Sunday, September 30, 2012

Micro Fiction



Image: Courtesy of Grandma's Goulash

A couple placating
their differences
up in the mountains

It could be done just as
well at home if they
cared to be more
accommodating.
                        (140 characters)

Micro Fiction: Grandma invites us to write on the above image together with the word placate in not more than 140 characters

Written for Grandma's Goulash through Succinctly Yours Week 80 and Poet United's Poetry Pantry #117

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Young Minds


 Image1:  Norman drawing a Still Life from memory

Image2: The end product, succulent fruits on a plate and flower in a vase

Two Offerings: 
#1 A haiku to wrap up September Heights in Haiku Heights
with prompt –free-

Young minds are amazing
I asked what are you to draw?
Fruits! He responded

But where are the fruits?
Here! He pointed to his head
He could draw free-hand!

#2 A free verse on people watching
I would relate here not exactly people watching but rather observing my grandson Norman when he went about making the sketch.

Young minds, young innocents
Ever so alert wanting to respond
With a high level of  imagination
Difficult for the elderly to fathom 
A still life drawn from memory
It is something fantastic really

Deftly he took the pencil in one hand
Across the paper a stretch of two lines
Glanced at me, smiled and confidently
drew little circles ever so slowly
turned out to be grapes and strawberries 
Bigger roundish blobs to the right following
an orange and an apple and a mangosteen. 
To hold back the rear a watermelon 
And a flower stalk in a vase, to maintain balance
Triumphantly he next began shadings for depth
A young mind still not that adept

There is an upside in free hand drawing
Anything goes anything to link
But the downside is, he is handicapped
As the shadings to profess depth
are mere conjectures falling back
on experience which he lacks

But he is learning and it’s a big show
For honing his skills the best way he knows
The path is open and only he to decide
What to pick on and which way to strike
His destiny with all stubborn persistence
The whole world wide open at his insistence

Written for Haiku Heights' Sept Ht's last prompt - free- and d’Verse where Brian is hosting on people watching

Friday, September 28, 2012

Andy


Image: sourced from google images

Legend of his time
Had helped the Osmonds to fame
The Moon River man

Won accolades but
at one battlefield lost to
the scourge of men-folks

Note: Sadly we learned of the demise of the great singer, Andy Williams on September 25,2012.  According to reports it was prostate cancer or some complications relating to bladder cancer

Written for Haiku Heights’, September Heights Day 29 P# 188 with prompt – battlefield-

A Cento

                                                           Robert W Service (1874 - 1958)
Image: From Google images

Note 1:  Sam at d’Verse hosted Form for All Collage and Art of the Cento where we are
to incorporate parts of poems of others and create one other. I had chosen  poems from Canada’s Robert W Service. I’m enthralled by his liking to maintain the end rhymes in his poems 
Note 2:  I elected to incorporate a whole stanza to alternate with mine  ( mine in italics )

Why should I be the first to fall
Of all the leaves on this old tree?
Though sadly soon I know that all
Will lose their hold and follow me
                                  (Fallen Leaves)


The realization upon hitting the ground
Bewildered all there is for one to bear
For all the love, the hurts, the frowns
Will not obliterate the will and dare

And if you've both, well then I'm sure
You ought to sing the whole day long
It doesn't matter if you're poor
With these to make divine your song
                                  (Home and Love)


And one will gladly be made aware
In line of friendship so sincere and true
Feelings of love forever to share
Discard the disdains of depressions so blue

In every throbbing vein of me
I'll feel the vast Earth-call;
O body, heart and brain of me
 Praise Him who made it all!
                        (A Rolling Stone)


Can it be extended all but with a plea
Long made before the curtain falls
Tread a little lest it should revive and flee
Shrouded and hidden a face so small

Note 4:  From his 3 poems  - Fallen Leaves, Home and Love and A Rolling Stone

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Waltz


                                                                                Photo by Alun Hoggett
Image: In a Light Dust Haze , Combo Waterhole, Queensland
(Probably the archetype of a billabong under the shade of a coolibah tree from the song 'Waltzing Matilda" by Banjo Paterson - Wiki)

