Aspects of lifestyle revealed

                                                                                      Attribution: Tangopaso
Image: Golden Mirror on the Wall (here)

Through the looking glass
Aspects of lifestyle revealed
Much of hard facts in the past
Recounted seen and sealed

Through the mirrored images
Dorian Gray set to gradually age
Not seen by eyes but set to amaze
Wonder of living picture in its place

Through mirror, mirror on the wall
Arrogance of beauty stamped its mark
Who was then the fairest of them all
Humility invoked spiced with lots of luck

Bjorn at d'Verse's: Poetics -
through the looking glass

Buried in Mind - a Quadrille

                                                                                             Attribution: Andrea Torres
Image: Buried without Recourse (here)

immersed right up her neck
not an even chance
life's problems clinging
on to her tenaciously

they were not about to leave
she wanted to know why

which could lead to
knowing the reasons

was it a karmic curse
meted for an earlier poem?
(44 words)

Nekneeraj's at MLMM's Photo Challenge #199
Victoria's at d'Verse's Quadrille Monday
- poem one for me

I aim to write, anything at all

    

                                                                                     Author: Kabelleger / David Gubler

Image: A  train hauled by an "Allegra" EMU, 

pushes a plow to clear the snow (here)

11 of 12 given words:
aim trample dense band ransom 
change dangerously tale rain day magic 

I aim to write, anything at all
it does however, encroach unto self-pity
to be trampled or to be catapulted into
the air my mind seems to side-step many times
and gets into a dense band of objections
playing hard to get, making it hard to start

holding my creativity to ransom
change seems dangerously a risky effort
a tale playing against logic and sanity

then the rains appear and awash with ideas
I reach out to snowflakes that float by
ensnared ideas are set to develop
by the day to the long-awaited poems
to support a train of thoughts
pulling through the thick snow
It's magic!

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #336
Magaly's at Real Toad's with  -
weekend's mini challenge

pushing on years - a Cherita

                                                                                             Author: bayral  
                                                                                                                  CCA2.5 Generic license.
Image: An Old Elephant (here)

labelled a rogue

testing the waters again
last fling as a tryout

experienced cold feet
pushing on years
but forgetting wasn't easy

Note: Cherita
A cherita comprises a one-line 
verse, followed by a two-line 
and a three-line verse.

 Chevrefeuille at Carpe Diem 
- weekend-meditation-17

now they were still in tears

                                                                                                 Author: SAM Nasim
Image: A new-born (here)

Get Listed words:
pause reflect unfolding years

as he eyed junior's presence
he could not hide his excitement
it brought tears to his eyes

they were in the midst of an anticipation
much maligned to a point of confusion
yes, that was how he felt
he paused for a moment
his thinking took a backseat
looking blankly at the wall
to reflect on the situation
he remembered

unfolding in front of his eyes now
all the years of frustrations and hurt
of anger and feelings of a let-down

his 'emo' now took charge
he was 'emotions-charged'
that was how he explained
to his ever smiling wife

she was at a loss for words too
just sporting big grins
as she acknowledged
the congratulations of those around
with an occasional nodding of her head

it had been a success after all the tears
now they were still in tears
but tears of joy
absolute joy!

she was cradling in her arms
the result of the in-vitro

their most precious and first
bundle of joy, a new beginning!

angie's  Get Listed at Real Toad's  -  new beginnings

desiring to peel off some from the rich

                                                                                           Author: Maksym Karmazin
Image: The Snow-topped Matterhorn:
By the Dawn of the Night  (here)

the 11 of 12 given words:
peel rich tangerine flames think palms 
spiteful pink tongue fancier snow

desiring to peel off some from the
rich as one would do to a tangerine,
flames of envy on how to make a kill
and with what weapons kept
playing in his mind

to think all the wealth of the rich
just came by easy into the grasp
of their palms was a mistake
a simplistic kind of thinking
 spiteful and even idiotic.

one felt tickled pink, hearing
 from his tongue of fancier ideas
that ran into realms of imagination
where seeing snow at the equator
seemed far more believable

MMT's Sunday Whirligig #146
Sumana'`s at PU's Midweek Motif  - weapons

every ailment on Earth has a remedy

                                                                                            Author:  Leisurelyscientist
Image: The Bittersweet Nightshade (here)

