Summer Poetry Swap…part 2

Last week I posted the beautiful poems I received in Tabatha’s summer poetry swap. This week I’m sharing the poems I sent to my swappees (or is that swapees?) I used a few of the 10 billion photos I’ve taken this summer for inspiration. It’s handy to have a talented daughter to send photos and poems to, and get back a nice design!

After being entertained by the zillions of dragonflies that zip around our dock, I wrote this poem for Irene:

©Buffy Silverman
©Buffy Silverman

The drama that I saw outside my kitchen window (and grabbed a stool to photograph) inspired this poem for Mary Lee. I thought about trying to free the poor damselfly, but decided not to interfere. Do you see the webs hidden in the title? I cannot take credit for that bit of cleverness…

©Buffy Silverman
©Buffy Silverman

I raised monarch caterpillars again this summer. I restrained myself from taking as many photographs as last summer (some of those are accompanying an article I wrote for the October issue of Ask Magazine–I am ridiculously excited about having my photographs published!) But I managed to see a few things I had missed before, including a caterpillar devouring its skin after molting. Don’t worry-that’s not pictured in the poem I wrote for Donna:

©Buffy Silverman
©Buffy Silverman

It’s pretty noisy around our house in the spring and summer. The spring peepers dominate the evening chorus, followed in the summer by American toads, green frogs, and bullfrogs (and the occasional chorus frog.) That noisy choir and this photograph of a calling bullfrog that I took at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary inspired my poem for Keri:

©Buffy Silverman
©Buffy Silverman

I hope you enjoyed visiting my swampy home. Want to know what else is going on in the Poetry Friday world? Cowgirl poet Penny has the roundup!

36 thoughts on “Summer Poetry Swap…part 2

  1. Dear Buffy, your swampy home is full of wonders and magic, isn’t it? Thank you for sharing it with all of us. These words and photos are such treasure. xo

  2. Your photographs are beautiful. The shots and framing are wonderful, but your poems to go with them are magnificent. Thank you for sharing these moments of nature.

    1. Thanks, Julie. The froggy one was my favorite of the bunch–it went on a few lines longer, and then I realized I could just stop with the muddy beds. (But really, I was tempted to show a little froggy sex, since that’s the point of all their loud-mouth bellowing! 🙂 )

  3. Each poem, each photograph is a gift – not only to the swap recipients, but to us, your readers, Buffy. Thank you. I especially love poem/photos of the dragonflies. So good. =)

  4. What an amazing capturing of the drama surrounding you. It must be something to hear those frogs bellow and witness the webbed world. Congrats on getting your photos published. That is exciting!

  5. These are all gorgeous, Buffy, as are your stunning photos (and kudos to your daughter for her design skills)! But I especially adore the dragonfly poem, and — shockingly — the spider poem. I always feel like your writing is effortless. Just beautiful.

    1. Thanks, Renee….glad to help increase your spider love (or at least interest.) Effortless? Who was it who said writing is simple, you just open a vein and bleed? But thank you for the compliment.

  6. What wonderful gifts your swappees received, Buffy, and congratulations on having some of the photos published. The ones here are amazing. I heard peepers for the first time a few years ago on a trip to the Poconos, loved hearing them, and your poem description of them.

  7. It’s hard to pick a favorite, Buffy, they are all engaging, however, The Weaver, is outstanding in its simplicity and honesty. Well done!

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