Punam has asked poets to write a poem about dealing with setbacks in life. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/09/02/poetics-tuesday-lifes-lemons-and-lemonade-making/
One Way (tanka)
there is only up
no left or right, front or back
most definately
there is no going downwards
only onwards and upwards
Bjorn asks poets to write an American cinquain. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/09/04/mtb-cinquains-revisited/
Spring (American cinquain)
day breaks
energy flows
birds build intricate nests
flowers unfurl pastel petals
fresh start
My Spring Garden
My garden is well into spring. These are some of my photographs from over the past few weeks.
Eleanor and Edward are building a nest in my tree. Here they are greeting all their friends. I call this video, ‘Voice of Africa’.
roberta-writes.com 
Robbie, I really enjoyed this post — both poems have such a light, uplifting feel. The photos are gorgeous too, but I’ve got to say, that fuzzy cactus in bloom totally caught my eye. 🌵✨
~David
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Hi David, the cactus is a favourite among readers% thanks for your lovely comment.
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*hug*
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I love your poems, Robbie! Your spring garden is cheerful with the blooms and lovely butterfly. 🦋
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I’m pleased to know you enjoyed this post 💜💐
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Wonderful poems full of joy of daylight and positive vibes, Robbie.
Great photos. I have never seen a cactus like that one…stunning!
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Hi Suzette, these cactus plants are fairly common here. I love the way they catch the light
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Amazing how beautiful and uniqe nature is and different in various parts of the world. Thank you for sharing, Robbie. Cheers.
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Spring is springing beautiful flowers, blossoms, and a butterfly to life. The hededa choir is hilarious.
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Hi Timothy. Hadeda are great birds, very entertaining
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Great meaningful poems, Robbie, and beautiful photos. I never thought of your spring being now, while we are entering autumn.
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Hi Tim, it is interesting to experience opposite seasons on WP. I’m pleased you enjoyed this post.
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Yes, Roberta, I’m happy I enjoyed it. It’s logical that opposite sides of the equator have opposite seasons, I just wasn’t thinking of it.
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Those hadedas are pretty noisy! Wonderful cinquain and taste of spring as we move into autumn.
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Hi Brad, I love spring and I’m so glad winter is now behind us.
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Enjoy!
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Lovely post
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Thank you, VJ
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Welcome
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I just discovered I was unsubscribed from your blog. WP does this sometimes. I have resubscribed.
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I saw that. I was sure we were already following each other
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WP does weird things.
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Though it’s beginning fall here I recognize spring in your beautiful cinquain! The fresh start can refer to both your breaking day and your breaking spring.
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Yes, that is right. It took time to come up with the last line.
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Love your poems and of course your photographs Robbie.
That fuzzy cactus is so cool and the butterfly 🦋 wow!
Thank you for sharing.
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Hi Maggie, I’m delighted you enjoyed this post. Thank you.
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My pleasure always Robbie 💖
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💕
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Lovely post, Robbie! I think your spring starts before our fall does.
Like others, I am amazed at that cactus. I’ve never seen one like that. Great photos and video! (The birds woke my cats. 😂)
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Haha, hadedas are very noisy at this time of year. Eleanor and Edward are building a nest in that video. They have very untidy stick collection nests. Our spring starts in early July.
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Oh, in the midst of our summer. In NJ, it still doesn’t look much like autumn, except the shorter days.
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That’s nice 🌻
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We have a short winter – for which I am very thankful. African people don’t like winter.
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I don’t like months of cold–or cold rain and ice!
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Me either. I like spring snd summer best.
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I like spring and early fall best before it gets too dark and dreary. I don’t like very hot weather, plus here, it’s also usually hot and humid.
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Our weather is hot and dry. Humidity is hard.
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Love the poem and gorgeous photos, Robbie 👌😍
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Thank you, Michael. I’m pleased to know that.
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You’re most welcome 🤗
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🧡
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Robbie, your poem for Punam’s prompt made me think of an Allman Brother’s song, “One Way Out”. You’re right to consider anything else is unthinkable. Wonderful nature cinquain that celebrates life. The pictures are stunning. The ghost cactus is surreally beautiful. I would love to see Meijer Gardens get one like that for their arid garden.
