Monday, July 31, 2023

A Rare Movement Activity in the Flesh

                                                                               Author: Sarah Marie Jones 
Image: A Man Streaking! (here)

Done with my streaking. You should have seen their eyes
How they popped out more of surprise than anger. They 
did not expect anything like this and it was also a stroke 
of good luck. I did not anticipate the large crowd. Tonight 
it was somehow unusual and they were all very sporting.

Did you see the guy with the red hat? The burly menacing 
looking. I thought he was trying to stop me. I started with 
a slow run further down. The ladies were already screaming
when I reached him.

He came at me. I thought he was swinging a punch. Lo and 
behold! He cleared the path for me. He was making it easier 
for me. In fact he followed slowly to make sure I had a clear 
passage. I owed him one!

It was pretty tiring. That was a long run. I had better get back 
to my bike. Hey! What happened to my clothes?

I was lucky I hid my wallet and bike keys under the stone in 
the bush. I’ll better go get them

Lesson learnt! Next time for a streaking stint. No more bikes!
Bring the car!
Minimise the risks.

Am having fun! Phew!
Never felt that good. Very
so refreshing! Yes!

Note: Hank in a lighter mood. Writing an imaginative
account (this is not a personal experience ) on a one-time 
movement activity popular a long time ago. 

Frank at d'Verse Haibun Monday  -  moving

Friday, July 28, 2023

what pleases me?

                                                                       Author: Dominicus Johannes Bergsma
Image: If only we occupy our
own given domain (here)

what pleases me?
a shine that lights up the morning shadows  
to a gasp of delight of divine assertion

what dotes on me?
to breathe a sigh of relief that follows
never to show true feelings of dejection

what eased off my wandering heart?
a lovely lady dignified of regal stature
open to critique friendly in attitude
progressive in outlook tolerant by nature
a valuable find to keep in all gratitude

how so simple that life can be good,
if only no complications intrude!

Rosemary at Poets and Storytellers United - friday-writings-87
what-pleases-you

What I desire is what I aspire

                                                                                      Author: Charles J. Sharp
Image: Enough to come by!
Hummingbird hawk moth feeding (here)

What I desire is what I aspire   
But then would I need more than before?    

No, I have enough no need to have more     
Though there were occasions I would cry    

I may really need more and I would cry     
My wants might be limited I do realise     

With limited stipend enough to survive 
It would come a long way to be comfortable

Being comfortable is something luxurious
Having more resources but not hilarious

To return what is due to society
Not to the point of pockets being empty

Not an option for having empty pockets 
What I desire is what I aspire   

Merril at d'Verse MTB - Critique and Craft
the-duplex/

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Visit long awaited

                                    
                                                         Artiat: María Berrío, Closed Geometry, 2022

Image:: Neglected  (here)

Sighs of dismay permeated her confused thinking
Lying on her back a mess prodding her mind
Furtively through her heart slowly but prancing
With the slow music an accompaniment to dine

But alone  facing up the sky just quietly blinking
Dressed but chained in her mind searingly 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

Grace at d'Verse poetics-
ekphrastic-poetry/

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Saying sorry to water it down

                                                                                                Author: Ahmed Anfal
Image:  Eventually Made up  (here)

A gathering storm
starts rather innocently
but lashed with fury

Provoked and enraged
stormy union knows no bounds
unwittingly worsened

Both not giving in
Saying sorry to water it down
hardest to do

Endearment tormented 
Rantings eventually pacified,
but was normal and laughed off
(44 words)

De Jackson at d'Verse quadrille-180-
pouring-out-our-poems/

Sunday, July 23, 2023

The one eye is all that I need

                                                                                                Author: Kakoula10
Image:   One-eyed Cat (here)

The one eye is all that I need
To focus attention for a meal
To hear the echo softly retreat

All the niceties I can well read
In anticipation clearly in view
Of a meal is all that I bid

Memories I recollect for a lead
Wonderful instances none so few
To gather courage for a feed

Passing cars relent slowing speed
Letting we the hunters to pass through
A fair consideration truly indeed

Gone are days when we used to meet
To share food with a caring tom cat
To hear the purring to softly greet

If only we can now together sit
To drown the sorrows and the blues
A glimmer of hope for a lead

Rommy at Poets and Storytellers United 
friday-writings86-glimmers

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

while we were on vacation

                                                                                                   Author: Rbalmonia
Image: A Civet cat  (here)

I wish to recall an episode while we were on vacation 
a long time ago. It seemed hilarious now but not when 
it happened. 

