species

Mighty will to live

~dkm 52/365

Middleton, Wisconsin

Shalom Chaverim 2

Evening reverie
Sky and tree and water's edge
Song of Loon's farewell

~dkm 51/365

Fungi Kingdom 5

Burgandy, Chablis
Intoxicating beauty
Cabin yard fungi

~dkm 50/365

Elbow Lake, Minnesota

Listen

Unseen across lake
Common loon's uncommon song
Far north lullaby

~dkm 49/365

Alone

They say there are bears
In these Minnesota woods
Night walk to cabin

Others have seen them
Gray wolves and timber wolves too
Be aware, they say

~dkm 48/365

Writing Supplies

Curling bark of birch
Multiple trunks from ground up
Paper for haiku

~dkm 47/365

Travel Day

Four-hour climate change
Georgia to Minnesota
90s to 60s

Hello Elbow Lake
Lovely to meet you at dusk
Foggy, cool, and still

~dkm 46/365

Shalom Chaverim

View from where I sit
On the swing my brother built
Last day before trip

Farewell to green leaves
Tall loblollies, and this spot
Till October's end

 ~dkm 45/365

Play Ball

Sandhill crane egg. Not.
Lenten rose egg. Not. Games of
Granddad, grandson. Are.

~dkm 44/365

Pesticides?

On walk with neighbors
Earthworms washed from grassy bank
Already dead, dried

Rain gush or toxins?
Afraid I know the answer
No rain here for days

~dkm 43/365

Photo credit: Sara Cushing

Photo credit: Sara Cushing

Photo credit: Sara Cushing

Photo credit: Sara Cushing