Blast for the future

                                                                                                                                   Attribution: CE Price
Image: Dark Clouds -  a Damper
for the immediate Future (here)

Note: A quickie 5-7-5-7-7 tanka offering

Blast for the future
Looking forward to good times
New Year's abundance
Not to dwell on the past but
new horizons to achieve

Silver lining seen
despite depressing window
on current affairs
but global economic
health not anywhere better

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #830  - New Year
(commemorating third anniversary of Carpe
Diem Haiku Kai on Oct 1st and extending  a
'Happy New Year' for the ensuing year) and
Bjorn's at d'Verse's OLN #157

Salacious episodes popping like crackers

                                                                                                              Author: NASA
Image:  Sounds of the Cosmos (here)

Sunday Whirligig given words:
fragments erotic light dark gone  change 
dream watch clock eye theft leave erotic

3WW given words:
woozy uptight thoughtless 

Fragments of his memories or
just figments of his imagination
Salacious episodes popping
like crackers all heavy and juicy
Light and dark images dancing
in the shadows gone berserk

Nothing had changed in his routines
But must dreams raucous and ravenous
keep appearing in the still of nights

He watched the clock ticking when
startled from his slumber eyes blurry
Theft of his sleeping hours would leave 
him woozy but he remained uptight

He kept asking but answers eluded him
What could he do to rid off the dilemma
He had not been thoughtless but still his
head kept spinning his thoughts numbed
Not that young to be privileged with
erotic dreams he persisted to get answers
He would like to dream again tonight!

For MMT's Sunday Whirligig #27
Thomg's at 3WW week 447 and
Susan's PU's Mid-week Motif

Emblazoned across a single bosom's sanctity

                                                                                        Attribution: ade_santora 93
Image: Courtesy of Nekneeraj (here)

Shouts of freedom deranged as they did  sound
Pitched higher maximizing a wholesome impact
Shrilly stabbing the night sky in lashing torrents
Sadly just noises a melodious strain they lacked

Emblazoned across a single bosom's sanctity
Rounded moon extending shines in generous lights
Spectacle in awe in subdued offerings of beauty
Daily musical phenomenon torrid in its delight

Prophetic human gatherings just as boisterous
Caught in enthusiasm of gregarious pleasures
Human reactions just as reverberating but curious
Ideal to let off steam though given life's pressures

For Marian's hosting at Real Toads's  - the Tuesday platform and
Nekneeraj's at MLMM's  -  Photo Challenge #80

Furtively through her heart though prancing

                                                                                    Attribution: Gerrit Photography
Sunday Whirl the given words:
sighs mess spin music dressed 
system visit kick level trump bust

Sighs of dismay permeated her thinking
Racing through the mess cluttering her mind
Furtively through her heart though prancing
Happily on with a spin of good music to dine

But alone ostensibly busy facing the screen
Dressed but chained at both hands disabled
Anxious her system inside beginning to scream
Visit long awaited but nowhere seemed probable

Kicked up a fuss earlier preparing a hot meal
To a level beyond that she was used to do
Trying to trump a good impression to seal
a relationship well nurtured and way overdue

Heat of romance seemingly like a hot summer day
Overwhelmed with a cloak of floating snow flakes
Was it going to be a bust his presence a long delay
She was stood up again by yet another of the fakes

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #218 and
Tess' Magpie Tales #287

brazenly rising to the occasion

                                                                                                                                     Author: Jon Sullivan
Image: Dew Frost flowers - the first
sign of the upcoming winter (here)

Note: Non-Rhythmic tanka
of a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable count

Dew frost plays its part
Tenaciously hugging them
ever so lightly
Purportedly happy to
welcome the cold months ahead

The foliage likewise
brazenly rising to the
occasion as a
willing partner dancing to
nature's choice of soft music

For Chev's hosting at CARPE DIEM Haiku Kai
Time Machine #17 Tsuyujimo  - dew frost and
Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry #271

Your person cries out in desperation

                                                                                               Attribution: Chris Buet
Image: Clear Blue Skies of an Evening Sun (here)

You look up to the heavens above
Seeking consolation for your being
The sky is blue an instinct tugs
at your realms of imagination
The best there is of a weather
on a silver platter given
But this not what you had desired
Your person cries out in desperation
Please hear me!
I need to drown my sorrows

Sadly nature is against your will
it will not release rain to soothe 
the parched earth of your soul**
You are at the end of your tether
Your patience begins to take an ugly turn
You've been hurt many times
Are you to take it again?

