Desert Pit Stop

                                                                                                     Attribution: Ji-Elle
Image: Desert travelers
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Caravanserai

Fitting pit stop for weary

desert travelers

Head splitting stomach

churning rest awhile a long

tiring ride ahead

Tension eased, music

food, peaceful night sky locked in

heaven's warm luster

Note: Caravanserai is resting place in the desert

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #260 with prompt caravanserai

A Superhero of Old

                                                                                   Author: Republic Pictures

Image: From Adventures of Captain Marvel

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

My recollection of superheroes

Were mainly of the Big Three of that vintage

Superman, Batman and Robin and Captain Marvel

Of them Captain Marvel left most memories

The impact was on account of many reasons

Captain Marvel had the strength of Superman

He could fly and righting wrongs where he found

And more so his shout out phrase ‘Open Shazam’!

First to be featured in his own serials on film

Sadly it did not sustain its own ‘immortality’

As a result of a copyright infringement suit

It went into oblivion

There were hopes of its return

But given the present crop

Of superheroes wannabes  

With all sorts of electronic peculiarities

It would have to have more on its plate

To come back to its heyday

Of superiority!

Written for Brian’s hosting at Poetry Jam talking on superheroes

as a prompt

Lethal War Machine

                                                                      Attribution: Tomas Castelazo

Image:  An American Crocodile

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

An anachronism

of the dinosaur period

Insisting in maintaining

its peculiar appearance

which had not changed

A crocodile a lethal

fighting  machine

Bulky and unwieldy

Depended on stealth

In hunting for its booty

Its hunting grounds

pools of water dark and murky

Priming itself just below the surface

Eyes nonchalantly darting

barely unseen

An unlucky calf

Stooped to take a drink

Jaws snapped

On soft thigh muscles

Rolled and whirled

In the water
It never stood a chance

Written for d'Verse OpenLinkNight week #107

Space to Move - An etheree

                                                                                  Attribution: S Ivanov
Image: Galaxy NGC 1300
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Space

One needs

more than  just

Space to muster

Efforts and gumption

to burst out from the chest

So much to rally round that

one is not strong enough to snuff

Need to react positively to

friendly banter with friends and foes alike

Hedge aka Joy is hosting at Real Toad's Week-end Mini Challenge with etheree
a form that progressively increases in syllable count from one to ten
Shared with Theme Thursday with prompt - space

Melt-down, Pessimism Ahead?

                                                                            Attribution: BigMacSC99
Image: A Gloomy Wall St Intersection
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

A change for the able

A motivation no less

To catapult one to a higher level

Vying for one’s best

Sensing a world of unlimited wants

But stifled by scarce resources

One at the forefront

Discounting unbridled losses

Searching for solutions

To overcome shrinking revenue

Conflicts abound with options

How to make out anew

The business world revolve

On its own momentum

Extending a reach to involve

The reckless shenanigans

But the economy is rudely facing

Trying times without recourse

A market smaller in offerings

Contracting on untimely remorse

Gets frightening

Just thinking

How it had been

Previous sub-prime thing!

Written for Poets United's Poetry Pantry #160  and Kerry's hosting at Real Toad's Open Link Monday

Recycling Old Car Models

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Myriads of colorful balloons

Lifting ‘some baggage’ up high

Old fashioned way to be air borne

Relentlessly reaching for the sky

Great imagination is necessary

To keep the baggage afloat

Such spells in defiance of gravity

Not too soon to gloat

Precursor of hot air bubbles

In big wicker baskets if one dares

Dreams come true in old car models

Driving in space is a daring fare

Written for Tess’ Magpie Tales # 179

Dry and Hot Countryside

                                                                               Attribution: Michael Gabler

Image: Kolob Valley, at the Zion National Park part of the Utah Countryside

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

The Wordle with the following words given:

cells crows eroded last one scarce strength rain revisited rooted wove vegetation

Scarce rainfall

one of subdued

strength eroded

vegetation woven
in rooted cells of
dry countryside
where crows
last revisited

Written for Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #119

Fun and Games (MF)

Image:  Courtesy of Grandma's Goulash week #123

Atlantic City of old
where leisure and pleasure
were woven into a fine
fabric of life's fun and
games to cater for all tastes
and types

(140 Characters)

Note: Atlantic City, known for casino gambling, conventions, and leisure.

