Category: poetry

Beach time

Chris Hall47 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 Hall57 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

Was that me?

Chris Hall60 Comments

Was that me in a different life? Is it possible to be reborn again without knowing?
Something drastic happened. Everything disappeared completely.
Not just dark. Just nothing. Nothing at all.
Gone.

And yet…
Something rebooted, eventually.
Eyes opened. But looking upside down, and back to front. Just like a brand new baby.
And then it all came back again. So, I’m thinking that’s what happened.

a new chance
many lovely days
lucky me!

~~~~~

Image credit:  Mohsen Karimi @Unsplash

The image shows a blurred girl/woman through a rain-streaked window. The background is not clearly seen.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #316 photo prompt.

What do you see # 316- 24 November, 2025

Coffee, please!

Chris Hall51 Comments

The first cup of the day,
delightful,
warming and waking her up.
What will she do today?

Such a beautiful morning,
fresh, gorgeous,
as she opens her laptop.
It has to be a poem!

What will she think about,
she’s musing,
as she continues to drink.
Perhaps another coffee?

Aha, that’s it!
This is my poem
about coffee.
(more please)

~~~~~

Image credit: Jon Tyson @Unsplash

The image shows a cup sitting on a wooden table. On the cup you can read the inscription – “ My cup runneth over”.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #315 photo prompt.

What do you see # 315- 17 November 2025

Who is she?

Chris Hall53 Comments

She’s a busy lady!
She’s beautiful,
She’s clever,
She’s making a nest.

She weaves, and weaves,
Delicate but strong,
She continues to weave,
Until she’s happy.

She’ll finds some food,
More than she needs,
But she’ll keep it for later,
Now she’ll doze for a while.

A few days later,
She’s even busier,
She’s making more silk,
It will be her nursery.

Do you know her?
I’m sure you’ve guessed…
She’s more than just a spider,
She’s a lucky lady!

~~~~~

Image credit: Doncoombez @Unsplash

In this image we can see branches of a pine tree. There is an intricate spider web woven between two of the branches. The background is blurry, but the golden light suggests a forest or garden setting.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #314 photo prompt.

What do you see # 314- 10 November 2025

A Veil

Chris Hall38 Comments

canva.com

tanka Puente

a veil of mystery
whatever can be revealed
something hides its face
the waves draw back and forward
a pinnacle will fly out

“Mysteries are feminine; they like to veil themselves but still want to be seen and divined.”
Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel

my moon is displayed
so bright – full of energy
yet the veil pulls down
such a strange conundrum
dear moon, come back again… please

~~~~~

Written in response to this week’s Tanka Challenge hosted by Yvette M. Calleiro
Yvette has chosen the word veil. There are several definitions for veil. Choose whichever version of the word that speaks to you, and write a syllabic poem of your choosing.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 37, The Veil, 11/04/25