A Cowboy

My own sketch of soft pastel on an A4 dark sketching paper

I tried to catch up with some sketching these few days. I did  a colorful bird and a stalk of aloe vera. They remained unfinished. Hurriedly I did this black and white as an alternative.

Ruggedly handsome

Hat slung to the back

Entered the saloon,‘give me..…’

The crowd shuddered..…’milk!..’

Submitted for Haiku Heights # 88 (prompt of own choice)

The Champ II

Picture Credit: From Google images

Ali! Ali! Ali!

Shashi  invited postings with a limerick offering. 

Here is on the same theme as my previous posting.

Even at the pre-fight joint weighing-in

He would come swinging and ranting

He gave accurate predictions

Of his opponent’s derelictions

As they fall from grace to the ground reeling

Inspired by Purple Treehouse's  for a limerick (Week3 Sept 21- Oct 02)
Picked by Jingle as an example of a Limerick in Gooseberry Gardens

The Champ

Image1 : Ali

Image2 : Ali couldn't contain himself upon defeating Sonny Liston for the World's Heavyweight Championship title in 1964
(Picture Credit: From Google images)

Apologies! I had earlier posted this in Haiku Heights for prompt 'poised'. But this is not a haiku. I had since withdrawn it. As an afterthought I'm submitting it again for the next prompt 'charm'.   This time with a haiku below to make it proper.

A phenomena

Charmed millions, living legend

‘I am the greatest’

Ali! Ali! Ali!

In 2008 his 60^th birthday

Celebrated in a very big way

By the whole country

A sporting celebrity

Sportsman of the Century

Ali!  Ali!  Ali!

As Cassius Clay at the Rome Olympics in 1960

Won the Gold in the light-heavy

But didn’t keep it forever

Flung in disgust into the Ohio River

When refused service on his return

From an all white restaurant

Ali! Ali! Ali!

In 1964, wrested the Heavyweight crown

When he whupped Sonny Liston

Poised for fame with the very first

With a cry of ‘I’m the Greatest!

‘The Louisville Lips’ predicting

With uncanny accuracy the round

When opponents would hit the ground

He won  and lost the title 3 times

A feat not ever repeated again***

Ali! Ali! Ali!

The World’s Heavyweight  bouts

Since then were remembered easily

By those pulverized, pummeled and thumbed
All his prized trophies   

When he ‘floated like a butterfly

And stung like a bee’

Ali! Ali! Ali

Joined Nation of Islam in 1964

Just a slight blight on his career

Changed his name to Muhammad Ali

But accepted by the fraternity thereafter

Refused the draft in 1967

‘Ain’t got nothin’ against them Vietcongs’

But the fraternity this time

Stripped off his titles for 3 years

And heavyweight boxing lost its shine

Ali! Ali Ali!

‘Thrilla in Manila, Rumble in the Jungle’

Rope-A-Dope, Frazier,Foreman,Bugner

Norten, Cooper, and host of other names

Brought back boxing from the brink
The epitome of honor

When amidst hushed secrecy

He emerged to thunderous applause

To walk the steps up to the cauldron

Lighting the 1996 Atlanta Olympic flames

Ali! Ali! Ali

Though Parkinson’s debilitating effects

Is physically restricting his movements

He is the fighter in more ways than one

A Champion of all time

*** I stand corrected

Inspired by Haiku Heights #86 - 'charm'
Submitted for d'Verse OpenLinkNights Week 11

The Phoenix

Photo Credit: Google images

A Bird

An image so clear

Emerging from the ashes

With wings wide apart

Extending its reach

Smoothness over the divide

Reaching out to watch

Fully satisfied

Extending its commitment

Over the masses

Inspired by Haiku Heights #84

Awaiting...

Photo Image:  Courtesy of Willow's Magpie


...and Hoping

A young maiden

Vying in the evening dusk

Clinging against hope

Clasping for strength

Her beauty only for him

Neptune lost in time

But gathering storms

Building up

Bidding for a good omen

A sign of awakening

An offering nonetheless

Listless she with bated breath

Raven by her side

Spying  into the distance

Faithfully  prying

To dig into Davy Jones’ confines

Awaiting with open arms

Anticipating

Rise and come back to me!

Inspired by Tess' Magpie #84

A Fish

Picture Credit: Google images
Arowana

Regal like smoothness

Majestically refined

Moving and gliding

Its beauty outlined

Scales shiny  in warm colours

Bidding for honours

Royal performance

An arowana defined

Greatness, a rare find

Inspired by Haiku Heights #83

Time

Picture Credit: Google images

Timeless Times

Afflicts everyone

Wisdom sadly comes too late

Regretting time lost

Inspired by Haiku Heights prompt # 82  -  Lost

Boat Ride

The Shotover Jet - Simply glides at high speed and barely touching the rock wall that rises from the water!

