New Year 2021

Carpe Diem # 1842 

 

 

 

 

New Years Day

each thought a loneliness

as winter dusk descends

Matsuo Basho

 

we should give thanks

if we have food and shelter

so many do not

Cardinal Pell

http://magister.blogautore.espresso.repubblica.it/2020/12/24/christmas-with-cardinal-pell-the-light-of-jesus-shines-also-on-those-in-prison/

How Lovely are Thy Dwellings - Westminster Abbey Choir

Carpe Diem # 1841... A Special Challenge...Double Troiku

 mysterious landscapes

rise and unfold before my eyes

worlds of clouds

Chevrefeuille

-------------------------------------------

mysterious landscapes

the stuff of dreams and nightmares

broken restless sleep

rise and unfold before my eyes

the resurrection story 

on easter sunday

 

worlds of clouds 

swirling in my coffee

another day at the office

 

=========================================

 

mysterious landscapes

high snow capped mountain peaks

not a palm tree in sight

the stuff of dreams and nightmares

forgetting my lines on stage

an actor's ultimate dread

broken restless sleep

early morning garbage trucks

life in the big city

=================================================

 

rise and unfold before my eyes 

puff pastry stuffed with apple and walnuts

through an oven glass darkly

the resurrection story

a contentious leap of faith

a mystery of religion

on easter sunday

church bells ring out loudly

children search for chocolate eggs

 

===================================

worlds of clouds

from an aeroplane window

a distant memory

swirling in my coffee

streaks of whipped cream and sugar

decadent breakfast

another day at the office

counting down the hours

thank god it's friday

 

Writers Pantry # 50 PSU

O no John (arr. Eric Thiman) - Guildford Cathedral Choir (Barry Rose)

The Pianist

 

Wordle # 217 -Word Association

Ice - horrendous  drug

Spill the beans-- hardly

Bestow- favours on the deserving

Obstinate -always

Crumble-unlikely

Surrender-never

Lighthouse - too expensive

Murky- past

Garble - academic patois

Drama - daily

Print-  read the fine bits

Quiver-Colin Firth

 

French Knots

 For Adele Alexandrine Ludivine

she wore a huge sun hat in the surf

much to the amusement and sniggering

of potential skin cancer victims

no sunspots for madame

she taught me

how to find the best mango

how to make mayonnaise

how to marinate olives

she taught me how to  sew french knots

 

 how to keep the cut flowers from wilting

how to cream my elbows

( important for every girl to have smooth elbows and fresh underwear )

how to use a parasol as a weapon of self defence

she played old vinyl records and danced in her big apron around the house

everything that came into her aura bloomed

the cats adored her

the canary used to sing with her

she made a home with colour  life and love 

Weekly Scribblings # 47...PSU

 

 

 

 

 

Carpe Diem # 1840

fragile beauty

the smooth brown shell of an egg 

a perfect shape

cranberries covered with sugar

the tinkle of reindeer bells

christmas here soon

 

 first hoarfrost

a winter wonderland

magical moment

 

 

 fragile beauty
cranberries covered with sugar
first hoarfrost

© Chèvrefeuille

Pandemic

the medical advice 

is

stay at home 

so

 one million are getting on planes 

to attend thanksgiving

 

 the sheep  lol   said 

if that's the case 

fuck it 

anything goes 

The Sunday Muse # 135

Billie Holiday - Blue Moon (1952)

Weekly Scribblings # 44

they say

the earth grew dark

and earthquakes

shattered the world

split open the tombs 

when it happened

that day

2000 years ago

 got an awful feeling

 of deja vu

a goose just crossed over my grave

 

 

 

 

Carpe Diem # 1838

they were blue

they were beautiful

and so was the moon

Sunday Muse # 132

 

if you go down in the woods today

don't expect to stumble across a teddy bear's picnic

 the world has changed

 

 winnie the pooh

is  considered to be the chinese president's look alike

so his images are banned 

donald duck has changed his hair colour

grown fat and become a psycho president

pollyanna is deemed to be politically incorrect

 snow white has racial issues

 and sleeping beauty is an addict

 

if you go to church

you could find yourself

minus a head 

so stay alert

no praying with  eyes closed

the world is no picnic

the teddy bears

have moved on

 

 

Carpe Diem # 1837

 

blowin' in the wind

a lot of bullshit and lies

not baffling brains

An Erasure Poem - Weekly Scribblings # 43 PSU

Night,
and the yellow pleasure of candle-light....
old brown books and the kind, fine face of the clock
fogged in the veils of the fire - it's cuddling tock.

The cat,
greening her eyes on the flame-litten mat;
wickedly, wakeful she yawns at the rain
bending the roses over the pane,
and a bird in my heart begins to sing
over and over the same sweet thing--

Safe in the house with my boyhood's love
and our children asleep in the attic above.
 

