Thank you to Michelle from Hotel by Masticadores for publishing my poem, The Girls.

29861-62

Thursday Doors

For Dan’s Thursday Doors, I’m sharing a few pictures of the treehouses at Jaci’s Tree Lodge from our most recent trip to Madikwe Game Reserve.

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/09/05/welcome-to-pittsburgh/

d’Verse prompt: Just for Laughs

Mich is the host of this d’Verse prompt, Just for Laughs. Thank you, Mich.

 Just write to the theme of laughter, wherever that leads you.

Well, my mind always goes in one direction, so today, I’ll introduce you to the very rare brown hyena which I managed to see and photograph during our recent trip to Madikwe Game Reserve.

You can read Mich’s post here: https://mishunderstood.wordpress.com/2024/09/03/grandpa/

I don’t laugh, a song parody

I never laugh

I seldom vocalise

I never laugh

I make grunts and growls and cries

***
Marked as near threatened, I’m rare

So, seeing me is rare

Recognisable due to my dark brown coat

With its long and shaggy hair

***
Some hyenas do laugh, it sounds maniacal

It’s not a real laugh, not happy or joyful

This method of communication is creepy

A loud high-pitched hee-hee-hee

Spotted hyena, loudest animal on earth

***

I live in a clan

Of solitude I’m a fan

A small family group

Is what I like best

***

Clan hierarchy maintained

Our offspring are trained

***

I am a nocturnal animal

Hunting and feeding at night

I cache excess food in shrubs or holes

Retrieving it within twenty-four hours

Being one of my main goals

***

I never laugh

I seldom vocalise

It’s only with family

I ever socialise

***

My communication

Includes aggressive displays

And mock fights

Which my status conveys

In case you didn’t recognise it, this is the song on which this parody is based:

I am behind with blogging as I was away for a long weekend and came home to a medical emergency with my aunt who was hospitalised during my absence. The ICU diagnosed her incorrectly as she was taken to a different hospital from our usual one and the doctors had none of her medical history. Anyhow, I discharged her yesterday as she was in a terrible state and she’s now recovering in her room at my house.

This poem came to mind for Lisa’s prompt from last Monday on d’Verse: https://dversepoets.com/2024/08/19/dverse-quadrille-monday-206-around-the-bend/

You can read Lisa’s poem here: https://tao-talk.com/2024/08/19/dverse-q206-royal-sisterhood/

Around the Bend

The dirt road stretches

Towards the distant horizon

What marvel lies beyond

The bend; long white fur

Catches the sunlight

Is it a honey badger?

No, its cheetah cubs

Their silvery-grey mantle

Effective camouflage

They’re enjoying breakfast

An impala kill by mama

Cheetah feast

Note: Cheetah cubs mimic honey badgers in appearance. They have a thick silvery-grey mantle running down their backs that gives them the appearance of a honey badger. This is a form of camouflage and makes the cubs look like an animal known for its fierce and fearless nature. Cheetah cubs are at risk of being eaten by most other predators so this honey badger disguise acts as a deterrent to potential predators giving them a better chance at survival.

Picture caption: Close up of one of the cheetah cubs that walked away from the kill for a short period.

Thanks for hosting, Kaye Lynne Booth.
This is my last post for a few days as I am going on safari 🐘🦏🐆🦁🐃

In Touch With Nature – the difference between African and Asian Elephants #Elephants #wildlife

The Haibun Monday prompt for d’Verse is hosted by Frank J. Tassone.

“Wherever you are, & however you’re inspired, savor the seasonal shift most relevant to you. Then write a haibun that alludes to seasonal shift as you see it.”

You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/08/26/haibun-monday-8-26-24-another-seasonal-shift/

Seemingly overnight, the garden exploded into spring. Flower shrapnel brightened every flowerbed, pot, and even hidden nooks and crannies. African bees, small and aggressive, hummed as they fed from dark purple irises, clivias, and jasmine. Gathering in clusters on the delicate white blossoms of the twin plum trees, so reminiscent of Anne’s ‘White Way of Delight’, the bees pollinated with loud enthusiasm.

African bees buzz

Ferocious pollinators

Fearsome but needed

Sunday Stills: Before and After

Terri’s prompt for Sunday Stills is Before and After. I am showing pictures of my spring garden with the buds transitioning into flowers. I also have a picture of Michael and my mom on the day he was born and now.

You can join in Sunday Stills here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2024/08/25/sunday-stills-been-here-before-and-after/

What Amazon says

This Collection of Poetry is entirely about love.
I hope you enjoy reading the contents herein.
What does the word “love” conjure up to you?
Everyone has a different take on it.
I have even heard it described as a mental illness!
I would not know in that respect, but I will leave you with this thought.
“The armour we wear is designed to see who cares. Love is a battlefield.
We should choose our wars carefully”.

My review

Ephemeral Encounters is a delightful collection of love poems. I am always fascinated by poets descriptions and interpretations of this particular human emotion. It has been, and continues to be, responsible for so much woe among people and has even been responsible for the fall of nations and the starting of wars. I am a very practical person so the turbulent and intense aspects of romantic love have passed me by, but I endlessly try to understand it and this compelling collection certainly helped.

