Unleashed with devastating effect

                                                                                          Artist: Giovanni Tiepolo
Image: The Procession into Troy (here)

Pull a fast one to cloak evil intentions

It has been in the game since the Greeks

did one on Troy

They sailed away left the horse in
its belly with 20 of the best and
fully armed

Towed into Troy as a prize of war

But in the stealth of night stole out

to open the gates

Thus a simple strategy to hoodwink

and outwit to win a war

So also in modern times there is no

let up. Given half a chance to test
his skills there was that smart alec
who had appropriately named it
point blank a ‘Trojan Horse’

Unleashed with devastating effect not

many years ago affecting not just the

innocents of gaming, computer geeks
but so also corporate giants.

And they are still around apparently
for the big kill on an anniversary of
some sort

Just as well as one has to be on guard

Intelligence can be used in many different

ways to satisfy the elements of greed in

a crook’s twisted mind

Note: Abhra has it in d'Verse to tie up mythology 
with modern happenings

For Abhra's hosting at d'Verse 
Poetics: Modern Mythologies

Driven up the wall

                                                               ghost-of-a gone-bird @ Deviant Art

Image: Courtesy of Laura A Lord (here)

Driven up the wall

Menacingly beautiful

Are you not that tall

More than an eyeful

Anger knows no bounds

Seething volcano at the crater

Emitting smoke with gurgling sounds

Woman scorned no laughing matter

Driven up the wall

Hold your horses

Remember pride before a fall

It never falters

Lady of leisure

There’s too much to lose

Patience a good measure

Stand with dignified pose

For Mindlovemisery Menagerie Photo
Challenge # 28 -  climbing the walls

Nature has a way out to avoid the melee

                                                                                               Attribution: Waugsberg
Image: Pupae of Drones (here) 
Those on the right are a few
days older and more developed

Wordle #28
Only 8 of 12 words used:
pivotal  plethora bedlam  conveyor   
mermaid kitchen cinnamon reception

Pivotal to the continued existence of a colony
Drones have specific reasons in the equation
Being male not prolific as a worker honey bee
Considered lazy if ignorant of their functions

Plethora of drone suitors for the Queen Bee
Bedlam can result with many going for her
Nature has a way out to avoid the melee
A drone dies off after just one encounter

No fun to die after few seconds of pleasure
 ‘Conveyor belt’ system to propagate the colony
Happens to be the way as dictated by nature
Likened to a mermaid at rest likes of a Queen Bee

How else to stock up the kitchen with honey
Natural food the best there is without exception
Coupled with cinnamon it is a great home remedy
For arthritis and general good health’s reception

For Mindlovemisery's Menagerie Wordle #28 and
Fireblossom's Open Link Monday at Real Toads

Eternal Flames

                                                                               Attribution:Roman Plischke
Image: Monument of WWII -  Eternal Flames (here)

The given words:
ashes discernment fear flames  
identity joy lot love polarize selfless

An honored rise from the ashes
Discernment extended and earned
No more fear of conflicts and clashes
Allowing the Eternal Flames to burn

What identity of an unknown soldier
Offered no joy as not to be accorded
Lots of sacrifice from that of a warrior
Stifled from honor that was expected

Love polarized with undue regret
Selfless in courage but sadly cut down
Right in his tracks by a sniper’s bullet
Unheralded had fallen where found

 For Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #180 and
Mary's at Poets United Poetry Pantry #220

Safe in deep shadows

                                                                                           Attribution: SoylentGreen

Image: Classic buffer Shadows (here)

Dancing in the dark

Allowed to peek out sometimes

Safe in deep shadows

Stayed on the quiet

Darting out from the darkness

Only when disturbed

Caught in beams of light

Freedom to fly out across

Up high in the sky

For Chev's CARPE DIEM Special #109  -  shadows

Direct invitation to thieves

                                                                                                    Attribution: Georgia

Image:  The Ladder (here)

A Shadorma

is a 6-line poem of 3/5/3/3/7/5 syllables

Morning mist

Lone ladder leaned on

branches but

bough of the tree was stronger

Why must take such risks?

