A little bit of sun can really lift the spirits. And to celebrate her appearance today, here’s a Spring tanka. Tanka is a style of poetry similar to Haiku but based over 5 lines with syllable counts of 5,7,5,7,7. Why not have a go at writing one and share it with me.
Are we grateful for what we’ve been given right now
For the excellence that lies all about
Are we focussed on good and not upon bad
Are we willing to sing and to shout
About even the tiniest littlest thing
That brings fortune and favour our way
Be it the sun in the sky or the birds on the wing
Or the wonder that’s filling today
Be it a stranger’s kind word or a hug from a friend
A meal on the table at night
A song or a dance, a smile or a glance
Whatever brings in joy and delight
Be it a nudge in our thoughts that brings in relief
For even a second or less
To refresh and renew everything that we do
With gratitude and heart filled thankfulness
For to dwell on these things that may not seem big
Or even seem what we are owed
Is to lift up our spirit, to freshen our souls
With appreciation and love thus bestowed
And thus we go hence right into this day
With joy in our mind and not dread
With blessing abundant at the fore of our thoughts
With a glow and lighter step in our tread.
Landscape littered with refuse
Where crow flies overhead
Where vermin scavenges for food
Where others dare not tread
Where stench of yesterday is thrown
Out on the garbage heap
Where foul odour lingers in the nose
Where rot and decay steeps
Yet midst this putrefaction
A diamond in the rough
Lies hidden, lost, abandoned
Unrefined; not buffed
But still a diamond all the same
A gem with so much more
Potential, worth, capacity
If just realised and restored
And likewise, there will be those days
Those months and maybe years
When the jewel within is tarnished by
Many wet and salty tears
Those times when circumstance may yield
Turbulence and unrest
But see those times as polishing
The inner latent best
So that the diamond in the rough
Will stand out undisguised
A precious stone shining so bright
Potential realised
I’m not going to be that old lady
With nothing but gossip to while away hours
Planted in front of the TV soaps
Who plays bingo or drinks sherry
Wearing strings of pearls
With rouged cheekbones and painted nails
Instead my days will draw to a close
Like a vibrant painting
Where splashes of life
And streaks of colour
Will splatter in abstract abandon
As the ink dares to cross the lines
The twilight years where being me
Casts away the cloak of expectation
And dances in the meadow of inspiration
Shouting poetic expression across the plains
And where fresh air rouges my face
Whilst bubbling springs wash over my bare feet
And I will run through forests of books
The inscriptions of the wise
In a quest for eternal knowledge
Jumping into the deepest oceans
To swim against the tide
To bathe in enlightened waters
For the spirit of ageing
Will bloom like the autumn cherry
Fighting the tides of winter
In one final exclamation
Of everything that is life
And of everything that makes life great!
Labour are red
The Tories are blue
Vote however you like
For the fact that holds true
Is that tomorrow; next week
When the new PM’s in
It will still be the case
That you can still win
If you don’t blame the outcome
On a whole load of rot
But focus instead
On the skills that you’ve got
To focus, work hard
With resolve and with might
For the gold that you seek
Is intrinsic; out of sight
Being contained in each one of us
For better or bad
So dig deep and discover
With a heart that is glad
To not see the red, and neither the blue
But the spectrum inside you
And make that work for you
For politicians will come
And then they will go
And no matter how much
Each manifesto
Makes great promises to match
Your wishes and wills
Or tries to deliver
Through political frills
Labour will stay red
The Tories will stay blue
But the rainbow that gives most
Will be always in you
I sail away across the plain
From daydreams pleasant shores
On boat of blossom in the breeze
O’re fields of green decor
Midst heavens kiss upon the earth
In rolls of clear blue sky
And all is pure tranquility
Such peace and calm the prize
I drift into another realm
Where memories float too
My present vision; bright and clear
As each one comes in view
And cross my face a smile spreads out
For joy such as this is
Has grace bestowed so endlessly
Unbounded happiness.
I see a bird upon the wing
A swallow and a lark
And glance a pheasant strut on by
In the distance – a dog barks
I spot the hawthorn burst it’s bud
A yellow daffodil
Trumpet in silence on the verge
Announcing the spring bill
And though soon I must go back to
The realms of reality
I take this moment, lap it up
Refresh that inner me
For there is nothing greater than
The chance to sit; admire
Nature at her fresh very best
And feel so much inspired
Make every day count
Let there be no regret
Endeavour a purpose
And never forget
That the clock ticks through life
It never will stop
Til your last breath is taken
And your legacy drops
Into the sea of the past
To be judged good or bad
Whether a life made a difference
Or was wasted – so sad
But let there be more
That each moment bring joy
Inspiration and wonder
like a child with new toy
To question; to challenge
To relax; to imbue
Every day; every minute;
Every second hold true
Mo Jo’s packed his bags and gone
He’s walked out in a huff
Said “Do you know I’m so fed up
And have had quite enough
I’ve battled through the thick and thin
I’ve stuck it out this long
But seriously, how do you think
We now can get along?
If you are not prepared to work
Won’t pull your weight at all
So now I’m going; I’ll not be back
Don’t even try and call
Cos after everything I’ve done
You’ve really worn me out!”
And with a sigh, he turned his back
He didn’t hang about
And that was the last that I saw
Of Mo Jo as he left
For he never came back again
And left me quite bereft
For only when he’d gone did I
Realise the good that he
Did day on day and night on night
Whilst motivating me
The little niggle deep within
The comforter, the friend,
The gentle kick up ass to prompt
And always comprehend
Persuasion, drive and fortitude
Working with focused might
The smallest thing to galvanise
Impel, egg on, excite.
But strangely over time I’ve learnt
That though I miss him so
I can ignite a drive in me
To replicate the flow
Of motivation through these veins
And light a fire to roar
Fervently with perseverance
That won’t go out for sure
Cos though Mo Jo was my buddy
My wing man way back then
There’s something more creative
And re-li-able when
Self dependence and inner drive
Triggers the ‘go go get’
Attitude that I need in me
To reach the goals I’ve set!
Ginz&Tonic 