The Summer Solstice

                                                                                                    Author: Bob Jagendorf

Image: A New Year Lion Dance
A Universally Known Festival, the Gong

Hee Fa Chai, the Chinese New Year

(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under

the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)

Summer Solstice is barely felt. There are no seasonal changes as Malaysia is close to the Equator. The Chinese community did traditionally observe it before. Hank was called once when we had a rich Chinese towkay in the neighbourhood. Our Chinese friend gathered six of us boys one day and we had a noodles tuck-in among ourselves. Barely in our teens we were not aware of its significance. That’s the nearest I had to it.

Apparently, the December Solstice is a bigger event but confined to the community. However, we had not seen it as a festival in recent years.

Barely much changes

Just hot and wet as usual

We long for some flakes

Frank's at d'Verse Haibun Monday 6-22-26: First Solstice

Success with Brilliance

 

                                                                                          Artist Nicholas Hilliard

Image: A Polished Gentleman 

(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under

the GNU Free Documentation License)

The Sunday Whirl Wordle 762
- 10 0f the 12 given words
wave rise lost twists lips turning 

swagger unholy edges feast 

Posturing to indicate a polished personality

Extending a wave of different accents softly

Not turning ambiguous but to progress freely

Insisting to maintain some form of dignity

To rise to the occasion not lost in his bid

Ever confident twists coming from his lips

Not to swagger to numb the thinking process

Not an unholy swan-song deserted at the edges

 

But maintaining a feast of ideas in discussions

A brilliant mind is projected in all situations

Smart ones like him exploited the opportunity

Sanctuary within seen less dependent on charity

Sumana's Sanctuary Within in What's Going On

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle 762

Waiting and Waiting

                                                                                                  Author: Vyacheslav Argenberg

Image: Waiting in Bed

(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under the

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license)

Alone facing the side of the bed quietly waiting

Anxious with her system inside as yet to scream
Feeling chained in her mind seemingly disabled
Appearance long awaited but not seemed probable

Questions hammer hard into her mind as in a race

Must he just vanish into space without a trace 

Sighs of dismay permeated her confused thinking

Furtively through her heart slowly but wondering
Lying quietly in a mess prodding deeply aligned 
To a slow music bidding her to come over to dine

Kicked up a fuss earlier preparing a hot meal

Hoping to trump a good impression trying to seal

Memories of old when they gnashed their teeth 

Into the warm steak enjoying them with relish

Heat of romance similar to a late Spring day
Overwhelmed with colourful blooms in every way

Was it going to be the same episode as of late

She was stood up again by yet another of the fakes

Rommy's at PSU's Friday Writings #232: 

A Few of Her Favorite Things

Student Days Happenings

                                                                                                  Author Punker1999
Image: Half Eaten Plate

(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under

the Creative Commons Attribution-Share 

Alike 4.0 International license)

.

To the kitchen he headed
To chase a drifting thought
But it broke his little heart
He spied a visual he dreaded
The flow of the draft 
That lingered slowly pass 
brought him into the fray
He could only muse in dismay

A bad sign, it spelled trouble
A room-mate had just left
An empty plate on the table
Brought home to consume
None left of the earlier edibles

He lost, it was one down
A fatal mistake he quipped
Should have tucked in earlier he frowned
His buddy rifled the goodies indeed

when he inadvertently dozed off 

Note: A true story during student days

Bjorn's at d'Vesrse - Open Link Night 410 – Live edition

Colours of the Seasons

                                                                                   Author Homer Edward Price
Image: Striped Maple Leaves
(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under the Creative 

Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license) (here)

End of the branch ending in green

Waving and swaying in the Spring

Lining highways and the surroundings
The gentleness of peace existing

Then Summer's Green Yellow and Orange
Reminder of Autumn’s brown forthcoming
Such is the varied beauty of face of nature
Sustaining on its own not to just disappear

With the subsequent whites all around
Frozen locality from the mysterious brown
An insistence of a constant reminder

Nature with colours can feign anger

Lillian's Poetics at d'Verse - Come Color with Me!