An Acrostic

is a poem where the first word of each

line creates a word read downwards

Laughable and unwise

Appeared to be a mistake

Dumped outside the wall

Direct invitation to thieves

Endangering those in the house

Risks unnecessarily taken

For Marina's hosting at d'Verse OpenLinkNight and Georgia's
Mindlovemisery  Menagerie with picture prompt  -  ladder

Blanket of peaceful gestures

                                                                                              Attribution: Mrs Gemstone
Image:  Early Pink Cherry Blossoms (here)

Spectacle of awe
Rare find in cool morning air
Coyly peeping out

Tranquil surroundings
Blanket of peaceful gestures
Pinkish endeavors

Nestled in heavens
Behold beautiful colors
Bewitching girl’s dream

For Chev's CARPE DIEM Sparkling Stars #7
Koyu-Ni's  -  tranquil

Unchecked brought to extremes

                                                                                       Attribution: Gideon Pisanty
Image: Female digger bee approaching an inflorescence
of hybrid bugloss (Anchusa undulata) (here)

What was the Universal Truth?
Those empty eyes ganging up
Having witnessed but unamused
Human failings visuals stuck

Face of innocent blank looks
Matured at early age unwittingly
Shocked at antics of the crooks
Sufferings caused the community

What was the Universal Truth?
Brute strengths reigned supreme
Unfair sentiments let loose
Unchecked brought to extremes

Sadly survival of the fittest
Marked the order of the day
Connivance and self interests
Given space to other’s dismay

For Herotomost's hosting at Real Toads -  the universal truth

Excruciating stomach pains

                                                                                       Attribution: MD.com
Image1: Whole Body Infected with Tapeworms (here)

                                                                         Attribution: Mikael Haggstrom
Image2: The Tell Tale Signs (here)

The words:

explosive popcorn skin adequate

trance track bacon emperor parasite

Excruciating stomach pains

Not unlike explosive popcorn

Itchy skin dogged him lately

He had to endure both ailments

Medication were properly

administered but not adequate

It did not alleviate the pains

More in a trance when

the doctor did the scan

It was then they realized

His whole body was infected

The doctor did track the cause

He had a dislike for bacon
It led him to try sushi and sashimi 

He was eating like an emperor

Contaminated raw fish

With larvae of tapeworms

Multiplied in his system

It could be life threatening

if the parasites could find

their way to his brains

For Thomg's hosting at 3WW # 394 and

Irene's at Red Wolf Poems  Wordle #27

Struggling on a life-line

                                                                     Attribution: Finding Rescue  - Brooke Shadan
Image : Courtesy of Brooke Shadan (here)

Struggling on a life-line

Tied to some  purse strings

Tenaciously gripped in one hand

Precariously held on the brink

A socialite highly regarded

Held in high esteem by peers

But lately was discarded

By the one she loved

Flower in bloom on its own

Left alone unloved

Not of the best option

Held on just by sheer resolve

She was still left in conflict

Ringing in her ears at a loss

Mother’s truthful words made her sick

A life partner a painful choice

For Grace's hosting at d'Verse : Poetics:
Passion of Brooke Shaden

Cruelty of a heart of gold

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag (here)

She was left wondering

Never had it crossed her mind

One so endearing

Could cause such turmoil

She had given her all

He had responded

What went wrong?

So much to sacrifice

One at a young age
Oceans too deep to cross

To be belittled

There had to be
a semblance of authority

But alas!
Only at the water's edge

One could only accord sympathy

Cruelty of a heart of gold

Extended so sincerely

But dashed to smithereens

It was not fair to her!

Neither to him!
What went wrong?

For Tess' Magpie Tales #238 and
Kerry's Open Link Monday at Real Toads

Scoured the jungle floor foraging!

                                                                                                      Attribution: Mdf

Image: A Cute Little Chipmunk (here)

Used 11 of the 12 words:

expression old ocean searching miner

keep mind live heart crossed give

The expression ‘hibernation’

To us chipmunks of relevance

We switched to be larder hoarders

Time of the year we were busiest

From the beginning of Autumn

Like pirates of old in vast oceans

Searching fighting and plundering

Scoured the jungle floor foraging

Dug burrows not unlike a miner

To keep in mind the harsh winter  

To live and stock food deep down

In the very heart of the ground

In the mean time when moving fast

Unwittingly we crossed your path

We would quickly quit our scampering

Just give a loud shout of ALVIN…!!

