# 23

I spotted a prompt at We Write Poems, thanks to a link in Viv In France's blog, and as they were asking for something silly - well - 'nuff said...

 A Kind Of Iffy Poem

If I were silver, and so was my tree,
I'd be a bell bird - also silver you see...
My sonorous notes would daintily ring
as tumbling carillons I'd choose to sing
to welcome each new day and say 'Hello, Sun'
then I'd croon him a lullaby when day was done.

With a ting and a ling, or a ding and a dong
my bell chords would echo and sound all day long,
'til the people who lived in the house on the hill
would shout out, quite rudely 'Please shut your bill!
From inside, our ears are now ringing as well -
can't you be quiet and give us a spell
of silence, all golden? We humbly request
that you tuck your head under your wing for a rest.'

And now what do I find, but an IGWRT's prompt for a poem to celebrate The Bard! So I've done an additional write this afternoon, just for him - and them! Sorry, Will!

Forsooth!

In memory of Shakespeare, here are lines

the like of which his quill pen never wrote.

For now, a fearsome black and plastic board

provides a bard with characters to press

with tender fingertips, no more nor less.

And so come words intended to impress

a modern audience -  a  Blogland crowd,

reliant on technology, and such things

as monitors, plus much beyond the ken

of simple womenfolk , as many men may

state in chauvinistic mode! However,

be that as it may, this tribute in the month

when William breathed his first or last

poetic gasp, I humbly  lay before you.

I implore you to look kindly on my work –

written while more serious employment

I do shirk, forsooth. Impetuous youth!

I jest, of course, for me, a second childhood

is closer to the part of life I live today!

# 22

Thanks to Kerry, and IGWRT's plea that we all work towards a greener and cleaner Earth - this being World Earth Day, apparently- my quirky humour immediately took it the wrong way, and with the help of a wonderful photo by pk-photography.blogspot.com, it gave me the excuse to write a sad apology of a haiku...

Clean and Green, you say.
Perhaps, after a rainstorm,
a caterpillar?

# 21

Haiku Sample

Get your free hugs here!
My special offers are shipped
twenty four seven.

I was sent a request  for one of these via a comment on this post ... No sooner said than done!

Another number 20

Plat Du Jour

Saturday special?
My granddaughters are coming;
favourite menu.

# 20

A.M.

It's half past one.
Rest will not come
until my skin
has cooled. My shins
burn
while I yearn
for slumber.

A number
of factors
have caused reactors
in my being
to send fleeing
any chance of sleep.

So I creep
downstairs,
where
a screen
will seem
friendly as I type
this night,
for it 'hears' my words...

But that's absurd...
it has no ears.

Yet it appears
to wait for each
new character to reach
into its mind-set
on this page which lets
me speak,
as I seek...
communication?
Or commiseration?

# 19

NaPoRiMo Dilemma

The weekend is coming,

there’s no mistaking that.

Can I pull another ditty

from my thinking cap?

Will Friday be the full stop

where inspiration fails?

If I can’t squeeze another drop,

I might go off the rails

by talking rot, or double dutch

or causing a to-do?

I will not like me very much

and nor, I’m sure will you!

I have my 'silly' head on 

and all it does is play

while all my funny words have gone-

ones like Calloo Callay -

and someone else invented those...

can I invent some more? Who knows!

# 18

Voyage - or Cinquains Float My Boat

Writing
poetry is
miserable sometimes
when new ideas refuse to come
on board.
Your boat
loses the wind
from its sails as doldrums
strike, and only the anchor stops you
drifting
away
on a new tack,
carried by a current,
with no control over the course
that's set
by the
hidden tideways
deep beneath your vessel.
It's time to whistle down the wind
perhaps.

IGWRT's  Toads are asking for ideas on encouragement today - so my tip is 'Whistle down the wind and set sail for a brighter future!'
And here's one I wrote a while back for the kiddywinks... Seemed a good idea to pop it in here, too.

Face Front

Let's face it, life is funny.
On your face a nose that's runny
can be nasty, it is true.
and all that you can do
is blow it.

But if your face is sunny,
giving smiles that cost no money,
don't keep it to yourself
stuck indoors upon a shelf,
go show it.

Turn into happy bunny
and, like buzzy bees make honey,
life will suddenly be sweeter
for such a meet-and-greeter!
I know it.