Sailing at Leisure

 

                                                                                           Attribution: anon

Image: A Sailing Boat at Sea

In the realm of aquatic sense to create,
Only words woven with care and grace,
Yearnings for white sails through the haze

From the wide window towards the granite shore

The white sails still fly seaward, seaward flying

Unbroken wings not causing concern unlike before

Surrounded by mysteries, within the mist,
Each boat a guiding star lighting our way,
With submissive heat where secrets held sway.

Calmness offering solace we shall never forget
Let the parched misty chill be away in the desert

Like in the unending past not bothering the way

Rosemary's at PSU's Friday Writings #231: White Sails Flying

To include the following lines:

From the wide window towards the granite shore

The white sails still fly seaward, seaward flying

Unbroken wings

Along The Way

                                                                                                    Author: Peter Facey
Image: Corners and Bends

(Wikimedia Commons Creative Commons Attribution

-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license)

taking cautionary child steps with an eye 

to anticipate vicious corners and sharp bends 

expecting nothing wild or untoward that lie

along the way of unexpected surprises 

wanting an assurance of a gentle journey

with an opening of not starting light fires 

rather living the fast lane in orderly manner

and closing it easy if caught in tight situations

music to the ears in confidence to a cause

no worry but a brave front to stifle opposition

lest good upbringing and manners are forgotten 

spared from shooting stars likely to appear

carefully nurtured to face up against fears

Mary's at What's Going On with 

Opening and Closing

Spring a Surprise

                                                                                                Author:rachel CALAMUSA
Image: Sleeping and Dreaming

Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

File:Sleeping-girl.jpg

An extension of one's imagination
In the nights it registers its presence 
Not wanting to show its true colours

But enough to cause sweet bothers
Emerging for a split second or longer
Then disappears into Davy Jone's locker

Can one believe dreams that appear
Foretelling of what’s coming in the future

Rare occasions may spring a surprise 

Uncanny similarity etched in memory survive

The morning after a good dream to remember

 A bonus for good living to relive thereafter

Good dreams the aftermath of good intentions
Prodding the human self in pleasurable simulations
In classic fashion and in myriads of mixed colours

With realms of the human spirit in the subconscious 

Rommy's at PSU Friday Writings #230: Surprise Me!

What is the Destination?

                                                                                                                Author habiloid 
Image: Branching Out

unwittingly endured brutal in consequence
nothing gained except greenery on the sides
hard to imagine mother nature's vehemence
help cried to work its way as of right

was it confusion beyond the reach for a spell
go, make a decision to arrive at any destination
directions plain to see road signs displayed well
being lost is a step towards a chance solution 

a challenge to invoke beneficially good returns
to slash the field  to regain stature from before
life is a gamble in all of its contending spectrum

gambler's luck may unfold as a happy rejoinder

Punam's at d'Verse Open Link Night #409

She Has To Change

                                                                                            Author Stano Novak
Elegance in Dancing

Wikimedia Commons (here)

she tried her best to stay cool
moving her hips to the music
may impose certain limits

It is a far cry from having to 
shine and settle it bravely
 
how then to relieve the 
pain and trim the score

a clever way to respond is
never to run through the whole 
routine nor to stray away from 
the intended direction
for it may drain the resources 
thus limiting the choices

she is a brave being  quick 
to adjust never to accept defeat 
for any eventualities

her ingenuity knows no bounds

never to fall from grace 
with empty hands
give it a shot and see what gives
that's the whole point 

of having a crafty mind 

Magaly's at PSU's Friday Writings #229: 

Wonderful! Which No Longer Fits…

A Bride's Dilemma

                                                                                             Artist: Marc Chagall

Image: Marc Chagall, Bride with a Fan (1911), 

oil on canvas, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

(courtesy of d'Verse, Poets Pub)

Many may not realize it
We anticipate just as much
To welcome a new beginning
All dressed up but with reservations