For Brenda’s Sunday Whirl Wordle #179 and
Mary's at Poets United’s Poetry Pantry #219

Cawing often detested!

                                                                                               Attribution: khyri
Image: Raven in flight (here)

Cawing in the trees
Not one to fly about but
medley of music

Sounds nuisance to the

ear but up in the skies

helped them communicate

Morbid sounds told of

bad omen in some cultures

Not to imitate

Often detested

Scavengers were useful if

numbers were controlled

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #566  -  crows

Mysteriously garbed

                                                                                            Attribution: Georgia

Image: Courtesy of Mindlovemisery's (here)

Shadorma  -  a Spanish 6-line

poem of 3/5/3/3/7/5 syllable lines

Acrostic  -  where the first letter of each

line read downwards forms a word

Shadorma

A fighter

Mysteriously garbed

Facing odds

Encountered

But still managed to face up

A fighter no less

Acrostic

Fighting machine

Individual flair enhanced

Gauged on strength of character

Heightened mood

Tendency to extend support

Engaged in siblings rivalry

Right of self defence

For Mindlovemisery's Menagerie  -  armor

More fun shooting with water! - A Somonka

                                                                                         Attribution: Hein waschefort

Image: Wild Elephants Splash! (here)

3WW words:
breezy monstrous  hairy

Poetry Jam:  harvest time

The somonka is a Japanese form.
It’s basically two tankas.

A breezy morning

Monstrous crowd looking for fun

Hey little fella!

Enjoyed yesterday’s outing?

Ripening harvests trampled?

Great fun big daddy!

What about today? More fun?

Yes, we will shoot you!

You are hairy, all messed up

More fun shooting with water!

For Thomg's hosting at 3WW week #393 
and Mary's hosting at Poetry Jam

Tenderness of travel is really an art

                                                                                    Attribution:  Dr Meierhofer
Image:  Travels of old  (here)

Get Listed: 12 0f 13 words used

tenderness art capture neglected tactics energy

attack treachery alliance  fire scheme ardor

Tenderness of travel is really an art

Capture of scenes pleasing to the eye

Should not be neglected for a start

Tactics of observation not to defy

Energy for endurance and mobility

An attack to the treachery of tiredness

Only then accorded by nature’s beauty

Of new places and scenic fondness

Alliance of thrills and quiet relaxation

For travels with friends or own family

To fire up joys of undisturbed vacation

Spruce up scheme of holidays ultimately

To spice up the ardor

of a seasoned traveler

Gabriella's hosting at dVerse – Poetics - travel

grapeling's hosting at Real Toads – Get Listed

Some fanciful legwork

                                                                                        Artist: Gillis d' Hondecoeter
Image: Paradise (Oil on Canvas) (here)

In with last hurrah

Some fanciful legwork to

win a fair lady

Virtuous living for

blessed path to next life through

Reincarnation

Beams of lights showing

clear path to Nirvana but

some still face darkness

Killers gleefully

Grabbing and destroying and

forgetting Karma

Note: The last 3 (in italics) were meant for
Time Glass #2 but was late. Submitting here

For Chev's CARPE DIEM Remember the Music #1

A job to do when not at play!

                                                                                Attribution:Chris Leahstar
Image: Rachael Leahcar with Guide Dog Ella! (here)

The 11 words used:

insipid vantage collar spit captivity adrenalin 

shield mercury colossus scratch evaporate

Nowhere insipid with lots of initiative

he plodded on. From a vantage position

he observed relentlessly very positive

He spit out his feelings and opinions

He was collared and put in his place when

it was apparent he invoked his aggressive

nature.  Could be a nuisance among friends

Captivity made him to be overly sensitive

Adrenalin rising it gave him courage to act

Readily shielded those who tried to be wise

Barked out orders and when annoyed lacked  

temperament and his mercury could rise

He saw his problem as a colossus of anger

He could scratch and shove on others just

as an animal that went berserk and a danger

to society. But anger evaporated equally fast

He was civil again the next minute back to

himself. A job to do and when not at play

aimed at doing it well. Had responsibilities too

How else could a guide dog be better anyway?

