Category: crimson’s creative challenge

What on earth…

Chris Hall36 Comments

‘What’s this?’
‘Bizarre.’
The two boys had just stopped by one of the shops.

‘I don’t remember seeing this.’
‘Me neither.’
‘But what is in this window anyway?’

Then one of them looked up to see the sign.
‘It says that this is a barber’s shop, but it seems, well, odd.’

The shop door opened with a happy ding-dong bell, as a large jolly man waved some scissors at them. ‘Want to do you’re short back and sides then, young boys?’

The two of them grin, then one of them said. ‘It was only last week, so no thank you.’
Then the other one said. ‘Please can we see what’s in the window?’
‘Do come in. You’ll like this!’

‘See, they should sing but not until the fourth one is back. Just a little crack to make him better. Then it’ll be a barbershop quartet, and that will be lovely.’

~~~

150 words

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #090

Food for thought

Chris Hall38 Comments


~~~

big buttercups, buzz
darling daisies walk the talk
golden butterflies
fling nectar through those tall trees
the summer time vibe goes on

Summertime, and the living is easy. —Ella Fitzgerald

let’s lie on the hay
drinking some boozy bourbon
eat eggs and mustard
just a mellow afternoon
as a black crow cracks a joke

~~~

TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 67, Yellow Things, 6/2/26

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #089

Baa-lambs

Chris Hall41 Comments

~~~

ahh baa-lambs
so very, very cute
delightful

skip and jump
there’s almost always
two, they’re twins

spring, summer
are both very nice
oh, but then…

they slow down
they’re more mature
just staring

so off to market
we must not mention this, no
bye, goodbye, baa-lambs

so something
very different now
more than good

we’ve some spuds
some lovely mint sauce
‘lamb for lunch’

~~~

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 66, Exploring Haiku, 5/26/26
Crimson’s Creative Challenge #088

Such a fun treat!

Chris Hall43 Comments

‘What fun,’ grinned one of the boys.
‘Yes indeed,’ said the other one, ‘especially since we hopped on a bus, then we got out by this river in the Norfolk Broads.’
‘We have brought some sandwiches and we are wearing our wellies.’
‘And we have some fishing tackle, and we might even catch a couple of fishes.’

The two boys walked purposely.
‘It’s a bit deep by those reeds, and that’s going to be rather tricky,’ as one of them remarked.
But a moment later they heard an interesting sound.
‘Ooh, it’s a chug-chug-chug noise, and it’s getting closer.’
And very soon a cabin cruiser appeared.

‘Do you want to hop over here on the next bend?’ shouted an old guy on the boat. ‘I’m sure both of you will enjoy this.’

And so they did.
The two boys didn’t manage to catch a fish, but it was still fun.

~~~~

150 words

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #087

A deep pool

Chris Hall47 Comments



up, up, up, from the deep pool
this pretty water maiden
is hungry, actually ravenous
she scans the pool edge

aha, there’s wild wood garlic
there are artichokes and chives
and even some watercress
this’ll be a great feast

so she’ll munch and munch, and burp
since there is no one around
she’s sometimes sad, but not much
she lives a good life

one day she will find a mate
and that will be quite awesome
but now everything is fine
going down, down, down

~~~

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #086
#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 64, Let’s tell a story 05/12/2026

Young Dragon

Chris Hall46 Comments

young dragon
was living in a deep forest
he pottered around there
and life was so good
but a problem
then reared up

poor dragon
he hadn’t expected that
such a great tragedy
it was cold and wet
freezing, but what
could he do?

young dragon
fled and flew into a cave
it was dry and warm too
and he mostly dozed
but then he sniffed
is it spring?

dear dragon
then flew down, back to that forest
he skipped and jumped too
his dragon wings
were beautiful
life was good!

~~~

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #085

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 63, April Showers Bring May Flowers! 05/05/26

Two Fat Ladies

Chris Hall29 Comments

Of course, I’m a big girl – and I’m a beautiful one, too. You see, I’m Clarissa, and this is Jennifer, and we’re the two best layers in this farm.

There are quite a lot of us around this place, and we’re all free. Free to peck in many nice places. There are walls and gates around the farm, and that is sensible. And we’re all kept in our coops in the night-time. It’s too scary otherwise, since there are foxes.

Now there is Floyd?
He’s the rooster, and a pretty good one.
He must cry from morning to night.
He’s very, very noisy, but we’re all happy about that.

It’s early, and it’s time for us to lay.
Jolly good, we’ve done it. So now it’s pecking time.

But what are these little things?
Piggies?
Do we remember those?
Maybe.
But we’ll just ignore them.
Let’s go back to pecking.

~~~~

150 words

P.S. Clarissa and Jennifer were real hens, and Floyd was a real rooster. They had lovely lives for many years in our yard!

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #084

A tiny train!

Chris Hall44 Comments

The two boys had been peering over one of the back gardens where there was a large shed. They could see something interesting, and they really wanted to see more.
“We could go around to the front and knock.”
“Or we could just bunk over the fence.”

And so they did. And luckily the shed wasn’t locked.

“Ooh look, it’s a tiny train on the track, and everything else.”
“Such detail.”
“And perfectly to scale too.”
The two boys looked at each other and grinned, and then they stared some more.

“That little train is immaculate.”
“It’s in the proper colours, like British Rail.”

Then an old man appeared. “Oy, what are you up to?” But then he grinned. “Okay kids, I’m happy to show how it works, and you can watch.”

The two boys grinned back.
“This is going to be fun!”
“And you can call me Uncle Bill.”

~~~~

150 words

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #083

Ladybird

Chris Hall38 Comments

Ladybird,
or maybe,
Ladybug.

Either way,
it matters
not a bit.

I have red
and black too,
polka dots!

It’s summer
afternoon
busy time.

I’m lucky
and also
good fortune.

Now I will
eat aphids
and many!

~~~~

Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge No. 60, Tricube, 14/April/2026


Crimson’s Creative Challenge #082

I’m a peacock butterfly

Chris Hall46 Comments

Peacock Butterfly – Crispina Kemp

what happened to me?
I’m a peacock butterfly
look, I’m so pretty
I’m going to have a mate
and a family, but what then?

such a whirlwind month
I’d been a caterpillar
and before an egg
at least, I think so, but now
I’m afraid I’ll be no more

~~~~~~

Jisei – A traditional Japanese Buddhist death poem which discusses death and the meaning of life in the last moments before death. This form uses the syllabic form of the Tanka (5/7/5/7/7) and is generally serious though it can be humorous. We have all mused on our own demise – try to do it in this form.
Plus, I felt I needed two of these.
Thanks, Val

~~~~

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #081

Looking to Scavenge the Month