Roberta Writes – Esther Chilton’s prompt, Tanka Tuesday and Thursday Doors #poetry #photography

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Update about Michael

Michael had a gastroscope on Monday and we saw the doctor yesterday. He has been diagnosed with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), a condition in which stomach acid flows back up the esophagus (swallowing tube) into the larynx (voice box) and throat. His throat is quite swollen and burned. The condition is being treated with medication. In terms of Michael’s complex medication history, this isn’t that serious for which I am very grateful.

Esther Chilton’s writing prompt

Esther Chilton’s writing prompt for this week is gifts and you can join in here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2024/12/04/writing-prompts-43/

The gifts (tanka prose)

When I was a little girl, my dad landscaped the garden of his aunt’s new house. It was a big job and he spent a few months working there. When he worked on a Saturday, he would take Cath and I with him and we would have to make the best of it and entertain ourselves as best we could in his aunt’s old fashioned and rambling house.

We were scared to go out of the house as the garden was in an uproar with huge machines moving great piles of earth to shape hillocks that would one day be covered with grass or flowers. There was also a small cottage across the cemented back yard. This slightly ramshackle cottage appeared creepy and mysterious to me. Cath and I used to watch the cottage from the back doorstep. It fascinated us. Sometimes we could see shadows moving about inside and always we could hear loud and strange music playing. The reason we were so interested in this cottage and its occupant was that Dad said that the young man who lived there was a drug addict and a disappointment to his mother.

Naturally, this made the cottage as interesting as the locked sweet cupboard to a curious and sheltered child like me who didn’t know what a drug addict was and would very much like to see one.

In between our watch from the back doorstep, Cath and I wondered about the large, empty house looking for amusements. We found them in the form of toilet roll holder dolls. We would remove them from their places atop the extra toilet rolls in the four bathrooms and take them into the kitchen where we could play with them and still watch the cottage. The dolls had crocheted dresses in green, pink, yellow, and orange. The dolls looked a lot like the first flimsy Barbie dolls, but they had long hair, and the skirts of the dresses were very full to facilitate their going over a toilet roll. To me, these dolls were beautiful, and I desperately wanted one.

One day, while we were deeply absorbed in our dolls game, a young man came into the kitchen. He didn’t come out of the cottage but rather from inside the house somewhere. He had long hair and a guitar, but other than that he seemed ordinary. He spoke to us girls and was very interested in our doll game.

The next time Dad took us with him to work, the domestic helper presented us with a doll each. Mine was green and Cath’s was pink. They were from Aunty Roz’s son.

I was delighted with this wonderful gift. So much so that I still have that green crocheted dress. It was a while before I realised the gift was from the drug addict. My delight at receiving the doll helped to mitigate my crushing disappointment in the drug addict who looked just like any other young man in his early 20s.

Magnificent gifts

Slender dolls in fine dresses

With wide, ruffled skirts

Providing entertainment

For two lonely little girls

Tanka Tuesday

This week’s Tanka Tuesday is hosted by David and this is his great challenge:

So, this week’s challenge is to compose a ‘Sekar ageng’ poem , according to the following rules, as laid out by Murisopsis:

Sekar ageng – This Javanese form is traditionally recited as a song. The modern form is comprised of any number of quatrains (4 line stanzas) with 17 syllables per line. Each line is divided by caesurae (breaks) after sections of 4 syllables, 6 syllables and 7 syllables in that order.

You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2024/12/03/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-javanese-poetry-12-03-2024-syllabicpoetry/

Packing

Looking forward, with anticipation, a big part of the pleasure

Packing snow boots, thermal vests and leggings, fleece lined jacket in pale blue

While drinking wine, white and packed with ice cubes, the humming fan turned to high

It’s nearly time, to fly across the world, fast forwarding seven hours

Sunflower Tanka

Colleen has shared the cover of the forthcoming Sunflower Tanka journal which is a joint effort between Colleen and I.