Discover everything to do in AC whatever your pleasure!

Grandama aka Linda at Succinctly Yours #123 provided the image above for us to
write a Micro Fiction of not more than 140 characters and to include the word
of the week  -  woven

Liberated and Free

                                                                                       Attribution:  Saloca

Image: Chef at Work
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

What a sight to see

Not uncommon happenings

Tied by apron strings

Deftly started with

the greens and with kitchen knife

Concocted  a  dish

Kids ready for school

Dressed up and down for breakfast

Led to the school bus 

Went upstairs baby’s

Diapers changed tucked in bed. Hail,

Liberated male!

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM # 257with prompt  -  liberated

Water and Water Matters

                                                                                     Attribution:  Tubantia

Image: A Water Mill

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

From the air to earth’s surface  

A giver of hope and life

Monopolizing the landscape

Found in varied forms

Or hidden underground

Known variously

Depending on regions

Progressing from puddles

Springs streams canal and rivers 

Finding its own levels

To the sea bay and ocean blue

Or tucked away of hidden fjords

Lashed with rain and snow

Harnessed for benefits of mankind

Reservoir hydro-electric water-fall and irrigation

Visible before as water-mills or fire hydrants

For the love of sports and recreation

Boating sailing water skiing surfing

From the sea to land

Artificial dives slides all in fun

Beware though the bane of shipping

Storms hurricanes and until recently

The destruction of the tsunami

No way to run but to appreciate and savor

The reality of the situation

A living being in need

As provided courtesy of Providence

Three-fourth of earth’s surface

A flowing body or expanse of oceans

Water a life’s sustenance

Written for Karin’s hosting at d’Verse to talk everything  of water

Consequences of Confrontation

                                                                     Attribution: Benson Kua
Image: "I found them arguing so I made them talk"
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Bad word best not to

provoke its presence it brings

bad consequences

Hot air fluttering

Tension build up moving fast

Sane thinking flustered

Tempers on thin ice

Just waiting to trigger off

No mood to be nice

But confrontation

in bold healthy arguments 

can create grand results

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #256 with prompt - confrontation

Some Deer Fences

                                                                 Attribution: Roger McLachlan
Image: Deer fence in Scotland put up to protect woodland plantings along sides of
the lochs (lakes) to prevent deer from swimming
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

                                                                                     Attribution: Lis Burke
Image: Access stile on deer fence built at frequent intervals along the length of
the deer fence
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Note: The above fences were built to prevent encroachments of wild deer to planted woodlands. The deer fences that I saw in New Zealand were built on deer farms. These were of higher fencing of approximately 12 to 15 feet in height,  more elaborate meant to prevent the deer from escaping.

Written for Life According to Jan and Jer's Friday's Fences #90

Of A Foolish Abandon

                                                                                 Attribution: Keven Law
Image: An Angry Wildcat
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Never one to pass off an opportunity

He pursued with serious abandon

Despite a slow uptake a duty

To his being he reckoned

Would it be right

Derelict on ideas

But a thinking so bright

He thought not to apologize

But to no avail

Relentlessly pursuing

Lest he failed

To medicate his ego knowing

Fully well

To slow down

A groundswell

of affairs so profound

would be inviting

a disaster

but  he continued

despite signs of impending failure

Written for 3WW with words derelict,apologize and medicate

Charms of the Hibiscus

Image: Courtesy of Chev's CARPE DIEM

Extending its charms

Hibiscus in varied hues

Regal in stature

Softness in beauty

Admiration for a day

Dignified exit

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM - Imagination #5 - a Chinese Rose

Grappling with Gripes

                                                                                          Attribution: Jakub Halun
Image: Birds on Sticks - Street Food in Shanghai
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Propelling his mind through sloppy ventures
A slice of ungrateful windows showing their noses
The fury of winds skating on calm waters
Of tenderness evolved shining as shadows

He felt curious stares of mice so blind
Liken to clear surface on table tops
He paced his parched lips on grated lines
And started running slipping back with stops

