"Channelling Lewis Carroll"...something retold in 200 words

Once upon a time, in a shiny part of this lovely land, happily a-gyring and a-gimbling, lived the little locals. Music lulled their sleepy woodland groves -

BUT monsters were reputed to stalk the deepest forests - the Secretive Jubjub Bird, the Fiercely Frumious Bandersnatch, the Totally Terrifying Jabberwock!

Our princely hero, (listen well, my Beamish Boy!), grasped his fabled sword and, fully-armoured, bravely left the Palace, seeking to slay the fearsome, flame-eyed monster.

Princey entered the tulgiest part of the wood, hunting high and hunting low until, iffing and uffing slightly, he rested his weary body in the shade of the Tumtum tree.

"What's that I hear?!" He caught up his blade and snicker-snack! Off came the head of the unsuspecting Jabberwock, as it came a-whiffling between the trees... 

Grasping the gory head, leaving the body dead, our hero hurtled lickety-spit through the wildest woods and galumphed-up to beat Callooh-Callay on the Palace gates!

"Oh what is this, my Beamish Boy?! Have you triumphed over adversity and restored peace to our Kingdom! Come to my arms, come sing the frabjous news!"

And we all lived happily ever after, a-gyring and a-gimbling in the mimsiest of Borogroves...

Paws for thought

Here is a pic of Kitty's crossed front paws as she relaxes after her walk...

Why? Only because I came across a photo-challenge and, being a techno-wally, am unable to post my b&w pic of the day...

A poetry challenge...

...to limber up and get me moving again!

The challenge, to take a hitherto unknown poem, use a few phrases, thoughts or ideas to write my own...

Here is Seamus Heaney:

STERN - in memory of Ted Hughes

‘And what was it like,’ I asked him,
‘Meeting Eliot?’
                     ‘When he looked at you,’
He said, ‘it was like standing on a quay
Watching the prow of the Queen Mary
Come towards you, very slowly.’
 
                     Now it seems
I’m standing on a pierhead watching him
All the while watching me as he rows out
And a wooden end-stopped stern
Labours and shimmers and dips,
Making no real headway.

And a quick version of my own:

SCAFFOLD - I met JA who had met JG

I  "so how was she?"

asked you, and you said

"like a monument, a monolith,

a cathedral shivered

when she spoke..."

And now it seems

I'm watching you afar,

undaunted build your own,

a rickety wooden fragile

church of dreams

Kendal mint cake...

...as a source of amusement was losing its edge by the time the carpark and our car with its unmistakable roof box finally hove into view. To be fair we had been on a longer than usual walk...

We had set off at about the usual time, soon after 12, and I had remarked that I wasn't yet sure of the layout of paths in Pwll Crwn - to which you had replied (presciently) 'just how lost could one get in such a small wood!?'

We had tramped through mud and more mud with our five-dog pack and got ourselves thoroughly lost - you were tiring, I was tiring , the dogs were tiring - but, as I say, the carpark, and the end, was in sight...

I reached for the car keys in my bag. Which were not in the usual zipped pocket. Or any of the other pockets. Or in my cagoule pockets. Or my waterproof trouser pockets. Or my fleece pockets...

We reached the car, turned out all the pockets, searched the immediate vicinity and then took stock of our situation...

We were several miles from home, tired, muddy and hungry, with no food or water. On the plus side it was no longer raining...

I called A. who was actually not far away, biking with a friend and, in the time it took him to come riding to the rescue, I 'retraced our steps' (bearing in mind we had walked in circles like Pooh and Piglet and the trap for heffalumps)...

So A. arrived, and said friend cycled on to his house, brought back the car, took A. to our house to collect spare car keys and the bike roof-rack and returned him to the carpark. We could finally get you and the bewildered dogs home! 

In the meantime I had continued to look for the keys in the immediate area. A young man with a dog and an adorable child in yellow wellies had pulled in to walk - 'We are being rescued, but will you look out for our keys on your walk?'

'Of course, give me your number, in case we should find them. Come along Jacob, let's look for the nice lady's keys as we go!'

We piled all the dogs into the car, put the bike on top and drove to your house - fortunately you had your house key, you don't always bring it - or we would have been in deep shit (my spare was with the car-keys).

Kettle on, tea made, and I checked my phone for the time - a text message from the gorgeous young man, who was in the car park WITH THE KEYS!

So A. hopped back into the car and went to collect them...

You admitted you had to go to Morries for a prescription and catfood - Marley-boots was actually sitting on the table eyeing us balefully.

So we set off for Morries, cue more shenanigans in the carpark there...