You can read more about the cover and Sunflower Tanka here: https://tankatuesday.com/2024/12/06/sunflower-tanka-cover-reveal/

Thursday Doors

These are some photographs of doors I took while walking around in the Netherlands in May. You can join in Dan’s Thursday Doors prompt here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/12/05/random-doors-and-december-schedule/

Picture caption: Amsterdam’s very busy Central Station
Picture caption: Royal Palace of Amsterdam
Picture caption: Dutch Pancake Masters – we had breakfast here and it was very delicious.
Picture caption: my breakfast – egg and bacon pancake. I couldn’t eat it all.

Travelling

I am travelling to Japan on Monday so I will be posting and visiting a lot less until 6 January 2025. I have a few scheduled posts going out and I will pop in and visit you all when I can. Wishing you all a wonderful festive season.

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

74 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Esther Chilton’s prompt, Tanka Tuesday and Thursday Doors #poetry #photography”

  5. love the tanka and photos, Robbie; I’m glad Michael’s condition has been diagnosed and under treatment; have a great time in Japan Robbie: I’m sure you’ll have lots of photos and Japanese inspired verse 🙂

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  6. I’m sorry about Michael’s health issue. Hope he gets well soon. Your story is so lovely. I can imagine you and your sister playing with the toilet roll holder dolls. The dolls were very popular. My mom made them for gifts. I’ve seen some of those dolls in antique stores and wanted to buy one. David’s Sekar ageng poem seems hard to write although I like it. Take lots of photos in Japan. Have fun, Robbie!

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    1. Hi Kay, if I saw one of these dolls in an antique shop I would definitely buy one. I hope to get a Japanese doll to go with my dolls from South Korea, India, Norway, Netherlands, UK, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, and Hungary. I didn’t get a doll in Finland, I got a snow dog. I’m sure Japan will be lots of fun.

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      1. I didn’t know you collected dolls! I love dolls and figurines. I have lots of my mother-in-law’s and my own mother’s things such as animal figures, statues, angels, religious items and tea sets. We live in mÿ mother-in-law’s old house. I still find items she stashed away. Last month, I found a little set of fairies in a drawer. 😊 My grandmother gave me a set of tiny wooden dolls from her trip to South Korea in 1960. An old name for such items is “knick knacks.” I don’t hear people say that anymore. My newest colleçtion is of a doll which is very popular now in Mexico. Well I only have two. Her name is LeLe and she represents all the different indigenous groups here both past and still present! They’re usually made of cloth or wood and various colors.

        https://images.app.goo.gl/gy4fps2nY45qxS898

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  8. So pleased to hear that Michael is Ok and it can be treated with medication. We had breakfast at a traditional Dutch Pancake House when we were in Amsterdam too. I had an apple pancake and it was so good. Have a great time in Japan. Can’t wait to hear all about it. xo

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  9. Sending my best wishes for Michael’s recovery. Our older daughter had that when she was little and I can assure you that it can be overcome.

    Have a wonderful time in Japan. Merry Christmas!

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  11. Hi Robbie. So much in this post!

    I’m glad Michael has been diagnosed and can be treated with medication.

    My children would have played with those dolls, too. They made dolls from anything. 🙂

    I enjoyed the Amsterdam photos. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time in Japan.

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  13. I hope Michael recovers quickly from his procedure. And I’m glad he has medication to help his condition, so it will improve.

    And what an interesting story about you and your sister with the dolls and the old house!

    I hope you have a great time in Japan, and I’m looking forward to seeing your photos 🙂

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  15. Thanks for sharing the update about Michael. In the big picture, good news.

    What a yummy breakfast! Two kids entertaining themselves away from home for an entire day isn’t easy. But, the dolls provided a good memory. Safe travels …. and enjoy Japan!

