Tuesday, January 31, 2012

An Awakening

Image:1 Never know until you've tried
(Picture Credit: courtesy of Poets United's , vice/versa)

True to form, like wearing other's shoes
We could understand better other's blues
An awakening not burdened with guilt
A distraction, a sound a likely cause of a jolt
For we might not realize what that entailed
When we seek why they had failed
We should not ourselves choose to restrain
It'll be an education if we could feel the pain
The universe is there to garner the facts
Hold on yet, or suffer in silence, give it a check
Go then find out from where you can get
The match searing the heart you’ve not met
Let’s consider some necessary steps to take
Be ambitious and test the stakes
The whole world to see where it leads
In all innocence go for a  wholesome thrust till it bleeds
No holds barred, no wisdom marred .
Give it all you’ve got, give it a shot.
When you’re done, reflect on your wants
If it’s tough give it a laugh
Venture out push for a long ride
You never know until you’ve tried

Submitted to Poet United Vice/Versa weekly prompt#5 sound/silence and guilt/innocence and d'Verse OpenLinkNights week 29

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Longings

                                                                Wassily Kandisky - Red Spot II 1921
Picture Credit: Courtesy of Tess' Magpie  
    
Colors and lights full of promise
Minding its stores tenaciously
Bid me a time, for I wish
just seconds to whet my appetite. I’m longing
for the myriads of possibilities.
Serve me the garnish that I may devour
The goodness of being alone
with you as company, as before
I’ve never been a bore
and so are you. Can we just hit it off
from where we left of?
You and your wonderful ways
Ever so thoughtful of my feelings
and idiosyncrasies.
And me rash and brash but ever so loving.
Young hearts we were but not anymore.
You are just as lovely now as before
Must this happen, I just wonder why
As on the day you said good-bye!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Rage

 Image:1 Crimson with anger

Image:2 Undercurrents within in tranquility
(Photo Credit : Google images)

Bloodshot eyes glaring
Fists clenched, growling, eyes staring
Had one too many

Step aside give way
No one bothered no one cared
Been blind to the threat

Asking for trouble
In no mood to be friendly
Crimson with anger

Just cross not his path
Unwittingly the faint hearted
May not have realized

The matured few view
Undercurrents of anger
With disdain and awe


Submitted for Haiku Heights with prompt 'Crimson' and d'Verse's Poetics 'undercurrents'

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A Japanese Fare

 Image:1 Qhaty, Hafidz and little Naqip. He is a big boy, really! Remember the drama others went through when he made his presence felt? (here)

 Image:2 Little Naqip, Madeleine (their Filipino maid) Sarah Ayesha and Shadah, my loving wife

 Image:3 My grandsons Kimie and Nabil

 Image:4 My other grandson Norman

 Image:5 The tempura that I had. This was after the sushi that I had earlier

 Image:6 The tappenyaki which I thought was less filling until I saw the amount after the frying.

Image:7 The sharks fin and soba noodles and ice kacang at the back.
There were a host of other dishes left untouched. Otherwise I would need to be carried down to the car for the journey back.


Note: My elder son Hafidz and his charming wife Qhaty invited us for lunch today. ‘We’re going Japanese buffet. It’ll be at the same venue that we had before’ they said. This is an ‘eat as much as you can joint’.

I remember what happened the last time. I was naughty the last time. I ate as much as I could and was breathless with a full tummy when we left . I told myself  I would be less naughty today and would exercise utmost care not to overeat.

Japanese buffet
Eat as much as you can eat
It’s a tall order

Would I be naughty?
Tendency is to do so
Must control myself

No sushi with rice
Other offerings would do
These are less filling

I was still naughty
Japanese food was much fun
I could not help it

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Belimbing

 Image:1 A bunch of belimbing on the tree in the backyard

 Image:2 Taken from another angle of the same tree. The flowers are seen on the right side, red in color

Image:3 A close up from another part of the tree. As can be seen the end is rounded but the five parts are still visible

Note: Smaller in size than a starfruit but rounded not star shaped. Measures about 6cm (2.5 inch) The tree in our backyard sprouted a generous offering which I snapped a week ago. Very sour, can be taken raw but not munched as a fruit. It is an appetizer taken together with meals. I've seen 3 types of preparations. The first is sambal where two of the fruits are pounded with chili and fish paste (or with anchovies instead of fish paste) Secondly a number of them are sliced in half and cooked with fish, coconut milk and a little cinnamon. Thirdly, it is dried and included as one of the items in an Indian pickles like, together with lime,carrots,cherries,olives and others. My mouth waters thinking about them!