You reflected a moment
There is more to life to think about
Yes, you are now acting more rational
You had wished to draw the line across
and this should be it!

'Give yourself a chance' your conscience whispers
'a second chance'
Yes, give yourself a chance
'Swallow your pride' it whispers

It now helps you to decide
Yes, you are going back to her
to make up!

** Inspired by Without You ~ Nishka Ramkhelawan (here)

For Kerry's hosting at Real Toads with -  let's go back to school
where 'one is to select a poem of one of the young writers as an
inspiration for one' own poem.

Mutually benefiting one another not anywhere banal

                                                                                             Attribution: Evelyn Simak
Image: A Willow on the Embankment (here)

MLMM's the given words:
cynosure (something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance)
pelagic (of or relating to the open seas or oceans)
sinew (a ​structure that ​provides ​support and ​holds it together)
caress embankment sand raw reject cold spoon

Imposing in its beauty of stated cynosure elements
Not pelagic but still standing tall caressing the canal
Sinew of its buttress root the length of the embankment
Mutually benefiting one another not anywhere banal

They quenched a thirst of promise to each other
Weeping willow devoid of sadness sturdy of strength
The green grass below to provide a luxuriant cover
Co-existence held tightly by grains of golden sand

Humans raw in their dealings to outwit their rivals
Quick to reject overtures than to rationally consider
Cold in brushing off against those who were feeble
To spoon off excuses with disdain without bother

For Yves' hosting at MLMM Wordle #79 and
Kerry's The Tuesday Platform at Real Toads

They are happy lapping on the goodies

                                                                                             Attribution: Tess Kincaid

Image 1 Looking through the Glass Panel  (here)

                                                              Attribution: Bureau of Land Management
Image: 2 Wyoming's Pronghorn, fastest land animal
in North America, running up to 55 mph (here)

Sunday Whirl given words:

dash deny evict flee free nick scent 

subside threat trick try valley

We pronghorn can make a dash for it
No denying we are the fastest around here
We do not suffer the luxury of eviction
Free to flee in the nick of time

Just a whiff of your stained scent
Of which we are excellently endowed
The smell of your kind do not subside 
You are a threat to mankind

Your tricks expended very generously
A good try on the gullible
Can be seen through the glass panel
How they suffer and beg for the crumbs
How you twist them around your fingers
They are happy lapping on the goodies
Not realizing they've been had

Who are you?
You are just like us
When scraping the barrel

But then you turn into a monster
When the greenbacks begin to ooze out of your ears
We have no place for you in this valley!

For Brenda's hosting at Sunday Whirl Wordle # 217
and Tess' at Magpie Tales #286

Partial to pretenses at play - Kyrielle

                                                                                               Attribution: John Fowler
Image: : Water Mill, an 1892 wooden powerhouse
located above the Crystal River in Colorado (here)

A little yearning unfulfilled
Pushed for hearing of a quick deal
Sought an injunction in one way
Hoping to get it any day

A rethink to enjoy success
With dreams of extending the best
Create a system without delay
Hoping to get it any day

Sound direction set to unfurl
A call to announce brave new world
Partial to pretenses at play
Hoping to get it any day

So be it, an idea floating
On lots of options existing
Bent to surprise so just gangway
Hoping to get it any day

Note: A Kyrielle is made up of 4 stanzas with
four lines each having eight syllables. The refrain
is from the fourth line of the first stanza

For Mary's hosting at PU's
Poetry Pantry #270

Shouldn't be here alone - MF

Image: Courtesy of Grandma's Goulash (here)

A friendly banter!
Why must it come to this?
Shouldn't be here alone
Must go back to the house
Make up or it'll be
sitting on a powder keg.

(140 characters)

For Linda's Micro Fiction at Grandma's Goulash
Succinctly Yours week #236 with word of the week  -  keg

Could not be captured alive

                                                                           Attribution: Brunswyk
Image: A Unicorn Ornament 1910 (here)

Note: Commonly described as an extremely wild creature
a symbol of purity and grace, which could only be captured
by a virgin. Its horn was said to have the power to render
poisoned water potable and able to heal sickness  -  Wiki

Haiku and tanka

Constellations the
likes of the unicorn blessed
with certain powers

Purity and grace
Could not be captured alive
except by virgins

Of beauty and strength
Cited of folklore seen by
Marco in the East
Recent revival featured
in Harry Potter's series

