Continuing the Journey

                                                                                 Author: OSU Special Colllections
Image: Geisha Girl Playing the Samisen (here)

Spiritual forces
Enlightenment yearnings set
to engulf oneself

Sincere wishes to
achieving heart's desires
on a pilgrimage

Last leg to journey's
Shikoku aspirations
Good tidings ahead

Chev's CARPE DIEM # 410 Kanjizai

The New WhatsApp Billionaires

                                                                                             Attribution: Kabeleger
Image: A Swiss Success (here)

The Given Words:

3WW: aspire, beast, slurp 

Theme Thursday: playful 

Poets United: success

To aspire for success is to slurp for many things

There is only the beast in us that plays the devil

Which negates positive efforts and  end frustrating

Playful and being non-committal are twin evils

Is it true success is a function of time and money

Corresponding twin elements that spell happiness

An epitome of honor that begets glory

Meticulously planned and implemented to harness

The fruits of labor so desirous to one’s heart

A time-frame not equitable to attention given

Tools of the trade and desire are poles apart

Resolve stunted by pain of bankruptcy even

Recent new WhatsApp billionaires tell the story

Not just good fortune and luck to fare in business

Uncanny talents of an innovator are necessary

Awareness of a demand deficiency invokes a genius

Written for Thomg's hosting at 3WW, Mrsupole's
at Theme Thursday and Susan's at Poets United

A House Forgotten!

                                                                                      Author: Irving Rusinow
Image: Abandoned (here)

The 29 chosen words:

jade, insulated, chandeliers

weather, scattered, mourning

albatross, plague, plucked

messengers, wings, difficult

quest, mysteries, royal, journey

believe, thousand, tumble

guttural, deceit, sea, peeled,

pessimism, mindless, tornado,

hummingbirds balancing,

whirlwind, 

Jaded with age the chandeliers hung precariously

Insulated from vagaries of the weather it withstood forlornly

Below scattered as though in mourning were books
Of various shapes and colors plucked from the shelves
Like a plague these were extended across the room 

The grandfather clock was no more working

A shawl covering its face, was like an albatross dangling
Waiting in the wings were messengers in their quest
to take in some of the spoils where possible

Difficult to perceive the mysteries of a royal journey

Taking a thousand tumble to believe that deceit

was just a guttural irritant in a sea of pessimism

Keeping eyes peeled in mindless throes of the
whirlwind tornado it could only wish the noiseless
flapping of the hummingbirds could accord a balance

For We Write Poems Wordle #8 and shared with
Brian's hosting at d'Verse's OpenLinkNight

Beings of Piety

                                                                                                  Author: Man vyl
Image:  Pilgrims to Hermitage St Helier (here)

Calm souls engrossed in

acts of solace bequeathed to

beings of piety

Reaching out upon

blessings befitting of a

religious order

Akin to flowers’

tenacious push to survive

through adverse ill-will

Pilgrims’ journey paved

with thorns but surmounted by

faith of lighted path

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #406

Mug-shot Plays Foul!

Image: Courtesy of Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle

The words are:

blown bring course eggs form high

mug peep stick trial trust test

It is blown out of proportions

The idea is to bring it on course

It is not wise in the present form

Eggs in one basket not a recourse

High and mighty in the hierarchy

The mug shot reflects his status

Peep of seemingly notorious infamy

During the trial was overly vicious

Should it stick in the jury’s minds

It is untold disaster about to unfold

His trust in God for the very first time

Is putting to test a reformed soul

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #149 shared with
Kerry's Open Link Mondays at Real Toads

No Dancing Shoes! - MF

Image: Courtesy of Grandma's

Xylophone strains were
not enough to cause
the stuck shoes to dance
The anger when the shoes
were flung up must have
been overwhelming!

(140 characters)

For Grandma's Goulash Succinctly Yours with the word - xylophone

Gems at the Tip of the Tongue!

                                                                        Attribution: Harrison Weir

Image: The Sleeping Hare (here)

It is fun and simple

Often relates to some things

familiar and at hand

It’ll catch immediate attention

There is a relief on concluding

each episode often with

poetic justice acclaimed

and with a tinge of education

Who has not heard of the Hare

and the tortoise!

