Express In Eight

November- Expression in eight

11-1-2021
At the top

It wasn't an easy climb
all the way up to the top.
hours of hardship
to mind and body.

I reached the peak,
my labor melted.
Surprised, I was, to realize
the strength, I never knew I had.

Prompt: Reaching the top of a mountain or hill that you've been climbing all morning.

11-2-2021
Missing home

Nothing's tougher
than leaving parents
to live with spouse.
Adios carefree days!

Emotions running high,
missing mom when sick
miss my dad's reassuring voice.
Precious ties, precious memories.

Prompt: Write a poem about leaving home to set up your own.

11-3-2021
The scent of joy

The room wears
a new ivory coat
lifting my spirit
to the rain washed skies.

Creamy white gardenias
sitting pretty in an ebony
vase sprinkle the house
with a delicious scent.

Prompt: Ivory/ Ebony

11-4-2021
The End

When a vibrant green city
was hit hard by mother nature's
brute force, when the ocean churned and
rose like a mighty beast slapping
froth on the shore, when TV towers
and verdant woods bent and went
crazy like possessed spirits sans salvation,
I thought the end of the world was close at hand.

Prompt: The day you thought the world ended

11-5-2021
A spot of solace.

The roof garden
astounds me
with an incredible
variety of vegetables,
flowers and fruits.
In the midst of a concrete desert
here's an oasis of peace,
beauty and delight.

Prompt: Garden

11-6-2021
Shiva

November brings
a string of holidays
and a series of festivals
to the Indian subcontinent.

There is a new brightness
in the streets as people
throng to the temples of
Shiva, the lord of Yoga.

Prompt: November

11-7-2021
A chance

I am grateful for many things
like being born in this country
like having a loving family,
beautiful friends that care.

Most of all I am grateful
to my Creator that gave me a chance
to understand who I am
and the stuff of which I am made.

Prompt: Gratitude

11-9-2021
Dancing through life

I am the diva of the daytime
I am also a diva of blue at night.
I dance to the honeyed voice of
the melody queen of my inner self.

My steps clutter clatter to the
rhythm of charming saxophones,
guitars and drums of magic and I fly
to the edge of heaven meeting my only love.

Prompt: PARADE YOUR INNER DIVA.

Birthday bash

Slept not a wink last night
as I lay listening to the fight
between the husband and wife
lost my nerve at the clatter of a knife.

I rose and peered through
the tiny keyhole to find the truth.
No, there's no dead body on the floor
instead, found a birthday uproar.
Prompt: Not slept one wink (from Cymbeline)
11-11-2021
Finding forte

No way I let ennui,
pervade my mind.
There are a thousand
and one or more
time fillers worthier
than sit in judgment.
Time gallops once I
find one my heart craves.

Prompt words: Ennui/ Pervade
11-12-2021
Empathy

There were times we argued.
You couldn't convince me
of the facts of the matter.

Much later,

I realize I lacked conviction
My intensity wasn't deep
you were dynamic, not I.

Empathy matters, not passion.

Prompt: Write a realization poem.
11-13-2021
"suffer less"

Pour your sorrow
into lilting lyrics;
a fine way to
learn the art
of suffering gladly.
The heat of summer,
the cold of winter, cruel life
become blossoms of joy.

Prompt: About Suffering
by Elisa Gabbert



11-14-2021
Fear

The earthquake shook
us for a fraction of a second.
I heard a sound like the growl
of an angry beast; the agony of the earth.
People ran out of safe sanctuaries.
Fear mirrored in their eyes, as if they
saw Godzilla striding out of the hills.

Prompt: “Mirror” by Silvia Plath
Note-
This morning At 8 am, we had a quake, measuring 1.4 on the rector’s scale. It was a minor one, but our fear was big.

11-15-2021
As I walk through…

I often have this recurring dream.
I walk alone through a forest clean.
Never felt lonely, for I have company
as trees of the wild weave a symphony.

The verdant hills and the azure sky
are so exceedingly beautiful that I sigh,
and I feel helpless with overflowing pleasure
Thanks to Heavenly Father, for timeless treasures.

Prompt: The Most Beautiful Place I Have Ever Seen

16-11-2021
Sheer magic.

Music lights up their faces
emotions run high and race
my steps fall in with the beat
and I believe it's a great treat.

The sea is their background,
bell birds in the trees around
thrilled at the unique harp music
with chords spinning sheer magic.