Image Source: Licensed through Creative Commons Attribution 3.0  - Wikimedia Commons (here)

Waltzing Matilda
A near national treasure
Of an Aussie’s pride

Written for Haiku Heights’ Sept Heights Day 28 P#187 with prompt -waltz-

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Footprints


Image:1 Rafting down the Perak River from Chenderoh Dam to Teluk Intan  (here) A stopover at Kuala Kangsar
'Footprint' :1

Image:2 Taman Negara ( National Park, Pahang) Lifting a Tapah fish. According to folklore reputed to be a man-eater.

Image:3 Niagara Falls. Below the Falls garbed in their supplied raincoats. One invariably gets wet from the mist, sprinkling and splashing of water (here)
'Footprint': 2

Note:1  Negara and Niagara sound similar that prompted me to remember them together
Note:2  Two of my 'footprints' for which I had made postings

Stagnant in motion
Estranged to find a reason
Through a narration

Life’s journey retraced
Proprietary to oneself
But now to be shared

Footprints sifted through
Simmered to be released
Nostalgic countdowns

Written for Haiku Heights' September Heights Day 27 P#186 with prompt -footprints-


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Lemang

Lemang is glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaf cooked in bamboo It is commonly prepared in celebrating the Hari Raya in most households. The Hari Raya (celebrated on August 19th, this year) is the equivalent of Christmas. Lemang is now considered a delicacy and are very rarely cooked by modern households. It's conveniently purchased from those enterprising enough to make them.

It’s an age old way of cooking somewhat a novelty now.Without lemang on the table on the first day of Hari Raya makes it somewhat incomplete.

I had the privilege of seeing how lemang was made sometime late last year. Mo, my old buddy brought me to a village on the outskirts of Kuala Pilah about 100km from Kuala Lumpur. Apparently he had cooked lemang there a few times before. He had mastered the delicate procedure and was happily demonstrating it to me.


 Image:1 The uncooked rice is washed clean. The water is drained and the rice is then left to dry

 Image:2 A small piece of the banana leaf is cut and folded.

 Image:3  It is then pushed down to the bottom of the bamboo. This forms the base

Image:4 The cutting of the banana leaf is the most delicate part. It is the cutting of a specific size of the leaf. This has to done by someone already skilled in doing it. It is considered a rare skill to be able to delicately cut the leaf to size to be pushed into the bamboo.

Once cut it is wrapped around a split stalk. It is then nicely pushed in. It is slowly pushed down the whole length of the bamboo. The stalk is then slowly retracted /withdrawn with the nicely cut leaf left inside

I tried to do the cutting of the leaf just to learn. But I tore just a wee bit maybe half a cm of the leaf. This was not acceptable. A slight tear would allow the coconut milk (later to be poured in) to run out

Leha, Mo's wife had in the meantime poured the dry uncooked glutinous rice to about half full into each bamboo stock. This was followed with the coconut milk to about 5cm below the brim of the bamboo.

Image:5  Mo is seen here pushing a small piece of folded leaf to cover the top before taking them outside to the backyard.

Image:6 The uncooked lemang are then arranged by Pakcik to be placed alongside hot embers. The ashes seen here are remnants of embers from an earlier batch. The cooked earlier batch are the ones behind Pakcik.

Image:7 Pakcik will later rekindle the embers with more dry wood..What cannot be seen are big logs in front of Pakcik cut into the right size as the base. It has to be the right amount of heat to make sure the filled bamboos are nicely cooked and not burnt. The filled bamboos are to be constantly turned around so that each side is evenly cooked. This may take a few hours. I cannot recollect how long now.

Image:8 The bamboo is split open and the lemang nicely cooked is cut into 2 halves placed on a porcelain plate

Image:9 One then picks a piece to be taken with 'rendang' a masala-like hot beef preparation.