# 17

Imagination comes in handy when the 'Spring' remains elusive - only a word we remember from last year, but which we begin to doubt will ever apply to this year!
So I've been sitting thinking wistfully of what might be on offer, in a perfect world...

Sun

Now flowers flaunt their gowns in bright array
to welcome in the harbingers of spring:
the swelling buds: the trees with new display
of leaves, which hide the small birds as they sing.
Who would not want to smile on such a day
when sunshine warms the heart of everything
on Earth? Like gossamer it wraps our world -
fine threads of happiness by Sun unfurled.

# 16

I thought it about time a Triolet was added to the mix - eight lines of iambic rhythm, with a rhyme scheme of ABaAabAB. First, fourth and seventh lines are a repeated refrain, as are lines two and eight.

Half Way

The half way marker now is past,
soon April's poems will be done
defying winter's dying blast.
The half way marker now is past -
it seemed to come and go so fast!
Although we've all had lots of fun,
the half way marker now is past;
soon April's poems will be done.

# 15

It's Monday;
not the most fun day
of the week
for workers.
But those past retirement age
have no such worries.

As long as
creaking bones will let
them arise,
(no surprise)
they are perfectly happy
just to be alive!

They have learnt
to live day by day.
In this way
life can be
an ongoing adventure,
whatever happens.

Hehehe! A NaPoRiMo Monday special, using the shadorma form, and linked to IGWRT's

# 14

Depending on Tess Magpie who flies in way past noon,
a number 14 poem may appear here soon...
so watch this space
'tis no disgrace...

See you this afternoon?

 

Afternoon is here, and so am I again! With thanks to Tess and the artist Kuzma Petrov-Vodin at The Mag. And here is an etheree for the real #14 of NaPoRiMo.


Walking Out on Sunday Afternoon

Prim,
proper,
the courting
couple's meeting
is awkward. They sit
apart, each self contained;
she, gazing way off yonder;
he, leaning sideways, studying
the composition of her profile...
both feeling on top of the world today.

# 13

This time, I've decided to write in a form which I believe is described as a 'crown cinquaine' -  in other words, a linked series of cinquaines which, if looked at sideways (!) would create the points on a crown...

How Inspiration Works

Words come;
drift into view
on the screen in my mind.
Then pictures overlay their shapes,
and shine
as pen
turns characters
into graphic designs
of poetic typography
to share.
When ink
covers paper,
my ideas come to life,
colouring scenes inside my head
until -
reading
aloud adds new
dimensions to the piece,
as musical rhythm combines
with sound.


Also linked to Poetry Pantry

# 12

 In  Ballad Form

At the edge of the forest something stirred
and through the dark trees came
a figure cloaked and wrapped about
with a flash of lightening flames.

It muttered spells beneath its breath
and mists rose from the lake
where some poor maid had met her death
when bitten by a snake.

Rosamunda was her name
and beautiful was she,
but the poisoned bite had made her lame
and unable to flee

the cruel huntsman and his bow
who wanted his revenge
for vows she'd taken long ago
on the altar at Stonehenge.

She'd said that she would rather die
than ever be his bride,
so he let his angry arrows fly
to pierce her in her side...

The ancient crone, a witch, in truth
had spied the young girl bleed,
and taken by the fair maid's youth
swore to undo the deed.

" By fire and water, earth and air
you'll not meet your demise!
By all the powers good and fair,
I bid thee maid, arise!"

And slowly from her watery grave
Rosamunda stepped at last
rejoicing as she realised
her troubles all were past,

for the crone had sent the huntsman forth
with promise of reward
if he remained far from this land, OR
his head would meet death's sword!

Today's NaPoRiMo was inspired by IGWRT's challenge. With thanks to Chelsea and her Mum.

# 11

I've recently been introduced to the Sapphic Stanza, which was explained to me thus:-

A sapphic stanza is composed of 4 lines:

a) 3 hendecasyllabic lines - a line with 11 syllables
b) with a fourth line that consists of 5 syllables

There is also meter within each line too.

Line 1: trochee, trochee, dactyl, trochee, trochee
Line 2: trochee, trochee, dactyl, trochee, trochee
Line 3: trochee, trochee, dactyl, trochee, trochee
Line 4: dactyl, trochee

In honour of day number eleven and the wonderful word 'hendecasyllable', here's a piece I've worked on, using this form.