We got home eventually around 5pm.

Reflecting on the adventure, it could have been SO much worse - it could have been pouring with rain. A. might not have heard the phone ring, or been reasonably near. Or might have shouted (he doesn't). You might not have had your house-key. Friend's car might not have been available. Or I might not have had toast that morning, because I was going visiting first and lunch was going to be 'a bit late'.

Or as Grandfather would say 'What if Peter hadn't caught the wolf? What then, eh!?'

daft haiku

Perhaps if I get this down, it will stop rattling around my mind!

Hats and gloves and socks -

soon be time to change the clocks...

autumn equinox!

autumn haiku

Overhead the birds

sensing the restless winds, know

that it's time to go

The Right to Roam?

From the Guardian, an extract which amused me ... 

"It's a diabolical liberty" Peter Glossop said, as he walked his labradors, Purdy and Bumble in the park

And my, tongue-in-cheek, version, in haiku...

'Purdy and Bumble,

diabolically free,

exercising their rights'

Pantoum...

Yesterday I went to a Yoga and Writing afternoon, which necessitated Leaving the County - just.

It was nice to meet a couple of new people and do some fairly gentle somatic exploration. And some wild-writing exercises ...

At the end of which we turned some of our phrases into a random sort of poem, loosely based on the structure of a 15C Malaysian form, called a Pantoum.

Except mine wasn't, of course. Because I had, by accident, already started to make a poem of my phrases...

Which was CHEATING.

But here is the result, anyway:

Autumn Leaves

So shall I die

thus upon the earth

will I lie

soft under a blanket

Thus upon the earth

will they play good music

soft under a blanket

red and green and gold

Will they play good music

back to the earth and sky and sea

red and green and gold

send me dancing on my way

Back to the earth and sky and sea

and shall I lie

send me dancing on my way

so shall I die

September haikus

Warm September scent -

blackb'rries, ferns and just a hint

of chamomile tea

childhood sonnet, for RB

This was a hard one...writing a proper Shakespearean sonnet - iambic pentameters, trad rhyming scheme, 'turn' after line eight 'n' all that. All based on a childhood incident. 

This has taken a few days and I'm not happy with it...I found following the form,  particularly the rhyme, meant losing any poetry at all...

Still, here it is, for what it's worth...

His hair was greasy and his nails were black,

His legs were spindly and he wasn't tall,

A threadbare blazer and an ancient mac,

We called him names, the oddest boy of all.

He played his part of course - the classroom clown,

Sucked up to teachers, always good in school,

And in the playground ran and ran around,

Spoke like a robot, acted like a fool.

We followed him with laughter, unprepared

To see the child behind the mask it seems 

For no-one told us it was strong to care,

We carry guilt, he haunts my sometime dreams.

Children are cruel, and crueller still those days -

And he who calls the tune one day the piper pays...

September haikus

Sea-stormy morning

dark blues and grey foreboding

seagull's cry warning

Repetition haiku

Today's poetry exercise, to 'write a short poem, using repetition to effect' doesn't really suit haiku, where there is no room for extraneous words - yet, here we go...

Early, early morn

sleepless, sleepless the night, yet

comes the dawn, the dawn

September haikus

Indian summer

sunlight drifts across this place -

ah, these days of grace

Rainy Monday haiku

Peer into the fridge - 

tired salad greets my eye, just

a 'dead-lettuce' day...

September haikus

Silent Sunday sea

gulls are subdued yet restless

waves invade the heart

9/11

Remembering how

giant birds of death shattered

our innocent screens

Ynyslas haiku

Sea melts into sky

here at the end of the world

bound'ries disappear

September haikus

Liquid sunshine pours

blessings on the thirsty earth

list'ning to its heart

September haikus

Early morning blue

calm the sea reflects the sky

still my fragile soul

5pm

At last a slight breeze

stirs the dreaming heart again

moves the tired limbs

Acrostic

Today's exercise (from Manjusvara's 'The Poet's Way') was an acrostic - a poetic form in which the initial letter of each line spells out a title or gives meaning - which was challenging, I have to admit!

So here it is...

Homing its way to the west

easing back slowly

asking only mind's respite,

rhyming the day's harsh unrest

timing the heart's gentling pace

here where the soul takes its place

haikus 5

Golden late summer

days of wine and roses

pour their blessings still

haikus 4... collaborative

Dappled september

sun dogs play the day away -

Alfie spoils the game!