For Mindlovemisery's Menagerie Wordle #26 and
Magaly's hosting at Real Toad's Open Link Monday

A Therapeutic Feel

                                                               Attribution: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0 
                                                                                                     (via Wikimedia Commons)
Image: Poring Hot Springs (here)

Hot springs healing and

holding out to accentuate

good physical health

Bubbles gasping for

air escaping upwards

Caressing warm skins

Refreshing effects

Natural as mountain spring with

therapeutic feel

Elixir of youth?

Exhorting virtues of

robust male species?

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #562, -  hot springs

Anxiety flashed across his face

                                                                                                    Attribution: Blogotron
Image: Rotating hospital bed in ICU (here)

10 of 12 words:

anxiety blood tests fluff words

center  hospital  meals pester know

Anxiety flashed across his face

And it came about all of a sudden

Call just received left him in a daze

Faced the prospects of re-admission

Ashen faced blood drained fast

Heard right when told to report

Results of tests submitted last

Now confirmed to be the fault

But why must he be summoned

Was it something that serious?

Back to those days of inconvenience

Fluffs of cotton and bandages

Nurses busy running and rushing

Hurriedly but not as bad as on TV

Appeared chased by invisible beings

Remembered those scenes vividly

Words could not describe the madness

Few days at the center was adequate

To be in a hospital was just horrendous

Strain and the pain worsen the dread

Meals well thought up and nutritious

Tasteless something else to be yearned

Staff just following doctor’s orders.

Pester for better made no difference

Facing the prospects of another stint

Would know how serious the situation

Accepted the fate to be admitted again

Leaving it to protection of Providence

For Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #178

Bumper harvests from the fields

                                                                                      Attribution: Martin Addison

Image: Wheat fields awaiting harvesting (here)

A sight of relief

Bumper harvests from the fields

Benefit to all

Late Autumn schedules

Smart animals show the way

Hoarding for winter

No hibernation

Just ‘squirreling’ food away
Breeze swept fields empty

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #561  -  harvested fields and
Poets United: Poetry Pantry #218

breeze through lightly

                                                                                           Attribution: Andy Mabbett
Image: Bright and Colorful Chrysanthemums

Words are to follow the given sequence:

mirror leaves rain butterfly chrysanthemum

breeze stars clouds ocean daisies cow shed secret

strong mirror shine strikes

leaves replica wrought with show

of rain images

butterfly seeks safe

refuge on chrysanthemum

to breeze through lightly

stars above dark clouds

glitter over ocean’s waves

like evening’s daisies

flowers bright vibrant

colorful and well nurtured

a cow shed secret

For Chev's CARPE DIEM  Full circle #3 -  mirror

Summer’s heat withdrew

                                                                                    Attribution : william

Image: Bright summer flowers at deserted beach (here)

Summer’s heat withdrew

Beaches hauntingly quiet

Feel of a letdown

Autumn winds crept in

Pleasant sight of brown and gold

seen transformed beneath

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #560 - deserted beach

Overcome handicaps take what is due

                                                                                 Attribution: Christopher Griffin

Image: Strong-willed runners (here)

Red Wolf Wordle words:

green papers bloggers wine 
stain vanilla gin moles 

3WW words:

slash carcass geek

Appears green looking lean

Going through your papers

One looking preciously clean

What is it with us bloggers!

Gingerly holding a glass of wine

Frantically wracking your brains

You are not yet out of your mind

Have clear thinking without a stain

Vanilla white you are in fright

Slash out the gin if it should help

Facial moles do make it bright

Still stultified without depth?

Akin to a carcass lying quietly still

Very much a geek waiting for a cue

Press on for one so strong willed

Overcome handicaps take what is due

For Irene's hosting at Red Wolf Wordle #26 and
Thomg's hosting at 3WW #392

Being the other woman!

                                                                                             Attribution: Tom Bagshaw
Image: Courtesy of Yves (here)

Do you know what it means to be the

other woman. There is a man up for grabs

Your contention he is not to be shared

He has a wife and a beautiful little girl

To you that is not important at all. You claim 

you can provide for his emotional needs

A promise his wife has neglected to keep

That was what he said

You are in no mood to double check

Was he telling you the truth? He said she

is causing hell. Her life revolves around 

the little girl.He is beginning even to 

dislike them both. How he craves for the 

warmth that she had unfailingly given before.

