I fear for you

August 3, 2020 Chris Hall52 Comments

The image shows a baby monkey looking down from branches of a tree.

Little innocent one, so new to the world,
sniffing the air and feeling the breeze.
Is there a place for you?

Little innocent one, so new to the world,
feeling the smoke sting your eyes.
I fear for you.

What will you do when they cut down the trees
and just a patch of your forest is left?

Where will you run when the hunters come
to take you far from your home?

Oh Humanity, think what you’re doing!
Don’t you know her fate
is our future too?

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #41 photo prompt.
Image credit: Lewis Roberts on Unsplash

The Tea Ceremony

July 27, 2020 Chris Hall59 Comments

The image shows a table set with six teacups, a teapot and a glass beaker. The wall at the back is adorned with oriental art and a flower arrangement.

Walls have ears and doors have eyes
your every move is checked.
Where you’ve been, whom you’ve seen
Examine what you’ve done.

All treachery gets back to me
I’ve something on you all.
Have you pleased me? Did you deceive me?
Maybe you’re the one.

Unnatural needs, wicked deeds
Someone’s betrayed the Cause.
Now choose your cup and drink it up
Will poison be in yours?

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #40 photo prompt.
Image credit: 五玄土 ORIENTO on Unsplash

Also inspired by ‘The Testaments’ by Margaret Atwood, which I finished reading over the weekend. A really splendid book. Here’s my review on Goodreads.

The Hungry Mouse

July 20, 2020 Chris Hall51 Comments

The image shows a tiny mouse sitting in a wicker basket. There are a couple of grocery lists and some dry pantry items in the background.

In the world of plenty
a few crumbs falling
from the rich man’s table
is enough to sustain
a little hungry mouse.

Few crumbs fall
in the hidden world of shanty towns,
and now-idle factories;
gold mines and coal mines,
and drought-stricken farms.

You bemoan the closure of
your favourite restaurant
the theatres and the bars;
all the absent opportunities
for late night fun.

While the poor child huddles hungry
in his weeping mother’s lap,
you watch Netflix munching popcorn;
playing pointless games
on your fancy flashy phone.

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #39 photo prompt.
Image credit: S Hermann and F Richter on Pixabay

On the Threshold

July 13, 2020 Chris Hall35 Comments

The image shows an old bearded man standing on a stone staircase that is leading to a tower. In the background you can see mountains enshrouded in clouds.

Each time he asks:
life well-lived or just a bystander?

Young soul or old,
are you still curious?

Will you go round again?
do more, or better this time?

The wheel of life:
treadmill or merry-go-round?

Will you go round again?
learn more, and see more this time?

Turning on and endlessly on
the wheel of life

Will you go round again
or leave at the terminus?

Your choice.
Will you go round again?

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #38 photo prompt.
Image credit: Stefan Keller on Pixabay

The Atonement

July 6, 2020 Chris Hall43 Comments

For visually challenged reader, the image shows a woman holding her hands in supplication. In front of her a hummingbird is hovering in air. There are flowers in the background.

Meditating in the moment
watching silent wings beat softly
in bright iridescence
inhaling the essence
of fragrant flowers
before being laid to rest
on their beautiful bower.

She, who today, has been chosen
to atone for all our sins
the balm to soothe the breast
of our broken mother, Gaia.

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #37 photo prompt.
Image credit: Stefan Keller on Pixabay

Nostalgia

June 29, 2020 Chris Hall50 Comments

The image shows a camera capturing the image of a woman in colour, while the rest of the image is in black and white. There are lots of tools on the wall behind the camera.

Sunshine and sandcastles,
warm hugs and gap-toothed grins.

Short skirts and high heeled shoes,
deep kisses and long-lashed smiles.

Memories colour a drab existence,
a façade over a pretty face.

Worn, wrinkled and age-faded,
behold the deceitful mask of time.

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #36 photo prompt.
Image credit: Ariadne-a-mazed on Pixabay

Night time lover

June 22, 2020 Chris Hall51 Comments

For visually challenged reader, the image shows a castle at night, it’s turrets and towers reflecting moonlight. A cloudy sky can be seen in the background.

Dressed in alabaster skin, I wait
beneath the unctuous black blanket of night.

Moonlight casts lascivious shadows
as I slide inside your cloak.

Moonlight illuminates your lurid lips
as I yield to dark desire.

Come morning, sunlight snatches you away
yet still you slide over my skin.

Until the next time
when darkness comes again.

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #35 photo prompt.
Image credit: Pixabay

Forest enchantment

June 15, 2020 Chris Hall53 Comments

For visually challenged reader, the image shows a woodland scene, where blue butterflies are sitting on the forest floor among tiny mushrooms. Tall trees are visible in the background.

fern fronds caress the moonlight’s cobalt rays

opening night blooms to scent bright butterfly wings

ringing bluebells dancing over dead leaves and distant hearts

ever beating, glowing in the heart of darkness

sending saffron sunbeams sliding over silky loams

tempting new life to rise from the ink-dark dead of night

Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #34 photo prompt.
Image credit: Pixabay

‘Make-it-up-Charlie’

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020 Chris Hall42 Comments

The image shows a boy standing next to a Stegosaurus dinosaur in a park.

Charlie
was apt
to make up
stories.
It got
to a point
when no-one
believed anything
he said.
Until one day
we followed him.
Who would have thought it?
Charlie really had
a pet dinosaur.