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #821  -  unicorn
a constellation in the universe

with graceful charms of plucking

                                                                                             Attribution: Etan Tal
Image: A Female Harpist full of Concentration  (here)

Slow lingering sounds
been around since ancient times
Floated leisurely by

Harp's magical strains
With graceful charms of plucking
Nero unperturbed

Smiling mockingly
Mesmerized by the flames but
birds hurriedly flew

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #820 -  harp  and
ABHRA's at d'Verse's OpenLinkNight#156

He labored hard just to utter the joy

                                                                                             Attribution: Zantay Aniko
Image: Nordic walking as a form of exercise! (here)

Sunday Whirligig: the given words:
dazzling birthday weapons, sparks eroding 
rot resentments choking stumps gates
pared (reduced by large amount)
move 

3WW: the given words:
labored 
noxious (harmful unpleasant)
haphazard

What a dazzling birthday bash

What would be next!
What should change today
that was different from yesterday
Were there changes to be made
to bring benefits for a lifetime

With weapons at the ready he scoured the 'Net
Sparks should fly to make it effective
so he thought but 'hold your horses'

He took a step back and reflected
No it should not and needn't be
It should not be eroding to contain the rot
Nor should it cause resentments

Choking back tears he thought again
then he  exclaimed, 'I've found it!'
He labored hard just to utter the joy
Changes within seconds to benefit for a lifetime
Exactly what he would do

What could he do to reduce stress for instance
Apparently just laugh it off and smile more
All could be done within seconds
Perhaps hug someone dear and stress would disappear
Stand up, walk about, not too long facing the screen

Stumps in his head he ought to open the gates
Raise the feet against the wall
to cause the blood to flow down to the head

What about the blubber around the girth to be pared off
Within seconds off around the neighborhood on foot
Mindful though of noxious fumes from car exhausts
He must not be haphazard as before
And perhaps turn vegetarian for some days in the week

Little changes within seconds as a birthday resolution

It was a good move!
It was simple!

For Toni's hosting at d'Verse : Poetics:  changes
MMT's at Sunday's Whirligig #25 and
Thomg's at 3WW week 445
Rosemary's at PU's Midweek Motif 

glisten in the morning sun

                                                                                      Attribution: P Leedell
Image: Cob-web laden tree stump (here)

exquisite cob-webs
glisten in the morning sun
but just for a while
sticks to touch which wraps around
tenacity of a trap

layered in meadows
ghostly dreams sparkle in daylight
stroking at young hearts
coupled with Autumn's show-case
amidst brilliance of colors

For Chev's CARPE DIEM  - tokubetsudesu #61
 - crystal cob-webs

that is how he cowers in the corner

                                                                                          Attribution: Rebeca Sygnus
Image: The Wasp Hunter (here)

MLMM the given words:
grate (​noise or ​behavior that annoys)
stygian (dark or gloomy infernal; hellish.)
geminate (to make or become doubled or paired)
torsion (the act of twisting of a body by two equal and opposite torques.)
razorwine (extremely potent alcoholic beverage)
rare silence sour technicolor inept puppet

it grates his stoic stature
not believing a loving menace
can be stygian in its nuisance

they strategically geminate
to provide a strong attack
by a spectacular show of torsion
to effect a deadly sting

madness of a razorwine onslaught
is telling on his being
rare in its occurrence but still
he suffers in silence 
sour of mood

hallucinations in brilliant technicolor 
inept as a blundering puppet
that is how he cowers in the corner

must find a way to stage a creditable defense
or he'll forever be reduced
to a blob of a man in the face of a pugilistic
tae-kwon-do black belt holder

how he regrets in not checking
such 'finer details' before marriage

For Marian's hosting at Real Toad's  - the tuesday platform
MLMM's Wordle #78 with the given words and
MLMM's  Photo challenge #78

Fresh vegetables and fruits - MF

Image: Courtesy of Grandma's Goulash (here)

Early morning market, a magnet to
those serious about reducing weight
Fresh vegetables and fruits direct
from pickings priced at a discount

(140 characters)

For Linda's Micro Fiction of not exceeding
140 characters at Grandma's Goulash
Succinctly Yours week #235 with magnet
as word of the week

Grus is a constellation

                                                                                                 Attribution: J M Garg
Image:  A Sarus Crane (grus antigone) (here)

