Tanka Tuesday
Melissa’s challenge is to write a haiku or micro poem that is a little edgy or off beat. I’m not sure mine fit the criteria of edgy but here they are.
You can join Tanka Tuesday here: https://tankatuesday.com/2026/05/26/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-no-66-exploring-haiku-5-26-26/
three giraffes
exchanging news at
The Salt Lick

***
ginger calf
walks with confidence
tail flicking

***
eager mom
awkwardly bending
to reach treat

The Flower Hour
These photographs of South African autumn / early winter flowers are for Terri’s The Flower Hour. You can join in here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/05/26/the-flower-hour-32-going-to-the-dog-woods/
Click on the pictures to enlarge.






Wonderful, Robbie 💜 Poetry, photos and flowers 🌹🌹🌹
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Thank you, Willow. I’m pleased you enjoyed this post 🧡
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I did Robbie 💜🖤
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💜
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The poems certainly highlight the giraffes’ efforts to get water and salt, Robbie! They are so awkward looking as they splay their legs to bend down, but look so stately as they walk and lope along. I love all those beautiful aloe plants! We saw many of these in the Arizona desert too!
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Hi Terri, I’m glad you enjoyed the giraffes. They are such beautiful creatures. Arizona does seem to have a similar topography to parts of South Africa.
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Fabulous pictures. Love the giraffes!
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Giraffes are wonderful. Thank you, Darlene.
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It seems that I have the same flowers in our garden! Beautiful, thanks:)
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you and I are lucky to experience these vivid flowers. Thanks, Martina 💛🧡
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👏💐
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💜
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Giraffes do look funny and awkward bending to eat or drink. Wonderful flowers Robbie.
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Hi Brad, giraffes always make me smile. They are beautiful and graceful except when they bend. I love flowers.
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😊
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Hi Robbie
You know how much I enjoy seeing photographs of my birth country, thank you.
Those giraffes are funny when bending but so majestic upright.
Your poems are perfect 🤗
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You are exactly right, Maggie. Giraffes are beautiful and graceful when standing.
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Very much so 🤗
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🌈
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Great shots and great haiku!
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I’m pleased you liked the photographs and poems, Dwight.
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You are most welcome!
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🧡
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these giraffes are my friends! ❤
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Yrs, giraffes are friends 🦒
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Whenever I see a photo of a giraffe with splayed legs, it looks painful. Their legs are very spindly.
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They do look awkward when drinking, Liz. They are vulnerable in this position too.
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Vulnerable to predators?
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Yes, to predators. They take a few minutes to get back up.
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Wonderful tanka, and those giraffes are adorable.
The flowers are stunning. Thank you for this tiny slice of groovy, Robbie!
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I’m so pleased you enjoyed these photographs and observational poems. Giraffes are my favourites 🦒
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Love your writing, Robbie.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a giraffe in real life. If I did, it would be as a kid, at the zoo.
I was very young when I stopped going to the zoo. It broke my heart to see the animals like prisoners.
I know zoos have improved greatly since I was young. The enclosures are more like mini habitats, and more respects are given the animals.
Also, I understand that in today’s world this is a way to protect and preserve them. Still, it bothers me that it has come to this.
On another hand we now have nature reserves for animals… acres, not cages.
You won me over immediately with your love for animals, and awareness you create.
Thank you, Robbie!
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Hi Resa, I also rarely go to zoos but I do understand they are useful for conservation and educational purposes. I prefer seeing animals in game reserves and I’m lucky enough to be able to visit them often.
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Yes you are, and it’s great that you share your trips!
❦🕊❦🕊
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🤗💖🌈
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💖💖
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Oh, that poor mama giraffe, LOL! I hope she finally managed to get her treat.
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Hi Priscilla, she did get her treat. Giraffes don’t look very graceful when bending down. It’s an effort for them.
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Your giraffe tankas and pictures made me smile 🙂 I like the fall flowers – we are in different/opposite seasons – heading into summer here.
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Hi Barbara, I know and I am envious. I would prefer spring and summer all year around. I’m glad you like the giraffes.
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I love those flower pictures, and giraffe pictures, and the edgy and fun giraffe poems. We are visiting our grandson in Baltimore and yesterday we went to the Zoo and the giraffes put on a good show for us.
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Hi Thomas, that is lovely to know. Kids learn to appreciate animals when they see them.