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  17. Japan! How awesome is this… have a fabulous adventure. My Aunt Beatrice had the toilet roll dolls… such a sweet memory from MY childhood. Happy Holy Days to you and those who mean the most to you, dear Robbie! xx

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  18. Hope Michael is getting better. Enjoy Japan (wow) and, of course, well done and congratulations to you and Colleen – I’m so pleased about that lovely book.

    Merry Christmas 🎄🌻

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  19. I’m glad Michael’s condition is treatable and it’s not slowing him down too much to travel. Hope you both have a safe but exciting time in Japan! Enjoy the holidays! And thank you for sharing the lovely photos but especially the story of the toilet roll dolls and “mysterious” young man. I could picture it all in my head through your vivid account. Merry Christmas, Robbie! 🎄🥰❤️

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  22. Robbie, I’m so glad to hear that Michael’s issue can be helped with medication. That poor kid has had his share of issues, hasn’t he? Take care and enjoy your trip to Japan! What an amazing adventure. Sunflower Tanka is almost there! Thanks again for the amazing painting for the cover. ☀️🌻☀️

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  26. So glad to hear Michael has a diagnosis that is not too scary …he had had his fair share of not so good prognosis that this is good.

    Enjoy Japan Robbie have a wonderful Christmas 💜💜

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  30. I love your sunflower! The story about the cottage and the “drug addict” is a lesson about stereotypes. Sounds like this guy had at least some recovery going on. I hope Michael feels better soon. My mild, occasional acid reflux is helped by chewing gum and sucking on throat drops. Safe travels to you, Robbie!

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  32. I hope the meds Michaels on will alleviate his condition my father suffered from that and it is quite unpleasant at times…An interesting story I remember the crochet or knitted bathroom tissue holder my mother and everyone I knew seemed to have one of those in their bathrooms…Enjoy your Christmas and your trip to Japan I am envious it is a country I would love to visit xx

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  34. Thank you for the update on Michael’s test result. I’m glad that his condition can be treated with medication. I enjoyed your “life lesson” tanka prose. (I remember those toilet paper roll dolls.)

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  36. Glad to hear Michael’s latest medical condition is what it is and not something worse.

    My niece has been living with this condition for 25 years. She was on medication. Then, after a couple of years on a strict diet for the issue had it in control. At that point she did not need medication.

    10 years, she missed all the foods she couldn’t eat, and quit her diet. Now she is back on medication.

    Thought that might be worth mentioning.

    Great writing, Robbie, and your doors are sublime.

    You could be in Japan now, as it’s Monday. Bon Voyage!

    I was going to wait until you got back to do the skateboard post, but maybe I’ll wait until Jan. now!

    🎄❤️🎄

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    1. Hi Resa, thank you for your lovely comment. Diet and weight is a factor. Michael does struggle with his weight due to cortisone and an erratic exercise schedule due to his frequent illnesses. We are trying a new dietary regime so fingers crossed it works. It took over 24 hours to get to Tokyo via Dubai. It’s an incredible city, so modern and efficient and huge. I look forward to the skate board post 💚

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  37. My goodness, what a great post. First of all, Michael is okay, then the story (tanka prose) of your gifts, then your magnificent doors of Amsterdam, and finally your trip to Japan. Wow! Wishing you all the best for the holiday season, Robbie.

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  38. I did not know there was a condition called LPR! My husband has GERD and it can get pretty bad at times. Medication is the only solution. Hope Michael’s condition improves soon.
    That’s an awesome pancake.
    Loved your poem.
    Huge congratulations on the publication of your book. ❤️
    Enjoy Japan and happy holidays.

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  39. Hi Robbie, I’m behind on reading, so sorry for my delayed visit, but I hope Michael is doing better. My son, Michael, was in the hospital last week, had 2 procedures, and is home recovering. So, my thoughts are with you and your son, and I’m glad according to you that his diagnosis isn’t that serious. I love your poem and doors, and the book cover looks gorgeous! Congrats to you and Colleen. Enjoy your time in Japan. 💗

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