Prompt: PARAGUAYAN HARP MUSIC

11-17-2021
Throaty flutes

In the Siberian planes of snow and cold,
folk lore and tales of nature are told.
Altai throat singing, with rhythm
and mysterious chanting, fathom

the depths of nature with throaty flutes
and a linear level tone of nonstop notes.
The effort seems to aim at bringing some life
to the snow fields with brutal cold running rife.

Prompt: Altai Throat Singing

11-18-2021
Zimbabwean jingle

Made of metal and wooden strips
Mbira is as exotic as its name indicates.
A percussion piece with a "buzz”,
necessary to clear the mind of thoughts.

An instrument made of a collage
of bed springs, bicycle spare parts
metal beads and such steel things, it
shows man's urge to make music somehow.

Prompt: Zimbabwe's Mbira Music
11-19-2021


The Musical Bow

The bells of the musical bow
are surely double-edged.
They keep the tiger away
and let the others sway
and sleep in peace.

Those bells seem potent
enough to reach far and
save the lost adventurers.

Prompt: The San Bushmen Music



11-20-2021
Inspiring

Pam's pretty parlour
is almost never vacant.

People love her friendly
smile and conversation.

I noticed the parlour has
a view of the sky and the sea
instantly inspiring and delightful.
I felt at ease, reserve melted away.

Prompts: Parlour and Vacant

11-21-2021
Valley-gardens

The schooner sails
to the other bank
sliding ever so gently
to the jetty to be tied.
The valley-gardens
welcome the guests
evincing praise at their
beauty and tranquility.

Prompt: Schooner

11-22-2021
Unfolding

I am lost in the thoughts
of the jobs I need to complete,
the errands I have to run and
the people I should meet.

My tomorrows are not
of "petty pace" but seem
to run at jet speed, unfolding
different acts of life's drama.

Prompt: Write A Tomorrow Poem.

11-23-2921
Irresistible

This year with a bumper crop
mango preserves have topped
the sales at the food counters
available at irresistible discounts.

Mango pickles made with powdered
dry red chilies, tamarind and mustard,
first among the equals like ginger and lime,
stay fresh and last through cold winter clime.

Prompt: Pickles

11-25-2021
Sumptuous

Under the canopy of trees
webbed in marvelous brash
colours by mother nature,

the family spread out their
celebrative sumptuous lunch
with a hash of mashed potatoes
meat and chicken puffs with a
dash of chili sauce and chilled soda.

Prompts: Brash/ Dash/ Hash /Mash

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

11-26-2021
Elusive

I left no stone unturned
tried methods and means
to get hold of that one elusive
book I missed by a whisker.

I am sure I am going to get it
perseverant as I know I am.
Now, they say it is out of print
should I have to beg, borrow....?

Prompt: With eyes closed, flip through a book, and put your finger on a page.

WHICHEVER WORD YOUR FINGER IS TOUCHING,
USE IT AS YOUR POEM’S TITLE AND WRITE THAT POEM.

11-27-2021
Jocund journey

Started with a ride
to a chapel on a hill,
a Buddhist monastery
nestling in a mountain lap,
sped on to a spiritual centre
in the woods, green and gracious,
strolled on to the wide white beach
the stars glowing like our jocund hearts.

Prompt: 1. Little by little, one travels far” J. R.R. Tolkein

Note-
This was an unplanned, yet, fulfilling journey in a day with siblings.

11-28-2021
Regained

Exciting it is to search
for a thing that left me in a lurch.
when the thin gold chain, a gift
from mom was missing,

I turned the shelves upside down
it proved elusive, wasn't found.
I tried again on the next day,
there it is on a table in the hallway.

Prompt: 5. "I discovered that searching can be as interesting as finding.” – Paulo Coelho

This just happened with me.

11-29-2021
Sea food


The kid picked up crab meat
from the shell with a dainty oyster fork,
ate it neat and tidy without dropping.
Looked as though he loved it.

Who wouldn't given the right fork?
It is such a useful three pronged fork.
The few I have are used exclusively
for sea food like shrimp, oysters and the like.

Prompt: Forks

11-30-2021
A time to sleep

Despite fun and frolic
life is not forever bucolic.

The spirit is willing and ready
for some more happy time heady.

Yet, the body wilts, needs
rest and warmth, not active deeds.

A time to shelter from snow and cold
A time to rise with the sun bright as gold.

Prompt: "How the Leaves Came Down" by Susan Coolidge (1835 – 1905)