Follow!

Nights when moonlight's silvery beams come calling,
restful sleep's impossible; bed, a playground -
faerie dusted, glistening like an ocean
swelling with ripples.

Shadows' edges waver and mesmerise us;
objects lose their usual silhouettes and
phantom shapes arise in a grotesque fashion,
beckoning shyly.

"Come and follow! Into the realms of magic
let us go together and dance till daylight
dawns anew and wakes all the world from slumber.
Come now and follow!"


My silver-tinted poem is linked to Poets United, who chose colour as a prompt on Wednesday,  and to IGWRT's one, asking for a sense of place, and dialogue.

# 10

A third of the way through the NaPoRiMo month, and for the past few days, the news has been all about the demise of our first woman Prime Minister. I've gone into serious mode, to produce a bit of blank verse, after a fashion, to mark the occasion in my own way.

In Memoriam

The name of Margaret Thatcher hit the news
again, not due to governmental coup
or parliamentary problem, simply death -
her own - not those of troops in Falkland's war.
Some mourn and some rejoice that she is gone,
but chroniclers will none the less record
her place in British history as the first
woman elected to head our Ministers.
A prime position, in name as well as fact,
despite the humble start she had in life.
Now, at its end, what higher tribute 
could be paid, than that the Queen herself
attend her funeral service, with respect?

Another Number 9

Keeping To The Plan - sort of

When I woke this morning
the rain was pouring down
to give the world a shower -
no sign of April's crown
of sunshine.

So although I wrote a poem
on day eight, for number nine
of NaPoRiMo writer's count,
here's another one of mine
this morning.

It may not be the greatest -
'tis but of little note -
but at least it shows you all
a set of words I wrote
today,

not yesterday...

# 9

Thanks to Tess  and Degas at Mag 163 
also for NaPoRiMo

Jinks Thinks

Once I had a washroom
with enamel bath, so small,
that to fit the feet in
was difficult, for tall
or long legged people...

Now, I've a shower stall,
a cabinet of glass and chrome
with inbuilt waterfall
to beautify my stately home.
It suits folk large or small.

So these days I don't notice
there is no bath at all
in the room I call a bathroom -
isn't that silly?

# 8

End Versus Beginning

When day
has gone to rest
my thinking's not its best,
as twilight falls, because, you see,
bed calls!

I wrote
these words last night -
not by this morning's light,
but please forgive me. They are for
day eight!

Of April, and NaPoRiMo, naturally. :)

# 7

Wrong Ticket?

I missed the boat.
The plethora of words I wrote
as I travelled life,
caused me no strife.
My early written thoughts
were not fraught 
with blood money of angst and history.
Those remained a mystery.

My days
went by in quiet ways
of family repeats -  Mum, Dad and Kids.
This usual recipe kept the lid
on any ambition to write full time.
Their well being drew the line
for me to toe.

And so -

and so; there you go.

Now, here I am. Me. Older,
at last, and bolder,
letting words rule the roost
to give retirement's boat a boost
of self esteem, perhaps,
before I lapse
into senility,
or before increasing fragility
forces me to drop the pen,
to stop surfing the keyboard, and then -

and then...

and then...

Who knows? The voyage continues...

# 6

And a re-work of yesterday's sonnet...but in 55 words, including title, just for G-Man.

In The Stillness

Only cloud reflections ripple to the music of the water -

until...

a sudden starling flock 

erupts

to mimic their movements -

flickering

shifting

splitting

covering the twilight canopy in monochrome lace...

short, lissome lines of birds

swirling

twisting

curling

then billowing into shapes like balloons inflating;

they fill our bemused vision.

N.B. The poetry groups I joined have been making me think about the placing of words on the page. Hoping to make it easier for any readers, when speaking the lines aloud, to  say the words as intended, I've played around with spacings, etc, but kept to my original idea of yesterday, but sadly, Blogger has its own idea of where some lines will be placed, and veto'd my spacings- but I'm trying again to insert them...

#5

To see what this is all about, watch this video first

Murmuration

The twilight clouds reflect on rippled water
‘til, speckle-flecked across the sky’s pale dome,
birds’ ink spot bodies form a flowing river
of dense-packed, flickering shapes in monochrome.