Note:1  Mo is now in Birmingham. He left in early August in time to celebrate Hari Raya there with his grandchildren. He'll be back sometime in spring next year. Maybe I'll persuade him then to have another round of lemang making for the fun of it. I too would  like to learn the skills of lemang-making myself, oops!
Note!2 There were attempts to mechanize the process of heating the lemang. Somehow the proto- types were not commercially pushed into the market.

Written for d'Verse OpenLinkNight week 63

Monday, September 24, 2012

Sleep

                                                                   Image by Jennifer M Parrot
Image: Thoughts and Dream Reflection
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Snugly in bed at
rest lulling himself to sleep
Sanctuary of sorts

Murky images
Suddenly encroached the scene
Tussled to be heard

Good dreams in tatters
Consciousness in abeyance
Struggled to control

Succumbed to the force
Bad dreams manifest itself
Worry was the cause

Shared with  Real Toad's Open Link Monday and Haiku Heights' September Heights Day 25 P#184 with prompt -sleep- 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

A Flying Machine


                                                                  Flying Down 2006 by David Salle
Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Shall we see!

Is there to bother
Like no other

Flying down, flying up
Having fun in the air
In a flying machine

Seeing the world below
In myriads of colors
Going about their chores
Without a care

A wish I implore
To stay up in the air
The weather is good
The feeling is great
One is blessed, what a fare!

Not to be alarmed
Just a falling goose
In acrobatics, showing off
Offering some competition
Nonetheless, still a spectacle
To be admired for its prowess

Written for Tess' Magpie #136

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Norman


 Image:1 Norman the budding artist
 Image:2 Hawkeye a superhero creation
Image:2 Another one, Captain America
Process Note: Norman, my grandson likes to sketch. He has good sense of the basics. He hopes to 'promote' himself towards using colors more, forthwith.

It started just naturally
with scraps of papers aplenty
the back portion of lined notebooks
and also proper drawing blocks

At his own pace he toys around 
A pencil in his hand all the time.
Use the drawing block I used to tell him 
Not to sketch on both sides to organize better
To have them framed would be easier
Kids being kids they treasure
Their freedom of choice
To be creative is not to be forced
His ‘repertoire’ comprises superheroes
And I never will try otherwise to impose 

The unexpected came by early this month
I decided to isolate my sketches in one blog
separate from poetry so as to be more focused (here)

The unexpected for Norman was a few days ago
when  I collected whatever scraps with his sketches
In my dormant blog had them posted (here)

He was thrilled!

I told Norman both of us are now expected
to chalk up the numbers and produce more sketches
He was in total agreement

I am thrilled!

Written for Karin's Unexpected Poetics at d'Verse and Poets United's Poetry Pantry #116

Hummingbirds


Image: A Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Image Source: Public Domain Images (here)

Ornate creation
Adapted to nature’s wants
A long narrow beak

Sauntering flower
to flower wings flapping fast
but stationary

In seach of nectar
propagating the process
of pollination

Written for September Heights of Haiku Heights Day 23 P#181 -hummingbird

Friday, September 21, 2012

Fences


                                                             Photo by Philippe Giabbanelli
Image: Lismore fences - fenced up graze lands
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Pent up emotions
Fenced in feelings
Forced on lovers

Curious incorrigibles
Fenced out hoodlums
Bent on mischief

Selfishly protective
Fenced up graze land
Fattening the beef

Menacing event
Fencing in whites
Duels of honor

Over the shoulders
Fences with suspicion
Trading on the sly

Written for Mary's Mixed Bag at Real Toads with prompt -fences-

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Solitude

                                                                            Picture by SirrobO1
Image: A lone coconut on the beach
Source: Wikinedia Commons licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported licence.(here)

Basking in the sun
Taking in the tan
Lying by the sea shore
Not a worry no more
The sea breeze seeks
To brush by my cheeks
Constant lashings of the waves
Slow sounds in low octaves

Not a bother in the world

Free to laze easy
Nothing near from being busy
Moments of solitude
Feelings of gratitude
No one to intrude
Heightened my mood
Easiness held sway
Alone in a good way
None that I’m seeing
Engulfed all my being

Not a bother in the world

But then where is everybody?