Where are we heading?
A bride with myriads of questions
Wanting answers but utterly helpless
All matters had been touched on
Many months preceding today
Arising from many sources
All came with good intentions
 
There was a lot of excitement
Among friends and relatives
There was a lot of teasing
There were a lot of questions
There were a lot of answers
 
Suddenly she finds herself alone
All the answers she received before
Come flooding in now all at once
Overwhelmed her being all confusing
 
In such a mystifying moment
Her recollections of one person
Stood the grounds affording her 

 The confidence – her mother’s

Melissa Lemay at d'Verse, Poets Pub - Don’t box me in: Chagall                                         

Youngters Dancing

                                                                                                                    Author Yann

Image: Dancing for Fun

MLMM Wordle 

wrong, end barrel softly pain, nostalgia ,

tea, dance. only radio, ring fell never

wrong end of the barrel
softly pains the heart
a nostalgia of a tea dance
followed only on the radio 
but it  rings the bell 
on some old favourites
it fell in a familiar swoop
of a teenager's young days

never to come back again

Rosetta  at MLMM Wordle 477

https://mindlovemisery.wordpress.com/2026/05/18/mlmm-monday-wordle-477/

Workers and Staff

                                                                                                                     Author John Vachon 
Image: Workers leaving for home after work (here)

Sunday Whirl - 10 of the 12 given words:

lifetime share relax connect home

last will place years last class 

a lifetime to share our privilege of
not to relax but to connect with those 

unfortunate souls to bring home 

the act of sacrifice and cooperation

It is to extend a helping hand readily 

to those unfortunate beings who will 

be made redundant in their jobs 

displaced despite years of loyal service 

It is with the advent of AI development

which progressed exponentially fast and 

until recently in the last few months 

in the aftermath of  the Middle East crisis 

with the creation of a class of unemployed 

but experienced good workers and staff

across the board

Brenda's Sunday Whirl World 757

Having A Crafty Mind

                                                                              Author Charles J. Sharp 
Image: Australian Brush Turkey

(courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

under the Creative Commons Attribution-

Share Alike 4.0 International license)

Mostly Dead is Slightly Alive.
the tree swayed like a dancer  
moving her hips to the music
to stay trapped in such a stance 

may impose certain limits

It is a far cry from having to 
shine and settle it bravely
how then to relieve the pain 

and trim the score easily

a clever way to respond is
never to run down the whole show 

nor to stray away 

from the intended direction

for it may drain the resources 
thus limiting the choices

man is a brave animal quick 
to adjust never to accept defeat 
for any eventualities without 

extending a fair fight

man's ingenuity knows no bounds
never to fall from grace 
with empty hands
give it a shot and see what gives

that's the whole point 
of having a crafty mind

Rommy Cortez-Driks at  PSU

As You Wish

Discoveries

                                                                                                              Author; rob Stoeltje

Image: Nest box found in Norway
(courtesy of Wikimedia Commons 

under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.)

Preamble: This an old poem from Hank's first blog, 'birdhouse' mainly in prose form. It has not been updated when Hank discovered poetry through  'Rainbow' which is aligned to blogs with prompts. 

birdhouse

Friday, December 3, 2010

Movements

Given the run around, that’s bureaucracy
Given the nod, that’s matrimony
Given the millions, that’s alimony
Given the Osama, that’s infamy
Given the escapades, that’s Woods and Rooney
Given the release that’s Aung San Suu Kyi
Given the late nights, that’s Berlusconi
Given the baldy, that’s Britney
Given the Throne, Charles or Willie?
Given the current spell, it’s cold and snowy
Given the Top Hits, Jackson and Presley
Given the laughs, that’s Chaplin, Lewis and Carrey
Given the the 2 Koreas, it’s a flare-up and hostility
Given the strengths and tumble that’s the WWE
Given the long stretch, that’s Maddox and his cronies
Given the WikiLeaks, the Administration’s jittery
Given soccer’s wizardry, that’s Pele
Given Susan Boyle’s appearance, that’s discovery
Given the MU’s unbeaten run that’s Alex Fergie
Given the knock off Top of the Table , that’s Ancelotti and Chelsea
Given the youngest F1 Champ, Vettel , that’s at the Grand Prix Abu Dhabi
Given ever lasting beauty, that’s Liz Taylor or Jolie?
Given the Kung Fu Chops, that’s Bruce Lee
Given every high regards and respect, that’s Mandela and Gandhi
Given the hate that’s Hitler and Mussolini
Given the bubble , inflation risks, that’s the Global economy
Given the tears, govt defaults, that’s the euro-zone currency
Given the job that’s Obama and the Presidency