Fables have always been around

to instill awareness and

wonder in young minds

Explained simply yet effectively

Gems to parents wanting to

convey strong messages

immediately upon occurrence

Elements of fairy tales

Yet with credibility

Never trust a flatterer

In the Fox and the Crow

Familiarity breeds contempt

In the Fox and the Lion

Why must it always be

The wily Fox, anyway!

Bjorn's hosting at d"Verse on  -  Fables

Tsunami of Joys

                                                                                          Attribution: Ian Capper

Image: Awaiting Tsunami of Joys (here)

Loneliness tugs the

heartstrings with pangs of hunger

elusive most times

Yet not alone for

beauty of Providence gives

access to yearnings

Messenger of love

heard laments when tsunami 

of joys overwhelm

Chev's CARPE DIEM #405 Zenjibuji talking of loneliness that met with love

They were vulnerable!

                                                                              Attribution: P Henstein
Image: Refugee Camps (here)

Semi-ruined Shared Collection Doubt  Roof  

Different Human  Cardboard Chance

Dismal Crestfallen Fragile Ever-present 

Contained Possibilities Future Stones Hours

A semi-ruined shack he shared with ‘uncle’

Uncle was the old man who ‘rescued’ him

when he arrived.

.

Having lost his parents to rebel fighters days

earlier he trudged along with the other

refugees and found himself without shelter

The chance of getting a roof over his head

was dismal though there were possibilities

Crestfallen he contained himself.

Uncle who was not given a tent himself

improvised with cardboards at the shack

That was not the problem. What he detested

most was the lawlessness propagated by gangs

of youth.  Acts of rape were common. A human

failing no doubt the situation  was fragile

Ever present were threats of physical violence

 and a future of empty hours. These were the
collection of thoughts weighing heavily like
stones on his shoulders. It was no different
in other tent cities.That was a consolation!

Get listed with Kenia at Real Toads

Leaders and Leadership

                                                                            Attribution: Hamed Saber
Image: A Leader is a Lonely Breed (here)

They are seen as larger than life

They make an appearance and stake

their claims. Rising through the ranks

is the usual scheme of things extending

their influence before being elected

to office. Some rare few take shortcuts

staging a coup de’ at forced on the masses

They come and go most on their own accord

But some are goaded out for some reasons

or other. All make an impact while in office

Political leaders play to the gallery to be

seen. A popularity contest determines

positions of strength to sustain their welcome

Corporate leaders impose themselves through

ability and skills. Often they align themselves

to the powers that be to be noticed. They

gain prominence through personal skills

employing subtle strategies often brutal

but surreptitiously done

In all instances of leadership there are

skills and principles involved. The right

implementation of such sophisticated

tools of management will determine success

or failure.

Leadership of a family unit is no exception

It is often more difficult as authority is not

as clear cut nor formalized. Democracy is

maximized these days and youngsters are

naturally rebellious. But love is the saving

grace that keeps the family from falling apart

Written for Poets United  -  Leaders and Leadership

Time for a Yarn!

Image: A Book Cover of the Bard's (here)

A         Ever tried to fix up an appointment
B         Not any appointments but among friends
B         Be forewarned for they have varied programs
A         And one is in for some disappointments

A         For fifty years our ties had gone on
B         We would prefer to have all to attend
B         Not many are involved just about ten
A         But still subject to some trying moments

C         Retirees have their own schedules done
D         Medical appointments set long before
E         Golf, tennis, the gym and religious meets

C         Weekly family gatherings and lunch
D         Many will have to be rescheduled for
E.        They are busy people one must admit

Note: This is a Petrarchan sonnet consisting of two quatrains and a
minor group of six lines (the sestet) at the end. The 10-syllable count
for each line is maintained but the iambic pentameter constraints
are disregarded

The rhyme pattern is: ABBA ABBA CDE CDE.

