Roberta Writes – d’Verse, quadrille, Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge: Blue, and Sunday Stills #poetry #photography

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Kim quadrille prompt is to write a poem of exactly 44 words using the word honest. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/06/16/quadrille-226-honestly/

Honestly Dishonest

Honesty is an anomaly

Many people claim to be honest

Truly believe they are honest

But they live a version of truth

The version palatable to others

Few of us live unburnished truth

Fearlessly facing the world alone

Spitting in the eye of deception

Esther Chilton’s writing prompt this week is blue. You can join in here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2025/06/11/writing-prompts-69/

A Blue Moment

When I was a little girl of seven, my cousin received a plaster of paris moulding set for a birthday gift. The set was a Disney theme and included moulds of various popular characters including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald and Daisy Duck. The kit included plaster of paris power and water-based paints with two paint brushes.

One look at that kit and I was envious. I wanted a kit like it, but my birthday had passed, and Christmas was months away. I persuaded my cousin to let me make two characters. He agreed to Minnie Mouse and, under duress, Goofy. He wanted me to make Daisy as at ten years old, he wasn’t keen on anything perceived as girly.

I carefully mixed the plaster of paris and moulded the characters. It was a hot day and they dried quickly so I was able to paint them. Goofy had blue trousers and a yellow jersery and Minnie had a pink dress with flowers on it. I was a good painter for my age and the characters look great. It was at this point that the day went wrong for me. Ian suggested I put the characters in a submarine made from an old HTH bottle. Back then, HTH came in large white cylinder shaped bottles with screw on lids. He had cut a door in the bottle to serve as a hatch. He would contribute his Action Man to the adventure and wanted me to contribute my two characters. I didn’t want to but he talked me in to contributing Minnie.

The great journey along the lines of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne commenced. Unfortunately, the submarine flipped over to the door side, took on copious water, and sank. Ian rescued it from the pool and inside we found his Action Man covered in a soggy mess of melted plaster paris and paint. It was a great tragedy for me.

I gave the surviving Goofy character to Granny Joan, and she kept it on her dressing table until she passed away when I was eleven. I remember seeing it when my parents took me to my grandparents’ house to help Granddad Jack pack up her clothes and other personal items. I wanted to take it, but didn’t as it felt like stealing. In retrospect, I’s sure it was thrown out and I wish I had taken it.

artistic success

destroyed by misguided faith

second chance passed up

Sunday Stills – Paths and Trails

You can join in Terri’s Sunday Stills here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2025/06/15/sunday-stills-paths-and-trails-in-the-great-outdoors/

Picture caption: Crossing the bridge at the beginning of the trail from Drakensberg Sun Hotel
Picture caption: Trail in the Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa
Picture caption: Gregory crossing the swollen river using a rope. I was already across ready to help the others. I am a mountain goat – haha!

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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118 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – d’Verse, quadrille, Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge: Blue, and Sunday Stills #poetry #photography”

  4. Wow. Great post Robbie. Sublime poem. Loved the childhood memory. I too think you should have taken the figurine. Great photos too. A 10/10 post 👍👍👍

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  5. Oh! Robbie another great post , a perfect poem and a not so perfect childhood memory… But childhood is a strange place and the equilibrium is so easy over turned.

    All rounded up by your fabulous photos of your three men 💜💜💜

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  6. Great photography, Robbie, and an honest quadrille! I agree about people who believe they are honest but live a version of truth. It’s part of the human condition, I think.

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  7. Beautiful and truthful poem Robbie. You’re so right that even when we think we are being fully honest, there are shades and smudges of dishonesty here and there. Lovely pictures

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  9. I loved your story. I think we all have childhood memories somewhat similar. I had brothers so was often dupped into doing things I didn’t want to. My brother 3 years younger than me smashed my playhouse with a sledgehammer. I was so upset. He also threw my dancing doll out of the truck window. She never danced again. I have since forgiven him. I also loved plaster of Paris and used all kinds of things as moulds and painted them. Gave me many hours of enjoyment.

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      1. Kids can be mean. My brother was always jealous of me. I was the oldest, the only girl and dad’s favourite. So it was how he lashed out. We are quite close now.

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          2. Well, my youngest sister hasn’t spoken to me since Dad was in hospital in February. She was highly incensed that I purchased him a new sleep apnea machine that was calibrated for him rather than taking her husband’s old one. My Dad had tried that old one and it was the reason he resisted getting a mask and machine in the first place. It was so horrible because it wasn’t calibrated for him and looked like something out of the Ark. You are better off without some people in your life, even if they are close relatives. This sister of mine is weak and needy. She is obsessed with her looks and has been anorexic for years. Now she is taking Ozempic. Her children are both basket cases. It is a terrible shame. I tried to help her for years but now she has rejected me and it is quite freeing.

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        1. She taught me how to create something wonderful from ordinary things. Last week I wrote about the paper dolls we made, she taught me how to make a doll’s house out of a wooden tomato box and a doll’s cradle from a margarine tub and left over material. She taught me how to embroider and so appliqué. I learned so much from her.

