Category Poetry

TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge – Iron

freyathewriter 4 Comments

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Her forehead wrinkles,

straining with effort. This form

of wit defeats her.

 

Oh contrary one!

Speak plainly, I beg of you.

Sarcasm irks me.

 

Ooh, it’s fair to say I’ve been looking forward to TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge since I took part last week. It was a fun prompt! Thank you to TJ for the warm welcome šŸ™‚

I decided to go down the ‘irony’ route, as I hope you can tell (not written with a trace of irony, no, not at all!). If I’d chosen ironing, well, I would have been forced to reveal that me and the iron aren’t close acquaintances at all. Not that I walk around looking like a rag-bag, but I choose my clothes somewhat based on their need for ironing…

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my two little offerings! Why not pop on over to TJ’s place to read the other offerings? Or… take part yourself!

TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge – Potpourri

freyathewriter 5 Comments

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you remind me of
grandma, her love of soft scents
cocooned in glass bowls

childish joy, fingers
crush desiccated petals –
aromas unleashed!

Thank you to Ritu for posting her entry into TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge – she inspired me to take part!

As you can see, potpourri has strong memories for me. In the 1970s, when I was a little girl, it was a ‘big thing’ here in the UK (or at least, that’s my memory). I think there were revivals in the 80s and 90s too. Perhaps now as well, but whatever the case, it reminds me of being little again, which is an absolute delight.

If you enjoy poetry, if you enjoy haiku, if you are intrigued by haiku and what to try writing your own (3 lines, 5-7-5 syllable format), whatever the case, why not take part in TJ’s weekly prompt? I’ve written a few before, courtesy of dVerse, and I love the short, concentrated format, trying to encapsulate so much into so little.

Facsimile – dVerse Poetics

freyathewriter 30 Comments

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I’m not as resilient as I used to think

I am hollowed out and my mouth

is emptied when I most need to speak.

Fear steals my words and amplifies my thoughts –

the worst-case scenarios

the shadows

the insecurities

the ghosts

they haunt me

when all I want to do is

express how I feel

share my emotions

let you know me.

Be me.

Now that, that all silences me.

I’m no longer a woman

Iā€™m the little girl waiting at the window

for someone

who never comes.

I put on a brave face

hid behind my curtain of unruly hair

and pretended everything was fine.

Who was I fooling?

I never had a poker face

I never will.

Nothing changes so very much.

Even if the damn words won’t come out

they’re all there

waiting to be freed

if I could only let them.

Iā€™m silenced by the distant past

catching up and tripping me.

And I’m never prepared.

Never prepared.

I can’t unravel it on my own. Will you help me?

Here’s my entry into this week’s dVerse Poetics, hosted by the lovely Abhra who is, sadly, saying goodbye as one of the trusty and dedicated barkeeps at our wonderful bar. Sometimes, you just have to recognise when it’s time to move on.

The theme this week is unintended farewells. I did struggle with this a bit (and only partially because WordPress had a bit of a melt-down yesterday), since I didn’t want to hark back directly to the sudden and unexpected loss of my dad, which many of you have read about.

My entry is more to do with the consequences of that, and a few other chicanes in the road that have been part of my life over the past few years. I do feel as if I’m no longer the person I used to be. Sometimes, it’s bloody hard, sometimes, I see glimmers of someone else far more positive and creative than I was. It’s a confusing mess, but at least it’s life!

Please do head on over to the blog and this week’s Poetics to read more poety goodness – and to wish Abhra well, of course!.