Hugh McCrae

 

 night

the yellow pleasure of candle light

cuddling tock the cat

she yawns

bending the roses in my heart

the sweet thing

my boyhood's love 

asleep

Richard Strauss - Oboe Concerto, TrV 292 (1945)

Carpe Diem # 1836

 barefoot they walk by

in wetsuits with surfboards

young and unemployed

Carpe Diem #1835

coloured pencils 

a child's dreams on the lid 

of an old biscuit tin

Carpe Diem #`1834

 a fine dutch artist

 obsessed with sunflowers

beauty in a field

Laudate Dominum

 

 

 

Matthew 10 :40 

 

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. ... And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. ... And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise me or reject me. ... done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me…

Carpe Diem #1833

 between the roses

a small cocoon moves on the breeze

awakening a butterfly

Chevrefeuille

 

a young butterfly

sips at the honeysuckle

 sweet summery drink

Carpe Diem #1832

 

we live in a world

inhabited by a golden host

of vain daffy dills

arrogant and self centred

mostly from the male species

Wordle # 209

 

no hugs
social distancing
no need for lipstick
wearing a mask
but i confess
i can still wink with elan

once upon a time
an oddity
wearing a sex pistol  t shirt
followed her home intending to
murmur incoherent  sweet nothings
in her ear
whilst stroking her thighs
but had a change of  heart
when she delivered
a sharp right to his head

reeling
he thought he could hear wedding bells
and the quavering  voice of a vicar saying
let no man put asunder

 

Mindlovemisery Menagerie 

Writers Pantry # 40

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Carpe Diem - Rainy Day

cold and deserted

 no one's singing in the rain 

not anymore

Wordle #208 MLMM

 

the renaissance man

his crisp white shirt 

gold buttons

melding with sleeves 

of  sumptuous brocade

tucked into his tight leggings

was unaware of the

empty headed girl

deftly snipping a ringlet coil

from his wig for a souvenir 

twas coup de foudre

 

 

Boris Buggers Britain

row row row your boat

 boris is in trouble 

unless he ditches the rule of 6 

his troubles will be doubled

Whirligig # 281 - Writers Pantry #35

 

 

 

sculpted fingers framed shadows edge bridge feet bones grace religion water
cinders

THIS WEEK'S WORDS come from "I Found Kin in a Thrift Store Photograph" by Aaron Coleman:

 

 

sculpted fingers
joined in prayer
broken statue in a churchyard

 

shadows framed
against water's edge under a bridge
picturesque pleasant land

 

and did those feet
in ancient times
walk upon england's mountains green
unlikely

 

religion now in cinders
relevant as dinosaur bones
in a secular society without grace

 

 

Writers’ Pantry #35: Change Happens (for the Better, Let’s Hope)

  https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/

 

 

  

Whirligig # 279

 summer braids enough line must feet fingers mirror shifts suddenly again magic

 

with nimble fingers
she unties her braids
suddenly she becomes aware
of new lines on her face
must be the mirror
her gaze shifts to her feet
they need work again
had enough of winter
bring on the summer magic

 

 

 THIS WEEK'S WORDS come from "Absolute" by Jacqueline Woodson: 

Scarlatti Sonata in D minor K141 by Martha Argerich (2008)

lightning flashes across the keyboard
when tackling the italians
practising scales for all those years
suddenly makes  good sense

eat your greens
say your prayers
practise your scales
et voila


brava Martha





 

Weekly Scribblings # 32:

i am explaining a few things


when i was young
i knew everything
now i am not young
i  am certain of only two things

i will never get around to sorting my sewing box
i will never be a canonised saint

no longer do i ponder
the mysteries of religion
nor the mysteries of the universe






now i ponder 
the tarragon in the chicken
the paprika in the potatoes
or
what it would be like sitting with you
staring into your log fire
without social distancing

Carpe Diem Tan Renga Wednesday #17

such a hot day
my shadow needs to cool down
under the willow

© Kyoshi Takahama (1874-1958)

i lie stretched out on the soft grass
dreaming of iced ginger beer

Wordle # 201 - MLMM

takes two to tango
they mesmerised all
with their unique technique on the dance floor
both being aquarian helped i think

at the first touch they knew
bells whistles and fireworks exploded
twas an outer space experience
the earth moved and  the walls came tumbling down

along the way
they lost and found each other again
twas axiomatic they would live together happily ever after
'though she was critical of him eating breakfast in bed
 too many breadcrumbs in the sheets


Axiomatic Technique Space Touch Aquarius Unique Critical Breadcrumbs Two Think Lost and Found Wall

Mindlovemisery's Menagerie

Mr Bach Wrote Several Tunes That Sound Like This

Wordle # 200 MLMM

he would sketch for hours
capturing the light
bringing life to the landscape

lost in wonder
underneath the evanescent  stars
he wrapped his arms around her
kissing her softly

she did not have the patience
to wait forever
he would break her heart
shattering her faith in finding love
leading to more weight problems

he wasn't the one


one
faith
break
forever
patience
softly
arms
underneath
evanescent
stars

more 
weight
sketch
lost
arms
hours
capturing 
bringing
obfuscate
verecund





 We have a special 20 word wordle in honor of the 200th Wordle  Choose at least 15 words.

