Tag: up to 150 words

Tread with trepidation…

Chris Hall31 Comments


Tread with trepidation

It’s so, so dry. Look at the grass, it’s brown. It’s dying or dead. Ridiculous! Actually it’s not just ridiculous, it’s rather worrying. I have never known a summer as scorching as this. Although 1976 was pretty similar. Gosh, that was a long time ago.

The worrying thing now though is this. It’s El Niño effect. And that is going to be brutal. It’s already beginning. There is drought, wildfires and heat waves too. Then on the other side there will be torrential rain with floods.

Now we need to think. Crops, livestock and infrastructure will reduce food production and disrupt markets. As supply falls, prices rise and food becomes less affordable. When combined with existing pressures such as conflict these climate shocks can quickly increase hunger.

so brace, brace and brace
many things will be required
let us keep alert

~~~~~~~~
145 words

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #100

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 78, Tread with Trepidation! 8/18/26

It’s up there…

Chris Hall31 Comments

“I can just reach it, well almost. Why don’t you try… you’re a little taller than me, aren’t you?”
“Ah, that’s it.”
“Oops, don’t drop it.”
“Impressive, isn’t it?”

“Now give it to me. I am going to open it. And smell it. Hmm, seems fine. So, another sniff… mm, I’m liking this.”

“You don’t want to smell it?”
“Thanks, but no.”
“But you do want to stay with me, don’t you?”
“Sure, of course.”
“Well, phew!”

“Now it’s time to have a little sip. Luckily I can tip it up with both hands. And slowly too.”

“Wow. That’s strong. It’s certainly an interesting aroma.”
“Hmm, is it nice?”

“Well, I will have another tiny sip. Just to make sure. It’s certainly warming.
“And that’s a good thing?”
“Sure. Now, another shot…, definitely nice now. Are you sure you don’t want some…? Oh well, all for me. Glug, glug, hic!”

~~~

150 words

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #097

Those koi, again

Chris Hall42 Comments

“Not so coy koi, or maybe a daydream.”

I walked around a pleasant park. I often go there. I love to stroll by trees, bushes and colourful flowers, the scent is always magnificent. There are bugs, bees and birds, so much to look at, and maybe take a few photos with my phone; but my favourite part is the beautiful pond where those not so coy carp, or rather those koi (like from Japan) would bubble up and ask for food – and I can.

Then often I would sit, or even lie down, to continue to watch them, and maybe have a daydream or two. And then I might pull out a notebook and a pen to write a little poem.

dream, dream and enjoy
a delightful day in spring
what could be better?

~~~

This week for #TankaTuesday, Yvette asked us to write a poem about a dream that came true or a dream that fell apart.

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #096

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 74, Oh, to Dream! 7/21/26

Just a small forest…

Chris Hall42 Comments

“I’ll race you,” grinned one of the boys.
“That will be fun,” said the other.
So off they went on their bikes along the scrubby lane. It was almost neck and neck when they both stopped, and rather suddenly.

“Such a small straight track.”
“Let’s go that way.”
So the two of them made their way across the field. They had only a tiny squabble as they decided who would go first. And off they went.

A bit later they both stopped.
“Gosh, it was further than we thought.”
“Still this small forest seems excellent.”
“I wonder what we’ll find?”
“The highest part is over there.”
“It will be dense and quite dark too.”
“And that’s what we like.”

So off they went. And they had a great time. They hoped that they would find a couple of unicorns, and it could have been. A small sighting, they both thought.

~~~

150 words
🦄

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #093

Those two boys… again!

Chris Hall33 Comments

“We’d love to go with you,” said the two boys.
“Okay, pop in,” grinned Uncle Bill. “My Land Rover is ancient but still fine,” as he lurched off onto the road.

“Where are we going,” asked one of the boys.
“Aha,” said he, “you’re going to like this, it’s right by the Fens. I’m going to drop you off for a while.”

Then one of the boys said: “We’re getting pretty close to that wonderful windmill, is it this?”
“It is,” as Uncle Bill pulled up. “You can poke around there, although it’s a shame you can’t go in. I’ll be about an hour,” and off he went.

The two of them had some fun, and even better, an old guy happened to be there, letting them in, and very interesting it was. Then Uncle Bill was back with some pies and ice creams, and not necessarily in that order!

~~~

150 words

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #092

What on earth…

Chris Hall40 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

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

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