Extending a helping hand a friendly gesture
In answer to a cry for help

Its toxic properties converted to medicinal value
Often destructive otherwise

Where it had been said every ailment
on Earth has a remedy.
It was a question of discovering them more
often by accident or guided by traditional knowledge
The nightshade family of plants offered such a solution

One never could imagine its lethal nature
That could kill an invading army given as a trick
Belladonna was supposed to have been the plant
'that poisoned the troops of Marcus Antonius
during the Parthian wars'

Its medicinal value, varied and many
lessens irritability and pain
as a lotion, plaster or liniment
welcomed with glee and relieve
for those with gout and rheumatism
among others

Yet Bittersweet Nightshade in its innocence
is a member of the same family as the potato and tomato

This brings to mind the Poppy revered before for fallen heroes
but now a curse to mankind

Bjorn at d'Verse Poetics - with poisonous plants

yet to be filled to the brim

                                                                                                   Author:Dick Culbert
Image: The Calabash (here)

empty calabash
reflecting the fading sun
a beggar sits in gloom             © Celestine

empty calabash
yet to be filled to the brim
parched lips a-begging

reflecting the fading sun
day is done aptly
rat race ends meekly

a beggar sits in gloom
shadow of rich self
karma's sad judgement              ©  Hank

Note: the hard shells of the calabash fruits are
useful as water containers when hollowed out.

Chevrefeuille's Carpe Diem.-  a troiku
A Celestine Nudanu (special feature)
Magaly's at Real  Toad's  -  the tuesday platform

a band of crooks bent on a mission

                                                                                     Attribution: Nasa
Image: Crooks can Drop from
the Sky to Infiltrate (here)

The homophone sets this week are:
band – a musical group
banned – forbidden

cent – one hundredth of a dollar
scent – an aroma
sent – dispatched

A band of crooks bent on a mission
Individually they were not that destructive
Believing in unity as a call for strength
Courage in numbers proved effective

They managed to hoodwink some initially
Moles were sent out fast to infiltrate
Few organisations vulnerable with their folly
Tumbled unceremoniously by the wayside

Recruitment then banned at certain events
Measures put in place to reveal their presence
Human Resource easily traced their scents
Foul means for a living not worth a cent

MLMM's Saturday Mix  -  double take
Mary's at PU's Poetry Pantry #387

glittering pride to be on one's own

                                                                                         Attribution: Michael Gäbler
Image: Alone but on my Own (here)

11 of 12 given words:
falter under wreath frost hibernate, caves 
rejected whispering, breath mirage glittering 

to falter under a wreath of frost
a mistake to be wandering in the cold
better to hibernate in caves,even though lost
a rejected psyche soul but still able to hold

a guarded but whispering breath
to exhibit the dignity of old age shown
under a mirage of confidence, a wealth
of glittering pride to be on one's own

MMT's Sunday's Whirligig #145
Susan's at PU's Midweek Motif  - psyche/soul

This was the child-play I had wanted

                                                                                    Attribution: Braedin Toth
Image:It is Child-play  (here)

How I would have loved this
This was the child-play I had wanted
Out from this world, what bliss
Alone to myself unthwarted

I had always maintained
Not to be a nuisance to others
I would do my own thing
Away at the borders

But what I could not comprehend
Why others would want to do otherwise
They took it upon themselves to no end
An untold bother at any price

MLMM's Photo Challenge #197
Sanaa's at Real Toad's  - the tuesday platform

To force a game against the grain....

                                                                                                   Author: Jan Pavelka
Image: To Zero in through
any likely Opposition Mercilessly (here) 

10 of 12 given words:
game grain shady sane gravity 
train  taken chicken figure superstition

To force a game against the grain
In a shady venture is just insane
The gravity of the situation
Will be most apparent

When the sights are trained
Taken on something big to maim
On to the poor and despondent
Very glaringly being chicken

To figure against the powerful and strong
To allay the belief in karma and superstition
That what goes around comes around
The downtrodden is easy meat to let drown

The thinking being caught is out of the question
Failure against the poor not likely to happen!

