Baxter Pet Portrait Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Baxter 

original watercolor pet portrait: 9" x 12"

my sunflower deli

has at long last closed

the frailty of my girls

is sadly exposed 

gone are the bonnets

framing their face

like Emily’s sonnets

they’ve fallen from grace

their once dripping nectar

has all been drawn

their glorious beauty

vanished, gone

the busy bumble bees

have packed their suitcases

backpacking butterflies

have flown to new places

has anyone noticed

those feisty goldfinches

have suddenly fled

good riddance, you grinches!

so farewell, Golden Girls

of this i am certain

it’s that time of year

to draw summer’s curtain....

BB'20

Captive Com-Posers Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Captive Com-Posers

original watercolor sunflower bouquet: 7" x 15"

a bevy of bees

sip nectar, sneak about

balletic butterflies

nibble coyly, wings spread out

we’re down in the ‘hood’
the ambience, good
we all share this space
extolling its grace
but finches, those grinches
just don’t play the game
they swoop in a fury
causing many to scurry
the petals they strip
snip nip and rip
the shells from the seeds
they spit at my feet
finally they flee
those snippy birdies
and all of us "B"s
are grateful returnees
it all happens here
this summer fiesta
at BB’s Belly deli
my haven of resta!

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Petite Sweets Sunflower Waterccolors by Bertie Brown

Petite Sweets

original watercolor sunflowers: 5" x 7"

 What HO!

Say it’s not so

that sound that i hear

humming tunes that i fear

and what’s that i see

in the scene before me

a dry sculpted shell

of a locust…what the ‘L?

it’s just past July

my mind fairly cries

i need lots more time

and summer sunshine

what solace i find

in sunflowers is mine

so locusts, you stop

your late summer talk

my backyard’s all dressed

and dandied it’s best

so let me enjoy

my well deserved rest

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The Bee's Knee Watercolors by Bertie Brown

The Bee's Knee

original watercolor bee: 5" x 7"

Harmo-nious Perso-nious

went out for a run 

this very fine day

had lots to be done

stuff that gets in the way

of some fun in the sun

but nature’s libretto

called out ceremo-nious

in pleasing vibrato

a sound tremolo-nious

twas something I sought to

experience in perso-nious

and when I got done

on this very fine day

from my run in the sun

I was all tuned up and completely harmo-nious

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Com-Poser Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Com-Poser

original watercolor sunflwoer: 8" x 12"

at the far end of summer

I woke up to see

my sunflower soiree

in tatters and seeds

the birdies and bees

and butterfly-ees

so curiously

were packing to flee

seems nectar so sweet

that thirst quenching treat

was gone completely

said their twitters and tweets

so I’m left behind

with nothing but time

that’s filled to the brim

with memories of them....

at the far end of summer

I so want to be

at the beginning of spring 

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Cor en Fa Instrument Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Cor en Fa

original watercolor horn: 10" x 14"

Practice makes better

But perfect?

Not ever...

Especially if horn playing

Is what you can do

You’ll prob’ly improve

But that’s questionable, too

My advice to you

Buy a French Horn Kazoo!

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Bouquet Daze Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Bouquet Daze

original watercolor sunflowers: 9" x 12

In the Blooming

my bed of sunflowers

prepping for hours

is all set to host

an end of summer toast

boasting nectar so sweet

tasty seeds, what a treat

for our faithful dine-ees

all feasting happily

dragonflies, bumble bees

butterflies, such drama queens

golden finches, reformed grinches

heady heat waves

shimmer and sway 

hovering o’er

 this late summer day

i wave goodbye 

as they pack up, they try

to smile through their sighs

then southward they fly

the long winter’s night

is approaching too soon

will they come back next June?

I hope so, I do....

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Crazy Com-Posers Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Crazy Com-Posers

original watercolor sunflowers: 14" x 15

Curiosity

curiouser and curiouser

it seems to me

this summer’s the bomb

at flirting, you see

‘cause just when you feel

a cool  weightless breeze

a sun so friendly

you’re relaxin’ indeed

a thick hulking cloud 

of hu-MID-ity

descends with a shout

and spreads itself out

oh yes there’s the rub

to summer time fun

those idyllic days

come quickly undone....

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Pepper-azzi Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Pepper-azzi

original atill life w/peppers:12" x 18"

 Good Vibrations

I love the way

on a late August day

the sun reaches down

to gather around

my sunflower girls

with their gold-yellow curls

and their skirts made of leaves

swaying in the breeze...

The birds of the air

and the insects working there

create a vibration

a vibrato celebration

as they all harmonize

their praise to the skies...

I’m thankful to be

by this shimmering sea

and grateful to hear

this music of the spheres

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Com-Paring Com-Posers Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Com-Paring Com-Posers

original watercolor sunflowers: 12" x 18"

Goldfinch Grinch

My sunflower girls

Never use my sunblock 

Nor do they apply

 Suntan lotion a lot

They’re naturally golden

Their brown faces boastin’

Their fearless devotion

To sunshine in motion

But there are some days

They have to confess

A shot of pest spray

Would be their best bet

For shoo-ing away 

Gold finches of prey

‘Cause finches 

Are Grinches

As they yank pull and splay

The petals and bonnets

My sunflowers boast

In my poems and sonnets

Why couldn’t they just

Gather seeds without fuss.... 

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Cat in the Bath Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Cat in the Bath

original watercolor cat portrait: 6" x 10"

there’s more to see

from Studio B

‘cause there’s never enuff

paintings of stuff

specific-ally

an orange kitty

and i think that she's

her owner's bee's knees

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Cryin' Com-Posers Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Cryin' Com-Posers

original watercolor sunflowers: 15" x 22"

with summer concludin'

my house is exudin'

a welcomin' style

so do come on in

and visit awhile!

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RedHead Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

RedHead

original watercolor sunflowers: 12" x 18"

Summer Blues Cruise

there’s plenty to do 

in summer it’s true

but sometimes I must

simply adjust

my take on all work

and shirk all that work

take time to relax

look forward, think back

embrace solitude

consider my mood

it’s summertime blues

a rumination cruise

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Redhead Com-Posers Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Redhead Com-Posers

original watercolor sunflowers:12" x 18"

Those Gossipin’ Girls

want y’all to know

they’re still hangin’ round

the ‘old folks’ hometown

seems they’re gettin’ set

to host an event

it’s been 50 years

since they left the nest

the menu’s the same

though some might complain

‘cause aging has changed

their innards these days

oh,  Bumblebee Burgers and Golden Finch Fries

will still hit the spot

but Butterfly Splits and Dragonfly Pies

are a bit o’re the top

so do not worry

it won’t be late 

this midnight soirée 

will close down by 8

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Angie Portrait Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Angie

original portrait: 8" x 10"

press on, you say

so that’s what I do

not cease and desist

that’s never okay…

to break through the fray

you gotta hang tough

and paint every day

talent’s just not enough

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Core Com-Posers Sunflower Watercolors by Bertie Brown

Core Com-Posers

original watercolor sunflowers and apples: 10" x 14"

my sunflowers are feelin’

a bit of inertia

hold on, Sophie said

I’ll get out the hose

and point, squeeze and squirt’cha

get ready, get set

you’ll feel better yet

and have lots of pep

‘cause I’m quite adept

at getting things wet

BB