THE CHILDLIKE SPIRIT OF AN IMPERFECT MAN: d’Verse Poetics Prompt (In father’s name)

1. Dance with my father: Luther Vandross

2. Song for dad: Keith Urban

3. My father’s eyes: Eric Clapton

4. Papa don’t preach: Madonna

5. Daddy lessons: Beyonce and Dixie Chicks

6. Color him father: The Winstons

7. Daddy could swear, I declare: Gladys Knight and the Pips

8. Baby father: Sade

9. My old man: Mac Demarco

10. Father to son: Queen

11. Papa, can you hear me?: Barbara Streisand

12. Daddy’s hands: Holly Dunn

13. My father’s house: Bruce Springsteen

14. Papa don’t take no mess: James Brown

15. Your daddy loves you: Gil Scot-Heron

This week, over at d’Verse Poetics, Punam from @paeansunplugged has encouraged us to reflect upon our fathers using some of the song tiltes above as guidelines. Below lies my contribution to the prompt, hope ye enjoy the read! 🙏🤞😁📖

THE CHILDLIKE SPIRIT OF AN IMPERFECT MAN

My father’s eyes,
They glinted,
With a type of mischief
And inate curiosity
That belied his years
Broad; wide-eyed smile
Stretched across his face.
The spirit of a young man
Inhabiting the body of an old

Father to son
He spoke to me,
Atop a barstool,
(It was where i got to know
My Old Man)
Of times gone by
When he was a lad
Reminiscing
About losing his mum
In childbirth,
Of walking to school
In bare; muddied feet.
Of running away from home
And cycling miles to work.

Colour him father
Of two families under the sun
Amalgamated;
Together into one
Beautiful; blended
Imperfect clan
With whom
He found no greater joy
Than having them around
At my father’s house
Delighting in the chat;
Laughter & sounds
Of children & grandchildren
Gathered together

For this is a…
Song for dad
A lyrical pause
For a good man
With some flaws
About the long life
That he had
Packing more in there
Than most
Now all I have left
Is a photographed ghost
A kind one at that

Should you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link below: 👇👇😁😁

https://dversepoets.com/2023/03/21/poetics-in-fathers-name/

RUNNING: REMEMBER WHY YOU LOVE IT

A POET’S HEART IN THE WRITTEN WORLD

The theme for World Poetry Day 2023 is:

“Always be a poet, even in prose.”
– Charles Baudelaire

“Always be a poet even in prose”
Write with a poet’s heart
As you venture to compose,
From the start,
Something straightforward
Polished and refined
Sprinkle in some beauty
And emotion, you’ll find
Your words come to life
And jump off the page
Soaring like a kite
Unlocking the cage
Of your dormant creativity
With imagery & precision
Make you tingle with electricity
With rhythmic incision
Create something heartfelt
With a visual aesthetic
That’d make your heart melt
Not a literary synthetic
So on this day we celebrate
Poetry over the world
Rhyme & verse we venerate
And how it unfurls

SHIFT IN EXPECTATIONS: d’Verse Quadrille Prompt (Shift)

For this week’s d’Verse Quadrille Prompt, Mish has encouraged us to reflect on the word: SHIFT and compose a Quadrille (44 word poem) using it or any of it’s variations. Below lies my contribution to the prompt, hope ye enjoy the read! 👇👇😁😁🙏🙏📖📖

SHIFT IN EXPECTATIONS

Seismic shift in expectations
Since she’d had her operation
A cesarean section to deliver the baby
Had shifted him out of his complacency
Might have to take on some dayshifts at work
To help Deborah with the night feeds
Prevent her from going berserk

Should you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link below: 👇👇😁😁

https://dversepoets.com/2023/03/20/quadrille-172/

TRANQUIL REFLECTION OF ANGER: Sadje’s #WhatDoYouSee #WDYS Poetry Image Prompt

Image credit; Johannes Plenio @ Unsplas

For this week’s prompt, Sadje has provided the visually challenged reader with the image above which shows a bank of nimbostratus clouds refracting the setting sun, which gives it a grayish-red hue. This is reflected in the water below it. Below lies my response to it, hope ye enjoy the read! 🙏🤞😁📖

TRANQUIL REFLECTION OF ANGER

Something’s rumbling up there in the sky,
Hidden behind the clouds,
As if the Gods had lit a fire
Or set off a volcanic eruption
In the heat of the moment
Hovering dangerously close
To the water
Weighing poor old “Nimbo” down
Barely containing
The heaven’s anger
Reflected in the tranquil sea

Should you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link below: 👇👇😁😁

https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2023/03/20/what-do-you-see-178-march-20-2023/

RUNNING: MEETING YOUR HOPES & DREAMS

RUNNING: FINISHING THE RACE; CHANGING THE PERSON

MOTHERHOOD (A Lifetime Lived)

Written especially for Mother’s Day and in celebration of motherhood. To all the wonderful mothers our there, thank you! 🙏😊😁🤗

Motherhood…

A divine thing
A sacred glue
A sacrifice made
A hardship endured
An unspoken bond
A fierce devotion
A pride untold
A love unrivalled
A well of forgiveness
A pillar of strength
A badge of honour
A wisdom gained
A lifetime lived

LUCKY No. 13 ANNIVERSARY

Yes, you’ve read it right! 13 years ago, I signed up with WordPress. Hard to believe that amount of time has gone by! Though, to be honest, I didn’t really have a clue how to use it properly or tap into it’s blogging potential.In fact, I think it took me the 1st 10 years to figure out how to use it. 😛😉😂

And the next 3 years to see WordPress’s potential and begin to properly utilise it. In that time I’ve made some genuine new friends; read many wonderful poems & seen my own poetry/writing evolve from it’s traditional rhyming scheme into a more diverse; mature & insightful style.

Here’s to 13 more years of blogging; new poetry and enriching friendships. Sincere thanks to you all who’ve supported; followed & read my blog/poetry along the way. The blog wouldn’t be what it is without ye’re support & feedback! 🙏😊😁

ON A DIFFERENT WAVELENGTH: Reena’s Xploration Challenge #272

For this week’s Xploration Challenge Reena has encouraged us to: “choose to do any of the following.”:

1. Choose at least two words from the above in your piece.

• Guess the theme and use it.

• Use synonyms of two words in case these words do not appeal to you

Or use the theme and/or words in any other manner you like.”

I have chosen the words: “wavelength“; “trance” & “hypnosis“. Below lies my contribution to the prompt, hope ye enjoy the read! 🤞🙏😁📖

ON A DIFFERENT WAVELENGTH

I came into the sitting room
And turned on the radio
I then adjusted the dial
Till it arrived at my favourite station
(That played hits from the 70’s & 80’s)
It was smack bang in the middle of
Video Killed the Radio Star
Blasting out over the stereo
With it’s own thumping hypnotic beat
If was infectious
Or at least I thought so anyways.
It just left my daughter
In a turned off; trance like state
She sighed
That bored; uninterested sigh
Mumbled “this is rubbish”
Under her breath
And turned off the radio
“Hey” I said
But it was too late
By this stage she had
Plugged her headphones into her I-phone
And turned up the volume
Then again,
We never were on the same wavelength
Were we love?

Should you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link below: 👇👇😁😁

https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2023/03/16/reenas-xploration-challenge-272/