Very much sour
Distant cousin of starfruit
Mixed with anchovies

And pounded chillies
Whets the appetite with meals
In place of chutney

Dash of cinnamon
With fish and coconut milk
Turned into a dish

Together with lime
Thrown in as one of items
To make mixed pickles

Submitted to d'Verse OpenlinkNights

The Lady is Fair Game

                                                                     Boris Hoppek's Tokyo exhibit 'Ever'
Image1: Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

Time out!!
Whassup!
Let me see again. This a new game you said! We’ve been at it for the past hour. I have as yet to be told the name of the game. You said it is not strip poker. Ok, that’s fine. Rightly so. We’re not having any card games, anyway. But the way this game is going seems odd.
There’s nothing odd. It is all fair and square
Fair you said?  Look at me. I’m all tied up like a sushi, fair you said?
But you were out voted.
But...
You know the rules
But the rules keep changing!
As long as you are out voted you have to do our  bidding
But there are 5 of you guys! I get outvoted most times
No, Joe was the first to be outvoted
Ok, I know that
Followed by Jack...
I know that too!
And then it was Steve...
Yes, but they’re  all dressed up! I'm all but naked
No, Joe was Tarzan, remember? Loin clothed and all
Okayy....
And Jack was Robinson Crusoe. You even requested a bare-backed Robinson Crusoe.
But it’s not the same! A half-naked guy is not the same as for a lady!
Why not?
I was de Milo and who would have heard of a naked Lady Chatterley
But Lady Chatterley had to be naked to do all those things
And you all made me trot around the room  shouting ‘I’m Godiva’ for the third one and …
But we have no horses here for you ……that was hilarious!
And now this!…a naked sushi me!
We’re having fun! Aren’t you?
I am, but…
Shall we continue?
Okaaay….! But I still don’t know what’s the game called!

Submitted for Magpie#101

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Starfruit

Image: 1 My pencil sketch of a starfruit

Shaped like one as named
Starfruit star shaped thou so  blessed
One so succulent

Crunchy and so sweet
Taken raw or plain juicing
Vitamin C rich

High water content
To quench the thirst so ideal
Enticing health-wise

Is good for the heart
Not seasonal  by  nature
Seen throughout the year

Thursday, January 19, 2012

FB

Image by Farmville through Google Images

FAD

FB where’s the beef
Lately some changes made
Some expressed opinions on this
On the other hand some are not bothered

Sure, it intruded unto our lives
Facing the screen for hours
We no longer socialize
We hate meeting and conversing with friends
Life is just not the same

Sure, we prefer to poke or like or comment
Better yet to check on Farmville
In the early mornings
To start crop planting
To make sure it’s completed
So as to resume during lunch-time

Sure, we just can’t help it
We are now addicts
It’s not a fad
We’re addicted
Termed FAD by the doctor
Facebook Addiction Disorder
We’re to seek medical advice
A move considered wise
Remember it’s a FAD
We’ve been had

Submitted to Grandma's Goulash WWR

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Tsunami

                                                                               taylor, jason decaires
Image:1 Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

 Image:2 Dainty little cottages hurriedly constructed, typical of post Tsunami construction patterns

 Image:3 One of the memorials of mass graves

 Image:4 Life goes on. Taken at the week-end market on Jan 15,2012

 Image:5 The imposing International Airport completed in 2008 apparently with the German government's assistance

Image:6 One of the many billboards imploring for the tourist dollar

I was in Bandar Acheh for the week-end. Not much of the remnants of destruction of the 2004 tsunami are seen on the ground. Reconstruction had apparently taken a fast pace the past 7 years.