September haikus 3

No longer bleak, no

longer grey and hard, here and

there bright flowers bloom

September haikus 2

Late summer's gold and

blue the seagull's crying call

autumn in the air

September haikus 1

Sunlight wavering

how long will you stay today

my golden-eyed friend?

Taraloka 6

Last night's offerings

cool in the morning light, yet

sunrise streaks the clouds

Taraloka 5

Sunrise, early mist

lifts, and cows gaze placidly -

still my restless heart

Taraloka 4

Stories unfolding

listening in the silence

gently breathes the heart

Taraloka 3

Again the rain, soft

after the hard yellow moon

our unfolding hearts

Taraloka 2

After all...

And after the rain

falls, images linger in 

puddles of sky

Taraloka haiku 1

Patiently

the silence and the rain

the morning bell

midsummer 2021

long and easy the day the evening drifts slides almost reluctantly into sunset silver-sparkling sea...

we draw deep steadying breaths of calm

        light of my life

        warm yourself beside my hearth

        heart of my home

from the garden sweet with roses waves are almost the only evening sound...

two seagulls raucously grieve their cold eggs

children's cries in the distance

the fire glowing gently crackling red and gold, wild and

precious life...

Nic 15 June 2021

We are but a pause in the beating heart of the universe, a glance over the shoulder, a half-smile, a breath, a whisper -

We are glimpsed for a moment in the crowded market-place, a bright red cloak disappearing among the throng, slipping away between the houses.

A kaleidoscope splinters colours...

Our breath, our moment - the cry of a baby, the laugh of a child, a horse on a long pale road stretching towards the horizon.

A scattering of white doves in the dusty air.

The red kite soars...

      We reach out and touch

            fingertip to fingertip

                  and still the universe...

100 word prose-poem, 1 word title...

Dream...

Dog and I, an unfamiliar path... 

Filtered light of summer through the fresh green canopy sparkles diamonds on the warm ferns and grasses along the way, 

which narrows and loses itself,

finds itself,

suddenly

beside a driveway and an isolated brick-red house.

A dog barks, an open bay-window and,

sweet,

     -a drowsy clarinet

      filling the sudden air and

      echoing the birdsong...

Had someone leaned out and, mellow, called my name, or not called my name, 

I might have answered, 

I might have left my lovely life

without a thought,

without a backward glance,

and, longing, entered the house...

Banned Words

It was the very end of summer and they journeyed with him to the far west, and, bright-breasted as a flock of young starlings, descended on our hideaway.

Chattering as they came, 

scattering indiscriminately 

bags, books, bottles laughter and kisses,

they upturned our days and by night resembled a herd of baby elephants, making music in the attic.

And then, just as suddenly, they left and the attic became an haiku...

   When he's gone...

   Abseiling spiders

   coffee-cup, abandoned book

   and one forgotten sock...

The year has turned and turned again.

Hope, like all the other clichés, is springing-up all around. In spite of myself, I am restless, stirred.

I feel...what is the word?

I search my vocabulary.

I search the magnet-messages they left on the fridge for each other, for me.

Ah, here it is...

I am, I must admit "en-daffodil-hearted"

H.w.g.a #19

My brave and brilliant friend - Lila to my Lenù, Lenù to my Lila - is planning a huge move.

Here, to my lovely town.

And today was spent spying out a property for her...first Kitty and I lurked in the environs this morning; then Alistair sped by on his bike...

Then, after consultation, I made a phone-call...and this afternoon we did a proper viewing on her behalf - yikes!

And it was almost the first time either of us had been in someone else's house since March, which was weird too.

Watch this space...

Here is a picture of us in the future, a card she sent me years ago.

Growing old together.

Disgracefully...

H.w.g.a #18

A day of random pleasures - a lovely walk up the frosty hill to Kitty's field, as my back is much improved - yay!

Gym after our walk, shower and a late lunch.

Domesticky bits and pieces this afternoon... and the exciting news that my bestest friend has SOLD her house!

This was closely followed by the disappointment of the property here she had her eye on being sold too.

A busy time awaits, finding the right home for her, so we can grow old together, disgracefully...

That and another lovely curry, and then a Skype-chat with my mate and booking a retreat together for the end of the summer...oh, that the world will be functioning enough for that to happen!

Meanwhile, there are simple pleasures and always something to laugh at...

H.w.g.a #17

So there it was, a couple of weeks before Christmas, and Alistair says, 'let's get in some curries for Christmas, what do the supermarkets have?'

'Hmm', says I, 'they're boring though, I was thinking you would be really good at curries,  if you got into them. All that "take 5 1/2 crushed coriander seeds" stuff...'