G.A. Brescianello (1690-1758) Concerti Sinfonie Overture

"Music is hateful and intolerable to the devil. I truly believe, and do not mind saying, that there is no art like music, next to theology, It is the only art, next to theology, that can calm the agitations of the soul, which plainly shows that the devil, the source of anxiety and sadness, flees from the sound of music, as he does from religious worship. That is why the the scriptures are full of psalms and hymns, in which praise is given to God. That is why,when we gather round God's throne in heaven, we shall sing His glory. Music is the perfect way to express our love and devotion to God. It is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us"

Martin Luther

Plumbing Can Be Fun

her morose mood state
a giant pain in the neck
dips and soars
like a yo yo

no knight in shining armour
to share lockdown with
let alone anyone to stain the floorboards 
or fix the plumbing

enough

no time for navel gazing girly
find the saw and claw hammer
and get cracking
use the time productively

enjoy your singularity
enjoy the last of summer
without a creep to contend with

autumn will be here in no time at all

Writers Pantry # 31
Wordle #199  MLMM









1 Floorboards
2. Creep
3. Morose
4. Stain
5. Dip
6. Saw
7. Singularity
8. Knight
9. Neck
10. Soar
11. Yo-yo
12. Claw

Carpe Diem # 1828

a walk through the city
step by step I discover
a newly built world

© Chèvrefeuille 

puddles on the road
another cold winters day 
my cosy bed beckons

Whirligig # 275

 

 

THiS WEEKS WORDS from " Stolen Glances" by J ohn Thornberg

peer payment silver cruel until look fair play stolen laced reflection fades

 

payment made

stolen silver  30 pieces

peer pressure  to play fair

until

a cruel look

laced with venom

in a reflection

fades

to nothing

 

Whirligig # 274

THIS WEEK'S WORDS come from "What Is Water?" by Danielle Legros Georges: water, cloud, river, tell, casts, kite, descending, passports, heat, cluster, grapes, brown

clusters of dark clouds descended
over the putrid water of the brown river
floating with torn passports
the heat  unbearable

grapes of wrath?
apocalypse now?
high as a kite?
hard to tell 

Carpe Diem # 1827...Escher

what's in the bottle
that brings to life a design sketch
bells of lost souls-bols



 




don't let the left hand know
what the right hand is doing
same page secret

Carpe Diem # 1826

mozart at tea time
the musket still smoking by
the violin case

SUNDAY MUSE # 115 WEEKLY SCRIBBLINGS # 27

berlin 30s cabaret
a sultry singer purring
frag nicht warum ich gehe

in a sea of marcel waves
a tipsy blonde fraulein
sips champagne

look no hands Fritz
he stamps his jackboots
roars with laughter

twas the time
just before starvation
and the bombs

lockdown
was welcome in underground shelters
no one wanted to go
to the pub  the football
or  the hairdresser


<

Living On The Edge

the siren rang out
the tail light
he forgot  to fix the tail light
this could be it
a death sentence
an instant execution
he got a ticket
lucky this time
but for how long ?















 1974 - 2020

poor George Floyd
not so lucky
R.I.P

Writers Pantry # 22

April Poems - Day 25

   
Supper at Emmaus - Caravaggio

Day 25

no need for words
a genius says it all
through paint and brush strokes




Day 26




 she leafs through
the glossy magazines
strewn across her bed
a pile of broken dreams


Day 27




 Lee Miller, combat photographer  in Hitler's apartment Munich 1945

her muddy boots
a breath of fresh air
on his  pristine bath mat

did he masturbate
to his own image i  wonder
heil schatzi

contaminant green
good colour choice schnucki
s'pose the lamp shades were made
from human skin too

Day 28 






2020
year of the silent killer
marking the door with lambs blood
wont do it this time


Day 29

 

marmalade boy
knows he is beautiful
he is told every day
by his adoring slave/owner

lying diagonally across the  big bed
in a ballet pose his preferred sleeping position
his owner carefully  attempts to fit in without disturbing him

she reads him Christopher Smart's poem
about a cat called Jeoffrey
he yawns and falls  asleep
as if he would be interested in
a tiresome medieval neurotic cat
who eats mice

he purrs softly and dreams of
fresh salmon and crab meat
while his owner
 crouches uncomfortably
 on a small corner of the bed

