Curiosity

                                                 Image: Wind of History  by Jacek Yerka

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

A house far out the country-side

Ignited a curiosity in one's mind
Abandoned but mysteriously prone
to frequent probes of unseen visitors
Tyre marks visibly awkward but in abundance
From the  gates to the house and back
But oddly enough avoiding a drive through
Where an open gate offered least resistance
But strangely no one took the route

A white car stuck in the mud for
as long as one could remember
None so brave as to venture out to see
Heard say there were four occupants
Who refused to exit and were now skeletons
Basking in the heat of summer
Shrivelled in the cold of winter
as if huddling close together for warmth
Eerie and frightening, no one dared
to take a peek but rather letting
the many mysterious visitors to keep
their secret with a discovery morbid
or otherwise, no one cared to question!

Written for Tess' Magpie Tales #156

Stood Up

How come you are dressed up this way

I would have to for him

But the other girls have all gone

That was some time ago!

Well...

I do not know

I…

I just cannot think now!

He is supposed to pick you up?

Yes, like other freshies

Well, these seniors are just hustlers

There goes your Valentine!

Note: 1. Freshies often got stood up by seniors in College for dances earlier arranged. Rather ungentlemanly but these things happened
Note: 2  Shay challenged all Toads “to write a poem using iambs, of 3 stanzas of four lines each. The first and third stanzas will have four lines with syllable counts of 8,6,8 and 6. The second stanza will have a syllable count of 1,4,1,6."

Written for Shay aka Fireblossom's hosting at Real Toads to write using iambs (didn't conform to the stresses but I'm only sure of the syllable count)

Jealousy

                                                                                  Attributed to Ripton Scott

Image: Two Lovebirds on a Perch
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Resentment and fear
Notions of rivalry and

suspicions of threats

Negative feelings,

distrust, pent- up ill will

of others’ assets

Facets of business,

romance, appearance, career,

subject to onslaught

Destructive outcome

Panacea of ethics lost

to fatal pretexts

Written for Chev's haiku at CARPE DIEM # 122 with prompt - jealousy

Greed

                                                             Author : Hersfold (talk/work)
Image: Currency Symbols
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

More than pandering
to basic wants, greed creates pangs
of evil psyche

Slick in nature, sly
in tendencies, profusion
of selfish actions

Stealth in strategies
Dark in yearnings, slaughtering
and slashing routines

Friends and foes alike
Fair game without recourse for
ruse and trickery

Written for Chev's haiku at CARPE DIEM #121 with prompt - greed

Sacrifices

                                                                                Picture by James Gathany
Image: A Black Widow Spinning its Web around a Tree Branch
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Decisions defying reasoning
Often circumstances demand
Done with precision
Spontaneous but outwardly
irrational

How to explain the sexual cannibalism
of the Black Widow eating its mate
after mating. The reverse is true
in suttee. Self immolation of a widow
at her husband's funeral pyre

The ultimate sacrifice!

Diving kamikaze pilots and harakiri
disembowelment performed by the samurai
Heroic acts accepted and revered by
their society. If only good sense
prevailed in place of dogged patriotism

Some things are best left unsaid for their
reasons are beyond reasoning!

Written for Poetry Jam with prompt - sacrifice and shared
with d'Verse OpenLinkNight week #83

Windmills

                                                           Attribution: Quistrix at nl.wikipedia

Image: The Crowned Poelenburg at Zaanse Schans
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Tulips and windmills
Of canals and maple trees
Den Haag and Centrum

Wooden clogs and Delft
blue. Herring in onions
Fries, with or without?

Dining is bliss, hot
pizza, Indische rijsttafels
Chinese takeaways

Edam, cheese galore
One or in separate bills?
Astublieft and Dag.....

Written for Chev's haiku at CARPE DIEM #119 with prompt - windmills

Stork

                                                                       Picture by Adrian Pingstone
Image: White Stork at Bristol Zoo
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Storks,decidedly
assigned the obligation
of bringing babies

A tall order but
a responsibility
of necessities

Laborious job
Not for the faint-hearted but
wherefore the ladies?

Written for Chev's haiku CARPE DIEM #118 with prompt - stork

Loving You!

                                                                     Image: 'Artwork' by Joseph Lorusso
Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

You had sounded so tense and desperate
I rushed over here when I got your tweet
What's up? I told myself not to be late
Nothing pressing I thought we should meet

I'm really so glad nothing's the matter
You had me worried for one brief moment
Been meaning to call but something or other
Got in the way that got me off tangent

I thought we agreed to meet in a few days
That was the reason why I was so afraid
I'm sorry Honey, I was aware but as I laze
thoughts of you swirled wildly in my head

Best we meet I decided to call you anyway 
I just can't wait to call you this time
I know it may just be another few more days
But I'll kiss anyway for Happy Valentine!