Written for Claudia's Meeting the Bar at d'Verse with beautiful solitude

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Protests

Groping aimlessly
Morsel of blind allegiance
Motley of events

Darkness stifles growth
Indignantly defiant
Ingrained in nature

Let there be light, ray
of hope collectively for
Man in transition

Note: A film-maker triggered off events of protests. We had hoped for peaceful solutions for Man is always in transition at any point of time

Writtenfor Haiku Heights September Hts Day 20 P#179 with prompt - light-

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Island


                                                                        Koh Lipe Island,Thailand 

Image: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license as extended by the author Vasco Planet World Photography through Wikipedia Commons (here)         

Secluded, untouched
Exuding bright rays of hope
Island of beauty

Adored by many
Pristine serene and misty
Far from prying eyes

Not readily seen
Just rare glimpse at the window
Smiles are luxuries

A forbidden fruit
Uppermost, Mom’s approval
A courtship of old

Note: Courtship many years ago, from a distance stealing glaces, nothing physical unlike now.

Written for Haiku Heights September Hts Day 19 P#178 and Claudia's d'Verse's OpenLinkNights week 62

Monday, September 17, 2012

Life's Good


Image: Sourced from Wikimedia Commons
Released through licence by the author Americo Nunes (here)

Welcoming a day of tolerance
We are fortunate to be blessed
From morning till night
A little while a little while
None that we crave
For we found credence in
Little things we do
That spread the message
Most often ignored
Or just missed
Tossed by the wayside

Why must it escape us
A hidden power imposing
A will of constraints impacting
Bad Feng Shui afflicting our being?

No, rise to the occasion
Life is a constant struggle 
Do good, make good
We pave the way
For our own destiny
Others are none the wiser

Shared with Carry on Tuesday #173 with prompt a little while a little while, One Single Impression #238 with prompt constant, Real Toad's Open Link Monday and Poets United's Poetry Pantry #115

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Chubby


                                                       Venus and the Sailor, 1925 by S Dali
Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

He was on shore leave
His ship berthed at his homeport
His old flame waiting

She was seen crying
Why love, let us have a fling
I need some hugging!

You did remember?
Before I  left we had fun
Not having the same?

No, just a dream, you
need four hands to wrap around
of what I now am

Written for Tess’ Magpie #135

Saturday, September 15, 2012

First Born



Image: Sourced from Wikimedia Commons (here).

The day dawned early
A day earlier it had all started
She complained of searing pain
Inexperienced I could only lament
Heard say around the abdomen

Seeing it then for the first time

Twisting and turning, grimacing
Heavens dropped from the sky
This has to be it, I sighed

I stepped on the gas
As fast as I could manage
In no time she was in good hands
Snugly between the sheets
Assurance all round
the doctor, the nurse
This was quite normal,
they said in unison
Intermittent pains through the night
She took it bravely
That I could see

I got back early the next morning
She had been rolled in
I made a request to be by her side
Garbed in the hospital attire
I held her hands and waited

Immobile, manacled more or less
She could still manage a smile
Dr McCoy, eminent gynae
Kept repeating, ‘it’s ok, love
It’ll only take a minute, love
Hold  your breath, love
Push,yes,push,love
There you are!

A clattering of sounds followed
Scissors, stainless steel containers
Shuffles of feet
Movements of nurses
A slap on the butt
A shrill cry
Oh! such a wonderful sound

Hearing it then for the first time

What an accomplishment!
My loving wife, Shadah
My first-born, Adura a gift
A bundle of joy with blessings
from God, the AlMighty

Note: This was meant to be a reply to Mary,Serena and Brian, the early comments received  But I decided to include it here as some sort of an epilogue. There are lots to tell. It would be relevant I think to other subsequent comments as well.