We decided on a week's vacation at a small resort with
sea-side sports activities but with the bonus of jungle
trekking and fishing thrown in.

My loving wife Shadah had reservations initially as 
a jungle environment would be fraught with danger. 
I just brushed it off as wild imagination. It was a 
mother's natural tendency of added caution, an 
unnecessary worry.
.
We arrived in the late afternoon enough to have a glimpse
of the sea and the accompanying sea breeze tugging at
wisps of our hair. A wonderful time on the morrow was
eagerly awaited. But what a surprise, for the excitement
did not wait for morning. It happened that very night itself!

We had retired for the night and snugly in bed snoring
away. Suddenly there was a din in the kitchen, a lot of
banging, knocking and sounds of pans falling. 

We were housed in a 3-room chalet and the kitchen was
the back portion. My son Hafidz decided to investigate but
was held back by Shadah. It could be robbers and probably
armed, she cautioned. It could not be as robbers would not
give themselves away I countered.

We called security and a young man, John came by
sneering made a show of bravery and walked confidently
into the kitchen. Things were strewn about dented or
broken. By this time a few of the neighbouring chalets
had awakened and stood around wondering what happened

John looked around and declared things were under  control
They would do a clean-up in the morning and all would back
to normal. Shadah then asked John whether it was safe to
pull back the curtains to let air in as a pot of spilled curry
was emitting some kind of odour.

The kitchen window had wire-mesh so John said it was safe.
He made a move to the window and was just about to pull
back the thick curtains - then it happened!

It jumped out from behind the curtains on to John's face.
John cried out and rushed for the door. He missed a step
and his face smashed against the door itself. 

The honorable thing for the management to do for which we
we were grateful was to have our family transferred to one of their
suites at the main building. We were there for the whole week.

John was given a few days off but he met us before we left
There were still old scars on his face and when he smiled
there was a toothy grin - on account of two missing teeth
in the front.

He explained it was a civet cat that got trapped behind
the curtain because of the wire-mesh. 

A nocturnal creature it was more frightened of John 
than we had imagined. It was not a dangerous animal 
but it was an unexpected visitor which managed to get 
in but not able to get out on its own!

Punam's at d'Verse Tuesday Poetics - vacation-reminiscences/

Monday, July 17, 2023

Beauty is a blessing

                                                                                        Artist: L da Vinci 
Image:  The Beauty of Mona Lisa (here)

For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terrorRainer Maria Rilke

Beauty is a blessing unto those who are privileged. It is not
a monopoly of the chosen few but extended to a few by divine
choice. Many vie for it knowing of the benefits of being admired
which may come from suitors attracted to it.

This will create a demand and a tendency to possess what 
the many others can only wish for. Invariably it will plant feelings
of envy which may translate into innocent jealousy or to reactions
more violent in nature for beauty is nothing but the beginning 
of terror. Beauty is there to be seen but those not having it would
have designs of wanting to destroy or cause likely damage.

It can be the beauty of a Cinderella or an object like Mona Lisa 
which endured envy and acts of violence contrary to expectations
Thus terror is preceded by beauty.
(144 words)

Hank's Reading of the Quote:
Beauty is not terror, but the beginning to a  terror: it is terror which 
does not threaten yet nor is there an immediate danger 

Mish at d'Verse - Prosery-rainer-maria-rilke/

Saturday, July 15, 2023

to shine and settle it bravely

                                                                     Author: Stefan Brending (2eight)
Image: Dancing and Swaying (here)

the 12 given Wordle words:
stay trapped cry shine settle run 
stray drain brave pain trim crafty

the tree swayed like a dancer 
moving her hips to the music
to stay trapped in such a stance 
may impose certain limits
It is a far cry from having to 
shine and settle it bravely
 
how then to relieve the 
pain and trim the score

a clever way to respond is
never to run down the whole 
show nor to stray away from 
the intended direction
for it may drain the resources 
thus limiting the choices

man is a brave animal quick 
to adjust never to accept defeat 
for any eventualities
without extending a fair fight

man's ingenuity knows no bounds

never to fall from grace 
with empty hands
give it a shot and see what gives

that's the whole point 
of having a crafty mind   

Note: to include the first line:
the tree swayed like a dancer 
moving her hips to the music

Brenda's Sunday Whirl Wordle-613/

Friday, July 14, 2023

Life's Like That!

