He's Back!

 Image1: All smiles now

 Image2: The Classic Finish

 Image3: The Tiger punch in the air upon victory

Image4: The Champ at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, March 25,2012
Picture Credit: Courtesy of Google images

He drew first blood again at Bay Hill

After 923 days or a 30 month drought

Not a biggie, not a major but it was a big show of skills

‘certainly feels really good’ in his own words

There was a scare at Doral

Tightness of his Achillies heels

Forced a midway withdrawal

But the Arnold Palmer Invitational he won!

And that all 4 rounds were under par
Not since the 2010 Masters this happened

Now the 2012 Masters beckons

Just 2 weeks away, April 05, Augusta is bidding

His first major to add to the 14 majors he had secured

Just 4 short of Jack Nicklaus’ record

The near term is looking good

Endorsements galore in the offing

Eat your hearts out Accenture, Tag Heur & Pepsi

A commercial gem once more

Is open for business

For d'Verse OpenLinkNight week#37 and Poets United: The Poetry Pantry

Sentimental Me

                                                                             Image: Duane Michals
Picture Credit: Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

I cannot have you
I cannot touch you
The most I can see
Are two reflections
How cruel fate can be
Can I be set free?

I can see you in my reflections
I can see you in my dreams
I can see you everywhere
But my choices are limited
My yearnings are beyond reach
My emotions are beyond reasons
My wants are beyond redemption
I’m vulnerable

Help!
Save me!
Sentimental me.

Submitted for Willow's Magpie#110

Endurance

The conquerors of Everest - Sir Edmund Hillary (left) and Sherpa Tenzing
Image: Courtesy of Google images

Note: The feat was accomplished on May 29, 1953, a fitting coronation present to Her Majesty the Queen of England who was crowned on June 02, 1953

A punishing pace
Battles on sweating it out
Like Pheidippides

Marathon runners
That endurance is foremost
Pulling on taut veins

Sweating profusely
Glistening pearls in the sun
Grunting and panting

Because it was there
The Hilary Tenzing duo
The pull of challenge

Acclaimed as heroes
A fitting endurance feat
Coronation joy

Submitted to Haiku Heights #112 - Endurance

A Limerick

Image: Courtesy of d'Verse

I like to write verse and create

I like to tempt luck and obviate

A humdrum

Of a likely fun

Just to provoke and tease fate

Submitted for d'Verse FormForAll - Limerick

KidZania

The KidZania is in town! It opened recently at the Curve. An indoor family edu-tainment centre, it provided entertainment of real life situations in a make believe world. It is fun as the kids get to do activities like adults. Upon paying the entrance fee (of an USD 17 equivalent) each kid would be given a cheque for 50 KidZos.

They would then go to the bank to open an a/c, and got issued with an ATM card. It was a taste of the grown up world in a ‘city’ built for kids. The kids could pick from nearly 90 activities while in the ‘city’ They earned KidZos currency while performing the tasks, and the money was kept in the KidZania bank for them to spend at the gift shop and on non-free KidZania activities. (Wiki)

 First opened in Mexico in 1999, it is now available at 9 locations in 7 countries around the world.

KidZania, Oh boy!
What real fun being adults
We are big boys now!
(A haiku for the occasion)

During the recent school holidays, Norman and Kimie (read: grandchildren) got the fun of their life when we brought them to experience what KidZania was all about. Since the attraction had just been opened there was a bit of a crowd. Queuing up took a lot of time and they could only 'play' a few of them.

Image:1  Kimie (on the left) and Norman got their first taste of the KidZania phenomena. Here they were at the computer at the CSI working out on their case

 Image:2 Those who got to play the CSI role lining up for instructions

Image:3 At the CIMB Bank, Norman (foreground) and Kimie (in the background) to open their bank a/cs. This was one of the first acts to do upon arrival.

 Image:4 At the Marrybrown Fast Food outlet making their own burgers

Image:5 A snapshot to remember their first visit with the KidZania sculpture in the background. Certainly this would not be their last visit. They had seen it and liked it and wanting a second visit, so they said!

More on the KidZania at Wiki's!

Submitted to d'Verse OpenLinkNights week #36

A Handler

                                                    Image by by Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison


Picture Credit: Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

Get on with it man, do your job
Bring out the big wrench
Hurry with it man you are no flop
You’ve shown your good sense
You’ve been at it for a long while
No muddle no fumble
You’ve been good with your guiles
And don’t stumble, What?
The cog and wheels’ on the ground
Who could have done that!
Those with no qualms
With whom did you last  have a spat
Got to be aware
And be prepared
Rivals can be nasty
They play dirty
Your efforts in tatters
Make matters worst

Ok, not to even things
Act nice and prim
Always seek and procure
Providence is an equalizer