The shrill cry of nights with sleepy owls
Could fill gritting teeth that pushed his resolve
Blue in his face but he kept playing foul
A factor that kept needling him to absolve

Shaking his head he could only smile
His perch unshaken deep in a broken dish
Self rooted to surface for some while
He was not inclined to such goodness bliss

Still of the night, blasted at his anger
Urged on by graceful maidens he faced
As that was typical of his own bother
He could only strike at knotted white laces

Written for Get Listed, The Grapeling's Way at Real Toads

Animal Unchained and Unchanged

                                                                        Attribution: US Fish and WildlifeService
Image: A Wild Animal
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

You had risen from the heap

Smoking at the nostrils a bull seeing red

Fiery eyes advancing menacingly

Through the shadows gingerly

I’ve seen this animal in you before

And you wanted more

High speed ambulance driver

converted in a flash to savor

Swept off my feet in swashbuckling mode

A seething knight in armor you rode

I’m seeing it again OMG!

You’re giving everything you’ve got

Tempest of stormy weather

Splurged upon me, no small wonder

Told you thousand times before

(Mummy!  I’m done for)

Without an appearance

for far too long

He’s all worked up for all good reasons

A victim of his passion!

Written for d'Verse's OpenLinkNight week #106 and Mrsupole’s hosting at
Theme Thursday, with prompt   -  passion

A Streaker's Dilemma

                                                                                    Painting by Andrew Wyeth 

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Done with my streaking

You should have seen their eyes

How they popped out

More of surprise than anger

They did not expect anything like this

And it was also a stroke of good luck

I did not anticipate the large crowd

Tonight it was somehow unusual

And they were very sporting

Did you see the guy with the red hat

The burly and menacing looking

I thought he was trying to stop me

I started with a slow run further down

The ladies were already screaming

when I reached him

He came at me

I thought he was swinging a punch

Lo and behold! He cleared the path

for me. He was making it easier for me

In fact he followed slowly to make

sure I had a clear passage

I owed him one!

It was pretty tiring

That was a long run

I had better get back to my bike

 Hey! Who switched on my lights!

What happened to my clothes?

I was lucky I hid my wallet and bike keys

under the stone in the bush

I’ll better go get them

Lesson learnt

Next time for a streaking stint

No more bikes!

Bring the car!

Written for Tess’ Magpie Tales #178

Reality in Life

                                                                                    Attribution:  ceridwen                

Image: A Decomposed  Leaf  (substitute for
image of a decomposing flower ) (here)

decomposed flowers

silent witness of a relative

red tear-stained eyes

Stark reality in life

Sustenance brief and fleeting

decomposed flowers

silent witness of a relative

red tear-stained eyes

Divine intervention not
invoked by design 

Note:  Kris provided us a haiku and we are to make it a tanka by adding  2 lines

of 7 syllables making the syllable count as  5-7-5-7-7.  I’ve decided an offering

of 2 tanka

Written for Chev’s CARPE DIEM's Tan Renga Challenge #7  and
shared with Open Link Monday at Real Toads

A Mesh of Memory

                                                                                         Attribution: Mdf

Image: Red-headed Woodpecker

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

The given words:

become,driven,longing,key,mesh,night,no,repair.room.slate,tear,think

What is to become of a long driven

longing to get some chow and then
just repair to its room,

Its nest!

The key to nights of bliss

on a given slate, no tears

no bother!

But who  would think to have

created this ! Just to stifle its

yearnings!

A mesh of goodness, bird food
now not easily accessible
blocked!

Written for Brenda’s hosting of Sunday Whirl, Wordle #118 with the given 12 words

Swooning to the Pop Stars

  Attribution:  National Archief, Den Haag

Image: Sir Cliff Richard and the Shadows at Schipol Airport 1962.
Behind Cliff from left: Bruce Welch, Tony Meehan, Jet Harris and Hank Marvin
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

This has the makings of how pop stars were mobbed

Screaming teeny -boppers, wide eyed, shedding tears unashamedly

Reaching out, waving and grapping where possible their idols

Hysterical and crying out loud sweating profusely

Swooning over the  very same people who cut their records

No YouTubes, DVDs to talk of but vinyl covers emblazoned

With colorful pictures and the tracks inside that they could ill afford

Placed close to their heart or waved vigorously to catch attention

There have been large noisy crowds at present day concerts

But one never gets to hear of shirt-grabbing episodes that followed

Have teens these days matured beyond that the desire to exert

Is no more there as cyber space and FB have made them mellowed?

