Roberta Writes – W3 Poetry Challenge, d’Verse – Jump, Sunday Stills and Thursday Doors

#d'Verse, photography, poetry, Sunday Stills, Thursday Doors, W3 2 Minutes

David is this week’s host and he has asked poets to write about life changes as follows:

Sometimes life changes enough that something familiar becomes new again.

“Think of something you have experienced in the past, are experiencing now, or imagine experiencing in the future: doing an ordinary thing you have done many times before, but under changed circumstances that make it feel like a first time.”

You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/08/12/w3-prompt-224-weave-written-weekly/

The Same but Different

different

yet much the same

or the same

yet somewhat different

some differences

are better

others

are much worse

is this because

I am the same

and find adjusting

to what’s different

difficult

or is it because

I am different

and others like things

to remain the same

I hope

that what’s different

but definitely worse

can evolve

into something

different but better

and that

what’s essentially the same

but done differently

making it more tolerable

with not deteriorate

if not

my disillusionment

will remain the same

just in a different

environment

d’Verse: Jumpstart your poem

De Jackson’s prompt is to write a 44 word Quadrille using the word jump. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/08/10/quadrille-353-jumpstart-your-poem/

During our trip to the Kruger National Park last week we had the tremendous good luck to see an African fish eagle landing on its nest. It was making its iconic call known as the Sound of Africa.

I am introducing my poem with a video of the cry of the African fish eagle.

Loud, haunting

the yodel-like call

disrupted the music

inside the vehicle

Sound of Africa

ringing forth

evocative and stirring

We jumped. Looked

Encircled by leafy branches

African fish eagle landed

on its messy nest

head thrown backwards

projecting the sound

far across the veld

Picture caption: African fish eagle landing on its nest. I love the encircling tree.
Picture caption: The typical calling posture of an African fish eagle with its head thrust forward.

Sunday Stills (again) and Thursday Doors

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/08/13/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-cathedral/

You can join in Sunday Stills here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/08/09/sunday-stills-monthly-color-challenge-yellow-hues-featuring-ochre-and-saffron/

Picture caption: This large safari vehicle has doors. The reason I took the photograph though was the little silhouette on top of the cab. What could it be?

The little creature on top of the cab in the vehicle photograph is a vervet monkey. This are adorable but also little terrorists who will steal very efficiently and effectively. This one had just pinched food out of the vehicle of a family of tourists. The family was quite shocked and horrified at having a bag of treats snatched out of the hands of a small child. Naughty it might be but it was so adorable with its look of complete innocence as it ate its treat.

Vervet monkey chewing on a treat
Vervet monkey chewing on a treat. The monkey was turning towards me.
"Who me?" a total look of innocence in the dark liquid eyes of the vervet monkey
The same vervet monkey after it retreated up a tree

And for Terri’s golden Sunday Stills a few pictures of Borke’s Luck Potholes. We were so lucky with our timing and the mellow winter sun turned the rocky facings to gold. Have I mentioned that yellow is my favourite colour (grin!)

River running through the gorge. The rocky facings on the left are bathed in golden light.
Close up of the potholes in the rock with a small rapid flowing from the centre pothole. The surrounding cliffs are bathed in golden light
This is a more distant shot of the potholes and the golden cliffs.
This is a close up of the pothole with the rapid gushing out of it and the surrounding golden cliffs.
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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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96 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – W3 Poetry Challenge, d’Verse – Jump, Sunday Stills and Thursday Doors”

  1. Thank you, Roberta. Please note, I always enjoy reading your column, even if I ‘m unable to click a “like” (due to the spirals of exhaustion WORD creates for me) or because I’m unable to squeeze in the time.