Submitted for Tess' Magpie#109 

Having the Blues

Listless and tired
Lost and groping in the dark
In the wilderness

Not coming your way
Devoid of a direction
In a dreamlike stance

Like clouds in the sky
Figurines of many hues
Drifting and timeless

Am having the blues
Semblance of a soulless being
Renders one helpless

Rise, search your conscience
Tranquil and serene yonder
Ask and be informed

Submitted to Haiku Heights # 111 with prompt - Blue

A Jam

Photo Credit: Courtesy of an RF (Royalty free) Google image

Sitting there upright, not moving
The seat was damp, warm and tender
But it was not how I felt, far from it
What had it been, a better part of the hour
My limbs were tired with anger and frustrations
The blaring had ceased
For a time the din was unbearable
Staccato blasts of different musical tones
Disturbing to the normal smug of dust and dirt
The mid afternoon on a clear weekend
When designs of comfort and quiet
Playing in the yearnings of wants
Of the security and warmth of family
Typical of urban living
From a 15 minute visit to the Mall
Where we were and now this!
Longing to be home
Where we would have been
Yes, I should be home
If not for this irritant
To be in this predicament
In the evil pincers of a traffic standstill
To test the patience
You couldn’t win them all
Just a slight indiscretion, knicked at the side
But oblivious to the cold stares
Two angry souls ready to even the scores
Out there arguing next to coming to blows
A cheeky few from vantage positions
Cell phone at the ready gleefully in anticipation
Should go viral on YouTube
An insignificant accident and it caused the jam!

This happened following a slight accident but it caused a standstill as the the road at that point was narrow. The situation could have been saved if both the drivers had taken their disagreement further down the road where there was some space on the kerbside. The traffic flow would not have been blocked had they done that.

 Submitted for d'Verse Filling in the Gaps

Limericks 10

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

kaykuala says:

March 4, 2012 at 7:32 am

A man who was partial to gin

Wouldn’t change but just grinned

What do I care

This is my fare

No one’s bother of how I’ve sinned

kaykuala says:

February 2, 2012 at 10:24 am

A fellow was trying to lead

A gang wrought with misdeeds

Tried his best

In his quest

But realized he’s ill equipped

kaykuala says:

December 11, 2011 at 7:30 pm

A man who was terribly high                                     

Often got very randy on the sly

Stalked his conquests

But at his own behest

He got more than just a black eye

Submitted to d'Verse OpenLinkNight week#35

Longings

                                                             Image: Uzengia Aleksander Nedic
Picture Credit: Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

Rue to the one who thinks

there is light at the end

What apparition, playing tricks

my being is being put to test

My eyes are seeing things

There is someone, is there?

Ruefully..

Check !

A special one beckoning in the distance

An uncanny resemblance

I can make out

Looks like…yes, it is her!

My, how she had transformed

Sultry in the shadows

My wanderlust is over

Squinting in the dark

I ask, is it for real?

Stagnant in thoughts

Check again!

Undaunted I surged  forward

I called out her name

I waited….

There was no response

Just the cool of the night

There was nothingness

My stomach squirmed

My head was  spinning

My mind numbed

I yearned  for her

I reached  out

Nothing!

My senses malfunctioned

In the dark I was alone

I cowered in solitude

Lost in thoughts…

She had been long gone

Reality is not easy to accept

But dreams linger on...

Ruefully…

A quiet prayer….solace in silence!

There’ll be someone…

Inspired by Tess' Magpie #108

Childhood

Childhood innocence

Picture of exuberance

Never to repeat

Wants unlimited

Centered  around home and love

A great time of life

Pandemonium

And be readily forewarned

Boisterous and loud

Trespass into teens

Fun and laughter love beckons

Is fast and fleeting

Mirrored in sweetness

In a flutter, adulthood

A new nest begins

Submitted for Haiku Heights #110 - Childhood

Wickedly Blessed

The wayward painted wickedly with his mind

Evident in the nature of weird stiff forms

He wandered off  in shadows of designs

The wayward painted wickedly with his mind

Pitching its right in the wealth of creation

Emblazoned hues of kaleidoscopic  abundance

The wayward painted wickedly with his mind

Evident in the nature of weird stiff forms 

Submitted for d'Verse FormForAll - Triolet 

Grossly or Grotesquely

 Image1:  The young papaya tree a few months old (pic taken on Mar 15, 2011,about 1 yr ago)

 Image2: A well developed fruit on the left. A deformed fruit in the foreground (pic taken on Dec 12, 2011)

 Image:3 A matured tree with fruits ( pic taken on Feb 26, 2012)

 Image4: The fruits are menacingly elongated. The deformed fruit was discarded ( pic taken on Feb 26, 2012)

 Image5: The harvested fruit measuring 14inches / 36cm (pic taken on Feb 26, 2012)

Image6: The succulent fruit freshly cut at the dining table (pic taken on Mar 01, 2012)

It had all started many months ago

Fate had played its hand,

That I was at the local farmer’s market

Spied a papaya seedling in a basket

Among many it held its own

It appeared somewhat taller than most

Why this was so I asked the vendor

 ‘ A special breed’,  he could only utter

If it can be so special, it’ll be a treat

So I bought it anyway

In the backyard to fend for itself, alone

Against vagaries of the weather

I did follow what the vendor had said

Doses of organic fertilizers to be made

Not too much, not too little

To be done at regular intervals

The first flowers appeared for a spell

Some remained, others fell

Tiny fruits emerged in sequence

Dainty little, making their presence

What do you know!