What a fun thing they had all missed!

Written for Sandy's hosting of One Single Impression #281 with prompt – swoon

J

Innocence Denied

                                                                                 Attribution: Bob Petersen

Image: Innocence Blooming
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

He stood there holding out for his own

Not the slightest bother on others around

His mind wondered far but he stood his grounds

Seemingly confident without a sound

Wrinkles lined his pock marked face

Had seen better days before in his heyday

He reflected on the twist of fate

It could not be any other way

It was a good lesson

He should have stood up to his rights

He was innocent

But he let his guard down without a fight

He shouldn’t have trusted others

They looked after their own

They disappeared when  it mattered

And left him holding the baby alone

He bade farewell to the good life

Fugitive from the law he was labeled

He now depended on his wiles to survive

To stamp his innocence later when able

Written for Sandy’s hosting at One Single Impression #280

with prompt  - wrinkle

Timely Reminder

                                                                                                        Photo: Hank's
Image: Unripe Dates - Timeless  at an Oasis

Caressed at softly

Time a favored element

Savored by many

Not to be wasted

Not forgotten nor ignored

In squint of instance

Nibbled at slowly

Unique sweetness assured like

dates of the desert

Harsh conditions but
timely distribution with

journeys undeterred

Written for Leo's at Haiuku Heights #266 with prompt - time

Virtue Most Elusive

                                                                           Attribution: Sam Mugraby Photo8.com
Image: A Loving Couple in Trusting Mode
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Credibility

Virtue most profound

Inspiring belief

Witness under siege

Reliability questioned

Defence’s real nightmare

Reasons to believe

Voice of a politician

Lacking commitment

Quality of trust

Character of  high esteem

Lovers' paradise

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #250 with prompt - credibility

A Huitain - Symbolism

                                                                          Attribution:  Paul Friel

Image: A Bald Eagle – a symbol of regal bearing

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

An eagle often symbolizes strength, courage, farsightedness and immortality.
It is considered king of the air and invincible against all other birds

Symbol of strength, courage, regal bearing
and of a nation’s immortality
Bald eagle soars high in all eagerness
Savoring its invincibility
Its strength emblazoned in its entirety
Policing below entire regions
For a common cause of tranquility
Commands a view of peaceful assertions

Written for Tony's’s hosting at d’Verse, Mix and Match

Note: I’ve mixed and matched Victoria’s earlier posting of Sept 06 2012

with prompt - Symbolism. It's matched with one in a huitain form. It  is  of an

ababbcbc rhyming  structure maintaining a 10 syllable count in all 8 lines.

Alone in His Thoughts!

                                                                                                                  Attribution: Carin Araujo

Image: A Smiling Baby

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

His thoughts traverse the ocean blue

His far-away vision seeing unusual happenings

He tried to recall sitting in heavenly comfort

Something strange of yester-years

Floating in wavy flow across his mind

He was young then very innocent

He was brash then unyielding

He was rash and impulsive

He was outspoken quarrelsome

Fluid with all pretenses and he was alone

She was the only soul who dared

She showed her friendly self

Showered love and affections

Taught him to be gregarious

In the face of sneering beings

Afforded and accorded the companionship

That he so yearned but elusive till then

She was all that he needed

She was all heaven in his eyes

She was everything

Assigning her all excitements

Truthfulness, laughter and fun

How she filled the emptiness

With a bundle of joy

So lovely and lively

A part of her beauty retained

A baby boy so endearing

With thoughts of a bright future

How he had wished

But for that twist of fate

He kept staring cold in thoughts

Blank in sight but focused

He was again now alone

having left baby at home

It was peaceful quiet but eerie

With a slight breeze brushing his hands

Like she did before

He was again now alone!