"It was an experience like no other! I was told it would be good to be by Shadah's side. I was holding her right hand throughout.  Both our hands were sweaty and I was whispering lots of things which I don’t quite remember now, mostly soft prayers, barely audible. Beads of sweat slowIy appeared at the forehead and trickled down. More on my forehead than on Shadah’s!

I could sense the fright in her despite her brave attempts to smile to me. I was really glad I was there physically giving all the support. Which I thought was nothing much then ( but she later confided it meant everything to her)

I was on her side, I didn’t see what Dr McCoy was doing. I dreaded it. I thought I might faint or I might be in the way. I peeked back only to see his gloved hands stitching when it was nearly over. Phew squared!"

Written for Fred's d'Verse Poetics: First times

Friday, September 14, 2012

Creation


                                         "The Politicians' Serpents Tempting Our Democratic Eve".
Image:  Front page political cartoon, "The Mascot", New Orleans, 9 July 1887. 
(This media file is in the public domain where the copyright has expired)
Source: Wikimedia Commons

What likely caused the
figment of imagining
that God’s creation

of Woman as Man’s
companion was not a
stimuli on Man

to endeavor his
efforts just to please Woman
and in so doing

it evoked the ills 
of Mankind to spawn conflicts
that thrived since then?

Note: An all endearing question written in haiku form. Looks like haiku,sounds like haiku must it necessarily be accepted as haiku?

Written for Haiku Heights’s Sept Heights Day 15 P# 174 with prompt -creation-

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Revelation

Awareness wilted
Community service waned
Pandering to self

Modern living, self
interest uppermost and
selfish in nature

What revelation?
Urbanized folks restrained from
extending a hand

Written for Haiku Heights Sept Heights Day 14 P#173

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Happiness

Happiness is to be close to nature

Image Title: Children Look Carefully for Birds. 

This file (Children look carefully for birds) is in public domain, not copyrighted, no rights reserved, free for any use
Picture Source: Public Domain Image.com (here)

Symphony of  life
Juxtaposed of events
Most memorable

An oasis mired
in laughter, tragedy, tears
without exception

Porous, pragmatic
Testing and sensational
Ordered, disordered

Relive the trivia
Success and achievements or
shambles and mistakes

Makes life all the more
fulfilled, satisfying, have
it no other way

Written for Haiku Heights Sept Heights Day 13 P#172 with prompt - symphony-

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Divine


                                                                    Picture by Petr Kratochvil
Image: Red Tulips, divinely dignified 
Picture Source: Random free pictures from Public Domain Pictures.net (here) where you can find more pics by Petr

Pretext to forgive
To err an onslaught to good
sense. Feigned to please

Disturbed divine light
Cavorting in sinful acts
Squirming in darkness

Sensed life’s tortuous ways
Divine wisdom called upon
to right paths of sin

Written for  Brian's dVerse's OpenLinkNight #61 and  Haiku Height’s  September Heights Day 11 P# 170 with prompt – divine

Monday, September 10, 2012

Butterfly


                                                                                 Photo by Jon Sullivan
Picture Credit: Sourced from Public Domain images (here)

Ruefully moving
Lone butterfly fluttering
Aimlessly tugging

To lament the end
Warmth of summer lingering
Left by the wayside

Making an entry
Autumn slowly creeping in
Presence most welcomed

Chev reasoned the necessity of incorporating a kigo (a seasonword) in a haiku
Butterflies are a kigo for Summer

Written for Chev's Tackle it Tuesday with inclusion of a kigo - butterfly-  and Real Toad's Open Link Monday

Public domain images:  All images are copyright friendly - safe images, not copyrighted, no restriction for their use, no rights reserved.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Breakfast


                                                        Breakfast, 1921 by Fernand Leger
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Breakfast in bed
Is it a fad or am I misled
Heard it been said
Supposedly a privilege
A special occasion
Accorded to a person

But it is the first meal
Ought to have appeal
To enjoy at a leisurely pace
Sitting at a table with grace
No danger of spillage
The posture is well placed

Would rather learn
For one who had earned
To respect food
To eat and feel good
Healthy and wise
For a meal that’s nice

Written for Tess' Magpie #134

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Autumn Chills


                                                                                     Photo by Mary Kling
Image: Courtesy of Mary taken from dVerse

Spurs
Autumn's
magical
new abundance
Fulfillment and maturity heightened
Cheering fans, happy,some trepidation,
What is the dare?
Mindful that
Life is
Fair!