Given the slip, that’s democracy!

Note: Based on matters prevailing then.

Bjorn at d'Verse - to write through a 'Listing' style 

Likely To Happen

 

                                                                                                Author: Tomwsulcer
Image: Just a Plain Dinner

(courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

made available under the Creative Commons 

CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication)

They enjoyed the candle-light dinner
Amidst the flames of a romantic encounter
Reminiscent of their courting days before
 
How meek a woman she was then
Allowing him to pick the occasions
right through to the locations
 
How they laughed in between songs
in a  reasonably placed restaurant
Oblivious of the crowd they could see
who even clapped and wished them well
when told it was their anniversary
 
However the winds of change
came fast unannounced
It did not cross their mind to 

witness such a turn around

 
This time there was no crowd
Just the two of them
to enjoy the candle-light dinner...
at home
 
They sadly had to live with it
Business were down compounded
by  the post-Middle East crisis

that came that quick
 
They were late in payments
for their utilities and loans
They prayed it would not linger

on for far too long

Otherwise a longer duration

for candle-light dinners at home

Mary's at What's Going On? - to write on sadness

Dreams Of A Couple

                                                                                   Author:Shixart1985
Image: What Could have Been (here)

(courtesy of Wikimedia Commons - licensed under 

the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license).

He was not much into romantics, nor an extrovert. Life had been fairly well documented as a teenager and he rode the storm with wits. She was a perfect match pretty, good family and well placed. It could not have been any better. Mutually acceptable but to be given time. 

He excelled in writing, his first love but lacked the talent when it came to mixing well with the crowd. A good conversationalist, confident and well-mannered. He made himself more open and the faint perfume from its chalice steals out more times than allowed. 

Things are cold now. He came to dinner not properly dressed. He was the star player and there was a tie. He had to stay on and was late for dinner. Her parents were there as she had planned a surprise. It was a let-down and nothing further was heard.

Dora at d'Verse - Prosery - Paul Laurence Dunbar

for a maximum of 144 words and to include the line:

"the faint perfume from its chalice steals out more times"

Gobbled Him Quick

 

                                                                                                Author:Shenrich91

Image: The Black Widow Spider

(Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons - the Creative 

Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)

MLMM’s 
The 10 of 12 given words:
annoyance, cheaper difference trips
cleaner awkward smell waste cost tap
 
You call me a dim twit
I’m not given to annoyance
Neither to appear cheaper
But I can well make a difference
 
I participated in lots of trips
More manly and cleaner than man
The call to mingle was awkward
Considered and reluctantly accepted
 
I’m not of a likely nuisance
Nor smell like trash or waste
Ridicule me and in an instance
It would cost you untold pains
 
Not under a spell nor guarded well
But tap me and my gaze is fatal
My man told me to fizzle off the scene 

Gobbled him later that’s my gain 

MLMM’s Wordle 476

Reaching For The Sky

 

                                                                                                      Author:Tomascastelazo
Image: The Moon For Company

(Tomas Castelazo, www.tomascastelazo.com /

 Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0)
 
Sunday Whirl Wordle  
The 10 of 12 given words
rare twist trudge eye self empty 

hollow trance wide line
 
a rare twist of thought trudged
mysteriously in his imagination
his heart whispered, is there 

life in the universe?
 
