Magpie Tales # 40

 In Absentia

The spaces in my day
leave holes in the sky
where tears fall through.
Your thoughts are absent,
and build a fence too high
for me to see beyond.
I grieve for a lost time,
for I do not understand
where it has gone,
nor yet why, but its pearls
remain strung about me.

Thanks to Willow for this Magpie Tales picture prompt.

Microfiction Monday # 56

Young feet walk the path;
life and lane stretch out ahead.
To where will they lead?

The final destinations
remain in the arms of Time.






My Tanka today is in response to this delightful photo prompt at Stony River.

Magpie Tales # 39

Headless chickens we may be,
but never without laughter.
Like the chicken and the egg
one has to follows after...

A chicken rushing round and round 
in circulatory motion,
is just like us in certain states
when, minus head or notion,
we chase our tails to no effect.
For we are doomed to meet ourselves
back where we had started-
once the circle is complete...

But, do not be downhearted!
Shrug your shoulders, give a laugh,
(He who laughs last, laughs longest!)
and  remember this old saw -
The devil take the hindmost!
Now, kindly close the door...

N.B. A 'saw' in this context is a saying! 


For more fowl feathers see Willow's  Magpie Tales this week.

Microfiction Monday # 55

Old head on young shoulders,
pumpkin moon in the sky,
black cat and besom show
Halloween's nigh!





For a few more leftover spells, all using less than 140 characters, go and visit Stony River.    

Monday's Child # 19

Rabbiting On

At Roger Rabbit's party,
we were waiting to begin.
We sat down at the table,
napkins tucked under the chin.

But - he made us listen,
as he read from rustling pages,
to rather boring speeches
that waffled on for ages.

He talked so long the tea got cold
the sandwiches grew limp
and Mrs Bunny fell asleep
over the potted shrimp.

We tried hard to be patient
while Roger Rabbit read,
though we started to get worried
it would soon be time for bed!

Thanks to Monday's Child for this weeks prompt.

Flash 55 for 29th October

Halloween's coming!
The witches draw nigh
on hovering besoms
high in the sky-
see,  cloak and hat?
How their silhouettes fly!
A familiar black cat
is often nearby,
perched on the handle,
ears all a-twitch,
long tail a-dandle,
mewling spells to the moon.
It's best you steer clear
of fast flying brooms
once Halloween's here!    

For more 55's go and visit Mr Knowitall.

But because I was concentrating on 55 words, this effort didn't please me! The re-worked, tidier version can be found HERE

Magpie Tales # 38

A Tanka

In Memoriam.

Chiselled stone bears the two dates

which span a whole life;

stories between birth and death

an unwritten legacy.

For more obituaries this week, see others who heard the call from Willow at Magpie Tales.

Monday's Child # 18

When Lucy had a birthday,
her cards came in the post.
But can you guess
which one of these
young Lucy like the most?
Why, the one which held some money
that she could go and spend
on lollipops and ice-cream
for all her favourite friends!



Thanks to Monday's Child and the choice  of Cameron L Browne's illustration for this week's prompt.

Microfiction Monday # 54

The boys were hoping to acquire a tan to cover their naked torsos while scoffing beer and sandwiches. Fat chance!


 To join the picnic today, visit Susan at Stony River and write your story in 140 characters or less.

Poetry Bus for 25th October

Chance Encounter

I had not thought to meet another
who sought a place of solitude that day,
but fate had other plans. Although we met
as strangers, yet, with conversation,
began a seedling friendship. We recognised
an understanding- not one rooted in words -
where she and I were in agreement
on many levels. Had the Universe planned
this happenstance? Did our auras call
to one another across time and space?
Did they mark this place as a possible
intersection of our pathways?
Was this a sign, a crossroad made to force
a change of direction in our lives? Who knows?
But friendship, offered and accepted,
is a double sided currency
which pays unimagined dividends.

For Poetry Bus tickets to other Meeting Places, go and see Argent's Bus Route this week.

Magpie Tales # 37

Duvet still retains
our lingering body heat
on this cold morning.

Mirror reflects your absence
while memory treasures warmth.



For more wake up calls, go and see Willow who has set the alarm...

And because I've got out of sequence, I'm going to add a Monday's Child poem here too. At least the bed theme is carried on! 


Three little kittens tucked up in bed;
"Tell us a story" the smallest one said.
"Sing us a lullaby" the second one pleaded
but the third interrupted "I know what is needed
just a kiss and a cuddle to wish us good night -
That would be best !" And you know - he was right!               

Poetry Bus for 18th October

NanU has asked us to climb aboard the bus with a ticket written far from our usual poet's corner. As my travelling has been restricted during the past week, thanks to an Autumnal affliction of the germy variety, my choice of venue has been limited, so this is a necessarily short offering which will probably only allow me to travel to the next stop, rather than the end of the line. Ting, ting! Any more fares, please?

I wrote a poem in my head
while lying in my comfy bed -
but it got lost inside my dreams
as I fell asleep, it seems!

Maybe by next week I shall be awake and firing on all cylinders.

Magpie Tales # 36

Knock, knock!

A door knocker is the first step-
ping stone which rep-
presents friendship on offer.
When we choose to proffer
a welcome smile to one
who has come,
for whatever reason
and in whichever season,
to our home, it can lead
to discovery of a friend in need.
Then we each to each may turn,
should others spurn
compassion, until we see
how a first step can be
what makes two lives flourish,
as both nourish
one another in ways
unimagined during dull days
of loneliness. A door open wide
lets us step outside
our normal sphere
as we say "You're welcome here."

Thanks to Willow at Magpie Tales who opens her door every week to a host of Bloglanders! Follow the link to knock on a few doors yourself.

Poetry Bus for October 11th

"Men perspire, women glow"
we've all heard this before, I know.
But now some Japanese
researchers, if you please,
are measuring the drips of sweat
that perspiring humans get
rid of during exercise.
It will come as no surprise
that men, who sweat the most,
are then able to boast
they are more efficient,
though possibly unpleasant,
due to nasty niffs,
should nearby noses sniff
too hard. Sweating helps bodies perform
well when exercising. That's the norm,
but women cool at a slower rate,
which saves them from dehydrat-
ing  (a strategy for survival
in hot climes) while their rival
men are better at working
hard and not shirking
when temperatures rise.
Now, would I tell you lies?     (thanks for this suggested edit, Doc!)

For source material, look here:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11492897


The Bus this week is being driven by Nimh B, who asks us to take a news item for our inspiration.