Written for Tess' Magpie Tales #155

Sakura

                                                                                   Picture by Hans Braxmeier
Image: Beautiful Cherry Blossoms
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Precious Sakura
Beautiful cherry blossoms
Adorning the scene

Taiko drums leading
Sakura music of spring
of colors and sounds

Songs of old,since the
Meiji Restoration likes
of modern Japan

Written for Chev's haiku CARPE DIEM #117 with prompt  'cherry blossoms'

That's Greed

It’s embarrassing to say the least
When caught with their  pants down
With connivance they expect a feast
Determined to scrounge so profound

No qualms about making an assertion
Such poor taste one cannot readily fathom
When without batting an eyelid they fashioned
Ways and means to get even

Ways of the world are plain indeed
Outwitting the unsuspecting an unending form
Easy way out and fostered by greed
But it’ll catch up and backfire that’s the norm

 Written for 3WW with words embarrass, taste, and backfire

Happiness

                                                                               Picture by Marcus Yeagley

Image: Frog Prince Waiting for a Kiss

Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Stellar happiness

Joyful  exuberance not

holding back a glance

Complacency rears

its ugly head confounding

joys of nostalgia

Decadence of feel

Decimating youthful thrust

Fabric of folly

The elderly quells

designs to cause mischief but

sentiments wobble

Submitted for Chev's haiku at CARPE DIEM #113 with prompt - joyful and d'Verse's OpenLinkNight week#82

A Library

                                                                               Picture by Robin Gosnall
Image: Central Library, Manchester
Courtesy of Tess' Mag

You look spiky for the whole world to see

Mayhem of construction works manifold

Mandated from 2010 till two-zero-one-three
Man had decided that you remained closed

Considering you had been around since 1934

Old age demands to restore moments of splendor
There are enough reasons to thwart the specter

The indignity of refurbishment you are to undergo

Thus once again to the masses of Manchester

To emerge vibrant and to rally unflinching enthusiasm

Of a service and facility sturdy without stutter
The City Fathers had taken the momentous decision

Fervent in educating the enthusiastic youngsters 

Sober adults, golden oldies, with hopes of sincerity

In all those good old fashioned reading ventures

Modernized facilities to maintain its 'structural integrity'

Written for Tess' Magpie Tales #154

A Raintree

                                                                                       Picture by Tau'olunga

Image: A Raintree at The Post Office of Nuku'alofa

Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Process note:  There was a row of tall raintrees in my old neighborhood which

must have been about 80 years by now.  They were already there for as long as I could

remember and still standing though some made way for development. The pic above
is similar to those that we had.

Casting a net on the outset

Barely on the outskirts of imagination

Amidst a pall of outward intrusion

A smokescreen of shadowy apparition

Pungent in a quaint whiff of cool breeze

Purporting of quiet movements

In intermittent bright and dark shadows

The swarthy old raintree extending

a canopy over the neighborhood

Unabated it stood tall and menacing

In sudden bright sunshine or drab stupor

Smirking in light smog and drowsiness

A shrewd measure of strength

Written for Karin's hosting at D'Verse of Poetics of Groundhog Day - Bright Shadow

Pride

                                                                                      Picture by Mcast1286
Image: A Fall's Pride - depiction of oak in Autumn
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Hold on to one’s own

Arrogance comes along side

Pride in one self

Pride before a fall

Not  a reason to quarrel

Humane in belief

Humility nudged

Being aware is being wise

A classic end all

Written for Leo's Haiku Heights #207 with prompt - pride

Questions, questions!

                                                                         Photo by Christopher Meloche
Image: Tendrils coil and latch for support
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Of a drab rainy night
A weather unkind for wants
Lashed against all its might
Could it force itself out front?

One's head dashed reeling
Pulsating of spiral dreams
Compounded of acts troubling
Must it occur to extremes?

Frustrations turned for the worst
Tendrils entwined the mind's undone
Save the cause of strength first
Would they fall in place for once?

Written for 3WW with drab, pulsate and tendrils

Volcano

                                                                                         Authored by gnuckx

Image: The eruption on Mount Etna

Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Volcano erupts

Spectacle that man observes

Nature playing tricks

Brilliant colors, a

Show of power and strength but

Hides an ugly side

Krakatoa, Mount

Etna,  Pinatubo brought

Untold destruction

Reminder of ills

That need to be corrected

For mankind had erred

Written for d'Verse OpenLinkNight week 81 and Chev's CARPE DIEM special #19 Shiki's Evening Sun

Pop Music

                                                                Image: Charlotte Gainsbourg, AnOther
Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

The 50’s and 60’s were hailed as the greatest era

of pop music. The baby boomers came of age.