Up in the heavens
Grus is a constellation
Set among the stars

Majestic crane walks
among the other birds in
all regal manner

Note: Grus is a constellation in the
southern sky. It is Latin for crane

For Chev's CARPE DIEM #818  -  grus (crane)

At a glance it was rather obvious

                                                                                           Attribution : aline smithson
Image : Courtesy of Tess' Mag #285 (here)

APED's given words:
glance kiss life window red 
heal right brush cross

At a glance it was rather obvious
That a kiss of life was well in order
The state of neglect was preposterous
It was due now for a serious makeover

The French window could well remain
A new coat of paint to liven things up
With hues of red to rightly regain
Its stature of an abode of higher-ups

To heal the hurt of the previous occupants
Only right work to start as it was already late
Was it a parakeet then that had sadly flown
Or a brush with the Tom cat sealed its fate

Should the new cage look spectacular
To incorporate elements of functionality
A cross of the old and modern to feature
Only then fulfilled its individuality

For Tess' hosting at Magpie Tales #285 and
Vinay's APED with Wordle #82

skillfully she shored up her lines of defense

                                                                             Attribution: Sumeet Maghe

Image: A Lioness in the Gir Forest (here)

Sunday Whirl given words:
face shore lines down ripe far itself 
drizzle heart birth sprout silhouette

given to the provocation of having
to face the inevitable was damning enough
skillfully she shored up her lines of defense

down to a trickle but ripe for a change
a far cry from the loss of resolve
in trying to assess the issue itself

a sense of loss persisted akin to standing
in a drizzle cold in the heart still not
nearer to getting a solution

birth of an idea to sprout out suddenly
seemed remote and was turning out to be a joke
not even as a silhouette in the distance

too much to struggle for
emotionally her patience was wearing thin
she decided to just dump him!

Brenda's hosting at Sunday Whirl Wordle #216 and
Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry # 269

A sacrifice to do good for others

                                                                                         Attribution: Adityamadhav83
Image: Gold fish gliding in the water.(here)

He seeks solace but dumb in his bid
Seeing the goldfish that leisurely glides
its fins in wavy movements
He feels the nearness of nature's blessings
Heart surreptitiously gaining strength of purpose
Wicked desire to light the life
A sacrifice to do good for others

Wherefore the cawing of the crows
Not unduly hungry but from up the trees
it is a show of its presence
Many may want to emulate
To enhance their nuisance value
Standing by the street corners
Smiling incessantly at shoppers
gallantly crossing the street
whizzing in and out in between traffic
genuinely frightened
A sacrifice wantonly at great risks

Wherefore the likes of the homeless
Who went to the rescue of the fallen lady
crying on the pavement
whose life hung by the thread
A gunman at the ready menacingly
with a pistol at her head
The homeless lunged forward took the bullet
in his heart and a life on the pavement was saved
A sacrifice unselfishly expended

Was that how to help others?
Must it be one to one?
A life lost for a life saved?

Note: Thanks Grace, Ma'am!

For Grace's farewell hosting gracefully sacrificed
the last two years at Real Toad's with Sunday's Mini
Challenge  -  to emulate Thom Gunn's poetry

Launching of the Alumni Park and the Burying of the Time Capsule - A Haibun

The Prose

On August 23, 2015 Hank found himself among his buddies from the OPA (Old Putera Association - our Old Boys' ) We were all on our way to our Alma Mater. We comprised the batches of 1952-1961 who were in the FMC (Federation Military College) in Port Dickson.The FMC later became the RMC (Royal Military College) upon relocation to the present site at Sungai Besi.

The RMC is a unique school in the tradition of Eton and Sandhurst combined. It was established with the prime purpose of providing officers for the Armed forces (though it did not preclude us from joining 'civvy street' upon leaving the College) The OPA in collaboration with the RMC Administration had designs in having an Alumni Park and it was launched that very day culminating in the burying of the Time Capsule. 

At the Alumni Park were etched for posterity the 'role of honor' of all those who went through the College's corridors. They experienced the rigors of military discipline together during their school days and the esprit de corps was still maintained decades after.