They were overwhelmed
Walls of water stories high
It came suddenly

A city flattened
Devastation in its wake
Human lives were snuffed

Seven years after
A people vindicated
Unhindered with pride

Inspired by Tess' Magpie#100

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Limericks 9

Submitted to Madeleine Kane's Humor Blog who provided the first line and we were to continue.

Apologies: Been on the road of and on and again this week-end. Have not responded to many in last 2 postings. Will make amends upon my return.


kaykuala says:
November 27, 2011 at 9:56 pm

A fellow whose last dime was spent                       
Still mystified where the rest went
Just some while
Friends went wild
Grim lesson of friends not worth a cent

kaykuala says:
November 20, 2011 at 9:51 pm

A gal was attempting to eat                                        
Adorned herself pretty looking neat
Played hard to get
Much to her regret
Ended hungry just shuffling her feet


Note: Will be out of state for the week-end. Will be back by Jan 16th but off again in 3rd week of Jan.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Rough Diamonds

Picture Credit: Google Images

Young Upstarts

Dare make an attempt
Fascination struck softly
None that are refined

Mark of innocence
Reckless show of defiance
Unrelenting kinds

Juvenile and crude
Not one to be seen friendly
Unbridled upstarts

Unflinching movements
Rough diamonds lack polishing
But all is not lost!

Haiku inspired for d'Verse OpenLinkNight

Sunday, January 8, 2012

The Actor

                                                                                                  Image: Lee Friedlander
Image:1 Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

 Image:2 As King Mongkut in 'The King and I'

 Image:3 As Chris in 'The Magnificent Seven'

Yul Brynner

The King and I
You'll remember the Yul guy
Being a baldy
Has respectability
He was Rameses II
In the 10 Commandments
He was Magnificent
One of the 7
His commanding stance
Across the distance
Sharp eyes piercing
Sets the skyline burning
A semblance of authority
Of Hollywood's fraternity
Not just an accomplished actor
But also a photographer
Such is the aura
Of an icon from Mongolia
Where he claimed part ancestry
But Russian-born in reality

Inspired by Tess' Magpie #99 and submitted to Real Toad's OpenLinkNight and Poet's United The Poetry Pantry

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Colorful Start

Image:1 Colors
(Picture Credit: Poetry Jam)
Image:2 The NBC Peacock

Note: SparkleFarkle in the first comment alluded to the colorful outstretched feathers of the NBC Peacock. I thought it cool to have the image uploaded here. Thanks Sparkle Ma'am!

Color me blue
Ain’t no use crying
If things aren’t working well
Warm tears flowing
Nothing to stop the blues
Eyes red bloodshot hues
Likening to the blue Danube
That overflows its banks
A Purple Heart signifies
Valor in men
Soldiers in blue
Contrasts the Red Army
A Green Revolution
Is a preferred solution
A duel to the death
Is just a memory

Now the  contenders  jostle
Within the party
Seeking endorsements
Of the GOPs
As they proceed
To consolidate their positions
It is now the next round
Debates most profound
New Hampshire beckons

Note: The first part has to do with a lot of colors. The second part strayed to the current Presidential debates which are just as colorful.

Submitted for Poetry Jam with prompt - 'Color Your Life'

Friday, January 6, 2012

The Republican


Image:1  Mitt Romney
(Picture Credit: Google images)

A Challenger?

A unique system
A democratic process
Iowa’s caucuses kicked off
The Presidential campaign’s lead-off
A known significance
Of a  good showing in Iowa’s
Are eventual Republican challengers

A narrow margin
For Romney a slim win
All of his own bidding
The Democrats are waiting
The world is watching

Submitted for Grandma's Goulash WWR 2012 #1

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Partners

                                                     River  -  Marina Moevs 2005
Picture Credit: Tess' Magpie

Hippos,Piranha and Crocs 

Illuminating
Life forms cavorting below
Serene and peaceful

Idyllic and calm
Solidarity engaged
Luxuriant stillness

Unsuspecting souls
Be mindful murky waters
Danger lurks beneath

Toppling hippo backs
Gnashing sharp teeth,snapping jaws
Macabre carnage

Submitted to Tess' Magpie #98 and d'Verse OpenLinkNight week25