But for her starkly sturdy tombstone.

Written for 3WW with words traverse, pretense and assign

Squeezing Variety

                                                                                           Attribution: Richard Dorrell
Image: Tight Squeeze Access
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Unbearable heat

Squeeze an orange for juices

To quench the parched lips

Honey! come over

This dark corner provides space

let us squeeze in here!

Squeezed of hard-earned cash

Consumers fell victims to

The greedy traders

The wayward persists

Trying to squeeze blood from stone

Just wasted efforts 

Written for Leo's Haiku Heights #265 with prompt - squeeze and Poetry Jam  - with prompt Feel the Heat

Heat of the Moment

                                                                                     Attribution: jeffreyw
Image: An Angry Bird ( A Ruby-Throated Humming Bird)
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

In the heat of the moment

Rashness of temper

Makes one lose momentum

Wrought good judgement asunder

Plausible explanation to counter

The loss of rational thinking

But is there nothing else to offer

Why a sudden outburst is blamed

Being goaded into action

Nothing substantial

Some minor intransigence

Triggered off the potential

Consequences may turn out serious

Easily offered as an excuse

Just human weakness

A convenient ruse

Written for Brian's hosting at d’Verse’s OpenLinkNight week 105 (significantly this being the 3rd Anniversary of d'Verse) to be shared with Mrsupole's Theme Thursday with prompt – heat 

Unflinching Will-Power

                                                                            Attribution: Kadellar

Image: Striving with Will-Power

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Fervent thrust of thoughts

Sustenance of will-power

Mind over matter

Unshaken resolve

Propensity to stake a

position of strength

A  yearning to win

Pushing forward to strive and

thrive on the quiet

Unflinching finesse

Tenacious stance to forage
Succeed with flourish 

Written for Chev’s CARPE DIEM #247 with prompt  - will-power

To Meet Her Craving (MF)

Image: Courtesy of Grandma's Goulash

Determined to get her
favorite food she elected
to trudge in the downpour
looking for the familiar
stall which was not
at its usual spot

(140 characters)

Linda at Grandma's Goulash week 121 invites us to write a Micro Fiction based on the
above image in not more than 140 characters and to include the word elect 

A New Planet

                                                                                                Attribution: NASA
Image: The New Planet Fomalhaut-b orbiting its own sun the Fomalhaut
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)
The Sunday Wordle with the given words:

conscience,detect,friends,lab,leave,mistake,note,rest,second,sick,together,translate

(could not place the word sick)

The space lab was jubilant
It managed to detect a new planet
Make no mistake, it orbits its own sun
With a chic given name, Fomalhaut

Fomalhaut-b is the new planet named
Surrounding it a Saturn-like ring structure
Comprising brown and gold colors aflamed
Leaving them like friends close together

Translating a conscience long noted
Are yet to reveal from the rest of the galaxy
Likely second planets may still be discovered
Takes time it may seem but still very likely

Written for Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #117 with the given words above and Kerry's hosting at Real Toad's Open Link Monday

Music by Karunesh

                                                                                           Attribution: lin padgham

Image: A Desert Scene

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Beauty of sparkling

desert living, a Spartan

way of existence

Listening intently yet

Unfazed of the searing  heat

Note: Kristjaan provided a music video as prompt with music by Karunesh
that has a Middle Eastern touch

Written a tanka for Chev's CARPE DIEM #245 with prompt - listening

Onslaught of Summer Heat

                                                                               Attribution: High Contrast 

Image: Rudbeckia Fulgida Faded in the Summer Heat

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Blazing summer heat beating down mercilessly