(Attribution: Photos courtesy of OP Commandant Col Wan Ghazali Wan Din)

The Haiku

Select group of scraggly boys

Molded into disciplined youths

to be of service to the nation

Note:A Haibun comprises a Prose and any micro poem usually a Haiku. The haiku may not conform to the 17 syllable count of  5-7-5 of a traditional haiku 

Image:1 Registration for all those Alumni who were present

Image:2 At the Agro Park at the jungle fringes beside the College where the boys had their military training on survival tactics.The Commandant had ready for us a generous offering of succulent fruits and roasted meat upon arrival (meant to highlight what were involved in a jungle survival situation) Fruits there were best taken with the hands (seen above were durians, langsat, cempedak and rambutans)

Image:3 Luminaries now retired, OPs Cheng Wah (Datuk) Nawawi (Datuk) Michael and Baharudin (Datuk,Maj Gen)

Image: 4 The Present Boys (average age 17 years old) performing the Maori Haka
They waited in the sun on the Parade Square for our arrival. They then gave us the super seniors a very warm welcome on this nostalgic outing.(Hank was one of them many years ago).

Image: 5 Solidifying the esprit de corps between the Past and the Present. We joined the
boys following that in a group photo.

Image: 6 The Alumni Park

Image: 7 Solemnizing the Event by the OPA President

Image: 8 The Plaque for the Time Capsule (to be opened on July 03, 2027 during The
Platinum Jubilee year of the RMC)

Image: 9 OP Salleh (Tan Sri,Dr) the OP President burying the Time Capsule

Image: 10  From Left: OPs Omar, Salleh (Tan Sri,Dr) Nawi (Datuk.Lt.Gen) Jalal, 

Mohd Noor (Datuk,Dr) and Hank

Image: 11 OPs Borhan (Tan Sri, Gen) Wan Ghazali (Col.Commandant of the RMC)

Image: 12 The Distinguished Alumni at Lunch prior to Departure From Left: OPs Zakaria,
Borhan (Tan Sri, Gen.ex-Chief of Defence Forces) Wahab (Tan Sri,Vice Admiral ex-Chief
of Navy) Halim (Tan Sri, ex-Chief Secretary to the Government) Abdul Rahman
(Tan Sri,Gen. ex-Chief of Defence Forces) and Salleh (Tan Sri, Dr. ex-Director-General
Forest Research Institute, the OP President)

For Bjorn's hosting at d'Verse : Haibun Monday 1 

golden showers bidding a farewell

                                                                                           Attribution: NeilK

Image: Elegance of Colors (here)

Likened to golden
showers bidding a farewell
Autumn's falling leaves

Autumn's falling leaves
Floating down done with its show
Layers of colors

Layers of colors
Hues of brownish elegance
Hugging Mother Earth

For Chev's CARPE DIEM Tokubetsudesu #60
Variety colorful leaves

Tranquil nature of instability

                                                                          Attribution: Ronald Searle
Image:  Boredom after a Long Journey (here)

Sunday's Whirligig given words:
rolling, furrow, moves, dust, timeless, floating,
name, powerless, stars, rub, moonless
pulsing (the ​​advertising of a seasonal product
​increasing the ​advertising for some ​periods and ​
reducing it for other ​periods)

3WW given words:
fatal glimmer impartial

When boredom sets in mostly in times of inactivity
Tranquil nature of instability of the human mind
digs deep furrows lacking long drawn sensibility
running across rolling meadows where it lands

Tired ideas with slow moves floating in the dust 
Timeless and powerless where it stands alone
Written in the stars pulsing in nature moving fast
but this time sitting around with idle minds on loan

Rub it in for that glimmer of hope, bright spark to boot
Name of the game is to be impartial as a moonless night
Anything else may be fatal even though when mildly put
Stifled mind in conflict is provoked for the big fight

For MMT's Sunday's Whirligig #24
Thomg's 3WW #444  and
Sumana's PU's Midweek Motif  - boredom

Lying supine nonchalantly quiet drifting

                                                                                   Attribution: Merciej Konius
Image: MLMM's Photo Challenge The Golden Hour (here)

MLMM's Wordle #77 with the given words:
luminary (a celestial body, as the sun or moon)
apothegm (a short,instructive saying; a terse remark or aphorism.)
sidle (to move sideways or obliquely.)
leopard potency prism hazel mutual
tatterdemalion (a person in tattered clothing)

drape skull grope 

Lying supine nonchalantly quiet drifting
No luminary in the heavens above as companions
That likeness of friendship empty but moving
True to the apothegm that he heard often

'if it can go wrong it will'

Reflecting on the hurried decision made yesterday
He did not think it could turn out all mired with regret
No way to sidle about in the boat but to extend the play
Leopard with potency of strength with much to forget

in pangs of loneliness unfulfilled

Golden hues of the surroundings were all of brilliance
Though unlike the prism of rainbow sprouts of colors
He could just dream of the hazel nut eyes in silence
Girl that he left crying who wanted to be mutual lovers

insolence against karmic vengeance

Tatterdemalion draped now searing his skull apart
Alone to grope along amidst calmness of nature
To make amends to hopefully win back her heart
Insurmountable to say the least with that kind of departure

wisdom came too late!