Amoebic like they split and shift formation,
dancing to instinctive music scores
in lissome, ribbon lines of short duration,
each line more graceful than the one before…

The darkness of their fluid movement fades
in swirling skeins and nets of twisting forms;
with every limpid shape their skill’s displayed
in aerial ballets, sprightly performed.

And so this miracle of night's wild scheme
will live - a half-light's shadow of a waking dream.

And I've linked this to Poets United

A Poem A Day?

Maybe, maybe not...but here's one for now, anyway...
P.S.   And as it turned out, I have been doing at least'one a day' ever since! :) Only three days to left!   27/4/2013.  J.
 

by Jinksy

Think Positive

Above my head are tear-wrapped clouds of grey;
the sky is dull, and stops the sun from beaming.  
It's threatening to wash my house today...

Soon the window panes will all be streaming
with runnels of the saddest, watery hue,
while through the treetops winds will go a-keening...

With playful weather gods, what can one do?
We're grateful for them watering our flowers -
but they drench us humans at the same time, too...

with a cloudburst, not a gentle shower,
until we wish they’d leave with no delay
if rain’s been falling hour after hour…

At least we don't dissolve and wash away
down drains and gutters, on a rainy day!

What's It All About?

In IGWRT's challenge today, Kerry says " Pretty much anything goes, so long as you get us thinking about what it all means." So here are my somewhat doleful ponderings!

Mirage
Humanity - defenceless, weak and small -
each solitary being comes, at birth,
into a hostile world where nothing's certain...
And are we born the slaves of random choice,
each yay or nay a footstep on a path
devoid of signposts? Do our infant minds
stagger through blind alleys without help
or guidance from another's hand? To learn
from each experience is slow,
like gleaning grains of wheat from fields of chaff,
and many times such lessons are not learned;
again, and yet again we falter. What purpose
underlies our struggles? Is satisfaction
ever to elude our grasp, a mirage
shimmering upon a far horizon -
the one true destination only death?

P.S.  And in retrospect, they count as Day# 3 of NaPoRiMo - which I only started numbering on day # 5, even though I had been doing virtually one a day, anyway...

One Tail, Not Nine...

Detail from a painting by Jacek Yerka

Cat-a-stroph-e?

A cat in the kitchen? Oh!
No!
You see,
to me
that spells germs.
I squirm
at the thought of its feet
meet-
ing
things
on my work top.
Stop -
go no further cat!
Back to the mat
for you.
Shoo!

Written for Tess at The Mag, with thanks. :)

Necessity- Mother of Invention!

Today I made a daffodil
with crochet hook and wool ;
real ones never grew this year,
for winter days were full
of snowy cold and raincloud skies –
while weather played the fool.

Nature's tempting failed; in vain
she pleaded “ Spring, please come!”

(She’s hiding in some distant land
and reining in the Sun!)


55 words for MrKnowitall written last evening in expectation of Friday!

Green Nightmare

The Green is creeping closer to my door.
Overnight,  the tendrils have lengthened
and their leaf tips grasp and wind tighter
round my dwelling. Escape is now impossible.
Even if I could break outside,
the blades of spear tipped grasses
would cut my feet to shreds at the first step…


50 words written for IGWRT's challenge today

Behind The Headlines

Within us all lie shadow beings, waiting
to make their presence felt; to bend the truth
until our conscious mind is set in turmoil
by unaccustomed promptings of temptation.
We feel the warmth of all their whispered goads
which hold us, teetering on the brink of wisdom,
and ready to misread a situation;
to falter in our stride and lose the way...

It's then we have to choose to take control,
to push our finer instincts to the fore
by ignoring what might be the easy option,
and strive, however hard, to do what's right,
with no regret, no thought of recompense
except a well earned sense of justice done.

Thanks to Tess and a surreal picture by René Magritte, this is my adapted offering for The Mag 161 and linked to Toads Open Link Monday, on Tuesday! LOL

Tantivy!

Faun, Horse and Bird 1936 by Picasso

A faun with horns went out one day
a-riding on his horse...
a huntin' shootin' fishin' faun
he looked to be... Of course,
we cannot tell what made that horse
to trample on a bird-
but thanks to P. Picasso
we can see what next occurred...
The faun leapt off, the horse said 'Neigh'
and bird wished he could fly away!