Progressed development slowly but surely

Turned out to be a ‘special’ eventually

Grossly or grotesquely elongated

Neither? But it was extra  long  by normal standards

Plainly excited, or rather  flabbergasted! 

Two weeks ago the first fruit was harvested

Decision made as it showed spot s of redness

There were also 2 squirrels seen in readiness

Gallivanting, running up the trunk

Every so often

Eying my prized possession

I decided it was time

To pluck it for good measure

At  14 inches or 36 cm it was a treasure

And it tipped the scales at 2.5 kilos

It would be kept for a few days well packed

To allow ripening to take full effect

It may not win an award

But the succulent richness, a just reward!

Submitted to d'Verse OpenLinkNight Week #34

I'm At Odds

Note: I choose to re-post this oldie from my other blog, 'birdhouse'. This was inspired by prompt no. 29 for 2010, of Writer's Island -  Quandry

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Image: Courtesy of Google images

I’m in a Quandry

He swore he was not going to lose sleep over it,

After all, it was such a trivial matter

He didn’t expect it could come to this

Others had been guilty of far worst

Couldn’t  we just let bygones be bygones?

To ere is human and to forgive is divine

Let us trace how it began

It happened innocently enough

She bumped into her

Whom she hadn’t seen the likes since they went separate ways

Dictated by her father’s transfer

The vagaries of the job of a law officer

Ever changing house,

ever on the move

What was it, 10 yrs ago?

Yes it was that long.

That was when she was abandoned

She was a bother then

Now she came back into her life

It’s not going to be easy for me

It’s going to cause strife

There’s now someone

Vying for her affections

So demure, so loving so warm

How she had missed her , her favourite

Longingly looking at her

With dreamy eyes so sincere

If we hadn’t turn into that corner

We may not have met her

Now there she was

It had been a long time

She couldn’t resist

It was not going to happen again, not ever

She could not pass this over

I gave in

She went nearer , looked in her eyes

She swore this was it

The moment of reckoning

The one she had missed

Beautiful , tender and warm

We paid for it,

we brought home

A Siamese cat

for a pet!

Submitted for Poetry Pantry #90

Eyes Can Kill

                                                                      Image: Sarolta Ban

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Magpie

The look in your eyes

Young lass you are at high risk

Piercing eyes can kill

Right in the middle

Surveying the horizon

Through a middle road

Worry not but strength

Pitting your sensuality

Mind the weaker sex

Haiku inspired by Magpie #107

Life's Directions

                                                                           Walter Smith's Abstract 02
Image:1 Courtesy of dVerse as hosted by Sheila

Note: Toyed around with my dashboard with intention of not having word verification forthwith. Is it still there? Thanks for feedback.

Perfection at its best

Spherical in nature

Can never go wrong

Commence at one point

Anywhere on its surface

Gets one to the other side

To meet at its beginning  again

Life tests along the same lines

But life presents alternatives

As it allows change of directions

That enriches life’s experiences

Commencing from one point

But with planned alternatives

Brings joy if taken in many directions

One meets life’s challenges

Attaining success and recognition

But not always

Only the sphere is perfect

Human failings, greed, dishonesty

Amongst others ensured the downfall

Sadly of good intentions

Of muddled priorities

Inspired by d'Verse - Poetics Awareness of Experience

IT'S WHAT YOU SCATTER

Image1: The corner store grocer
(Picture Credit: RF Royalty Free image from Google Images)


SO TRUE AND SWEET.......... IT'S WHAT YOU SCATTER

Note: A Very good friend of mine Mr Hal sent this little story through to my email. I couldn't pass this off just for myself. You may have received  one in the mail from time to time but this really moved me. I thought I'll share this with everyone. I don't know the source but does it matter? Please  read on!

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes... I

noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean,

hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh

green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation

between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure

look good..'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

‘Fine. Gittin’ stronger alla’ time.’

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

 'No, Sir.. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

 'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

 'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it', said Miller.

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of

go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner

asked.

'Not zackley but almost.'

 'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip

this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.

 'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With

a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community,

all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain

with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever..

When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he

decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a

bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on

their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short

time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this

man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just

recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho

community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They

were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted

to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we

fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer

whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform

and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white

shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller,

standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.

Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke

briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes

followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and

placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each

left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes..

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded

her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me

about her husband's bartering for marbles.. With her eyes glistening,

she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you

about.They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded'

them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or

size.... they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she

confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man

in Idaho..'

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased

husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral:

We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is

not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our

breath away.