But not any more you are his only hope

That was what he said

He had to prepare his own breakfast

Lunch was not a problem though. You are 

there as a convenient lunch date sharing

romantically every time a plate It is fun 

having lunch these days he said. He would 

love to have dinner just with you instead 

For back home he can just expect some 

Japanese noodles ready-made. How you 

gritted your teeth. How can she does that to 

my man you mused. You might even want 

to destroy her for being so ruthless to your 

man. He feels like taking his own life

That was what he said

You are currently unperturbed. He is 

showering gifts galore to you. But it was 

nothing compared you what you used to get 

But not to worry. His wife is not getting any 

more presents. You will be getting her share 

besides yours more than you had dreamed

That was what he said

For Yves' hosting at Mindlovemisery's 
Menagerie with photo Challenge #25

Serene beauty of nature

                                                                                                 Credits : Chemtrails   

Image: The Calm Sea

Calmness belies what

will happen as Autumn leaves

slowly dance downwards

Dreams of pure blue sea

adding color to golden

brown of Autumn leaves

Serene beauty of

nature will but sooth painful

heart, please come back love

For Chev's CARPE DIEM -  time glass

Schooled in intricacies of love

                                                                        Author: Edward Atkinson Hornel
Image: Dancing Geisha (Oil on Canvas) (here)

Wordle #25 words are:

courtesan  stillness  deliquesce (melt)

neon enunciate palpitant (uneasy)

ironic  peach lingerie thigh scrutiny ache

Courtesan of old

Schooled in intricacies of love

Finesse in retaining their men

Of trained geisha girl measures

Men who literally deliquesce

Drooling in stillness of nights

With neon lights dimmed not

feeling palpitant in their midst

They were ever willing to

enunciate moves in
peach innocence

Not having to be garbed

in sexy lingerie nor having

to ostensibly expose

more of their thighs

Ironic that being civil not overly

crude in pushing their wares

brought less ache or scrutiny

to their profession

How well they maintained

their well-mannered being

Very unlike present day

fakes cold  and scheming

who came on strong but

happy to leave their

men high and dry

For Yves's hosting at Mindlovemisery's  Menagerie Wordle
#25 and Kerry's hosting at Real Toad's Open Link Monday

Embedded in sheltered nests

                                                                                               Attribution: Boarder8925
Image: Dusk in Breaux Bridge, LA (here)

Free movements from dawn
to dusk, mobility and
noises unperturbed

Then a sudden lull
Partial darkness developed
Twilight retreated

Respect for nightfall
Embedded in sheltered nests
Morrow awaited

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #556  -  dusk

Rush to stake a claim!

                                                                                       Moths: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

Image: Spoiling for a Share (here)

The three of a kind

Found milling around

Bidding for the shine

When homeward bound

Night moths were lost

Some radar confusion

Holding onto a cause

Flailing wings collision

Liken to human failings

On seeing an attraction

Would commence fighting

Selfish intents for a portion

Rush to stake a claim

Be first to grab the spoils

Conflicts became intense

Self-interest came to a boil

For Tess' hosting at Magpie Tales #236

as he dashed across

                                                                                Attribution: J Charlton
Image: On horse-back (here)

The words are:

ball bullets dismal edge 

horses locks meandering 

plant rose signal spot thrust

He had a ball of a time. Bullets 

whizzing past his head. A dismal 

sharpshooter was trying to but not 

shooting. The shots went wide

He had the edge for the horses

were disturbed by the din and 

were acting crazy. It accorded 

him a distraction. Shots were not 

getting to the target meaning him

Meandering river below could

offer an escape route so he thought

His locks of silvery hair now 

sweaty under his Stetson told 

him it was time to go He was 

waiting for a signal. 

Suddenly there was a lull in the 

shooting. This afforded him a 

spot of relief. 

He thrust himself forward and 

ran. A rose plant in front with 

thorns and all did not deter him 

as he dashed across and jumped
onto a horse. A dog tried to
intercept him but he managed
to get away.

Life as a stuntman was not easy!