 Having given the good Doctor FTSE a preview email of this ditty, back came his speedy reply, which I am adding here for your delight. He said:-

Amazing what  a Pen can do
with P.Picasso's tripart zoo.

I guess the disconcerted horse
was filled at once with real remorse
for trampling on the feathered fowl
which straight away let out a howl
and cried to the dismounting faun.
"I wish I never had been hatched."

Hatched?  Hatched?  Oh well . .

Thanks a bundle, Doc! Hehehe!

Thanks to Tess at The Mag for her Picasso prompt!

Waterworld

Ocean stares unblinking from beneath green eyelids, watching, watching... standing guard above Neptune’s Kingdom, where mermen and mermaids live in their bubble-filled, coral palaces among sea groves of waving kelp fronds.

Is he searching for a Mortal who would be able to dry his unshed tears, those he may one day cry for all humanity?


Tess gave us a fascinating picture by Robin Gosnall for this week's Mag, and I couldn't resist playing! And as luck would have it, there are 55 words for G-man, come Friday!

Heatwave

For today's Mag, Tess has given us a photo by TheFoxAndTheRaven, which I have interpreted in my own way, with thanks to the original artists.

Drawers is Drawers - or Pantaloons?

Poor Venus had no underwear
which might make people stand and stare
if 't'weren't for classic chiseled drapes,
so no one's mouth need fall agape.
But what did Dali do forsooth?
He was a most impetuous youth
who made her chest a 'chest of drawers'
with furry knobs ne'er seen before...

What if he'd chiseled pantaloons?
Would history have dubbed him goon,
or would the folks do naught but snicker
at the sight of Venus wearing knickers?

To see the origins of this flight of fancy, pop across to The Mag 157 to visit Tess and Mr Dali in person! But now, here's another version - take your pick!

The Artist Jacek Yerka...

With an introduction in his own words here!

Today's Magpie sparked my curiosity, not my muse, and if you follow the link above you will maybe gain further insight into what kind of a mind produced the Wind of History which Tess featured today.

Perhaps later my muse might be stirred to action - perhaps not. Time will tell...

And after a couple of hours, either my brain or my muse has kicked in. The words that follow are entirely as a result of the 'feel' of  the painting "Wind of History", and nothing at all to do with the artist even though I looked at information about him! So, here's my offering, such as it is:-

The Malcontent

No ordinary dreamer have I been,
for kaleidoscopic thoughts drove me on
to follow my own paths. No formal gates
opened to lead me to a welcome light;
my tracks journeyed back and forth, back and forth.

So I travelled on, failed to rest content.
Now, like an abandoned car I must stop -
I have lost all power to move forward.
Clouds fog the horizon, but a beacon
shines through the mist, calling to me "Come, come!"

And finally, a rethink of the image, specially for SueAnn Lommler!

Everything Sounds Better In French!

A Brit might live life "In the Pink"
and give a knowing little wink
at a boy and girl locked in a clinch
at a cafe table; but it's a cinch -
I guess that everybody knows -
in France, one lives "La Vie en rose!"

Thanks to Tess and Joseph Lorusso 
at The Mag 155

Sci Fi Etheree

His
blue lips
loose a scream;
his exhaled breath
fogs the atmosphere,
precious drops of liquid
condensing on clear plastic
which separates this specimen
from  mankind, while aliens’ secrets
continue to elude all scientists…

Another flight of fancy for Tess with her prompt at The Mag

In The Groove

An excerpt variation on "Charlotte Gainsbourg, AnOther"

Round and round the records spin
to fill the room with sound
and vinyl voices take the air
as pop song verses pound.

The needle tiptoes in its groove,
a dancer all on point
a-balancing upon one leg
with an electronic joint

connected to the magic box;
a "Dansette" it was called
and in those early plastic days
it kept the youth enthralled.

Before the days of DVDs
or CD's silver faces,
black record-ridges were the norm,
no need for airs or graces!


Written for Tess at The Mag

Handfast

His right hand outstretched,
rigid, palm up, unbending,
offering its strength.

Her left hand, pliant,
curves to accommodate it;
vulnerable trust.

Partnership begins;
how long such a link will last
is never certain.


Written for The Mag, with thanks to Tess and the unknown photographer.

Knit Wit?