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Yes you are right. There are advantages and disadvantages with zoos. As long as the animals have a lot of space and companions, and are being well taken care of.
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I agree. There are to many endangered animals now for us to take the moral high road.
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Yes and sometimes zoos take handicapped animals, such as eagles with broken wings, that wouldn’t survive on their own. However, it is terrible when zoos put animals in small spaces, or they are completely alone.
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Yes, that is true. Most zoos try hard to give the animals a reasonable life in captivity.
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Yes you are right. There are some really bad zoos in, for example, Japan
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Fabulous poetry with great matching pictures, Roberta, and your flower pictures are lovely!
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I’m delighted you enjoyed this post, Tim 🦒💛
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I’m delighted too, Roberta. 😍
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💖
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The split made me giggle, too, Robbie.😁 So adorable giraffe. I love them. You’re so lucky to watch them near.
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Hi Hazel, I adore giraffes. I can watch them for hours. I’m delighted you enjoyed this post.
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I so agree. Watching them for hours is fulfilling!
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💛🦒
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Your haiku and photos were a great start to my Monday, Robbie. I too was giggling looking at the giraffes. The flower shots are lovely.
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Hi Punam, giraffes are lovely, so gentle and beautiful. I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post 🦒🧡
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The plants and flowers in your photos are so different from the ones we have here in Victoria BC. No giraffes here either, but we did see a deer with two new fawns on a street near us yesterday.
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Oooh, I love deer and fawns. How lovely you see them where you live. We get a marvelous show of aloes during autumn. It’s very cheering pre-winter.
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Wonderful combination of words and images Robbie giraffes 🦒 are so fascinating and beautiful – thanks for sharing 💞
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I’m so pleased you enjoyed the giraffes. Thank you 🦒🙏
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💞
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Great haikus and photos, Robbie!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
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Hi Yvette, it’s lovely to see you. I’m delighted you enjoyed this post.
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I love your giraffe photos and poetic descriptions. Coincidentally, we discussed the novel, “West with Giraffes” at a book club meeting yesterday!
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Hi Merril, I’ve not heard of that book. Was it good? I’m pleased you enjoyed the post.
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You’re welcome, Robbie.
I saw you read about the book in my Musings. 😊
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Yes, thank you 😊
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Oh those are gorgeous flowers. I have a couple in my upcoming book draft.
And yes, I’d say the haiku(s) are delightful edgy.
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I’m delighted you enjoyed this post, Jude. I’m also pleased to know you are working on a new book.
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Thanks so much, Robbie. I’m praying I’ll find you with some space to beta-read but only if you’ll be able to. I know you’re literally and literary extremely busy.
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I will certainly try to assist, Jude 💛
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Thank you so much for your consideration💜🌼💜
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💞
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They always look so awkward, but they do seem quite at ease, even though momentarily startled 😊 The haiku speak the photos to life. And such delightful flowers too …
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Hi Paul, I love watching giraffes. They have such expressive eyes and faces. They are a bit comical when they bend down 💛🦒
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Love these photos and your haikus Robbie.
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Thank you, Sadje 💓
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You’re very welcome dear friend
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💖
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Gorgeous photos and flowers, Robbie. I love the colors. 💜
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Thank you, Colleen. Autumn colours are rich and satisfying.
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Your photos and poems made me smile! Such a treat these days. Thanks1
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I am very happy to know that. Nature is very calming.
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they were wondering If this was “you’re” salt lick?
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Hi Wayne, thanks for visiting. It’s always nice to see you. This salt lick is in an area in front of the restaurant block. I encourages a lot of animals.
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Wonderful giraffes – one of my favourite animals here. I love the beautiful flowers, especially pig ears – some in my garden!
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Hi Chris. Giraffes are my favourites too although I do love them all.
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The giraffes and poetry were wonderful, Robbie. I love the flowers, especially the Candelabra aloe.
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I think your verse fit quite well. Giraffes make triangle edges when they have to bend!
Lovely flowers.
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