Tall Pines State Preserve, May 2020
sky and water meld
in evanescent embrace,
and birds swim with the fish
through green branches,
gilded by light above and below
A gogyohka Frank’s 5-Line Japanese Poetic Forms dVerse Prompt.
My poem was inspired by the photo above that I took this morning during a walk my husband and I took at a state nature preserve that was formerly a gold course.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Fantastic blurring of two images. Inspired!
Thank you very much!
Beautiful, Merril. The photo is spectacular too!
Thank you very much, Jill!
An iconic, ekphrastic tanka, imbued with a serene, almost wistful, mood–as though you already miss the present moment that already slips into the past. Brava!
Wow! Thank you for that lovely comment, Frank!
I like the gilding of light even from below.
Thank you, Frank!
Calming, serene feel and a great photo!
Thank you very much!
I’ve just been reading about Monet and his waterlilies…this is a perfect expression of what he was trying to do with paint. (K)
Wow! Thank you, Kerfe!
I took a reflection photo with waterlilies the other day. 😀
What a beautiful photo, and how beautiful captured in poem!
Thank you so much, Beverly!
The birds do seem to “swim with the fish” in the water’s reflection! Nicely written.
Thank you very much!
I love the idea of the birds swimming with the fish which is exactly with they do as the reflect in the poem with the fish underneath.
Thank you very much, Dwight!
Lovely! I am more than a little ready to take a walk in nature (beyond my own yard – though I can’t keep up with blooms inside these boundaries) – there is something about not knowing exactly what’ll be up ahead that lures … maybe soon … meanwhile, great looking at your image/lines.
Thank you so much. I’ve been walking early in the morning around my neighborhood when there are few people around, but we ventured out to this place–again early, and we only encountered a few people. We didn’t know where we were going, and that was a lure, you’re right!
Ha. I’ve watched my dog walking on clouds over the wet sand – and thought I must write about this doubling of the world or the folding of the world on top of itself – and there you’ve beaten me to it. Bravo.
Thank you so much, Peter!
Now I’ll think about you and your dog walking over clouds in wet sand.
the merge, of things, completely, opposite of one another, something we’re in desperate need of in today’s world.
Yes, I suppose so. Thank you.
Enjoy the reflection photos you post, Merril, and the poem and image complement each other well, like sky and water melding. I love the image of birds and fish swimming through green branches!
Thank you very much, Kim!
You know I like reflection photographs. This is a beauty, as is the poem. I like the idea of birds swimming with the fish
Thank you so much, Derrick. I appreciate that.
What a perfect picture to poem to picture!
Thank you! 😀
😊
This is beautifully written Merril
Thank you very much, Jude!
My pleasure
An exquisite image with poetry to match …. wishing you a good weekend.
Thank you so much, and I wish you the same.
Birds swimming with fish. Nice bit of whimsy. I admire the inspiration you get from your reflections.
Things work differently in the upside-down world. 😏 Thank you, Ken.
Reflection perfection, Merril!
Thanks so much, Lynn! 😀
Birds swimming, fish flying, I love your reflections 🙂
Thanks so much, Jane. ❤️
We know how these things work. 😀
Yup. We had the same teacher 🙂
😀
I love these morning walks and your reflective photos and poetry. Always lovely. ❤
Thank you so much, Colleen! It was fun to go to a new place.
And, what a lovely spot. I bet the birds serenaded you!
They did! 😀
What a perfect walk. ❤
It’s true that birds swim in the sky. I love how you have the birds swimming with the fishes ❤
Thank you very much! 😀
You are welcome 🙂
Merril, I love your reflection photos- they and the words you write with them are gorgeous.
Thank you so much, Linda! That’s very kind.
Simply lovely Merril! Reflections often show the impossible as in the fish swimming with the birds and branches 🙂 Lovely photo!
Thank you, Susan. I like how you put that about showing the impossible.
your words describe the picture perfectly!
Thank you!