to caress a column of cumulonimbus

                                                       Author Karlunun

Image: A Developing Cumulonimbus (here)

the 12 given words:
call cart can
cacophony (a harsh discordant mixture of sounds). 

caress column cover cotton coal color corona 
covet 

a call to cart them off is received

can expect to confront an unruly crowd

a cacophony of deafening roar in disbelief

extends over the air culminating in shouts

to caress a column of cumulonimbus cover

threatening and progressing slowly but surely

cotton forming and darkening coal in colour 

taking the likes of a coronavirus in intensity

a crown precariously perched on the head 

teetering in the cold winds of a pandemic

out of control despite assurances made

a coveted vaccine longed for to avert panic

Brenda's Sunday Whirl #462

Stuck in a cloudy mess of smoky pink

                                                                                                   Attribution; Carrie's
Image: White Rose,
a Solitary fight-back (here)

A white rose bravely taking a stand
Stuck in a cloudy mess of smoky pink
Holding on fighting back on the bend
Wanting to stick to its guns with a sting

Looking down from way up in the sky
A bird's eye view spanning the horizon
Moral support lacking either way up high
Tightly in a sphere painstakingly bound

Doubly protected with a thorny aroma
Shooting blanks in noisy staccato bursts
Playing to a show of set political drama
Contending to win easily with lots of firsts

Chrissa's at Sunday Muse #114

not expecting a welcome he waited at the gates

                            Photo by mh cheraghi on Pexels.com

Image: Stopped in his tracks (here)

the 12 given words:
welcome waited gates forged fire edge 

belly kettle wanted bread swallows float 

walking taking baby steps ever so slow
not expecting a welcome he waited at the gates

having forged a relationship some time ago 

he sought to renew thinking of her of late

fire in him burning had put him on edge

belly of a boiling kettle oozing with energy

he wanted bread wanting to make a pledge

to swallow his pride making himself ready

her images floating in colours that danced

his mind full of anticipation leading him on

part of growing up with feelings unbalanced

could only hope being still on shaky grounds

Nekneeraj at MLMM's Photo Challenge #321

MMT's at Whirligig #272

Bjorn at d'Verse OLN #269

it gave a chill thinking of the ascent

                                                         Attribution: Hedgewitch 's Autochrome Lumiere

Image: In anticipation (here)

the 10 of 12 given words:  

chill mountain trail yearning camp 

smoke vapour monarch birdsong current 

it gave  a chill thinking of the ascent

mountain high trail engaged with friends 

snake-like that gripped at the imagination

yearning for the fun of pitching camp 

smoke of vapour that screened the vision

where a monarch butterfly groped blindly

in anticipation of the strains of a birdsong

to break the current stillness of inactivity 

inspiration upwards to the sky insisting

for a friendly hand of a loved one to appear

not forgotten of moments shared now missing

warmth in memory of one long gone forever  

Brenda's at Sunday Whirl Wordle #461

Fireblossom's at Sunday Muse #113

Sitting alone not unduly worried

                                                                                                       Attribution: Pixabay
Image: My gosh, not again! (here)

Sitting alone not unduly worried

Morning sun blazing hot at midday

Even clouds running fast hurried

Chased by the incoming twilight rays

Destined to be buoyed leisurely

By a slow-moving river belly full

Life undeniably knocked into inactivity

Not seen its worst as yet heavy and brimful

Resigned to be resting the tired bones

Must you make an unscheduled stopover

A messy cook up it was the previous occasion

When your friends too took refuge, remember?  

Donna's at Sunday's Photo Fiction

a surprise would be a pleasant act of love

                                    Author Michael Coghlan

Image: A Happy Couple (here)

Jaime spent the whole day browsing the antique store

and left with just one thing clear yet, but what a bore

had designs of getting an antique bed a matching double

considering time spent loafing around was plain trouble

a surprise would be a pleasant act of love and affections

in passing had playfully voiced to her of his intentions

painfully it took a toll on his time and efforts to acquire

wore off his manly frame oak strong but doomed to failure

just the beginning and he was not expected to succumb easily

but interested parties were putting him under close scrutiny

she felt comfortable though not being aware of any flaw 

but not so her stern father, his prospective father-in-law

Dylan's at MLMM's First Line Friday

putting weight on sane lips

                                                                                             Author: Alvin Mahmudov

Image: Slow dancing (here)

the 10 of 12 given words

bruised dancing joints wedding 

music fiddled bar dusty weight lips

bruised ego dancing

in seedy joints to forget

a disappointment

no wedding music

fiddled with the liberal

bar's downing of booze

but to clear dusty 

minds putting weight on sane lips

like dignified souls

MMT's Whirligig #271

Frank's at d'Verse MTB  -  imagism

with haiku

to bring to their senses the beauty of piety

                                                            Oil on canvas, by Konstantin Filippov, c. 1871

Image: Religious festival in Manglisi. (here)

to bring to their senses the beauty of piety
to benefit those of hard-headed elements
an exercise of wisdom, an exercise of futility
drummed into their heads in no uncertain terms

their tendency initially is  to view it as bait
but knowing that wisdom often comes too late
it takes a bit of legwork to intrude past the gate

lending the ever often quoted that it is all fate

the pride of a group of like people is offered

the minority, religious or those of  a chosen way

all have rights of living and must be respected

piety transcends to overcome a negative decay

Anmol (HA) at d'Verse Poetics - pride

a dismaying display of courageous bravado

                                                                  Photo courtesy of Morguefile

Image: A Failed Attempt (here)

