Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Honey

                                                        Attribution: Scott Bauer USDA ARS
Image: Honey
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Honey, ever so sweet
Never missing breakfast
together just two of us
It's heavenly, it's blissful

Ever like two young lovers
rekindling back the old flames
of love nurtured through the years
Never another moment to match

What do we have here?
Honey and toast the most
healthy of foods don't you think!
Yes, nectar of sorts of varied flowers

Regurgitation and evaporation
A process acted through the ages
The hard working honey bees
In honeycombs storing them as honey

Human kind with all good intentions
Rob them of their nature's best
But they slave and slog still on
Injustice not a restriction

Written for Grace's hosting at d'Verse OpenLinkNights week #94

Monday, April 29, 2013

Damage Control


                                                                                 Attribution: Ingrid Taylar
Image: Picking up the pieces
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Riding high hoping
never the need to look back.
The future beckons

Doors opening wide
Opportunities  galore
The sun shines brightly

Dirty play rears its
ugly head.  Ambitions get
stunted. Wrong cards played

Grovelling in the
dark. Picking up the pieces
Familiar story 

Written for Poets United's Poetry Pantry #148

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Strength

                                                                                Attribution: Cliff
Image: Triumph Tulip Strong Gold
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Awakening is             
realization of what is
strong and what is weak

Lacking in strength
can be overcome but
not lack of resolve

It needs passion to
push and build the sheer make up
of Man under siege

Written for Chev’s CARPE DIEM # 182 with prompt awakening and Kerry's
hosting at Real Toad's Open Link Monday 

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Piggy-back



Image: Courtesy of Grandma's Goulash

A beetle might appear
small but it is no way
to overtake like so

To vie for first place
must still be subject
to the rules of the game

(140 characters)

Grandma challenged us to write a micro fiction of not more than 140 characters
based on the picture provided above and to include the word of the week, - vie.

Thanks for correcting the link, Grandma! Didn't realize it!

Capt Preedy and his Catamaran in Port Dickson

                                                                                                 Attribution: Jm210279
Image: A Catamaran (here)

Note: 1 Chev introduced the concept of Kamishibai in his CARPE DIEM today.
It’s about a traveling story-teller of old Japan who made his rounds going from
village to village with stories many in the form of a haibun. A haibun is a prose 
together with a set of haiku.

Note: 2 The catamaran we were on was similar as in the picture (complete with
sails) We were given a 20 mins instruction on safety before putting out to sea.
It was very necessary as it was fast and it was open. I had then just been awarded
a Bronze Medallion (here) a life savings medal which made me a qualified
life-saver of the Royal British Life Savings Society, so it was ok for me.

I now wish to recount what a thrilling experience I had through a haibun.

The Prose
This happened many years ago when I was
just a 16-year-old schoolboy. Our school the
Federation Military College was by the sea in
Port Dickson. Capt Preedy who was on the
faculty was a sea-faring naval officer who
owned a catamaran. It was stored in a shed
by the sea-side across the road from us

One Sunday, I was fortunate enough to have
volunteered together with 1 other to help out
at the shed. After completing our chores of
some cleaning and clearing Capt Preedy
decided to take the catamaran out to sea.
Surprises of surprises, the 2 of us were
invited on board. It was such a thrill!

It was as fast as a speedboat depending on
the wind then. It was riskier as it was open.
We could be thrown out into the water so
a life jacket was mandatory.

We were taken for a spin not far from shore for
quite some time (I don’t quite remember how
long now). It was no more a mild sea breeze but
the winds across our faces. Salty sea-water would
splash all over us. It helped cool us off from the
beating hot sun though. I had been on a boat,
a sampan, and a raft (later a kayak at the Outward
Bound School, Lumut)  Take my word, nothing
beats a catamaran! 

The Haiku
Such excitement! A
catamaran ride never
forgotten. Such bliss!

The wind brushing the
cheeks. Wisps of hair in
the face and the eyes

Salt water splashing
every time it hits the waves
It was so thrilling!

