Category: poetry

That letter

Chris Hall57 Comments

She’d been walking on the beach for hours.
There was no-one around.
Just her.

It was cold, damp, miserable. Both the sea and the sky was the same colour.
Everything was grey.
Including her heart.

She opened the letter. Yet again. It was crinkled and damp.
She’d read it so often, she knew it by heart.
But there should be two hearts here.

She stopped and looked out to sea.
She heaved a sigh, then ripped that letter in tiny pieces.

And then she felt so much better.

~~~~~

Image credit:  Pan Xiaozhen @Unsplash

This image shows a fully dressed woman on the edge of a rocky beach. In this black and white photo, she is looking down at something in her hand.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #322 photo prompt.

What do you see #322- 5th January 2026

Choo-Choo!

Chris Hall55 Comments

A railway, a railway!
The two boys smiled happily.

How fun it is
to ride on a train,
and they could take
their bikes with them.

Only a short trip,
but that was fine,
always lucky to be on holiday,
as they grinned again.

~~~~~

Image credit:  Tobias Reich @Unsplash

This image shows a scene from a railway station. The platform on the photographer’s side is empty, and you can see a train on the opposite side, leaving, engulfed in smoke/fog.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #321 photo prompt.

What do you see # 321- 29 December 2025

Another South African Christmas

Chris Hall47 Comments

figs from my garden and in my kitchen

it’s Christmas
a buffet, a treat
a fun day

there are figs galore
the smell, the taste is divine
so much going on

we will eat
and enjoy the day
squirrels too

yes, that’s right
they pick lots of them
naughty ones

so open presents
and sit outside, lovely, and
a little champagne

~~~

Loved your quartet of American cinquains, Robbie, really fab
– we’re only around the corner (kind of).

For Colleen Chesebro’s #TankaTuesday #44 – 23 December 2025, where this week’s host, Robbie Cheadle’s invitation is to reflect on holiday Christmas celebrations and family gatherings, using one, some or all, of the five senses as muses in a syllabic poem.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 44, Holidays, 12/23/2025

Christmas cheer?

Chris Hall36 Comments

Yes, I am a sheep
and only for Christmas time
and a bit longer.

Yes, I’m on a tree,
not a real one, obviously,
there’s tinsel and lights.

And are we happy?
Hard to say, since we don’t speak,
and we never have.

So we continue
to spin slowly for Christmas
and New Year as well.

Then back in that box
and for everyone, until
next time, see you then.

~~~~~~~

Image credit: Renata Kidd @Unsplash

This image shows a close up of a Christmas tree, with two little woolly lambs hanging from it. One is white and the other is grey.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #320 photo prompt.

What do you see # 320- 22nd December’25

Beach time

Chris Hall55 Comments

‘Beach time,’ she shouted as she grinned happily. ‘It’s so warm, it’s so pleasant.’ She grabs her sunglasses – so funky, a tangerine colour, so bright. She pops her floppy hat which is decorated with little hearts and butterflies – very cool. She started to sing to herself as she went to get sunscreen – she knows she should be wise since she wouldn’t want to burn. ‘It’s going to be blazing by the beach,’ as she jumped into her snazzy car. ‘Broom, broom!’ and off she goes.

she’ll run down the beach
she’ll potter around the sea
she’ll take some shells back

~~~~~

Image credit: Amera Pawlik @Unsplash

This image shows an embroidery frame, coloured pens, a pair of child’s plastic glasses and tic tock signs. In the embroidery frame- different emojis are embroidered.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #319 photo prompt.

What do you see # 319- 15th December 2025

Laughing Buddha

Chris Hall34 Comments

a sculpture in our yard

our lovely fat Budai
he loves to chuckle and grin
he throws happiness and joy
here’s a gift, petals!

~~~~~

The Dodoitsu is a fixed folk song form of Japanese origin and is often about love or humour.