the 11 of 12 given words:
dismaying meant envy 

goofy (foolish or harmlessly eccentric)

pray rights jeopardized threat war 

history waver 

a dismaying display of courageous bravado

meant to be the envy of the small vehicle owners
to be able to do justice to its size with impunity

it was plain goofy that unwittingly turned sour

a vain attempt of creating some jest in public

pray be that rights of safety-loving motorists

are not unnecessarily jeopardized by such antics

threats of warring factions may take up the challenge

to exhibit their prowess in instigating such actions

history may just repeat itself, it had not wavered

The Sunday Photo Fiction

The Sunday Whirl Wordle #460

it was a big relief

                                                                                            Author Yumi Kimura

Image: Happy on Success (here)

the 11 of 12 given words:
design drill stripes wild pander 

fill shock press line pass mine

designed to fulfill a need
drilled into his head
he was wary
lest led along a wayward path

stripes of pleasurable tendencies
wild in its make-up
that kept pandering to base instincts
filled his mind lately

shocked at the direction
and pressed for a quick getaway

he quickly checked himself
he managed to draw the line

he got pass the time-zone
out of the mines of a timeless pit 

full of clawing hordes of seekers
out for his blood

it brought a chill to his senses

he was adamant

he had to do it
he  managed to outwit them at their game
it was a big relief

Brenda Sunday Whirl Wordle #459

Grace at d'Verse OLN #268

unmoving except for a lone fly

                                                                                                  Author: Paul Goyette
Image: Unmoving and Undisturbed (here)

barely a few hours ago
he was lying on the park bench
unmoving except for a lone fly
keeping him company

thought to be sleeping
had one too many perhaps
stopped sat awhile apparently
none there to bother
nor anyone for company
for the bench looked inviting
tired, his head swirling fell asleep

thus the last moments
not of a wayward hobo
but a respectable community leader
an initiator for community service
well dressed
not unkempt like a homeless

there he was found
a massive heart attack did him in
identified through his wallet
with wads of greenback still intact
the innocent victim with a heart condition
who insisted to be with his buddies at the pub
but left early hoping for a taxi
in the wee hours of the morning

Laura's at d'Verse  - Poetics

Life is meant to run smoothly

                                                                                                 Author Ronyyz

Image: Happiness when successful (here)

This is not something ordinary. This is not imposed nor ostensibly 

a direction to break the impasse. It is a definite desire to explore. 

We go in different directions down the imperturbable street. Why

must there be nature progressing in a clockwork fashion only to be

intruded into by the racketeers and other dishonest elements breaking

the flow with violence and destruction

Life is meant to run smoothly as it would have been planned formally

or otherwise but given a touch of class overcoming kinks along the 

way. Kinks interspersed in between to accord variety making life to be

naturally interesting and more challenging. It does work that way

Why then the testing exceeded the expectations that these ended in 

tragedy instead of ending happily in laughter. 

Is it a hint one is not blessed for recent events and not accorded 

the desired happiness? 

(144 words)

Merril at dVerse Prosery Monday

unfolding right before our realms of seeing

                                                                                                Author: Uoaei1
Image: Groping for an answer (here)

the 12 given words:
unfolding realm spirit, foremother lines  roots
coast, sending, healing string wisdom lessons

unfolding right before our realms of seeing
the spirit of our foremothers of the enormity
of extending empathy towards our fellow beings

lines of the deprived and hungry building up
learning from our roots in all magnanimity
that things are beginning to worsen to disrupt

from coast to coast sending a clear message
none waving the magic wand to invoke healing
instead the old normal to a new reality of bondage

a string of depressing commentary a timely reminder
wisdom of brilliant corporate moves seemed failing
lessons learned of crowd mentality courting disaster

Frank's at d'Verse  - triplets/tercets
MMT's The Whirligig Wordle  #269

dark clouds like protruding eye bags

                                                                                                     Author: Sam Hood
                                                                                                             State Library of New South Wales
Image: Martin Place, Sydney 1937 (here)

dark clouds like protruding eye bags
below tired eyes building up progressively
uneasiness prior to the downpour that lags
rain ganging in to disrupt the planned activity

engaging distaste and frustrations
with gritted teeth but accepted as normal
in the tropics barely a thought as God-sent
most treasured in dry lands as wet gold

inconveniences are fleeting for the few
for an after rain smile beats them all

life-giving elements meant for those chosen
come in abundance for those appreciative
but develop into life-threatening flood waters
otherwise who detest it as disruptive

Sarah's at d'Verse Poetics - rain

a crescent moon in the distance

                                                                                            Attribution: Mind Core
Image: A Crescent Moon (here)

the 12 given words:
frothy breathe cottage eggs dish order 
touch whiskey singe lift smoke empty  

frothy in the mouth
to breathe of the night air
a crescent moon in the distance

cottage cheese eggs and bread
with a touch of whiskey water
nothing unusual
of a dish in a single order

enough to singe
the long unkempt white beard
and lift the mood to a higher level

smoke swirling upwards
from the expensive cigar
clenched tight and angry
for not having the right company

feeling empty and uneasy
in a lockdown situation
alone at the table

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle #458
Nekneeraj's at MLMM's
Photo Challenge #318

his concentration in tatters

                                                                                     Author: Lolavies
Image:  Sad looking
and chained up (here)

on reflection how he regretted it
off guard, he let slip
flying into the wilderness
his concentration in tatters
his mind in confusion
crying in shame

it played havoc
on his normally stable demeanor
his dad's advice flung aside

no, he acted too fast!
(44 words)

Linda's at d'Verse' Quadrille
(to include the word 'slip')