So we ordered a couple of Madhur Jaffrey's books from the library, picked them up JUST before the Lock-down shut everything again, and Wow!

Curry-making has really taken off as a new interest for Alistair, he is pouring over recipes, and I am (happily) relegated to sous-chef and senior advisor.

I am being fed, and how! But I joke that this is becoming an obsession, and feel like Dr. Frankenstein:

'I have created a monster!'

Today I walked into town to get essentials and had one of 'those' conversations with 'sometimes-grumpy' shopkeeper:

Him: 'I heard today that we're being encouraged to keep up our Christmas lights for 40 days to cheer everyone up'

Me: 'Hmm, to be honest, I don't think sparkly lights would really cheer me up'

Him: 'So, I'm agog...what would cheer you up?'

Me: 'Well, as you ask, just this...just having conversations with friends, even at a 2metre distance, that and the kindness of strangers...'

H.w.g.a #16

After a better night's sleep, my day started gently, with candles...

Kitty and I took some time to get out today, and headed for the golf-course as, again, the slope to the prom and beach was icy. 

I was togged-up like a mate of Shackleton, and toasty by the time we had walked up the hill and negotiated the snicket over the two streams. As we reached the golf-course the sun was suddenly warm, and someone was cutting grass at the top...

The warmth, the sudden sunshine, the sound of the lawn-mower, the scent of newly-cut grass - for a moment it was May! (next May that is, not last May, which was Lock-Down, and total silence for me)

Those who know us in Real-Life, or who read my ramblings on a regular basis, will know Alistair and his legendary ability to produce, from the depths of the garage or somewhere exactly what I am in need of. 

Today the tables were turned! Alistair dropped and smashed the lid of his teapot (our tea-drinking habits are also legendary...)

And for once I was able to unearth exactly what he needed from the depths of a cupboard...

Of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, I shall tell tomorrow...

H.w.g.a #15

Bright and frosty again this morning and so slippery was it underfoot, and so fragile my back, that Kitty and I went up to the golf-course again for our walk, rather than risk the slope down to the beach.

We were rewarded by some 'sticky-buds', as we used to call them in those far off nature-table days of childhood...

The rest of the day has been quiet, with a little thinking interspersed with a little gym.

Sangharakshita once said, “There are no higher teachings, only deeper understandings.”

H.w.g.a #14

Today creaked into action wet and cold and I tried to do other things in the morning...but it's no use, I couldn't settle to admin and my achey back was crying out for a walk.

So it was time to tog up with the waterproofs and get out with Kitty.

My winter coat is an old one of Ben's - thick and warm, it just 'does what it says on the tin'.

And my waterproof trousers? When we moved back to Cambridge in 2002 I bought Ben, who was then 12, a black pair for cycling to and from school. 

Essential I thought. He disagreed - of course - and I acquired the trousers. 

They have been the mainstay of my wardrobe ever since.

Until today when one leg disintegrated, provoking thoughts of Mr Spiggot, the one legged Tarzan of Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore fame...

('I've got nothing against your right leg...the trouble is, neither have you!)

I made it up to the deserted golf-course today and we squelched around a bit...

The rain cleared this afternoon and the low winter sun on my old copper scuttle made a a beautiful reflection on the slate hearth...

I love the word 'hearth'...

H.w.g.a #13

Well we watched 'Skyfall' to keep ourselves awake till the midnight hour - my first 007 - and very disappointing it was too!

Oh, SO bright and urban and hard and full of violence (duh!). And a barely concealed misogyny, which left a nasty taste in the mouth...

And then we togged up, gathered our fizz and plastic champagne glasses and set off down the slope to the prom. It was BITTERLY cold and the tarmac was like a skating rink...I had visions of ending up in A&E with a broken ankle - NOT a good plan on New year's Eve 2020!

There were few revellers about, and we were the oldest by about forty years, but we had a brisk walk, drank a toast to better times and took the obligatory pics of the fireworks at midnight...

Home to a nice warm bed...

It was much milder when we emerged this morning and Kitty and I had a LONG walk to check out the back route to the bottom of Penparcau. We kept meeting people, mostly with dogs, and exchanging 'Blwyddyn Newydd Dda', with everyone - so I was in ready for my brunch when we got home. But here are some pics of my lovely town, looking good on a sunny winter morning...

And one of my porridge, just to show you how greedy I am...

And in the afternoon there was ample time for domesticking, for recording a little audio and for gymming before cooking.

And there was an episode of 'My Brilliant Friend' season 2.

And Doctor Who - though not a patch on the glory days of David Tennant, still SO much better than James Bond...