Chev's CARPE DIEM with prompt - kamishibai 
Karin's hosting at d'Verse  -  to recall a trip 

Friday, April 26, 2013

Xerox


                                                                               Attribution: Joseph Berillari
Image: A Photocopier - Xerox
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Before, letters and
notes were written or typed,
a wasted effort

Later, a boon to
students and office helpers
but wasted papers

Now, scanning marks its
impending demise. Costs and
convenience supreme

Written for Leo's Haiku Heights Day 27 with prompt xerox

Chocs


                                                                                 Attribution: joh
Image:1 Easter chocs (here)
                                                                        Attribution: John Hritz
Image:2 Valentine chocs (here)
                                                                   Attribution: Surjit Kumar
Image:3 Swiss chocs (here)
Images licensed through Wikimedia Commons

Chocs come in all kinds
Swiss, Belgian, Valentine in
all shapes and colors

Melts in your mouth not
your hands was old tag-line but
good marketing ploy

Often wonder how
simple cocoa tree supports
a whole industry

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #180 with prompt Chocs

Thursday, April 25, 2013

A Sijo

Sam is hosting at d’Verse and we’re to create a Sijo
a Korean form of poetry.  In Sam’s  words,

“Sijo is composed in three lines,
each line having 14-16 syllables,
for a total count of between 44-46
syllables.

The first line introduces the theme,
the second develops the theme in a different direction
and the final line provides closure” or,

In Claudia's words, ' thesis, development and conclusion'

Here goes,
Back from vacation, tiresome and disoriented  (15 syllables) - thesis
But it seems it is normal in the initial few days or so (16 syllables) - development
Brimming with feelings of freshness after that and it is true (15 syllables) - conclusion
 (Total count of 46 syllables)

Note:  Hank just came back from a 2-week vacation

Written for Sam’s hosting at d’Verse , Forms For All, Out of Asia -  A Sijo

The Pink Moon

                                                                                    Attribution: nachu 168
Image: Full moon after eclipse
Sourced through Wikimedia Commons (here)

It’ll be full moon on Thursday night. It’s known as the Pink Full moon to herald Spring. 
It’s not really pink. It’s just a name given to a full moon in April. It’ll coincide with a partial
lunar eclipse in the afternoon. That might render it pinkish.  In some regions apparently 
it’ll appear pink as it passes through Earth’s shadow.

Those in Europe are lucky as they are able to see the eclipse, so also in some parts 
of Asia and Africa. But it’ll occur well before nightfall in the US.

Full moon in April
Is known as pink moon of Spring
Though not really pink

A phenomena
This time comes with an eclipse
A rare spectacle


Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #179 with prompt the Pink Full Moon

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Carry on, beyond!

 
                                                               Attribution: Mononomic
Image: Contemporary poster
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

To carry on right through
Doing things one normally do
Not to be outdone by distractions
Affecting one’s  traction

Say, like walking early morning
Savoring the cool of the surrounding
Extending the feel of freedom
Pushing the mind
beyond!

The chirping of birdsongs
Rekindling,  righting the wrongs
A melody in the brush
Not asking so much

Are we not able
Not to be saddled
With irritants
Bugging our minds
beyond?

Man with his idiosyncrasis
Forever in a crisis
Amid questions and confusion
Clawing for solutions

Life with all its permutations
Leading on and to carry on
beyond!

Written for Mary's Poetry Jam with prompt 'to carry on..'


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Bard


                                                                               Attribution: Darjac
Image: On a Postage Stamp
Sourced through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Note: With sincere apologies to the Bard

All the world’s a stage-coach, let’s rob it!
Try to become a modern day Robin the Hood
Take some but share out the rest of the loot
All will be happy all parties benefiting
Isn’t it the crass and nature of sharing?

To be, or not to be, that is not the question
The question is to decide outright and act
The strength of purpose and will to crack
Will goad others to muster their courage
And move the world on a faster pace

But, for my own part, it is Greek to me
Flair for language brings it to a higher level
Prompting others to try and dabble
Swahili or Urdu are just as beautiful
As English or American are just as useful

The course of true love never did run smooth
Hustlers abound at every corner is a concern
Preying on the gullible and the innocents
Hard-hearted and mean the order of the day
Young or old, hustlers do not choose their prey

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou
Forever the bayings of a love-sick cow
Never seem to learn but betrayed by all
Frustrated and angry having missed the buck
But still insisting on pushing their luck

Written for Susan's hosting at Real Toad on something Shakespearean for a birthday in April
and Brian's hosting at d'Verse's Open Link Nights






Monday, April 22, 2013

Cherry Blossom

                                                                            Attribution: Sakurai Midori
Image: Ukon, white cherry blossom

A fleeting moment
to be savored. All good things
are not permanent

Waves of white herald
beauty in fragility
faithfully in time

Cherry blossom white
Spectacle of joy fulfils
an annual yearning

Written for Chev's haiku at CARPE DIEM #33 the cool rain. Shared with Kerry's at Real Toad's Open Link Monday