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  13. “What is truth?” seems very relative these days. Maybe that is the way it has always been!?
    I loved your childhood story. It made me smile! I could imagine all of your feelings as you saw your cousin’s gift!

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  16. Wow, the poem in so few words, captures your feelings about the artistic endeavor of that childhood memory, Robbie. But that artistic path was one you still walk as evidenced in your poetry, baking and artwork. I loved reading this and your path images are perfect. Have a good week!

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  17. Interesting poem and such a touching, relatable story. It’s sad that you didn’t take the figurine back, or at least think to ask if you could have it, but at least you know your grandmother had kept it your gift.

    Cool photos. I wouldn’t like that rope crossing! 😊

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  18. The Quad, The Photos, The Haibun ~ spectacular!!! OMG, you should have taken Goofy, you deserved him and most importantly, he deserved YOU.

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  20. Poor Action Man, I can just picture the scene! My younger son loved Action Man and I helped him sew sleeping bags and tents for him! He and his best friend then joined army cadets and the friend went on to join the army.

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      1. Ha ha, yes I was determined never to buy my daughter a Barbie, but her spoiled friend had a whole collection and gave her a spare one. Then she somehow acquired Ken and her big brother broke his keg off!

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    1. Perhaps you should tell them that. I was very shy and had a very strict Catholic upbringing – seen and not heard was the order of the day – smile! You can honestly believe you know the truth but it is only a version of the truth. Most writers and poets are honest though. That is why I like this community so much.

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  25. What a sad childhood misadventure! I would have been very upset. The adventure trail looks like a lot of fun. I’m with Gregory on wanting the security of a rope to cross a stream on slippery rocks.

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  26. What a great childhood remembrance. Yes, you should have taken it, Robbie. I’m sure it meant nothing to anyone else. Sorry you lost Minnie to a seafaring adventure. 🙂 Love the honesty poem, too. Great stuff!

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  27. A perceptive view of honesty. Interestingly, a friend whose daughter had suffered a loss of friendship after telling a lie, recently asked me if I ever lied. I said of course I do, even though I value truth. She was surprised and said she always tells the truth. I think (although I did not say it) that is pretty unlikely. And what you don’t say can also be a lie.

    And another touching story from your childhood, as well as the usual great photos. (K)

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  29. Wonderful poem. Fantastic story from your childhood. That was great that your granny kept Goofy until she passed. Cool photos. I used to be a mountain goat; now I’m just an old goat.

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    1. Thanks, Thomas. Without the rope it would be risky but not really with the rope. I went first and helped everyone else across. I had to go back for my SIL as she isn’t agile footed. It was a great hike.

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  32. Your honesty poem is so true.

    I had one of those plaster of Paris model making kits. I had great fun with it. Such a pity you didn’t take Goofy.

    And your photos are stunning.

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  33. Dear Roberta
    Great Goofy-story. What a pitty that you didn’t take it – but on the other hand it would just be knick-knacks gathering dust.
    That doesn’t look easy to cross this river with help of this rope.
    Thanks for sharing
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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  34. Honesty shouldn’t be, but is almost always a subjective term! Your Disney figures story is a classic example of those childhood experiences that go wrong. I wish you had retrieved the Goofy figure, but the memory of it standing on your grandmother’s dresser is a great one 🙂

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  36. Your poem is so true, Robbie!

    A Blue Moment is full of pathos. It’s a story of not getting or doing what we want, and the disappointment that follows.

    Love the images!

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  37. Your poem stirred deep reflections on the many layers of honesty, Robbie. I’ve come to believe that true honesty is less about perfection and more about the quiet courage to be sincere—with ourselves and with others. A thoughtful, honest character isn’t always the loudest in the room, but it leaves a lasting light in its wake. Thank you for continuing to explore these essential truths through your words. Always a joy to stop by!

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  38. What an engaging post, Robbie. Honesty is a sore spot these days for all of us around the world dealing with a dishonest (and cowardly) American president. Your post was especially meaningful. And the story of Minnie and Goofy seemed like one of those experiences that we don’t forget no matter how old we get. Finally, your Draakensky walk looks lush and beautiful! Good thing you’re a mountain goat! 😀

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  40. I was much like you as a child in personality. I know how much you wanted to take Goofy but felt you couldn’t. Those similar moments stick with me, too. Lovely photos!

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  41. This is a lovely post, Robbie. The poem nudges me about my thoughts during the past 6 years — recriminations that I should have been a phony like everyone else in my workplace was, rather than being true to myself (honesty).
    I enjoyed you telling of your blue moment. It was both delightful and poignant. Hugs.

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    1. Thank you, Teagan. Corporate jobs are not conducive to being a happy and honest person. A sad truth 🩵. I’ve never met one truly honest person in my whole working career. They all have personal agendas.

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  42. Personal creations carry deep connection, sometimes unrealised in the moment, for me. I felt the wrench in that story. Loved the poem to which I offer a big yes!

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