Hibiscus

 

The early morning dew

bathed the hibiscus flowers

with pearls as they blew

their trumpets and splashed

colors across my front yard.

Everywhere I looked, 

fuchsia petals unfolded

a lie like the tropics.

Some pink as cotton candy,

others bright as snow,

red or yellow as fire;

shades of purple and blue;

ravishing hibiscus reaching

to the azure skies:

the glorious sight filled

my heart with delight!

            --Brenda Kay Ledford

SUMMER

 

I savor the blue-diamond mountains

unfurling like bolts of denim,

emerald fields of corn  pop up

beside Hyatt-Mill Creek

babbling past Holcomb's Farm

as black angus cattle graze

in celery-colored pastures.

Monarch butterflies flit

and dip on knockout roses,

the bluebirds sing cheerful

ballads in the piney woods.

On this summer day,

sunbeams burst through the clouds

and dance across Lake Chatuge

sparkling with a thousand diamonds,

I wade through the icy waters.

                --Brenda Kay Ledford

Reagan's Tea Party

 

My great-niece, Reagan Blanche, had a tea party with her friends at Grandma Barbara's house.  Little Reagan invited the characters from Sesame Street along with Minnie Mouse to the party.

Reagan served cookies and chips to her guests in Grandma's china decorated with strawberries.  Reagan and the animals sang "Happy Birthday" to Minnie Mouse.  She smiled and her big pink bow bobbed on her  head. 

Little Reagan had a lot of  fun with her friends.  She graduated from Kindergarten this year and was so happy to receive her diploma.  Besides having a tea party with her animal friends, she and Grandma are enjoying reading a lot of exciting picture books.  

Reagan is growing up too quickly.  It seems only yesterday she was a baby, and I was holding her in my arms singing to her.  

I hope my blogger friends are having a lot of fun this summer with their children and grandchildren, nieces or nephews.

Mama's Love Offering

 

Mama preserved the flavors

of the mountains with work-worn hands.

Standing over the wood stove,

she made blackberry jelly,

sweat ran down her face.

Gathering corn from the field,

serving roasting ears

with fresh churned butter.

A mess of poke salad

fried with scrambled eggs

gave her kids springtime energy,

ramps were served on the side.

Her handiwork filled the pantry,

white runner beans, sour kraut,

and sweet, juicy peaches sparkled

like gold in canning jars.

When Jack Frost sketched

lace on the windowpanes,

and snowflakes played tag,

Mama opened a jar of love.

       --Brenda Kay Ledford

This poem appeared in the June/July/August 2021 issue

West End Poets Newsletter

Homecoming or Decoration Day

 Many Forks Baptist Church in the Gum Log section of Union County, Georgia traditionally held Homecoming or Decoration Day the fourth Sunday each year in May.  It wasn't held last year due to the Covid pandemic.  It's a long held mountain custom to decorate the graves of loved ones on Sunday morning, then preaching  in the country church.  After the worship service, they had dinner-on-the grounds.  In the olden days, loads of food were spread on picnic tables under the shade trees.  People ate, fellowshipped until that afternoon when a singing was held in the church.  It was a popular event decorating graves and seeing folks at homecoming you hadn't seen for maybe a year or longer.  Unfortunately many young people aren't interested in Homecoming and this mountain tradition is passing away.  I used  to attend each year Decoration Day with my family.  I enjoyed it very much, but like many aspects of our culture, Homecoming is fading away.

Here's a poem I wrote several years ago about the Homecoming or some folks called it, Decoration Day.

It's homecoming

at Many Forks Baptist Church.

Folks come from miles

to meet and to decorate

the graves of loved ones.

The sun ricochets through

pine trees, old-timers lift

hymns in the country church.

Kinfolks congregate

under the oaks, spread

dinner-on-the-grounds:

Aunt Dot with her walnut cake,

Cousin Frances stirs potato salad,

the tables are loaded

with all kinds of food,

nephews break the wishbone.

Aunt Mary Lou cuts up

with the Henderson boys,

Uncle George Lee places flags

on the graves of soldiers.

It's a yearly get-together,

a time  to share memories

of laughter and  tears,

a family gathering at Gum Log.

                  --Brenda Kay Ledford

Reprinted from the poetry book,

Sacred Fire, 

by:  Brenda Kay Ledford

The mountain women outdid themselves cooking, baking, and loading the tables with scrumptious

food at the homecoming held at Gum Log each year.

Here's one of the groups that sang spirit-filled Gospel songs in the  Many Forks Baptist Church

after dinner-on-the-grounds.

 

Mother's Day

It's the first Mother's Day without my precious mama.  I never imagined the deep sorrow I'd experience when she passed away on April 14, 2021 at age 98.

You can't erase 69 years we had together.  We were tight.  Went everywhere together, did everything together.  Church.  Events on the town square.  Dinners.  Trips.  Weddings. Funerals. Visiting folks.

What a loss!

When I think I've gotten over grief, raw emotions spill over like an avalanche.

Mama was always there for me loving and  protecting me.  I cared for her 2 1/2 years bedridden.  Did everything for her.  I would still be caring for her if only...

So what was the purpose of so much pain and suffering?  

Rev. Joel Osteen says, "You have come from being a patient to a physician."

He says when you suffer so much, you move from needing comfort; a patient, to being a physician and giving comfort to others who are going through the trials you endured.

This thing called death is a hard, sorrowful journey.  But I believe through  the eyes of faith, I'm not alone.

I believe Mama is in heaven.  She's happy, set free from pain and suffering, and rejoicing with loved ones who have  gone before.  Best of all, she's with Jesus!

Never take your mother for granted.  If she's still alive, hug, kiss, and love her.  She may not be here next year on Mother's Day.

I wish all my blogger friends a very happy and blessed Mother's Day.  Mothers are special and you are loved.

Brenda

 

White-Tailed Deer

The horizon burns

like wildfire above

the Shewbird Mountain.

They appear as ghosts

in the Matheson Cove,

nibble tender green leaves

beside the Hyatt-Mill Creek.

They rip blossoms

from the mountain laurel,

purple flowers dangle

from their mouths

and dot the woodland trail.

They startle and bound

into the last ray of light

ricocheting through the pines.

            --Brenda Kay Ledford

Mother's Day will come this month.  I'm wishing all my blogger friends a very happy, and blessed Mother's Day!

Brenda

Needless to say, I love to watch the deer appear in the evening just as the sun goes down.  I love the fawns with dots on their coats.  They enjoy nibbling the tender green leaves and unfortunately, they enjoy feasting on plants just popping out of the gardens.  Deer are really cute, but can be the gardener's nightmare.