Note: Tetractys, a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consists of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 syllables (total of 20). Tetractys can be written as a Double Tetractys with 2 verses, but must follow suit with an inverted syllable count
I’ve chosen to write such a Double Tetractys of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1

Written for Mary's Poetics: Autumn Chills in the Air at d'Verse

Friday, September 7, 2012

Current Feel

The feel is missing
To render a helping hand
A thing of the past

May  not readily
be expended by all but
only those who care

Neighbors are strangers
The rat race pushed convention
Out of the window

‘Bothering others’
‘Not their fare’, ‘loss of contact’
Likely excuses  

Written for Haiku Heights Sept Heights Day 08 P" 167 with prompt - render-

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Signs of Autumn


                                                                   Autumn Sky by Amber Sunset
Image: Courtesy of Think Tank Thursday

Peering up the sky
Scattered brown in copper tones
Mysterious nature

From heat of summer
Toned down feelings of Autumn 
Defining moments

Nebulously lodged
Preceding cold of winter
Tolerable warmth

Man's life  given strength
Somewhat the roaring forties
Peak of his prowess

Written for Poets United Think Tank Thursday #113 with prompt - signs of Autumn and Victoria's d'Verse - Meeting the Bar - symbolism

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Deprived


Image: A homeless
Royalty free from Microsoft Office free images and clipart
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/

A familiar breed making rare appearances
Akin to a hermit’s life all for a paltry existence
A slow pace nothing urgent but a rendezvous
at the kitchen and hopeful for a bowl of soup
No qualms of meeting some old friends
just as unfortunate all with their worldly possessions
close by them bidding for some help
Responsibilities diminished.

Certainty of the morrow will be another day 
just as normal without a doubt of getting still another bowl
with maybe some handouts from a benefactor
To give a boost of expectations of some kind
To soothe the soul of one of the many
An increase in number by the day
of the economically barren, the homeless

Shared with Poets United's Vice-Versa #14 with prompts of antonyms familiar/rare,diminish /increase and doubt / certainty and d'Verse's  OpenLinkNight

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Loneliness


Picture Source: Public Domain Pictures.net (here)
(Royalty free stock photos. All pictures are free for commercial and personal use)

Innocence shredded
Petrified of his shadows
Pangs of loneliness

Affected her health
Hair disheveled dress crumpled
His memory lingered

Winsome beau revered
Marauding thoughts ran wildly
Struck a vital chord

Guilt pervaded her mind
If only she brought herself
out of the abyss

She would overcome
Her resolve was determined
No more self pity 

Written for Haiku Heights Day 03 Sept Heights - loneliness- and Open Link Monday at Real Toads

Warmth of Nights


                                                                Summer Night, 1913, by Albert Bloch
Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

The heat of summer
Painfully tugging, pulling
Gnawing at the skin

Bright and breezy some
days, hues of blue in the nights
Colors blend in warmth

Parched lips on chap sticks
Refrained, awaiting slowly
Autumn emerges

Written for Tess' Magpie #133 and Haiku Heights' September Heights Day 02 P#161 with prompt -color-

A Rebel

(just a fictitious/fictional dialogue)

Yeah!
Whassup?
Ain’t no good
Failed us again!
But it is so against what I stand for
Look! You either shape up or you ship out
No! You make me
Get him out!
Teach him!
Punk!

Note: Tetractys, a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consists of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 syllables (total of 20). Tetractys can be written with more than one verse, but must follow suit with an inverted syllable count 
I’ve chosen to write a Double Tetractys of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1

Written for Stu's Poetics: The Art of Rebellion at d'Verse and Poets United's Poetry Pantry #113