The poet has examined romantic love in all its permutations, writing about the good, the bad and the ugly of the experience. The poems are personal, entwining imagery from day-to-day life which is very relatable. The poems are also beautifully written.

One of my favourite poems from this collection, which demonstrates what I have said above, is Threads:
“We are all pieces of threads
each one of us as fragile as the rest.
Waiting for someone to
sew us to their hearts
and keep us there no matter what.
Many of us will end up
in a box with all the
other loose threads no one wanted.
At some juncture in
the future, discarded.
We are the loose ends of life
never intended to be someone’s lover or wife.
Just a piece of threat that
could not find a needle
in the sewing box of life.

The emotion in this poem is so raw and it is so very heart rending.

If you have ever been in love, or would like to be, this book of passionate poems will resonate with you. Highly recommended.

Purchase Ephemeral Encounters from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Ephemeral-Encounters-Her-Book-Words-ebook/dp/B0CH44FLZ3

Merril’s prompt is to write a Triversen poem, following the rules provided. The poem should comprise of unrhymed tercets with each stanza making a sentence. Merril suggested the use of a prompt picture for the poem.

You can read Merril’s delightful contribution here: https://merrildsmith.org/2024/08/22/triversen-radiating-light/

You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/08/22/meeting-the-bar-triversen/

Light and dark

Sun reaches out

bright rays embracing

nocturnal creature

***

Shimmering white halo

warm gesture of appreciation

of fearsome predator

***

A brief encounter

dawn’s light fresh and clear

night animal ready for sleep

***

Favourite tree close

animal stops, stretches

slinks towards the shade

***

The photographer

captures the moment

with one fast click

***

Tender interaction

between night and day

immortalised forever

Thursday Doors

Today, for Thursday Doors, I am sharing some pictures from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/08/22/still-more-from-iowa/

Picture captions: Inside doors at the van Gogh Museum with interactive light show paintings

A few of my favourite van Gogh paintings at the museum:

These are my shorts of the light projections at the van Gogh museum. You will notice how noisy it was in the museum.

Ostrich Girl (shadorma prose)

When I was ten years old, my family relocated from Cape Town back to the small town of George in the Western Cape. I attended a convent with a limited number of children. Despite our small numbers, the nuns cajoled all of us into participate in sporting activities, including swimming and athletics. Our headmistress also entered teams into local sporting competitions.

I was two years younger than the majority of my classmates, so I had to participate in athletics with a class two grades below my own. At the running trials, Sister Agatha discovered that I was the fastest runner in my school, and she put me on the team. I didn’t want to run with a class other than my own, but there was no denying Sister Agatha.

It was at my first athletics meeting that I discovered I had a most peculiar style of running. I competed in several races and won them all but afterwards the other kids teased me. “Ostrich Girl,” they called, hooting with laughter. One boy demonstrated my odd running style, stretching his neck forward as far as possible and racing across the field.

I was so embarrassed I never competed in athletics again.

Ostrich girl

Head thrust far forwards

Legs pumping

Dust flying

Unkind moniker destroyed

Sporting confidence

You can read other entries for this challenge here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2024/08/21/writing-prompts-28/

Lillian is hosting Open Link Night and dVerse LIVE today, Saturday!

SATURDAY
Join us on Saturday, August 17^th from 10 to 11 AM, New York time. Click on the link below to join us LIVE, with audio and video! Share a poem aloud, or sit in just to listen. Either way, it’s fun to see folks from around the globe who all enjoy the power of words and the enjoyment of poetry. The more the merrier!

https://meet.google.com/yik-pjtc-hgt

Lillian gave this lovely ekphrastic prompt.

Do not ask why my mind went were it did. I have no explanation other than I’m getting ready for another trip into the bush at the end of the month.

You can join in Lillian’s prompt here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/08/15/open-link-night-today-with-option-to-join-us-live-on-saturday/

You can read Lillian’s beautiful poem here: https://lillianthehomepoet.com/2024/08/15/meandering/

Elephant Scare – A song parody

Elephant scare

Life plays tricks; it’s so very unfair

The picture was gorgeous

No-one said you must be cautious

The bush is wild

And humans have the natural world defiled

Oh dear, elephant scare

Nothing for this outcome could you prepare

***

Among the trees

The elephants cower, filled with unease

The matriarch you didn’t even see

Her alarm the outcome did guarantee

***

Elephant scare

Why weren’t you warned? How were you so unaware?

She charged, the car rolled

She trampled, actions uncontrolled

***

Elephant scare

The carnage a scene of total despair

Elephant scare

Nothing sudden death can repair

***

Among the trees

The elephants cower, filled with unease

The matriarch you didn’t even see

Her alarm the outcome did guarantee

***

Elephant scare

Why weren’t you warned? How were you so unaware?

She charged, the car rolled

She trampled, actions uncontrolled

This is a parody of Enola Gay which you can listen to here:

My song parody is based on an incident earlier this year when an elephant attacked a vehicle full of tourists. Just to be clear, the guide in this case was attempting to protect the boma (building with a roof and open sides) at the look out point which was full of people. Elephants are not sweet and gentle. Elephants are powerful wild animals that must be treated with respect and caution.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=919182086611654

Okay, now that I’ve scared you to death about elephants, we can have a virtual elephant tour.