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  2. Thank you, Roberta. Please note, I always enjoy reading your column, even if I ‘m unable to click a “like” (due to the spirals of exhaustion WORD creates for me) or because I’m unable to squeeze in the time. Please note, too, that the State of Oregon, where I live, has had the WORST AIR QUALITY (especially from air particulates regional fires created) in the ENTIRE WORLD (ABC broadcast). Although the worst air appears to have past for now, because I have asthma and allergies to dust and fungus mold, I’ve had difficulty breathing (even with inhalers). That appears to have improve–so I hope I’ll be able to complete my September column now! (Otherwise I’d try the poetry challenge you posted. It sounds engaging.) And hey! This month, WORD is allowing me to post a “like” and log-in more easily. (In the past, it ran me in circles to do so.)

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    1. Hi Lindsey, I am sorry to hear the air quality is so bad where you are. I understand chronic asthma as my younger son is a fellow sufferer. He has been sick for two weeks with an on-going virus. I hope you will feel better soon. I’m delighted you enjoy my posts 💙

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  4. Really liked your poem with the same, different and the marvelous play on words and change and adapting

    Also/ the monkey is cute and that must have been scary to have a child get their treat snatched up

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  5. I hope not about the disillusionment.

    Such great photos! The capture of the eagle is so wonderful! The bald eagles here seldom call or make any sounds, but it’s such a strange sound to hear when they do (and does help you locate them if they’re in a tree).

    Those golden rocks are gorgeous!!

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  6. Entertaining and thought provoking. My mind is whirring with the differences and similarities in my life recently and if it is all real or perception and perception real… (I think I need coffee now) Love it ALL, Robbie!!

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  11. I love the eagle video and pics. The following lines from the first poem are exactly why I left my day job career five years before I’d planned to:

    “my disillusionment
    will remain the same
    just in a different
    environment”

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  13. Robbie I feel this is strong because you use simple, stark language to capture the relatable internal tug-of-war between personal identity, external change and emotional burnout – great writing 🙌

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  15. Your meaningful poetry, The Same but Different, is great, Roberta. The fish eagle’s call is iconic, and your poetry describes it wonderfully. Your great pictures of the vervet monkey thief make it look very interesting and your pictures of Borke’s Luck Potholes are marvelous.

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  18. Robbie, I was drawn to The Same but Different and the question that was embedded within the poetic words. Is the world different, or are we different as we encounter it? I also liked your hope that what is “different but worse” can continue evolving into something “different but better.” Life rarely seems to stand still long enough for us to become completely comfortable with it! And how wonderful to see an African fish eagle returning to its nest.

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      2. Perhaps because most likely I’m older than many Robertawrites participants, I don’t quite view my life in the manner David mentioned. Instead, it appears various cycles rotate–yet each one contains different elements.

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  20. Yay, my youngest sister’s favourite color is yellow. And I hope the child didn’t cry after looking at the cute, hungry monkey. Amazing photos, Robbie.

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  27. A wonderful post, thank you Robbie!

    That monkey thief is adorable, and yes wow, the eagle’s nest is crazy messy.

    Cool poetry, your first one very wise.

    ꧁ 🌹 ꧂

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      1. So yes, Robbie, one small person on their own needs to be joined by a mass of people. A movement they all join in on en masse, can create change.

        Every once in awhile, a single person comes along and does create massive waves.. even a 180 change.
        These are sometimes good people, IE Gandhi.

        Sometimes evil: IE trump/hitler

        Still, you are doing very well in your small way. Without the small efforts… there are no en masse eventualities.
        I admire you!
        ꧁ 🌹 ꧂

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  29. Robbie the W3 poem is amazing – you have asked the question that we all ask at one time or another – is it because things are different or because I’m different! Bravo!

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  36. I love the poems. The Same but Different has so much wisdom in it. The nature photos are so amazing and the video of the fish eagle is amazing and so are your fish eagle photos. A very enjoyable post.

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  37. Your first poem… Ah, what is different – each day a new dawn at a different time. Some days are quiet, and others filled with chores.

    Your second verse; What a magnificent bird!

    So much going on with the tour bus, Velvet monkey and those potholes. Nothing like the pot holes in the middle of paved streets! Thanks for sharing them.

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