Day  30

never again
this is the last year
she usually says

this time 
she is looking forward
to being able to return
next April

hoping she will be granted
another twelve months
on this mortal coil

God willing


Writers' Pantry # 18

April Poems _ Day 20

Day 20

 found again
lying for decades
at the bottom of an old chocolate tin

gift from a  little  beggar boy
would not accept payment
remains a mystery



Day 21

 Transliteration

Erlkönig

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

---

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind? Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind; Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm, Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

 who spat in    church that windy night?
it must have been father with some kid
in a knobbly woolly hat boy dem arms are huge
Erm farting is sick, no way to warm up a seat

Day 22







memories
of a sweet little boy
absorped in his tin tin books
all those years ago

 les carottes sont cuites
 the die is cast
 you've cooked your goose
 you've made your bed

 bon chance mon amour
 adieu

Day 23

respect  reveal rediscover renounce review

weekly scrtibblings #16 PSU 

rediscover self respect
resolve never to tolerate bad behaviour 
renounce  your enemies
review  these thoughts
change your mind if you like




Day 24 

I have eaten
the plums that were
in the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving for breakfast

 Forgive me
 they were delicious\
 so sweet and so cold

 William Carlos Williams

my shrink dr feelgood said
i should be myself
so i ate your watermelon
in the fridge

even though
i knew you would mind
i did it anyway

it was delicious
like only forbidden fruit
can be

 my  mantra echos
across the room
me
me
me
me
as i gaze  adoringly
at my own reflection

Artwork by Andre Pijet

April Poems

Day 6


it is a strange feeling
not celebrating palm sunday or holy week
life is full of surprises

ship of fools
spreading all that plague
she'd rather sit at a table
under the clothes line
in a field sipping tea
out of a chipped yellow rose patterned cup
than be locked up in sardine can cabins
with superannuated geriatrics

journalists continue to flood the media with bad news
it is the time of the germ warfare sci fi horror movie
played out for real

THIS WEEK'S WORDS come from "Meeting the Light Completely" by Jane Hirshfield: strange, field, table, surprises, chipped, yellow, roses, fools, cup, flooding, clothesline, time

Sundays Whirligig 

 

Day 7 

  

 

a kitchen composition
tiger lilies with  purple  garbage bag
the camera lies

Day 8






Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day

no please don't
this tousled look is not my intention
have not been to a hairdresser in weeks
locked  down because of the plague
you would remember what that is like

it's your birthday soon
what to give a dead playwright
 perhaps a lovely thought missile
penetrating the firmament

even at school
i was a serious fan
though i doubt we were meant for each other
particularly when i found out
you only left your wife  the second best bed

Day 9 




global plague
social distancing
maunday thuirsday
let us pray
this will not be our our last supper

Day 10 


 

Good Friday

this year the churches are empty
the black death is upon us
hard to process it
it used to be a busy painting
in an art history text book
before it arrived on the door step

we pray for mercy
kiss the crucifix
on grandma's rosary beads
hoping
we have not pushed the boundaries
too far this time

Day 11



 

the language of flowers
red roses for love
yellow for friendship
an offering of both
with a blue sky bonus
sad it's all come
too late

Day  12

Easter Sunday 







He Is Risen
the churches are closed
the shops are closed
no one around
makes no difference
He is risen
nothing can change that
He is risen - Hallelujah

Napowrimo 2020

Day One 






aumty nin's yellow canary
sang all day long
whilst she bustled about
chatting to him in
her little garden kitchen
the door to the cage was always open
unusual he did not take off
perhaps someone mentioned coal mines
that or he was happy where he was

Day 2 

rhyming couplets

 
a virus wants to kill us all
the worst pandemic since the fall
we plead with God to save our skins
perhaps it is the wage of sin
when this is over we must change
return to simplicity and engage
with elevated minds and spiritual thought
not things and trinkets that we've bought
meanwhile we should sit at home
using the  time to write good poems
tidy the sock drawer make some calls
the neighbours freak and climb the walls
if they hear happy birthday one more time
you'll find them swinging from the blinds






 Day 3

senryu




p c execution
death by  trombone firing squad
what a way to go

Day 4




as a child
this was her swimming hole
she knew every rock  nook and cranny
somewhere down there  was a silver ring
lost decades ago -  long gone
he said it belonged to his grandmother

in her dream swimming underwater
she sees a gleam - the ring
wedged under the corner of a  rock
part hidden by the waving seaweed

every time she returns to that beach
she dives in 

gone
gone
gone
long ago
yet
she still looks in that same spot
you never know


Day 5




1938-2020 

Shadorma

you have gone
many will miss you
in this world

magic songs
cool special and romantic
rest in peace sweet bill