For Nekneeraj's hosting at MLMM's Photo Challenge #77
MLMM's Wordle #77 and
Kerry's at Real Toads's The Tuesday Platform

all towering listlessly over his head

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag #284 (here)

Sunday Whirl given words:

bridge skirt teeth cell poor friends tower 

money organs signal DNA pond

A bridge too far

So he thought muddled

Wild ideas fleeting in his mind

Skirting over locked gates

Gritting his teeth

He could not sail over them

He assailed his options

For having lost his cell phone

Poor soul he was not able to call his friends

Problem, problems 

all towering listlessly over his head

A load of bricks numbing his conscience

What could he possibly do

With no money it wickedly 

transformed in his mind

perhaps to beg

but that would take time 

to garner a sizeable amount 

As an easy way out perhaps 

to donate his organs 

but he was not made out to beg

nor had he the guts to donate 

precious little of his person

It signaled an outright no-no

Aha! what about 'money the root of all evils'

no, he had not the guts again

to break the law

his DNA said it loud and clear

He decided to swallow his pride

Ponds, rivers and the seas to overcome

To look up his loving mother

Left in a huff but he would be coming back!

For Tess' hosting at Mag Tales #284 and
Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #215

Yearnings to be human

                                                                                  Attribution: guardian.com (fair use)
Image: The Disma Castle with the Little Mermaid (here)

(The Little Mermaid tells the story of a beautiful mermaid 

princess who dreams of becoming human)

Little Mermaid pining for her Eric

Yearnings to be human

A kiss all she needs

Reminiscent of Frog to Prince episode

that had before happened

Can it be repeated in Disma Land?

Where even the Disney Castle is dismal 

Teary hopes of dreams for her man

Waiting in silence like an innocent girl!

(55 words)

For Kerry's hosting of FLASH 55 Plus
at Real Toads with the little mermaid and
Leo's at APED Prompt # 81 - hopes and a change

A Blonde or a Brunette?

                                                                                        Artist: Hasegawa Settei (1878)

Image: Japanese Lady Playing the koto (here)

They are supposed to be dumb do you know that?
Yes, been told time and again but I don't subscribe to stereo-typing

Well, no rustling of leaves if there is no breeze
I have to choose and I aim for a good choice so I may take time

Ok, it is your palate, your taste
Two choices, an American or Italian blonde!

What! ok, I'm listening
But for either, it is going to be heavy!

Steak or pasta, yes that's heavy. What about 
the brunette you talked about
Going Oriental, yes why not!

It is either kim chee or sushi
Orientals are basically similar it is a toss-up, either way

But they are lighter not heavy like an Italian 
mama with a big behind fed on pasta!
It is a defining moment a watershed moment so to speak!

You can live with it, with a Japanese?
Yes, should be ok
Happy Anniversary, my darling My take this year!

That's settled then! For our next years's
dinner, I will make the choice
For now let's make a bee-line for the
chic Japanese Restaurant by the corner
(23 lines)

Note: to describe a watershed moment
commonly understood as a moment in time,
after which nothing is ever the same.
(friendly banter while cruising in the car)

For Sherry's hosting at PU's Midweek Motif  -  watershed moments and
Victoria's at d'Verse MTB  - What's that you're saying?

Without holding down any pretenses

                                Attribution; Brad & Sabrina

Image: Literally Sleeping on the Job (here)

Sunday Whirligig given words:
demanding silence shoes holding pretend 
play verses scarlet inscriptions stench scars  

3WW given words:
amusing deeply elastic 

Demanding on his person quietly amusing
Modern day watchman now variously known
as a security guard found deeply dozing
in silence with his shoes still on

'What does the watchman see?' good question
Without holding down any pretenses
No play on verses nor scarlet inscriptions
could water down seriousness of the offence

Sleeping on the job a stench of  a blot
Might leave scars on those who worked with gusto
Not to be excused as it was an inelastic black dot
Not to be forgiven he should be sacked pronto

For MMT's hosting at Sunday Whirligig #23
Lynn's at d'Verse's Poetics: what does the watchman see
Thomg's at 3WW week 443