Tag: keepitalive

Poppies drifting

Chris Hall64 Comments

all the poppies drift again
as another war breaks out
more violence, more atrocities
so many lives wasted…

millions are homeless
trudging along with little hope
will this ever change?

okay – no more war
let’s ask around the world
is there a new way?

~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Derek Mack @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a field of red poppies, in the middle of which two trees are growing. In the back, the sun is rising in a sky where a few scattered clouds are floating! 11-11 is celebrated as Armistice day/ Remembrance Day to celebrate the end of WW I. And red poppies are symbolic of this day.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #262 photo prompt.

What do you see # 262- November, 11, 2024

Water, beautiful water

Chris Hall73 Comments

Water, Beautiful Water

shall we go?
we have wooden boats
five of us

we will row
gently but swiftly
here we go;

it’s so clear
and mountains stare up
air breathes deep

it’s lovely
row, row, row again
wonderful

~ such a shame we only have an hour ~

~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Radek Skyzypczak @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this is an image of 5 wooden, empty row boats in a body of water. The water is reflecting the mountains and trees along its coast.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #261 photo prompt.

What do you see # 261- November 4th, 2024

The Embers

Chris Hall60 Comments

he’s a little goblin
and rather sweet
but he’s lonely
and he’s looking for a mate
there aren’t very many left now
and that so sad
he’d been busy in the embers
and suddenly she’d appeared
she smiled and waved
let’s be lovers, eh?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Klára Vernarcová @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows an outdoor scene at night. There is an open log fire burning in front of a wooden bench and a table. There are a couple of candles burning on the table.

The log fire has a strange-looking flame burning in its middle, that looks like a time creature of fire. A few iron spits are thrust into the ground near the fire.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #260 photo prompt.

What do you see # 260- 28, October, 2024

Ballet

Chris Hall54 Comments

she warms up gently
she needs to walk prettily
here she goes, ‘en l’air’
there ‘glissade’ – she glides five five:
but it helps if you’re a ghost

🩰👻🩰

In French
en l’air – in the air
glissade –  to glide (a gliding movement for 5th to 5th)

———————————————————

Image credit: Alex Shuper @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a white ghostly figure suspended in the air over a crop of pumpkins. The trees in the background are lit by an eerie red light.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #259 photo prompt.

What do you see # 259- 21st October, 2024

Pear Trees

Chris Hall65 Comments

sweet, silky and smooth
firm and crunchy or soft and juicy

eat it with cheese or salad
or maybe cook a pie or a tart

try an upside-down cake
or poaching them in wine

making some dried in the oven
(very low – don’t burn it)

but the best way is to gently pull it from a tree
and eat


~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Kateryna Hliznitsova @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a wooden table placed under a tree. On the table, there is an open book, a cutting board, and a knife. There is a plate with a sliced pear on it and some pears are on another plate on the table.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #258 photo prompt.

What do you see # 258- October 14, 2024

The Little Lighthouse

Chris Hall65 Comments

The little lighthouse sits proudly just beyond the beautiful bay. Mostly it is sunny and bright, where the sea and sky are blue and bluer. The waves dance with the white foam, ebb and flow, ebb and flow. But sometimes the wind and rain lash around the rocky promontory, as it clashes and moans. It goes dark and there is no moon, but the little lighthouse flashes boldly around, keeping the boats and ships from harm. And then, in the morning, it is light and sunny again.

dear little lighthouse
you shine gaily day and night
keep us safe always

~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Elias Kipfer @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a lighthouse located on a tiny piece of land near a rocky coastline. The sea around it is misty and gray.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #256 photo prompt.

What do you see # 256- September 30, 2024.

Can I do this? (a bit of nonsense)

Chris Hall63 Comments

I was never good at numbers, unfortunately. However, I have written so many things. When I was little I would write poems and small stories, and then in high school I went up to an essay each week. I am happy with all writing things – either pen or pencil with paper, and even better on my laptop now… but numbers? Really not good – apart from playing Scrabble, of course.

a pen or pencil
is mightier than a number:
wouldn’t you say, eh?

right, okay
strike it out, that’s it;
now, try it again

a pen or pencil
is mightier than a sword:
better isn’t it?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Karla Hernandez @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a hand holding a Rubik’s cube which has words written in some of the squares, that can be read from left to right or top to bottom that says; “ Figure it out”

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #255 photo prompt.
Di’s Pensitivity101 – Monday’s Three Things Challenge: WRITTEN, PAPER, ESSAY

What do you see # 255- September 23, 2024
Three Things Challenge #M826

Climb Up

Chris Hall46 Comments

‘Climb up, climb up, you can do it,’ as they shouted. But she couldn’t hear them. She had fallen, tumbling and tumbling; it was very dark, damp and clammy. She’d been bruised and cut, as she moved around, carefully. She could see a little chink of light here in the cave and she clambered around and began to climb. Now it was lighter and warmer, and it wasn’t too far now. She could hear all of them shouting: ‘Come on, you can do it!’

she climbed, climbed again
as the rays of light shined out
and now, she’s here, phew!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Danial Burka @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a shadowy figure standing on a raised grassy plateau inside a cave. The top of this plateau is illuminated with rays of light coming from an opening at the top.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #254 photo prompt.

What do you see # 254 – September 16, 2024

The Luggage

Chris Hall55 Comments

she’s moving again
how many times, she’s lost count
where will she go next?

the custom manager
threw the rest of her things out
‘good riddance,’ he shouted

her method is the same
she will find another place
it’s a tradition

a man’s there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Bernhard @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows the view of a street where a stack of old luggage (suitcases) is piled one upon another, the lowest one resting on a wooden box. There’s a bicycle parked next to this pile, along a no parking sign.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #253 photo prompt.
Di’s Pensitivity101 – Monday’s Three Things Challenge: CUSTOM, TRADITION, METHOD

What do you see # 253- September 9, 2024
Three Things Challenge #M812

Ghosts and Dreams

Chris Hall77 Comments

she sits staring out
rain pitter-patters down, cold and grey
dismal, dank and damp

but inside she’s warm
reading a tatty old book
and what’s wrong with that?

the candle flickers
but there’s no ghosts here now
just peace and happiness

no misery here!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Esra Korkmaz @ Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows an open book lying on a table near a window. There is a lit candle near the book on the table in a brass bowl. The pages of the book are yellowing with age. There are water droplets on the outside of the window pane.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #252 photo prompt.

What do you see # 252- September 2, 2024