Written for Marian's challenge #3 of writing a sonnet at Real Toads and
shared with d'Verse's OpenLinkNight week 133

In Thundered Silence

                                                                      Attribution: I Made Yanuarta DPY

Image: Sunset at the Kuta Beach, Bali  (here)

Wordle words chosen: 27 out of 36:

blood, life, soul, instrument, tear, flesh

written, aim, fortune, gift, petition, needs,

 innocence, silence, thundered, subdued

fickle, heart, bone, breath, shiver ,afterlife

 plumes, crystallized. aperture, paradise,

entwined

Young blood relentlessly

pursuing in life an instrument

of honor to aim high in

thundered silence

To petition his needs in all

innocence he sought a  gift

a subdued gift an
acknowledgement by

nature of his heart and soul

Fickle as it was to breath easy

it sent a shiver to his bone

Entwined paradise crystallized

in a manner of fortune written

with a tear in the flesh  

A peek through an aperture

to the afterlife he could see

gingerly rising plumes of smoke

He still had the quizzical look

when he left  and asked

himself, 'but why now'?

Written for rsp's hosting We Write Poems with the Wordle #7
words given and Kerry's hosting of Open Link Monday at Real Toads

Motherly Instinct

                                                                                                    Author: Soytea

Image Douzan River Japan (here)

Exudes compassion

Possessively loving of

feminine nature

Divine presence felt

Enlightened sympathy over

extensive brood

Chev's CARPE DIEM #402 kokobunji

Times are Hard...

                                                         Photo: Universal Studios Lot, Instagram by sessepien
Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Seems strange unlike the previous tenant

It has been a month now coming to two

He came the moment it was vacant

But not this time even enquiries were few

Wonder what can be the reason

Ma has to feed six mouths

Can’t let it be empty for too long

It’ll eat into our loss

Ma is putting it to my shoulders

Never felt so insecure

End of my tether

Unsettling to endure

Pa used to be the one responsible

But Pa had passed on last year

Being the eldest sibling it is impossible

To avoid but one must appear

To  shoulder the burden

This time all but alone

Times are hard

This time around

A so-called landlord

Hard up for a stipend

But life must go on!

Written for Tess' Mag #207

Strength of Informal Leadership

                                                                        Attribution: Mattia Luigi Nappi

Image: A Student Leader is Shouldered

High to be Seen by the Crowd (here)

Sunday Whirl Wordle:

brave court fail frame later mind

party safe support tricks virus wages

Brave insight into his frame of mind

Revealed a tendency to court disaster

Tricks of trade of a party in connivance

Arsenal akin to virus of silent killer

Felt safe in numbers he sought to secure

He went headlong to foment trouble

Not forgetting the wages of sin to endure

Should he fail he ought to be able

At a later date for him to ride the storm

To support a cause to strengthen his case

As a consequence those whom in alignment

Ought to stand by him for a strong base

For Brenda’s hosting at Sunday Whirl Wordle #148 and
Mary's at Poets United, Poetry Pantry #189

Change of Rules

                                                                                         Attribution: Minette Layne
Image: Courtship the Old-fashion way (here)

The day after a little quieter

Notably a wee bit different

From that of yesteryear

The euphoria was not there

Roses cost more

or was it a different set of rules

in communication

Perhaps it got out of fashion

Florists were there but

Social media provided the vehicle

Virtual bouquets were sent

In all convenience

Complete with pictures and words

Courtship took on a new turn

Holding hands as a first move

was a thing of the past

Hands handy on keyboards

Seemed more sensuous

The reach was wider

and it did last

Kids these days

Happy with iPads

And smart phones

And perhaps even less kissings

They did not know

What they had been missing!

Shanyn's hosting at d'Verse: Peotics - Coming off the Sugar highs

More to Come!

                                                                          Attribution: Sven Manguard
Image: A graphic (here)

Chalked up four hundred

Prolific maturity

A haiku master

Basking in wonder

As flower in bloom wanting

More to whet the heart

Note: Kristjaan having that wonderful
feel of having posted his 400th episode
in CARPE DIEM today

Chev's CARPE DIEM #400  - Hatsamisakiji

The Left Farm

                                                                Kalidescope Creek, by Toril Fisher
Image: One of the Many Paintings to Create
Awareness of Abuse to the Environment (here)

Beehive lids discarded served as canvas
Creation of masterpiece for strategic purpose
Innovative in style paintings of sheer clarity
Propensity to expound with images of beauty

Awareness of abuses to the environment
Brought to the fore with great insistence
Increasing use of chemicals sadly abound
Sad phenomena but not new development
Bee population in rapid decline a casualty
Herbicide a death knell portion taken daily
Capture of the wilds were noble efforts
Saved for posterity dainty forms to exert

Written for Margaret's hosting at Real Toads  -  Second Cloud
on the Left Farm  - Art Project with Toril Fisher

Santiago de Compostela

                                                                                             Attribution: Luis Sanchez

Image: Santiago de Compostela (here)

In search of solace

Allegiance to godliness

Pilgrims on the move

Great expectations

Santiago looms ahead

Fervent hopes lighted

Chev's CARPE DIEM #77 -  Santiago

Growing up Pains!