Feet are neat -
though maybe not sweet?
But a body sock leaves
toes exposed. Please,
enthusiastic knitter,
don't be a quitter.
Clack you needles again
and make some socks, plain
or patterned will do!
I ask you,
how else will I keep
the warmth in my feet?

Thanks to Tess at The Mag for the intriguing example of one knitter's wit! LOL :)

I noticed another couple of interesting excerpts too...so here they are.

Monkey god with supplicant?

Still life monotone

 

Caution!

Indrawn smoke
turns ashen lungs black,
like widow's weeds...








Even stale cigarette butts can be turned to good use - go here to see more attempts, thanks to Tess and R A D Stainforth.

Greetings!

To Blogpals far and near who happen upon this card -

I made it to share, so feel free to help  yourselves! 

Reflected Light

Remember how this winter day gave light
to country fields where frost and snowflakes lay?
It held at bay the terrors of the night.

When phantoms lurk and prowl our inner sight
and blackest thoughts intrude and bar our way,
remember how this winter day gave light.

Its hoarfrost beauty kept the landscape bright,
attempting evening darkness to delay...
It held at bay the terrors of the night.

To those who'd choose to flee to calm their fright
there's scant advice to give, except to say
"Remember how this winter day gave light."

Then their unease must give way to delight;
although the sun had seemed to hide away,              
it held at bay the terrors of the night.

And should your future self meet such a plight,
in each reflective moment, do, I pray,
remember how this winter day gave light;
it held at bay the terrors of the night.

Thanks to Tess and Andy Magee at The Mag #148 for their inspiration. I have also linked this to Poets United, and IGWRT too.

Heavy

Broad shoulders
may bear many weights.
Ask Atlas.

For other ways of looking at the world, take a trip to see more at The Mag 147, thanks to Tess and the photo source here.

Left On The Shelf

Two abandoned rings
underline your absence,
leave a vapour trail of emotion
across a sky where stars, this day,
are hidden.
Love has been eclipsed
by a black moon,
and the chill of outer space
invades my universe.



Written for the Mag 146, thanks to Tess and  Man Ray's Object to be Destroyed.

IGWRT Monday

End Of Autumn

The white-disc moon of daylight hours
hides briefly behind clouds whose showers
sprinkle drops of silver rain that glint
as sunshine slants again
across the land.

Through spiders' webs of crystal laces
peep holly’s bright red, berry faces.
Their glossy leaves sharp-pointed splinters
prod days of autumn into winter’s
frosty hand.

An old poem presented for Toads' Open Link Monday, as I thought it needed an airing!

Sisters

Sepia Saturday featured an old photo of two little girls, so I played with this modern one of my two sweetie pie granddaughters, and aged it accordingly.Guess they should have been wearing frilly white cotton frocks, don't you think? :) But I began thinking of 'the sister I never had,' and the following lines wrote themselves!

I never had a sister,
so I guess I missed a
lot of fun.
I may have done...
but who knows?
We may have come to blows!
Although I think not.
I had a brother and we swapped
mostly laughs and jokes
and learned to poke
fun at ourselves, too.
That was a good thing to do,
for a little mirth
is worth
a mountain of tears,
in later years!

Golly Gosh! Friday 55 Looms!

Last week, I noticed Doctor FTSE, in his explanation of a triangular number, had given us all the chance to follow his fool proof method for producing 55 words, almost at the drop of a hat. So I've had a week to do a bit of counting and fiddling with vocabulary to produce my offering for G-Man .

We
have seen
the power of
words, when they are
allowed to become the focus
of a writer’s attempt to explain
an idea on a page. Immediately, our
eyeballs as well as brains begin to display
a need for some sense of order, and suddenly
the poet departs, leaving in his place a mere writer!

Okay, so it's only Thursday, but I will be able to link this ready made post first thing on Friday!

Three Riddles

A bit of fun for Friday - I wonder who will be the first to email me with three correct answers? Please  email me direct, if you think you know what they are, then it won't stop later visitors from having to use their grey cells too!

Number 1

The metal blade is sharp and thin
its point is ready to plunge in-
but not to flesh, simply to paper
an ideal, paper sculpture maker.

Number 2

Our grate was covered with black lead,
but mine remains inside my head
and body, too; throughout it's length
my wooden bones will give it strength.

Number 3

I'm drowning from the inside out,
and steam clouds billow from my spout.
When my hot spots start to bubble,
stand well clear for T means Trouble!