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #334

Decked with controversy of office

                                                                                        Author Brocken Inaglory
Image: One Must Tow the Line
- follow the leader (here)

He was at the end of his tether
Wither the trouble-maker
Bother to him but not to some
Done without tact
Lack of a purpose
Serve it on a platter
Prefer to maintain the status quo
Blow to the dignity of mankind
Find a sucker
Deter the tendency
Possibility of a fight-back
Decked with controversy of office
Pissed by office politics
Peaked when the boss resigned
Time wasting when looking for a replacement
Even a simple task may adversely create
Dictates of paralysis
Insist on tact and virtues
Choose a matured office culture
Never to be upstaged anymore

Marian's at Real Toad's  -  Fussy
Little Forms: - chained rhyme

Landlords with Grand Designs

                                                                                          Attribution: Sharon Knight

Image: Linked (here)

Roaming the country-side
Feeling free to observe
Expanse of undisturbed sites
Mystifying a linked reserve

Should not determine a pace
To alter unfettered access
Across the land
Why should there be links in place

To safeguard assets and property
Or perhaps a defiant show
Extent of local power and authority
Strong enough to force an issue

Land is grand
Landlords with grand designs

Grace at d'Verse's OLN #211

Beauty beyond doubt

                                                             Attribution:  Charlotte Gonzalez 
Image: Now you see now you don't (here)

Not readily visible
Beauty beyond doubt
Light and shadows
Did not at all put a damper
Not a subject of scrutiny

One might think it was an
accident of history to be seated
shrouded in the shadows

Not really!

She was a clever girl
She observed the surroundings
when she arrived
She chose a vantage position

Enough to provide mystery
Revealing her better side
To let the lights 'do the killing'

MLMM's Photo Challenge #196
Rommy's at at Real Toad's - tuesday platform

Her buying binge is turning drastic

                                                                    Attribution: Firefly George Seeley (1907)
Image: In all Innocence (here)

the 11 of 12 given words:
sin deny sidekick watch water sprinkle thinner
binge (an unrestrained and often excessive indulgence eg a buying binge)
slick (characterized by subtlety, wily a slick swindler)
staccato whistles

How sinful to deny a 'sidekick'
Of her rightful place by your side
Her buying binge is turning drastic
Watch how she use her new-found pride

Flaunting your wealth freely like water
Not in sprinkles but fast-moving splashes
Impacting towards your thinning coffers
Slick talker with twitch of her eyelashes

Followed by staccato bursts of babbles
With a barrage of unending questions
Ending with a triumphant measure of whistles
To confront the subdued load of a victim

Kerry at Real Toad's - camera flash
Brenda's Sunday Whirl's Wordle #333

fallen but not out

                                                                                                Author:Alex Polezhaev 
Image: I'm free! (here)

falling to the ground
a flower closer to the root
bidding farewell                                  Basho

called to be free
in heaven's name a chosen soul
fallen but not out                                 Hank

Note: Basho and Tando were close 
friends and he (Basho) created above 
haiku in commemoration of his passing

Chevrefeuille's Carpe Diem:
Weekend Meditation#14 - revise that haiku

Explore the myriads of contending doorways

                                                                         Author: Andreas F. Borchert
Image:15th-century richly
ornated Gothic doorway    (here)

the 12 given words:
doorknob flame  flammable smallest something 
crackle shouts dance sizzle stone dies paper

Wherefore and what behind closed doors
Twist of the doorknob may not be revealing
The flame is at its height from the floors
Flammable even at its smallest sighting

Something's burning and it is likely not love
Crackle of shouts and a dance that sizzles
The stone in stony silence quenching its thirst
Weighing down hard invoking lots of puzzles

Explore the myriads of contending doorways
Picking it right is the puzzling of life's choices
In most likely instances progress dies midway
For paper-thin matters listen to the inner voices

MMT's at Sunday's Whiligig #143
Susan's at PU's Midweek Motif  -  doorways

an enchanting evening bidding

                                                                                          Attribution: Dietmar Rabich
Image: Christmas lights (here)

the 12 given words:
champagne kiss enchanting gala gowns Chanel
No.5 kiss invitation gold sparklers flute midnight
effervescent (bubbling, vivacious and enthusiastic)

let the champagne flow
effervescent wine bubbling
to kiss beneath the mistletoe
effervescent young people bonding

an enchanting evening bidding
gala of a time in evening gowns
unmistakable whiff of Chanel No. 5 flowing
enthusiastic young revelers bound

an invitation to partake in a dig
a golden chance as grandma often
reiterate for young maids to pick
a life-long matching much left to chance

sparklers patiently brighten the mime
a restraining flute music fills the air
in a fleeting moment the midnight chime
will sound off the passing of the year

MLMM's Bonus Wordle -  'new years'