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Hi Lisa, I’m pleased you enjoyed these poems and photographs. That cactus is fairly common in Southern Africa.
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Thank you for sharing your spring renewal photos with us! You hadeda chorus sounds like our crows, only smoother.
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My pleasure, Liz. Hadeda’s are exceptionally noisy at this time of year.
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I love your pictures Robbie. Very inspiring poems too.
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I’m pleased you liked this post, Sadje
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👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
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So many wonderful colors. Spring is always energizing. The birds seem to be enjoying it too! (K)
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Hi Kerfe, the birds are amazing during spring. Thank you
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I love both poems and your garden is stunning. That cactus is my favorite photo
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HI Michelle, thank you. I love my garden.
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That cactus looks like a furry creature with paws. The pink blossom spray in front of the palm fronds is beautiful. I’m sure you are ready to welcome spring!
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HI Audrey, I was very pleased with the cactus picture. The light really made it extraordinary. I love spring, I could have spring all year around.
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Beautiful pictures.
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Thank you
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Very good pictures and study of both flora and fauna in your garden Robbie!
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Thank you, Wayne. I am very lucky to have a beautiful garden.
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and your attention to it allows it to reach its peak!
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I do enjoy being outside in the garden. Its good for my stress and my photography.
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I love the video of the birds calling – so wild, so free! Really enjoyed your poetry and photos too. The cactus looks like a furry creature! It’s definitely autumn here – enjoy your spring!
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Hi Freya, I love spring. I could have spring all year around. The cactus has a lot of thorns but looks beautiful in the late afternoon sunlight.
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Lovely cinquains Robbie, at first I thought the picture of the fluffy cactus was a cat’s tail.. and what a beautiful butterfly … 💞
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It is a very unusual cactus, and very pretty in the late afternoon light. I was pleased to get the butterfly shots. They always try to elude me.
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Beautiful poems and beautiful and colorful photos. The Voice of Africa was indeed loud. Funny birds.
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Hi Thomas Hadeda Ibis is a funny bird 😃
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Altogether a most enjoyable post, words and pictures.
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Thank you 💛
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We had a morning’s worth of spring and full summer hit with a wave. Getting out the sunscreen.
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It’s getting hot here in Joburg to but not summer hot yet. The mornings and evenings are still cool.
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Love, love, love this post! That cactus took me by surprise, but once I understood what it was, it made sense. And the singing birdies was awesome.
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HI Annette, thank you for your enthusiasm. I really appreciate it.
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I always find it interesting about the Southern Hemisphere. We’re just getting ready for Fall and hoping all the fires go out.
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The Northern Hemisphere never things about the Southern Hemisphere – smile. I am so happy we are in spring, Craig. I hate winter.
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Love them both, and both giving that advice to find the better… the tanka and the cinquain are so closely related.
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HI Bjorn, the two poems are related. I am a glass half full sort of person. Thank you.
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You have a little bit of everything in this post, Robbie. Lovely poetry, wonderful photos and a screaming wake up call in that video at the end. Well done, all around!
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Hi Dan, I’m delighted you enjoyed this post. I missed Thursday Doors last week – so busy, but this week should be better.
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Happy spring season. My favorite season of all.
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Mine too, Grace. Thank you
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A beautiful poem, and your garden is lovely.
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Thank you. My garden brings me a lot of pleasure.
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Happy spring, Robbie. I love your photos. What strikes me most is your poem, One Way. I think everyone who is feeling lost, down, or uncertain should read this poem over and over again.
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Hi Jennie, I am very glad you like the poem. I often think to myself those key words of onwards and upwards when things are tough. I say it out loud to remind myself.
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I feel exactly the same way, and do the same thing! 😀
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🙏💝
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All delightful… especially Eleanor and Edward! Happy, happy spring – and my figs are already beginning to bloom now.
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That’s good to know, Chris. My sister says the weather is better this year and spring has come earlier.
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what a lively choir the hadeda make and I love that cactus plant 🙂 I love the American cinquain; I would like to see a pigeon nest; they are messy builders 🙂
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All beautiful!
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🤗🌞
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Lovely! I love that you named the birds! And that is the coolest fuzzy cactus I have ever seen.
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