The name, Budai, literally means ‘cloth sack’, and refers to the bag he is usually depicted carrying as he wanders aimlessly. His jolly nature, humorous personality, and eccentric lifestyle distinguish him from most Buddhist masters or figures. He is almost always shown smiling or laughing, hence his nickname in Chinese, the Laughing Buddha. Budai is traditionally depicted as overweight and having a huge stomach (possibly a symbol of abundance or forgiveness) and many stories surrounding Budai involve his love of food and drink – perfect for us too!

For Colleen Chesebro’s #TankaTuesday #42 – 9 December 2025 where this week’s host Yvette Calleiro’s invitation is to focus on the word gift/gifting, as a noun or verb and to write a syllabic poem.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 42, Gift/Gifting, 12/09/25

It’s almost Christmas

Chris Hall60 Comments

what a wonderful time it is
so much happiness and joy!

all those little businesses are busy
since they will be closing soon.

we peer in various shops
is there anything else we need?

no, we think we have everything
let’s run home now!

~~~~~

Image credit: Deep Doshi  @Unsplash

This photo shows a snowbound scene from a street in Quebec, Canada. There are Christmas trees outside almost every home and they are sprinkled with snow. People, warmly dressed are going about their business.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #318 photo prompt.

What do you see # 318- 8 December 2025

Fish Feast

Chris Hall59 Comments

a view from our stoep

it’s almost Christmas
and we will have a fish feast
elegant, possibly
but don’t miss any lovely juice
since we will have some mussels
~~~

Keith Floyd’s Moules Marinière 

Ingredients

  • Fresh mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
  • Butter
  • Shallots (or onion)
  • Garlic, unpeeled and crushed
  • Fresh parsley
  • Good white wine

Instructions

  1. Prepare the mussels: Clean them thoroughly, removing any beards or barnacles.
  2. Melt the butter: In a large saucepan, melt a generous amount of butter over high heat.
  3. Sauté aromatics: Add the chopped shallots, crushed garlic, and most of the parsley to the melted butter. Stir for a moment.
  4. Add wine: Pour in the white wine and let it come to a boil.
  5. Cook the mussels: Add the mussels to the pot, cover tightly, and cook over high heat for a few minutes until they open. Shake the pan occasionally.
  6. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
  7. Serve the mussels immediately with their juice and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
  8. Enjoy: It is customary to serve with crusty bread for dipping in the flavourful sauce. 

~~~~~

For Colleen Chesebro’s #TankaTuesday #41 – 2 December 2025 where this week, Colleen’s invitation is ‘to write a syllabic poem on the food/or foods that are served according to your December traditions.‘

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 41, December Foods, 12/2/2025

Seagull World

Chris Hall59 Comments

Seagull World

Another beautiful day,
said one.
Where shall we go today,
said the other.

They potted around the lovely beach.

So warm isn’t it,
said one.
Well, it’s summer on the Cape, isn’t it,
grinned the other.

They potted a bit further, as they looked out.

I know, let’s go right to the end.
You mean the Table Mountain?
No, even further… the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula.
Let’s enjoy the Cape of Good Hope just now.

And off they went!

~~~~~

Image credit:  Thibault Moluenko @Unsplash

The image shows two birds standing in the water of the ocean, at a beach. The sky overhead is cloudy and lit golden by the rays of the sun, which are reflected in the water too. There are waves coming in towards the beach.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #317 photo prompt.

What do you see # 317- 1st December 2025

Just gratitude

Chris Hall45 Comments

view from my kitchen window

Brimming with happiness
so warm and so bright
who’s busy outside, let me have a little look
as I open the big door
and slowly step out.

I look around and up
here’s two pretty doves
they’re canoodling together on that rafter
so why don’t you nest here
good idea, my dear?

I’m sure you’ve been before
both of you last year
and that when so well, we all remember that
so get some twigs and stuff
time to be broody!

~~~~~

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Melissa, from Mom With a Blog
The Double Ennead is a form created by Colleen Chesebro for 99-word stories at Carrot Ranch. The Double Ennead is composed of three stanzas of 33 syllables each, for a total of 99. Each stanza has lines with the following syllable counts: 6/5/11/6/5. For an example of a Double Ennead poem, click here.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 40, Double Ennead, 11/25/2025