For Brenda's hosting of
Sunday Whirl# 177

Has it turned into a safe drug now?

                                                                                       Attribution: Jynto
Image:  A ball-and-stick model of the thalidomide molecule
(an infamous sedative drug that caused severe birth defects
when pregnant women took it) - Wiki  (here)

Why me? Why it must be me!

I've not been hurting to others

There’s not been an iota of bad

intentions. I've not dreamed of

any ill-feelings nor am I scheming

towards hurting  anyone!

Instead I’m being made to suffer!

Thalidomide babies!

I had only sought relief from

morning sickness. I would not want

to hurt my baby! But my baby

was handicapped!

I've been told these drugs are now

widely used in cancer therapy.

The anguish of mothers affected

before was most tragic. I just could

not fathom the decision to still

use these drugs.

Has it turned into a safe drug now?

Why was it released before without

proper research. It beats me!

For Mindlovemisery' Menagerie Prompt # 71
to write on -  'why me? and Mary's hosting
at Poets United's Poetry Pantry #217

Eiffel was a sculptor too?

                                                                                                    Attribution: Tuxyso
Image:  Created for EMSCHERKUNST, an
art exhibition in public space  -  Wiki  (here)

A cursory glance along your way
Was not that apparent initially though
No power cables straddling across
What could it really be?
It dawned on me, yes!

An iron sculpture in open space
For the public to see

Reminiscent of Paris
On a small scale

Could we then take it
Eiffel was a sculptor too?

(55 words)

For Mama Zen's hosting on Flash Fiction 55 at Real Toads
where one is to write not exceeding 55 words

Seen at some funny and seedy haunts - Shadorma & Tyburn

Image: Courtesy of Georgia's (here)

Shadorma is a Spanish 6-line non rhyming

 poem of 3/5/3/3/7/5 syllables

Tyburn is a six line poem of 2, 2, 2, 2, 9, 9 syllables. 

The first four lines rhyme and are all descriptive words.

The last two lines rhyme and incorporate the first, second,

third, and fourth lines as the 5^th through 8^th syllables.

A Shadorma

Hillbilly

Appropriately dressed

To safeguard

open fields

Frightful even to humans

on dark moonless nights

A Tyburn

Sunny

Happy
Funny

Seedy

Meant for some sunny and happy jaunts

Seen at some funny and seedy haunts

For Mindlovemisery's Menegerie for Bastet's
Shadorma Photo Prompt and a Little One Tyburn

of nature’s true attrition - a Tan Renga

                                                                                            Atribution: darkweasel94

Image: Of What Lies Ahead (here)

before the decay

blessed with breathtaking beauty

reclaimed by the earth                        Jazzytower

with mother’s blessings became          

revered gem of society                       Hank's

before the decay

blessed with breathtaking beauty     

reclaimed by the earth                        Jazzytower

not unexpectedly bane                     

of nature’s true attrition                      Hank's

   

before the decay

blessed with breathtaking beauty

reclaimed by the earth                        Jazzytower

when ingrained in lover’s mind          

but reduced to nothingness                 Hank's

Note: To complete a Tan Renga with a 7-7
syllable count to Jazzytower's haiku of 5-7-5


For Chev's CARPE DIEM Tan Renga Challenge #49

fair lady lying supine in a trance!

Image: Courtesy of Anja

Dreams of a satiated in throes of hunger

Images of a fair lady lying supine in a trance

Not wanting to distract her from slumber

Being outwardly tactful to one so human

Grappling with conflicts in all innocence

Not to be caught up in realms of fantasy

Berated by those vying for his attention

Desire to cushion the impact most likely

Not to compromise on good intentions

Must overcome from any feelings of failure

Cry for justice taken with no repercussions

Kiss!  Awakened, to live happily ever after

For Anja's Mindlovemisery's Menagerie
with Fairy tale picture prompt #24

They had some good times!

                                                                                      Attribution: vastateparksstaff

Image: Fallen Autumn leaves (here)

Autumn leaf floats down

carpets ground with decay to

give way for others

Was stood up again.

He kept asking ‘what they have

that I do not have?’

Not seen her lately

Shocked when told she had passed on

They had some good times

For Chev's CARPE DIEM # 553  -  grief