perhaps an eye for a trail to fly 

up - a self imposed desire to verify 

an empty answer and a hollow truth
 
he is rightly in a trance
may be widely off the line 
is he set to right the feel that 

plagued mankind's thoughts?
 
he might just try to meddle on 

the prevailing wisdom since 

time had offered

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle 756

A Step-Mother

                                                                                   Author Tony Alter

Image; A Stern Lady (here)

the 10 of 12 Wordle words:
torn safe spill soothed breath 
raspy (hoarse or harsh-sounding)
hiss fairy bluff flush

She was torn between love for 

her father and of the harsh treatment 

by her fiercely scornful step-mother

She reasoned it was not safe to spill 
the beans but  to take it and still 
remained under one roof even with 
one so unreasonable

She used to cry as an infant abandoned
to her wits for which even her father 
was unaware and she suffered as 
a consequence

She soothed herself with deep long 
breaths against raspy admonitions 
or whispers hissed in her face

She was not to smite back against 
outright bluffs nor act vindictive but 
to flush off the feelings of sadness 
and muster blessings of good upbringing

Dreams of a fairy-tale childhood of
songs and dance with step-sisters was
only reminiscent of Cinderella's woes

She had hopes of a reformed step-mother
to love and be loved like one of her own.
Feelings of despair were toned down and 

kept at bay most times

Prompt's Quotation

"Life is pain, Highness"

Anyone who says differently is selling something

Magaly's at PSU - Friday Writings #226: Inappropriate Laughter

Not certain of the poem's appropriateness to the prompt

Has to do with the heart

                                                                                             Author :AdinaVoicu
Image: Thinking Hard (here)

the 11 of 12 given words:
wonder navigate clear detours light 
breaks far delays wreck art split

a few wonders do come to bear
when a mind navigates with thoughts
have clear detours, but nice to be aware
for it gets to be therapeutic of sorts

in the light of those that persist
reading it happily as a healthy sign
with breaks in between to insist
while still having it fresh in the mind

far from thinking of any delays
to wreck the thought unnecessarily
meeting it head-on is an art at play
half the battle is won quite easily

it has a lot to do with the heart
not to appear split but act with pride
the mind has a way of being smart
to take it all within its stride

Sanaa's Open Link Night #407 

Poem of one's choice

Colourful Blooms

                                                                                                Author Ronald Saunders
Image: Beautiful Blooms (here)

(Wikimedia Commons)

fascination with blooms
blessed with pull factors
having attractive colours 
aromatic with sweet nectar

beauty element that enhances maidens with beautiful hair the garden environment that welcome visitors or within the house interior very much competing among different species for space and getting them

Lillian at d'Verse - To write a 44-word Quadrille 

and to include the word 'bloom'

A Morning Workout

 

                                                                                            Author John Robert McPherson

Image: Workout at a Playground

MLMM: The 11 of 12 given words:

attire faded old pair time elegant 

shine sunlight patch tired stool - 475
 
after a few rounds at the field
attired in a faded old pair of shorts
he came to the playground
 
he heaved himself up the cross
bar effortlessly a few dozen times
and a series of push-ups pull-ups

dips, lunges, and split squats at 

others before showing such elegance

at the double balancing bars
 
glistening with sweat it gave
a peculiar shine across his
bare chest that the morning
sunlight could not hide
 
after an hour of work-out he
then raced across to a patch
at the centre not showing any
tiredness but stood on a stool
and had the last word
he termed it rightly or wrongly

‘a bit of tai chi for you“

MLMM's Monday Wordle 475

Dreams Are Made Of These

 

                                                                                             Author:Tulane Public Relations

Image: Attractive Students

(Wikimedia Commons)

Sunday Whisper: The 11 of 12 given words:
crush crisp brisk script dreams shimmer 

dim whisper night seeds dust  - 755

he had a crush on the pretty lass

who had just joined the class of freshies

crisp in his dressing very much to impress

brisk walking to maintain stature

it was almost to a well written script 

changes were most apparent lately

dreams were made of these

but dashed in a most elementary way

it shimmered in the dim light 

much akin to a whisper

from the night of a light drizzle

seeds of a wonderful relationship

in the offing but sadly remained in the dust

a faint heart could be most unfair

Brenda's The Sunday Whisper 755

Road Not Taken

 