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Shades


Image:1 It is 4a.m. in front of the Nabawi Mosque in Madinah. The worshippers are
on their way to perform the morning prayers (Subuh) within about 45 mins. The main
entrance to the Mosque is on the left. Notice the giant shades in the background are folded

Image:2 It is 1.23pm The afternoon prayers (Zohor) had just been completed about 1 hr
ago. The crowd has thinned out and walking away from main entrance on the left.
Notice the shades are now wide open. Those areas not covered by the shades are extremely hot

Image:3  It is 5.50p.m. The worshippers are in the shade. Notice the giant shades are
now wide open shielding them from the hot sun

Note: Continuing the series from Hank's recent trip

Shadows create the creeps
in certain situations
when one is alone

But shadows can be
a savior from the searing
heat.  It provides shade

Holds true recently
The faithful spared, accorded
much needed comfort

Written for Haiku Heights Day 22 with prompt 'shadows'

The Umrah


 Image:1 The twin minarets of the Grand Mosque, The Masjidil Haram in Makkah

 Image:2 My darling daughter Azlin in the Grand Mosque in front of the Kaabah

Image:3 The group from NAZA WORLD ably led by En Zakaria, standing 6th from the left. Hank is standing 2nd from the right

Hank was away for 2 weeks to perform the Umrah, a pilgrimage
to the Holy Land.  It was a hectic sojourn of physical endurance.
Other major religions have their own versions of pilgrimage, to the
St Peter’s Basilica, the Ganges and Jerusalem  to name a few.
Hank had gone through a revelation of a journey fulfilled just as much.

It’s a journey of fulfillment tinged with religious rituals and
endurance that are satisfying despite age being a factor. There’re
so many episodes and observations that Hank proposes to
chronicle in a series of postings subsequent to this.

Fulfilling a call
Journey to the Holy Land
With humility

Serious abandon
Prostrating to Godliness
Supplicating self

Abundance to see
Providence’s Greatness first hand
Satisfied yearnings

Written for Haiku Height's Day 21 Open Prompt Sunday

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Leo


                                                                           Attribution to Samit pannani
Image: Lion in Masai mara
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Leo lion-hearted
Plays it smart with heart of gold
Hank proud to be one

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #164 with prompt, Zodiac Leo

Note:    Leaving April 07
            For a sojorn
            of  2-week duration
            Not connecting
            As such no postings 
            or commenting
            for the time-being
            Cheers!

             Hank
       


Thursday, April 4, 2013

An Irony of Life

                                                                                Attribution to Bubamara
Image: A Half Pint Black Toast of Happiness
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

'It’s going to fun, I know it will'

A contributor to the organization
For umpteen years, rise up the ladder
Knowledge abound and knowledge extended
Rewarded for the faith in serving
an employer of a gem
given to appreciating good attitudes
And in return were facing challenges
together as a team

He had given his all as a model employee
He would be retiring and no more tensions
No more deadlines, no more office politics
No more bother and he was going to be free!

Hooray!  Lots of freedom
My time is all for myself
Hooray! I’m far from all the drudgery

So he thought!

He had retired now for 3 months
It was heavenly, no worry
He had built up a modest nest egg
He would go for a pleasure cruise
Travels, see the world
Do his own thing!

He remembered it very well
It was fun when it lasted
But only for a month after retirement

He suddenly felt bored
The challenges he had before
were no more. He felt restless
got in the way of others
much to the point of a nuisance
He almost gave up on life
until one day, his loving spouse
who saw the predicament
came by to him and said

‘You have lots of time on your hand
You thought retirement can take it all
Retirement can, but only to a point’

What an irony! Being free but being bored

His loving spouse then came up with a brilliant suggestion
‘Why not start blogging?’

Yes, so it is!

Written for Victoria, hosting at d'Verse with a challenge to write on - irony

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

A Speed Fiend

Half squinting blinded by the lights
and not really aware of a near miss
It could have been disaster if not for
his quick reflects. It’s hazardous and
risky for one to be on the road alone
these days.  It wears one off!  If there is no
valid reason to move around in the night
arguably it’s a better option to just stay
 home where one is king

Practically everyone  else on the road
is in a hurry, day or night. A dangerous
overtaking just barely a few minutes ago
and one meets him at the next stop  
sitting pretty enjoying a cool drink
Worst it may be a mangled wreck  that
one meets if they are not careful.

No reason why they need to risk their
necks and throw caution to the winds
If they need to show they can lick everyone
else with  their prowess behind the wheel
do so without endangering others. Join a
club of like interest with others can be
an outlet to let off steam

Otherwise it’s a mockery of the saying
‘the good die young’

Written for 3WW with the words , squint, argue and lick