                                                                          Artist: Pieter Brueghel the Elder  
Image: An Armed Four-Master 
Putting Out to Sea (here)

Friday Writings #85: First Line
"Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.” 
Zora Neale Hurston

Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board
This implies life is open to all sorts of experiences of 
gains or losses. What man conceives or desires are not 
readily or easily to be at his disposal. At any one time 
a big question mark hovers over his head

What man dreams can be felt or even can be seen 
developing and progressing but there are difficulties 
or hardships that frustrate the dreams along the way

However not all suffer the same fate for some kind
elements may favour certain individuals who find it
easy to have achieved some semblance of success

Unfortunately it conforms to the luck of the draw and
life takes its own course. Many would resign to accept
the inevitable if they choose not to create opportunities
for themselves. 

Note: Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board
-  a metaphor for the dreams that men have and what they do
to pursue them. While some dreams come in with the tide and 
may come true, but some keep sailing until time runs out

Magaly's at Poets and Storytellers United at 
friday-writings-85-first-lines

Monday, July 10, 2023

Mouth-watering goodness.

                                                                                                     Author: Elliot
Image: Half dozen chargrilled oysters. (here) 

Lovely oysters 
Mouth-watering goodness.
Not unlike 'uncooked' sushi 
Great on the taste-buds 
but daring to take a risk. Why?

Not being naughty 
but it tastes good! 
So what will it be?

Not easily available. 
Might as well

Cheaper by the dozen. 
Twelve pieces, please!
(44 words)

Note: To write a Quadrille in 44 words
and to include the word 'twelve'

Lisa at d'Verse Quadrille : happy-dverse-twelfth-anniversary/

Friday, July 7, 2023

Often walked the path of wonders

                                                                                             Author: 阿橋 HQ
Image: The 'Black Leopard' Shatin 
Orchid Show, Hong Kong  (here)

10 of 12 given Wordle words: 
walk, spins, pick, wishing, bruised 
visit, potions weeds woods keeps

Often walked the path of wonders
Had been through many spins
Plucked from the pick as starters
Wishing what the heart could bring

Bruised with frustrations of many years
Through the many visits that were begun
What became of the potions collected
For the thirst of discovery left undone

Was there then a similar set of weeds
Found in the woods brought to light
Flowers and leaves collected for keeps
Black orchids found were cause for delight

MMT's The Whirligig #430

Monday, July 3, 2023

A good dream is a bonus for good living

                       Author: Hennie Niemann
Image:  In the Land of Dreams (here)

the 10 of 12 given Wordle words:
 patch eliminate immense correlate spectacular 
outnumber shopping plastic movement  winner

To patch up a gap in the extension
To eliminate an immense show of confusion
Flashes to correlate mixed ideas
Emerging for a split second or longer
Then disappears into Davy Jone's locker

There are spectacular dreams that appear
Foretelling of what’s coming in the future
But it outnumbers images that instead emerge
Causing havoc in the minds of the lost

A good dream is a bonus for good living
Bad dreams are the aftermath of bad intentions
Getting mixed up in shopping for ideas
Prodding the plastic show of human feelings
Self imposed in movements of passion
A winner in classic fashion in myriads of colours
In the realms of the subconscious 

Lisa at MLMM's wordle-329/

Sunday, July 2, 2023

I'm not given to mischief

                                                                                            Author: Paul Sapiano                                              Image: The Black Widow (here)
Note: The Black Widow so-called 
as it will devour its mate after mating

the 11 of 12 given Wordle words:
dim twitch mingled drifts call split 
words shattered shallow spell gaze 

You call me a dim twitch is that it!
I’m not given to mischief
Neither am I a conceit
But I can well cause grief

I mingled in lots of drifts
More manly than even any man
His call to  have a fling
I said that suits me fine

I’m not of a split element
Nor words had me shattered 
Ridicule me and in an instance
You’ll end up battered    

Not shallow nor under a spell
My gaze cause a lot of pain
My man told me to fizzle
Gobbled him later that’s my gain                          

Barbara's Sunday Whirl. Wordle#611/