A whole generation of young people appeared

on the music scene. Support of this generation
and youngsters following them spawned myriads
of musical forms and famous pop stars

There were  rock n roll greats in Chuck Berry and Bill Hayley

Followed by Elvis and Cliff Richard, Ricky Nelson, Paul Anka

and Connie Francis. Groups began to make an appearance with

The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Temptations and

 the Supremes

The Beatles created a sensation with their particular brand of

music  and presentation forcing a peculiar form and sound that

even shocked rock n roll into submission

Nothing prepared the music scene though when a whole generation

found themselves  gyrating to Chubby Checker’s, the Twist.

Some minor ones like limbo rock tried to cash in on the madness

but it did not make an impact.

Despite all these, individual stars of evergreens with the likes of

Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis and a host

of other notable ones kept those who thrived in the sentimental offerings

going.

But nothing shocked the world when Michael Jackson went solo from the

Jackson Five and held sway transcending the generation gap and

mesmerizing everyone with his new form (characterized by the moonwalk

and others that typically were identified with him)

With his passing, the music world was lost and hungry for some new forms.

It grabbed at Psy’s Gangnam Style recently but just how long will that last!

Written for Tess' Magpie Tales #153

The News

                                                                     Image by noebse
Image: A news vending machine

Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

It’s a slow death

As of many others

It has always been there

Keeping one company

An early morning ritual

But its days are numbered

As a portly gentleman

Slowly anorexia nervosa afflicted

Thinning and wasting away

A predicament no less

No more throws-in over

the gates nor news-vendors

nor news vending machines

A paper-less society making

An invisible presence

A pity for the ‘papers magnate

That controlled the print media

Their empire crumbled

Whittled down drastically

They have lost their influence

Or is it? No it is not!

A resilient lot with the old  adage

‘You can’t fight them you join them’

So they too are in cyberspace

Currently extending free offerings

Perhaps devising a foolproof system

To get at that odd few cents  

of  our newspaper money

they used to receive before

In time we’ll be made to pay

For the news we crave everyday!

Written for Brian's hosting at d'Verse Poetics: Reaching the Masses and Poets United's Poetry Pantry #134

Micro Fiction

Image: Courtesy of Grandma's

Just you and me
Keeping each other company
No fun in being neglected
But let us not be sad or dejected

Cheer up!
At least no one whacked us

(140 characters)

Note: Grandma challenged us to write a Micro Fiction in

not more than 140 characters based on the picture

and to include the word 'whack'

Written for Succinctly Yours week  #97 at Grandma's Goulash

Rescue

                                                                            Author: The US Army
Image: A Rescue Mission in Afghanistan
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

A rescue mission

Dangerous and uncertain

Both parties at risk

Awaiting rescue

Those not knowing nor aware

Of what transpired

With trepidation

Subdued while hoping, heart beats

soared and wondering

Worst if no contacts

With hunger gnawing, stricken

plight in disarray

Rescuers often

Rescued in botched missions, but

Noble in resolve

Written for Leo’s Haiku Heights #206 with prompt  - rescue -

Why?

                                                                                                 Image by LaurMG
Image: Frustrated writer
Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)
                            
Elusive and mysterious

Lurking in the shadows 

Where Art Thou, Creativity!

Show yourself,  let me see

Unflagging faith in your presence

Loyalty unquestioned

We’ve been through together

Why aren’t you here?

Where are you

This won’t do

Hear my plea

It’s plain to see

It used to come easy

Just you and me

Whether in writings

or in sketchings

It’s kind of slow

And I’m on a low

But now it’s a shock

Yet again the old Writer’s Block!

Written for Anna's hosting at d'Verse, Meeting the Bar with prompt - Creativity

Heath

Image: A heath, courtesy of Chev's

Process note: Not really knowing of how a 'heath' looks to be like, this verse has versions

of a similar kind of land area in our part of the world. It's akin somewhat to having light
undergrowth where we boys spent hours of fun when young

Nostalgic playground

Boyhood arena, stage for

countless excitements

Catapult in the

back pocket. He roamed the large

expanse of wasteland

Light undergrowth rich

in little creatures hiding

to be discovered

Heath, a treasure trove

lined with childhood abundance

of fun and laughter

Written for Chev's haiku at CARPE DIEM #103with prompt , heath

Sweet Memories

Image: At Marine World, Vellajo, north of  'Frisco
My late mother-in-law together with Azlin Adura
my eldest daughter and my son, Azhar.

Hank and family had gone over to Sacramento for
Azlin's Commencement Day (Graduation Day from CSU,
Sacramento - 1998) My late mother-in-law saw snow for
the first time at Reno and was absolutely thrilled.