                                                                   Attribution: Corazon svg
Image: A Broken Heart (here)

Happiness was when…
You stole it from me
And you said you would
keep it for us
I loved that!

Sadness was when…
You broke it
It affected me emotionally
It was stressful and hurting
For you did not put value
To what I had built up

It was more hurting
When you created a new one
And you gave it away
To my best friend

For Susan's hosting at Poets United  -  heart

Voracious thoughts!

                                                                                          Attribution: Lars Inselmann

Image: Greenery Pleasing to the Eye (here)

Quaint surroundings    

Exudes energy amid the

peaceful greenery

Mind extended

Garner strength to splurge voracious

thoughts on empty space 

Chev's CARPE DIEM #397  -  shozanji

Crunch of Mild Arrogance!

                                                                                    Attribution: Christopher Michel

Image: Dark Wet but a Calm Day (here)

We Write Wordle #6: 29 words  below

were used out of the 36 given

pulls nature’s edge door rises day

spikes crunch nests throw spirit escape

fall joy feeling years slept little

green pebble word oceans spell

fire spark wind limped voice sweet

Pulls at his conscience it is nature’s way

To keep one on edge and not to submit

As the sun rises the door opens the day

With spikes of reasons not to admit

Arguments to rebut against all the slick

Escape from their crunch of mild arrogance

In a spirit of joy rather than fall to their tricks

Never ever throw in the towel to succumb

For years they slept easy minding their nests

Feeling little green no more but just a pebble

In the ocean with no words to spell nor to guess

But a spark of fire at the forefront enabled

Limped in sweet tenderness a lone voice

Holds the flag high in the wind in all insistence

One can only admire the dogged foolhardiness

Standing up against the barrage of connivance

For Miskey's We Write Wordle #6 and
shared with d'Verse OpenLinkNight week #132

Beauty of Colors

                                                                                      Attribution: Dick Danials

Image Colorful Kingfisher

Beauty in kigo

Chresanthemums of color

Wonders of nature

Watchful kingfisher

Seasons’s culture in the wild

diving to survive

Chev's CARPE DIEM #396  -  Fujiidera

Dabbling in Acrylics!

 Image: 1 Hank's acrylic painting entitled 'The Beak'

Image: 2 'The follow through' in acrylic, Hank's other Love

Much a studio person so to speak

Not ventured to paint out in the open

Only indoors careful not out to sneak

Remained safe in Hank’s own domain

Relaxed scenario a peaceful stake

Away from prying eyes of strangers

On occasions they dared to make

Remarks much to one’s annoyance

Dabbled in acrylics for its convenience

Fast drying medium unlike that of oils

And unlike water-colors it did not run

Open in a later stage to switch over

Took time and lots of concentration

Unlike poetry took some days to complete

But once done derived lots of satisfaction

Considered fulfilled a personal good deed

Note: Had based this on Claudia's prompt at Saturday's
d'Verse Poetics: Sketch Poetry

For Kerry's hosting at Real Toad's Open Link Monday

Catch of a Find!

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Sunday Whirl Wordle:

body flow gather grasp gutsy invisible 

list pluck ring routine stream type

Sultry being leisurely assuring

Body that glides on lines of satin

Flow of sparkle with every move

Gutsy whiff of draft sweeps the groove

Invisible forces of attraction beckon

Pluck enough courage to effect action

List of routine is out of the question

Fair lady within grasp of reasons

Whimpering ring of voice so low

The type that melts the male ego

Streams of praises will work wonders

Flattering the female soul what gathers

For Tess' Magpie Tales #206 and
Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #147

A Plaything

Image: Courtesy of Grandma's

The zeal for living

I have on a high level

but life is so unfair

I'm all alone and I need

someone to share my

happiness with. Any

takers?