Onslaught on vulnerable living things profusely  

Without recourse torrid of nature’s spurn unfairly

Of good Mother Earth taking the brunt squarely

Nestled in one corner of the garden in all innocence

Making an appearance long after a quiet in hibernation

A patch of flowers in full bloom proudly arrogant

Taking on nature’s discord to survive as a challenge

Unrelenting as all of other living things out there then

Trying desperately in all fairness to sustain a fair existence

Devoid of protection but reaching out without pretentions

Treading each step accepting the specter of nature’s warmth

Such is the snarl of terror of the summer sun

Liken to an act of retribution for dissidents

Daring at the outset to offer mundane resistance

Remorseful eventually reeling against all regiment

Written for Claudia’s hosting at d’Verse , Poetics on 

summer's scorching sun

Mood Swings Malady

                                                                           Attribution: Cyron Ray Macey

Image: The Angry Sky

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Privately one thinks

Upon observation, mood

swings evoke some thoughts

Fluctuates from laughter

to tantrums, within seconds

All without conscience

Mystifying to

the unaccustomed, dreaded

by those familiar

Written for Chev’s CARPE DIEM # 244 with prompt -  mystery and
Leo’s Haiku Heights #264 with  - swings

Trials and Tribulation

                                                                               Attribution: Archenzo
Image: The Will to Survive
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Still wondering of

trials and tribulations of

what life has in store

One reflects on why

it runs smoothly for some but

not for some others

Blessed are those chosen

Providence is always a

fair Equalizer

Written for Chev’s CARPE DIEM #243 with prompt   -  tribulation

Desires in Calm Waters

                                                                                Attribution: Andy Beecroft
Image: A Young Couple Trying to Make Up
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Whispers of sweet nothings softly

Knocked a little a time expecting

How efficient it was to be silly

Pushed in as much of the same trying

Love knew no bounds but still insisting

Mindful of being snubbed as before

Trudged on tenacious in reckoning

Persisting and pulsating even more

A sly smile was all that he perceived

But just as well there was a response

Open your heart and not to deceive

Desires in calm waters not enjoined

Note: Not schooled in poetry writing wondering if this is acceptable.

Tony hosting at d’Verse’s Forms for All with  - bang bang bang crash on the intricacies of
writing accentual alliteration.

Locked in or Locked Out

                                                                                Attribution:  MGM Inc

Image Elvis in Jailhouse Rock

Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Locked out, an indication one is not wanted

The snow, rain and cold out there triggered

Hoping though the weather is kind

A respite in a way to give time

To reflect on what had transpired

For it wears off even the physically well structured

The vagaries of the elements

Impacting on the emotions

Running hot or cold

Subjecting the poor souls

To health constrains beyond

The being is tested and one suffers alone

Locked in is more dreaded

Behind bars or ‘house arrested’

Confined within the four walls

With no personal freedom at all

Free movements are restricted

Or not at all accorded

Is it a good choice then

being locked out or locked in

Emotionally the effect is the same

Whether innocent or delinquent

Allowing those having the power

To allow the rat in the sewer

To act out their whims and fancies

To various forms of indignities

To which the hapless

Jail-birds and nameless

are subjected

to have their resolve wrecked

Written for  3-WordWednesday with words: trigger,delinquent and hapless, 
Poetry Jam with prompt - birds  and Poets United’s Verse First with prompt - lock

Measure of Strength

                                                                     Attribution: Paramount Pictures
Image: The King
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

A measure of strength
Design of character laced
with regal bearing

Reminiscent of tussle
for power typifying
kings of yesteryears

Pompous appearance
on the podium of honor
befitting stature

Written for Leo's  Haiku Heights #263 with prompt  -  measure

Companions at Hand

                                                                                    Attribution:  Burim
Image:  Old Friendship
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Ignites human cause
Extending life's hand, earnest
in bids of friendship

Occasions merit
sincerity in wit and
like indiscretion

Devoid of feigned feuds
facades of conflicts all for
warmth of human touch

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #243 with prompt - companions
and Bjorn's hosting at d'Verse's OpenLinkNights week #104

Nonsensical Nibblings

                                                                                       Attribution: Diego Delso
Image: BMW Tower viewed from the bottom
Source: Wikimedia Commons (here)

Strickened strategy

Sacrificed a winning streak

And stifled success

Rapport not rebuked

Or rebuffed reconciled a

Recluse’s reluctance

Outright oversight

Obscured likely odious and

Obnoxious  ogre

Wrecked in bid to wrest

Wisdom from the wayward he

Wobbled  in weird woes

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #241 with prompt  - sacrifice and Real Toad's Open Link Mondays