                                                                                                      Author: Ijlal2278

Image:  The Lone Traveller

(Wlkimedia Commons)

Never had it occurred to me that I
went the far distance that took

me off the mark. To my consternation the

decision belittled my travel experiences though not one

on a high pedestal but much less 

inclined to those who had travelled

and found opportunities easy to come by

The Road Not Taken 
By Robert Frost 

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference

Grace: at d'Verse Poetry Form: Golden Shovel

Dreaming Big

                       
                                                                                                    Photographer : Node

Image: Picking in Silence (here)

(Wikimedia Commons)

The 12 given words

smoke ring distant wish silky
spill list fit key still limits bill - 754
 
blowing smoke rings upwards
sitting alone without a sound

thinking in silence into the 

distant future 

his wish is the silky handkerchief 

in his hands can spill out untold riches

he has a whole list of goodies 

he likes to see fall onto his lap 

it will fit into his scheme of things

he bears it all in silence
 
key to his problem is the fact
that he still has limits then
which does not fit the bill

silence is a convenient companion

to keep him company

Brenda: Sunday Whirl 754

Just Desserts

 

                                                                                             Author: Fran Hogan

Image: Strawberry cheesecake 

and two glasses of wine.

(Wikimedia Commons)

What follows a hefty meal

given the choice I would

rather have none

 

Sweet dishes and pastries

‘Desserts’ the bad word

I would rather have them alone

without the main meal

 

Not worth the amount of workouts

and Mediterranean dishes

to contend with thereafter

The girth needs the respect

it deserves  

Rommy Cortez-Drriks

Friday Writing #224 - Poets and Storytellers United

A Spent Force

                        
                                                                                             Artist :Andreas Bohnenstengel 

Image: It Says it All!

(Wikimedia Commons)

not a ghost of a  chance
he trembled he was on edge
it left him uneasy

much more to settle 

than he initially thought 

he sought shelter before

he rose to the occasion

he took it upon himself

to progress step by step

it seemingly looked simple

but it burnt out his efforts 

even before he ventured in

not this time now 

a different era 

he felt weak 

a limiting factor

that he left out

- age!

Lisa at d'Verse OLN # 406

Sweetness of Nature

                                                                                                 Author: Dietmar Rabich
Image: Golden Autumn Leaves

Sunday Whirl :The 10 of 12 given words:

taste summer sweetness rush snap resin 

passion turn luck half - 749

the taste of Autumn is creeping in

hot Summer is slowly giving way

the sweetness of season's change

gets on its logical course 

no rush nor snapping of falling 

leaves that follow 

floating slowly down

the resin takes its time

the passion of golden maple leaves

take its turn to appear on cue

not prompted by luck

that is nature playing its annual

game and we humans are not

even aware nor bothered of

the clockwork transition

half the time

Mary at "What's Going On"

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle - 749

A Lighted Candle

                                    

                                                                                                  G.Sekoto

Image: Sekoto: Boy and the Candle (1943)                     

The Sunday Whirl: the 10 of 12 given words:

swaying drifted steam grass radiance flushed 

perfume hypnotic skin hiss - 753

The lighted candle its flame swaying

drifted upwards its sterile aroma of steam 

and smoke permeated the air

A feel of freshly cut grass gripped his 

imagination 

Its radiance flushed his mind with 

a perfumed hold that enveloped

him in a hypnotic trance 

He shivered in his skin as though 

a hissing snake had left

its venom all over 

He regretted having abandoned 

his wife with a young son recently

Now perhaps having to face 

divine correction for his mistake

Brenda Warren's https://Sunday Whirl Wordle #753

Melissa Lemay in Poetics at d'Verse: The Art of G.Sekoto