(140 characters)

Grandma's Goulash's Succinctly Yours week #151 with zeal as word of the week

Diamonds, Windmills, Canals....!

                                                                              Attribution: Google images
Image: An Indishe Rijshttafel offering (here)

Indische rijshttafel

Sambal oelek for kicks

Chinese takeaway

Fries, with or without

Raw herring with onions

Cheese and hot pizza

Anglers leisurely

fishing throwing back their catch

And cyclists galore

Diamonds, Delft china
windmills,canals,Centrum Den
Haag… asteblief daa!

Note: Kris was recounting his dreams at CARPE DIEM.

This brought back dreams of memories of Hank's sojourn

in Kris’Netherlands many years ago

Chev’s CARPE DIEM #395  -  Kirihataji and shared with
Rescuerda mi Corazon's - haiku my heart and
Mary's hosting at Poets United's Poetry Pantry #188

In an Instance

                                                                                     Author: Picolo Namek
Image: Cherry Blossom Flowers (here)

A fleeting moment

Coyly sakura appeared

A joy to behold

A thing of beauty

Of aesthetic value would

just peek out awhile

Could one be faulted

Yearnings fulfilled just so and

Wanting more of same

Chev's CARPE DIEM #76 : The Way of St James

Time on their Hands

                                                                                Attribution: Hillebrand Steve
Image: At the Computer Screen (here)

Spending time with extroverts
Building bridges for strong foundations
Young bright and extremely alert
Grandkids with capacity to learn

Ironically parents may not realize
Too involved with their own diversions
Gramps are led to create and devise
What can hold their undivided attention

Video games keep them occupied
But physical  activities are what they lack

(55 words)

For G-man's Friday Flash 55

Alone but Smiling!

                                                                                  Attribution: Alan Light
Image: An Apple of 1983 (here)

The joys of one who frequently forgets

The joys of one who muse and reflects

Give me the aged and the retiree

Give me one soul that is being so happy

Chorus:

Happy as happy as one can be

Sedentary living without worry

I see my gramps alone quietly sitting

I see my gramps alone quietly reading

Give me one who enjoys quiet moments

Give me one neither talks nor reprimands

Chorus:

Happy as happy as one can be

Sedentary living without worry

The joys of one often caught smiling

All by himself without really realizing

Give me one who smiles surfing the ‘Net

Give me one who is among friends he likes

Chorus:

Happy as happy as one can be

Sedentary living without worry

 Note: I have a funny feeling (or is it a nagging suspicion) that I’m often

being observed by my grandchildren smiling or laughing alone while surfing.

All long as they don’t think I’ve gone bonkers it should be ok!

Gay is having us write song lyrics at d’Verse Meeting the Bar.
Not well versed on the technicalities but I should think it can read
like a rhyming poetry with even a chorus thrown in.

Merciful Benevolence

                                                                                          Attribution: Reggaeman

Image: Panorama View Shusseki-ji (here)

Merciful Guanyin

Tempered her benevolence

with luxuriant means

As snow blanketed

the country-side its goodness

Prevailed immensely

Chev's CARPE DIEM #393 -  Kumadaniji

Calm or Stormy!

                                                                                    Author:  Ian Mackenzie
Image: Elderly Couple in Love (here)

Emotional tendencies

Love’s extension

Befitting living creatures

Gracious to a fault

Whiff of ostentatious laughter

Murmurs of kind words

Male and female attract

Collusion of wants

Thirsty for love

Selfishly guarding

feel for companionship

between two hearts

An unsolicited choice
A necessary burden

Provocation may occur 

But cohesion held on

Conflicts abound though

May beget mixed ending

Marriage bliss

Or likely break-up

Note: Apologies, Susan! Did not realize the pre-condition of 14 lines. Too late to change at this juncture.

Susan's hosting at Poets United's Mid-Week Motif  -  Love 
and Mrsupole's Theme Thursday  - Thirsty

Healing Process

                                                                          Attribution:  Derrick C Goode
Image: Healing Hands (here)                                                                         

Call to all parents

Furtherance of progeny

Precious life in tow

Setting mood to mend

Replete with desire to heal

Smiles of Hippocrates

Life preservation

Contingent to living thing's

cautious existence

Chev’s CARPE DIEM #392  -  Anrakuji

Who to Blame!