Baby Adura
snugly in her tender arms
cuddling on her lap

Protective of her
Shadah and I were lucky
Her mother helped out

As a young couple
we were inexperienced. She
was the guiding light

Sadly she passed on
two weeks ago. Memories
sweetly linger on

Written for Chev's haiku at CARPE DIEM #102 with
prompt -Sweet Memories- and Brian's
d'Verse's OpenLinkNight week #80

Bliss

Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

The world whirled slowly by
Medley of forms and activities
Some accepted some on the sly
And many others of mediocrity

Many who planned to procure
Executed them with perfection
But some just failed to endure
Unashamedly await for salvation

Oblivious to what transpired
The outside world was no bother
Adhering to whims and desires
Young couples aligned their rudder

In a world of their own venture
Holding hands, pitching a wish
Time stood still pristine in nature
Have we elders not savored such bliss?

Written for Tess' Magpie Tales # 152 and Open Link Monday at Real Toads

Retirement

One waits in anticipation for years
The day will dawn, have no fears

But in the meantime slog along
Do your own thing, and press on

Time and space hurtle past
Slowly in the beginning but then just

Amidst responsibilities are testing times
Are governed by targets and deadlines

Time spent with co-workers and friends
Are often at the expense of quality time

Surviving and striving are part of the journey
To fend for themselves are woes of the family

Cruel but a necessary element of change
Open to failings on occasions of pain

Mistakes and blurred decision-making
Rampant in an environment of working

Of mistakes not material, a consolation
But rectification can restrain advancement

All in chasing and overcoming odds
The rat race is often an unforgiving lot

Looking forward to days of retirement
To be rid of all the pressures and deadlines

Ironically though, retirement can be boring
The experience of those before us is telling

Unfortunately wisdom comes a tad too late
Nonetheless one ought to be more prepared

Fortunately some very clever ones to the fore
Prepared for retirement and are busier than before


Written for One Single Impression #256 with prompt - retirement- and Mary's Poetry Pantry #133 at Poets United

Dusk

                                                                                        Picture by Kumamushi

Image: Ootakamori viewpoint, evening

Source: Licensed through Wikimedia Commons (here)

Day is done. They troop
back to their homes wondering,
What have I achieved?

Dusk transforms to a
darkened stupor to welcome
a night of conscience

They seek peace of night
with hopes they are blessed nearer
towards nirvana

Written for Leo's Haiku Heights #205 with prompt - dusk -

Politicians

The circus in town
A spectacle just as much
but more amusing

Big business lobbied
Rent seeking. Money changed hands
Greedy clowns unmasked

Sans trapeze but objects flew
Chairs flung, animals berserk
blows traded wildly

Colorful ones mired
in scandals. Even cleaning
ladies were not spared

The game did not change
the world over. Only the
players were different

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #98 with prompt - circus

Danger

Image:1 A similar kind that we encountered but more greenish at the lighter colored areas of the body. One of the most poisonous apparently

Image:2 A similar kind of  'rowing boat' that we used seating two persons
Source: Wikimedia Commons

This is based on a day of what seemed fun for a 15 year old but on
hindsight was wrought with danger. Has to be read with the prose
posting (here)

Such countless danger
Bravado, headstrong, bold and
brave, folly of  youth

The slithering kind
Coconut hunters, hunger,
thirst and exhaustion

Retrieving the boat
Snakes with vengeance might follow
but devoid of choice

Lastly the weather
Choppy seas, dark clouds, without
safety of life vest

Written for Poetry Jam with prompt - danger 

Anger

Image: Courtesy of CARPE DIEM
Sourced through Wikipedia free Encyclopedia  (here)

A pull-back for one
Seeing someone contorted
seething with anger

Life is unworthy
if embers burning inside
enhanced skewed judgement

Good sense drives a hard
bargain. Malfunctioned thinking
points to disaster

Written for Chev's CARPE DIEM #96 haiku with prompt -embers- and Joe's hosting at d'Verse, OpenLinkNight #79

Memorable Tea Meeting

                                                                                  Attribution: Hank's collections

Image:  The six long-time friends, OPs Akbar, Salleh ( Maj-Gen, Datuk, Dr) Mohd Nor
( Datuk, Dr),Razali and foreground, the host, Amirudin (Datuk,Dr). Hank snapped the pic

Process Note: We're are just within the vicinity. We bumped into each other at odd times before but after sometime we never get to meet. Among us we might not have seen each other for decades. On Jan 13, OP Amirudin ( Datuk, Dr) graciously played host and invited us for tea and we got on to have a big yarn together. The relief and the fun was just fantastic!

A journey a little
A nostalgic quest
A yearning so subtle
For not having set eyes
Not seen each other
for decades on end
An awaited phone call
it finally came
Six friends on a journey
of old times together
to rekindle a grand memory
It was such a wonder

Life is a flower 
of which love is the honey

A big yarn and friendly banter
The minutes flew fast, it was plain to see
Since the ice is now broken
And we're within contact easily
And we righteously have spoken
We've vowed to meet again, certainly

Prompt: Victor Hugo's, Life is a flower of which love is the honey as the prompt in the verse.