Photo Credit: From google images

High Speed

Queenstown Shotover Jet

Manoeuvring,skims water

Thrilling at high speed

Note: One of the most thrilling and terrifying boat rides that I had ever experienced. Outwardly it appeared to be very dangerous, barely 2 feet from the rocks, almost touching. But those manning the boats said it was nothing as they were at it all the time.

Inspired by Haiku Heights # 81 -  Water

Target

 Image1: Shooting target with bullet holes

 Image2: A lady shooter at a Shooting Club

Image3: Boys at a Shooting Range
(Photo Courtesy: Google images)

Shooting Practice

Bullseye! What a shot

Shooting was a lot of fun

For teens growing up

Target Scoring Points

A bullseye in the centre is the highest scoring part of the concentric circles on the target. They are outwards, a Bullseye (5 points) an Inner (4), a Magpie(3) and an Outer(2)

I was in a military school from age 15 till 19. It was modeled along the Sandhurst  Military Academy  (but for the equivalent of the secondary or high school years) . We were governed by the trappings of military science and traditions. Shooting practices were eagerly awaited for during military trainings on some Saturdays.  Rifle shooting  would need a butt party placed in a dug-out at the end where the targets were  to indicate the results to the shooters

Results  were immediately indicated by waving signals each in a specific manner of big placards at the end of a pole of about 7 ft long .This could be seen just by the naked eye at a range of about 150 meters by the shooters so that they would immediately know how they fared whether they scored a  bullseye , inner, magpie, outer or none at all. Those shooting  and the butt party would trade places every now and then so that everyone would have had a chance to shoot.

Inspired by Haiku Heights with The Prompt # 80

A Dream

A Lifestyle

Unified in wedded bliss

The young of today

Bubbling with energy

To procreate a lineage

Unmasking their potential

For business and leisure

And pleasure

Of a balanced  lifestyle

Life is more than that

Life is a commitment

To spouse, family, friends and country

Revolving around  the social network circuit

Just sedentary
Minimal physical activity

Is prognostic of risks

Know your perils

Life is for the taking

To the fullest

But know your perils!

Inspired by OpenLinkNight Week 10

Feather

Protection

Warm plumage protects

Pillows, headgear,downs,earrings,

Icarus plummets

Inspired by:   Haiku Heights #78  Feather
                     You know...that Blog - Anticipation
(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Google images)

Wordle 22

A School Teacher

The verve of a nerve

She mirrored a sheepish smile

‘Hey! What’s coming?

I just yearn to knock on your knuckles'

She grinned, her opal necklace

Hanging by the thick thread

Moved in unison twinkling

Throwing sharp reflections

As if taking the cue

Taunting me

I strengthen my resolve

‘You should have it at your fingertips’

I bellowed

It got on my raw nerve

The thrust of the piercing lights

Bathing the corridor outside the class

Becoming reddish in the afternoon sun

I mused woefully

A bad omen?

These are just kids

And me a lovable school Ma’am!

I must learn to control my anger

It just isn’t fair!

Submitted for Sunday Whirl 22

A Savior

The Snake Charmer, Henri Rousseau 1907

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

The Snake Charmer

Taking it a level higher

Naked but hidden within

The shadows

It was for all to hear

Unlike half clothed

Snake charmers of old

With their deadly offerings

Safely in each basket

He trained his music

On the surroundings

His slithering partners

Responding from around him

As an orchestra in session

Dancing in time with his music

Calling on sinners on earth

To account for their deeds

Inspired by Willow'sMagpie #83

Train Travel

1985 New York:  Hank on the Amtrak nearing NY from Washington DC with Salleh Kaki

Choo Choo Chugging

Had a fair share of train travel

In the school days

We boys from the RMC

Hailed from all over the country

Given warrant tickets

Like ordinary soldiers

From place of abode

To our college

In Port Dickson

From whence we depart back home

For our school holidays and back again

When the school term commenced

The same routine

Would follow

For every term break

There were occasions

We organized ourselves

For expeditions (here)

We still jumped onto the trains

But to different destinations

Missed the fun and joy

Of a facet  growing up

Other people movers,

Trains out of London
South to Bournemouth and north to Luton
The Tubes,the Metro in Paris

From Calcutta through Nagpur and Bombay (Mumbai now)

The trams of Delft-Amsterdam

The trains to Lugano
The funicular up Mount Pilatus
And the clock-work Swiss lines
The cable cars of ‘Frisco
The Amrak, the NY subway network to Times Square

Present day LRT, MRT and the like

Nothing like the thrill

Of childhood travel with your peers

On a train through moments

Of memories

Inspiredby d'Verse Poetics Train

The Cold

Winter

Not a soul in sight

Barren as the desert sand

But glaringly cold

White as the seagull

Lonely for some while , but no!

