“Aspen Daisies”

by Krista Bergren-Walsh

Spring fights for purchase 

through melting snow on 

ancient mountains circled 

around a malachite green lake. 

From their remembered roots, 

purple and blue aspen daisies

grow, their bright tiny petals

unfurling for busy bumblebees

and colorful butterflies. 

Their yellow discs offering 

up nectar for green and pink

hummingbirds. Stumbling

in her big red snow boots, 

small fat fingers yanking

at their fresh hard stems, 

a young child tugs and pulls. 

She hopes to bring a 

fistful of flowers to her 

beloved mom, to be placed

in a small glass sparkling vase,

 later dried out and 

hung upside down from

the porch, pretending they 

are from the olden days. 

Aspen daisies smelling 

like the promise of summer,

the warmth of the sun and

fresh breezes dancing across

pine trees ripe with sap drizzling

down colorful bark. 

A raven calls out as 

the daisies bloom, coloring

yellow-green grass with 

the promise of joyful days. 

Krista Bergren-Walsh graduated from Creighton University in 2016 with a major in Creative Writing and Theatre Performance. While in college, she wrote a one-act play, "Diamonds in the Rough" performed for Creighton Theatre's 50th Anniversary and really fell in love with writing. In 2021 she was honored to win 6th place in Writers Digest 90th Annual Competition in the Script Category with her original comedy, "This Play is Utter B.S." She has been very thrilled to have two poems published by Wishbone Words. Krista is very excited to have "Aspen Daises" published by boats against the current. Krista currently lives in the (very cold) Midwest with her wonderful spouse, their four chaotic ferrets, and one very snuggly and clingy kitten.