This is one of my favourite YT shorts featuring elephants:

I also like this video. It’s a bit wobbly because it was my first time filming with my new camera, but I love the colours of autumn:

Michael’s art

I have two book reviews for your today and they are very different. As I was preparing this post, I thought that they are almost opposite each other with regards to their content and focal points. That being said, variety is the spice of life, and both are great reads.

Silver Fire (The Kaerling Book 1) by Freya Pickard

What Amazon says

What starts as an innocent quest to follow the unicorn’s trail, turns into a sinister nightmare.

“I was so happy to find a book that truly captivated my imagination from beginning to end.” K Johnstone

Banished from their village, Otta, and her twin brother Erl, (who has lost his memory), must stay ahead of those who seek to kill them.

Learning how to follow the unicorn’s trail and deal with her brother’s dark side, Otta must keep them both safe as she attempts to follow the commands of a shrineless god.

This epic fantasy tale begins the saga of The Kaerling.

The Kaerling is a series of linked novellas that can be read individually as well as in chronological order.

Warning: contains scenes of a sexual nature and some violence which some readers may find upsetting.

My review

I quickly became engrossed in this first Kaerling book and intend to read more books in this series. That being said, I must warn potential readers up front that this book does touch on the disturbing topics of rape and incest.

Otta and Erl are the oldest twins in their family. From a young age, they know their family is different from the families who occupy the nearby village and they quickly understand that certain viewpoints held by their parents, and talents they possess, would be frowned upon by their neighbours. As they grow up, they keep these secrets until one fateful day when circumstances put them in a position where they chose to live their truth.

Unfortunately, during this process, Erl is badly injured and loses his memory and understanding of right and wrong. At the same time Otta interacts with a god and is told she must follow the unicorn trail to unravel her destiny. When Otta discovers the injured Erl, she takes him back to the family homestead but it soon becomes clear that their transgressions have earned them the wrath of the village elders and they have been banned from the village and its vicinity on pain of death should they be found within a ten mile border.

Otta is forced into taking Erl with her to traverse the unicorn trail. As they set off they come across groups of people, both good and bad. Otta discovers further unsuspected powers and Erl recovers physically but is no closer to remembering the details of his life although he does learn some hard cultural lessons.

Otta is a strong willed and determined woman and it is unusual to find a female character taking the lead in a twin sibling setting. In many ways she is lacking in understanding with regards to her brother and a bit of insight would have helped avoid difficult situations. The twins are, however, young, so Otta’s behaviour is realistic and plausible.

A well written and interesting fantasy book.

You can purchase Silver Fire (The Kaerling Book 1) from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Fire-Kaerling-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07BQ1D9DN/

My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir by Marian Beaman

What Amazon says

Take an intimate look into one couple’s fifty-plus-year marriage in author Marian Beaman’s My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir. Using a quilt motif, the author stitches together stories that make up the fabric of their daily lives including the clash of cultures, crisis in a travel trailer, surviving a robbery, and enduring financial hardship.

Discover how the author and her husband learn the art of the argument with explosions both literal and metaphorical. Observe how they find common ground through their shared faith and commitment.

This volume contains excerpts from autograph books and diaries of the early 1900s, treasured family recipes, original artwork, and restored photographs―the legacy of multiple generations as two American families merge, one from the East, the other from the West. The author connects the dots of her life backwards, with detailed reverse engineering of events to discover meaning in her life as a wife.

Readers of Marian’s first memoir, Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl can especially relate to her insider narrative, a closeup of one couple’s companionable union.

My review

My Checkered Life is an entertaining follow on from the author’s initial memoire about her life growing up within the Mennonite community. Marian’s background is important to this second memoire which describes the tribulations and joys of weaving together the lives of two people from vastly different backgrounds. Marian and Cliff did this well and also overcame misunderstandings, financial trials, small children, and a nomadic life on the road. The difficulties of caring for a young family from the confines of a camper were detailed with emotion and candor and I lived the hardship of this time alongside Marian.

I enjoyed learning more about Cliff and his transition from a teacher to a creative albeit still in the teaching world. He certainly comes across as a good man with a great deal of determination and also an excellent sense of humour.

This memoire is almost a coming of age story for a young couple. I couldn’t help thinking how much harder this couple worked at making a success of their relationship and marriage than a lot of young newly weds now. Divorce has become the seemingly easy answer but there are no quick fixes in life. There is a lot to be said for having the right attitude to marriage and the ability to compromise.

No matter your stage of life, you can learn a lot about living a successful life through reading this book.

In closing, I must mention that I think the title and cover are perfect for this book. A checkered or patchwork quilt is synonymous in my mind with hard work, strong values, and a stable and good quality family life. This is what Marian and Cliff have achieved and it is to be highly commended.

Purchase My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/My-Checkered-Life-Marriage-Memoir-ebook/dp/B0BXQ3JZVK