In the horizon

There’s laughter and shouts

Yes! Not a care in the world

Throwing and tumbling,

Snowballs and snowman

Kids create ways to enjoy in

Biting cold  weather

Submitted for Haiku Heights # 75

A Virtue

 Patience

Safety discarded

Blatantly disregarded

It turned out tragic

A highway horror

Consequence of impatience

Life lost, mangled heap

Patience a virtue

Sorely missed though by many

And regret pervades

Inspired by Haiku Heights with Prompt #73- Patience

Youthfulness

Image 1: A Ben Barnes' movie poster of Oscar Wilde's only published novel 'The Portrait of Dorian Gray'
(Picture Credit: Google images)

Static Aging

Elixir of youth

Opened the  Pandora’s box

Wrought with failed attempts

Age-old desire

To falter and arrest youth

Vanity  holds true

With Dorian Gray

Imaginations run loose

Can a picture help?

Inspired by Haiku Heights with prompt #72 - 'elixir'

Looks...

                                                       The Reverent Andrew Wyeth 1949

Picture Credit: Courtesy of Willow's Magpie #82

....Can be Deceiving!

Smart of good bearing

Elegantly attired

Well defined pure white

Seemingly alert

Officer and gentleman

You state your being!

Forthright leadership

Cultured and boldly refined

You state your due rights!

Of no real wants

Disciplined and distinguished

You state it real good!

You are deathly white!

I clamor for more insight!

Are we playing games?

Save your earnings

Hark, deathly apparition!

I just don’t buy it!

Haiku styled, inspired by Tess' Magpie #82

Bewilderment

Picture Credit: Courtesy of Google Images
Awesome

Tricks, joy and laughter

Wonders of bewilderment

Appreciated  in awe

In world of conflict

Fulfilled needs of emptiness

Outlet provided

Not just for the young

Universal  hypnotics

Magic tightened  holds

Inspired by Haiku Heights #68 - Magic

Responsibility

Picture Credit: Courtesy of Google Images

A Fulfillment 

I have had my fill

My girth had increased lately

It was a good sign

My special corner

Given a makeover for

A regal being

They did a good job

I laid back contentedly

I could feel the warmth

Abundance of care

With stinging efficiency
From worker and soldier

I yearn to fulfill

Enhanced fast paced progeny
For the colony

Inspired by Haiku Heights with prompt - yearn

The Statue

Picture credit: Courtesy of Google Images


It's Magic!

Puff, into thin air

Liberty disappeared!

Was it sleight of hand ?

Hypnotic influence?

On iron and steel structure?

Unbelievable!

Copperfield it is

The gullible,the victim

Paid to be hoodwinked

Inspired by Haiku Heights Prompt #65 - Hypnotic

Kiss of Life

Picture Credit: Courtesy of Google images

The Bronze Medallion : I received the bronze medallion at the age of 16. It came to good use 3 years later when I saved my colleague from drowning. ( here )


Life Savings Methods

Bronze medallion

Holger Nielson push and pull

Life savings of old

Resuscitation

CPR, a kiss of life

Hail a new method

Life saved life secured

But scrounge of human failings

Danger of the AIDS

Lethal without cure

High risks, likely infection

Led to guarded use

Inspired by Haiku Heights Prompt #64 - Kiss
Submitted to d'Verse Open Link Night Week #8

A Happening!

Let’s have a ball

A crawlbar for the evening

Hordes of them looking for a good time

It is a happening

At the ‘Bier Keller’

Do not goof it
Do not rack your brains

Guys and dolls

Men and women

Be yourself
Looking fresh
Enticing without a hitch

Like a flower in bloom

No sickos pallid looking

Quivering self

But happy as a lark

Hovering up in the skies

Birdlike

A star studded crowd

No less

Let’s have a ball

I’m game!

Inspired by Sunday Whirl Wordle #20

So It is!

Tough Luck!

Do you make it out

We planned it with such flourish

It was such a dish

But disappointment

It came with no such relish

How I had so wished

It cannot be helped

Things are such they  would just miss

Providence it is!

Inspired by Haiku Heights with prompt #63  'flourish' and 
Poetry Pantry #65

A Silent Movie

Image 1: Laurel and Hardy

 Image 2:  Charlie Chaplin
(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Google images)

The Classics

The silent movie

How it could stand by itself

One often wonders

Sans sounds of  dialogue

Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy

Fondly remembered

Enjoyed  the series

What attracts and what repels

The fascination

Of written dialogue

Which makes it very special

Can one then complain? 

Haiku styled inspired by d'Verse Poetics - Shh...Silent Movies