                                                                                     Attribution: Peter van der Sluijs
Image: Running Wild Elephant (here)

3WW

Accelerate  Passive  Rogue

How it hurts

One need not be a conservationist

To realize issues

That relate to the environment

Can best be seen

On how it had been abused

To accelerate development

Is to take short cuts

Cutting around the corners

Foliage and fauna get impinged upon

Wild beasts uprooted

Their habitat encroached

By man and heavy machinery

Pushed deeper into the jungles

They cower in groups
trying to survive

Or no more passive

They fight back

They plunder and destroy crops

Bull elephants

Are known to lead their herds

To cause havoc on cultivations

And settlements

Quickly blamed for being aggressive

Shot and killed
They are termed as rogue elephants, yes!

But who to blame?

Written for Thomg's hosting at 3WW

Kinabalu Conquered

                                                                                           Attribution: Ariel Steiner
Image: Mount Kinabalu (here)

My buddy Rahman is my guest poet on OLN, recounting his fondest moments
in conquering Malaysia's highest mountain. Rahman's earlier poems are (here) and (here)

My Kinabalu climb - many years ago

By dusk Sayat-Sayat

Camp 12,000 feet and a bit

Thighs a ton like now

Sprightly at 4,000

The guide laughed, eluded

His serpentine satire

                                By five awakened

                                Surfeit of silence

                                Refreshed by dreams

                                To climb climb climb

                                To reach Low’s peak

                                Mocks the morning sun

Among rosy blue mist

Thickly at top top finally,

Like the male seed

To ovary arrived

Muted, triumphant

A Trojan horse

                                A gift given, fused

                                One tiny heart tremulous.

                                It could be you or me.

On a wee flat below

The peak, inside a steel bin

A record book, I wrote

My name with thoughts

Of a girl gentle, who prefer

My best friend for husband                       

                                In the cold cold knapsack

                                A Daphne du Maurier’s

                                Rebecca reminds with

                                Lines “…our Manderlay,

                                Secretive and silent as

                                It had always been”

When no one is

Watching the mountain

Is not there, only

Void, silent probability.

Now you…let there be

Because you…I love.

                                A gift given, fused

                                One tiny heart tremulous.

                                It could be you or me.

Rahman Daud

2^nd February 2014.

Written for Joe's hosting at d"Verse's  OpenLinkNight week#131

Radiance of Enlightenment

                                                                      Attribution: Ramon F Velasquez
Image: The Guiding Lights (here)

Blessed and ignited

radiance of enlightenment

For the chosen ones

Illuminating

Clusters of idyllic souls

Of worthy beings

Bright guiding light's straight
path of Heaven's call to a
singular purpose

Chev's CARPE DIEM #391 Dainichji

Where There's Life...

                                                                     Artist: Fritz von Uhde, circa 1885

Image: In an Orphanage (here)

Just two of them, orphans

They took to each other

Not siblings but the elder

Took it upon herself

To protect the younger

Other inmates took to bullying

She put a stop to it

They had been together ever since

The younger in all innocence

Lived for the day

The elder could only lament

Where was the future

She so yearned for

For both

What happened to 

Parental  love

When they needed them most

The elder was abandoned

A long time ago

The younger had a sickly mother

Who came by before

But had since passed on
She had been gone

They were happy together

For the moment

That was what mattered most

Where there was life there was hope!

Was that too much to ask?

Written for d'Verse:  as possible as if.....

Canopy of Love

                                                                                                  Author: Jebulon
Image: Natural Spring Water (here)

Vibrant spring water

Goodness of dreams heaven sent

When parched lips moistened

Canopy of love

Blessings of Bodhi tree for

Enlightened living

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #390 Konsenji

With All my Charms!

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Barefoot in the park

Wanting to be heard

Gallivanting like a lark

Not getting hurt

Daintily on ivory keys

Of black and white

I dance blowing a kiss

Not of spite

You see slender legs

That’s freedom of choice

Whispering for fun’s sake

Cheekily a feminine voice

Make me stop

To glide into your arms

Down with a hop

Tinkling with chimes

Stark naked

To end the dance

Wrapped in blanket

With all my charms

Written for Tess's Magpie Tales #205