Category: W3

Roberta Writes – TDWC26, W3, and The Flower Hour

My poem for W3 (which is two days late) was inspired by two photographs from Dan’s TDWC26 as follows:

Picture caption: This building appears to me to have many doors which my mind interpreted as many relationships in life. The photograph was contributed by Dan Antion.

Alone (freestyle poem)

We walk alone

navigating our way

up hills, over obstacles, down slopes

Sometimes, we walk with another

a lover, friend, family member,

even a group

These periods of companionship

often bring great happiness

But, every life phase has an ending

Someone’s life must be shattered

Someone must suffer pain

Someone must be left behind

It’s best to acknowledge that ultimately

we walk our paths alone

Picture caption: My mind interpreted this single door standing alone as a solitary person – the one left behind to go on alone. This photograph was contributed by Lois.

You can join in Dan Antion’s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge here: https://nofacilities.com/thursday-doors-writing-challenge-2026/

You can read other poet’s W3 contributions here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/05/13/w3-prompt-211-weave-written-weekly/

The Flower Hour

Three photographs of my late autumn garden for Terri’s The Flower Hour which you can join in here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/05/19/the-flower-hour-31-local-lilacs-and-lupine/

Tiny flowers growing in a crack between the rocks
Late autumn bougainvillea against yellow autumn leaves
The aloe tree is full of flowers this year
A single red rose

Roberta Writes – W3, Dan Antion’s Writing Challenge, Thursday Doors and The Flower Hour

W3 and Dan Antion’s Writing Challenge

Dan Antion’s Doors writing challenge starts today and continues throughout May. I used one of my own doors pictures because the colours inspired a poem that also fitted Yvette’s W3 challenge to write about a fantasy world (mine’s 22 lines and not 20 – sorry Yvette!)

You can join in W3 here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/04/29/w3-prompt-209-weave-written-weekly/

You can join in Dan’s Doors Challenge here: https://nofacilities.com/thursday-doors-writing-challenge-2026/

Picture caption: One of Robbie’s Doors entries for Dan’s Doors Writing Challenge – its of the lifts at the Hilton Hotel in Munich

Dinah in Wonderland (freestyle poem)

Beyond the door

Dinah sees the colours

Dancing and swirling

Enticing … calling

“Come and play, Dinah

Come and play”

Squeezing through the cat door

She pitches forward

Falling … down and down

Landing softly on

Pink, blue, green, and yellow

Sweet! Her nose quivers

What? It’s candy floss

Between the bright puffs

Pale shapes swarm

Marshmallow fish

They wriggle their tails

“Chase us, Dinah, chase us”

Off she goes

Bouncing from one sugary cloud

to the next sweet indulgence

Extraordinary!

Thursday Doors

For Dan’s Thursday Doors, I’m sharing the rest of my Hilton Hotel, Munich photographs. I was only in Munich for ten hours so this is what I saw of it in the hotel from about 8pm until 4am the following morning.

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/thursday-doors-writing-challenge-2026/

The Flower Hour

These are orange and yellow arum lilies I discovered in my summer garden (it is now autumn).

You can join in Terri’s The Flower Hour here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/04/28/the-flower-hour-28-flowers-in-water/

Roberta Writes – W3, Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge, Thursday Doors, The Flower Hour

Chateau de Chenonceau

W3 and Esther Chilton’s Writing Challenge

Sally’s W3 challenge is to give a nod to another poet. I have based the rhythm and format of my poem on I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth. You can join in W3 here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/04/15/w3-prompt-207-weave-written-weekly/

Esther’s word of the week is flower/s. You can join in her challenge here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2026/04/15/writing-prompts-111/

This poem is another contribution to my Paris Diaries Poems.

Chateau de Chenonceau (Loire Valley, France)

A survivor of the French Revolution

Five-arched bridge its saving grace

Not sacked; it survived dissolution

Ladies chateau of flowers and lace

Due to it’s owner’s quick actions

It’s now a major tourist attraction

***

Famous for its facade of white stone

And spectacular gardens with terraces

Diana de Poitiers lived there alone

The first of its female heiresses

She planted flowerbeds, vegetables

And an orchard before the entrance

***

King Henry II favoured his mistress

Causing resentment by his jealous wife

When he died after a short illness

Catherine de Medici changed her life

Evicting Diana from castle and court

Queen Regent her vengeance wrought

***

The chateau received an Italian facelift

And a grand gallery over the bridge

Catherine was a notorious spendthrift

Living a life of splendour and privilege

Installing beautiful historic tapestries

While France fell deeper into anarchy

***

Madame Louise Dupin saved the castle

Nicknamed ‘goddess of beauty and music’

She advocated the bridge’s use for travel

Utilising her popularity and good ethics

In spring, the gardens still flourish

It’s natural beauty the soul does nourish

Thursday Doors and The Flower Hour

For Dan’s Thursday Doors I am showing you the exterior of the Chateau de Chenonceau and the separate tower as well as an outside cottage. You’ll have to wait until next week to see inside. You can join Dan’s Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/04/16/the-hungarian-room/

For Terri’s The Flower Hour, I’m giving you a peep at the flower displays inside Chateau de Chenonceau. You can join in The Flower Hour here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/04/14/the-flower-hour-26-lucky-flower-shots/

This is Chateau de Chenonceau

Walt Disney used the castle as the inspiration for one of his ‘Princesses’ castles. Can you guess which one?

This is the front door of Chateau de Chenonceau

This is the original tower on the site of Chateau de Chenonceau. Walt Disney used it for one of his movies. Can you guess which movie?

I really liked this cottage covered with flowering whisteria.

Click on the slideshow below to see some of the flower displays inside the chateau.

Roberta Writes – W3, Tanka Tuesday, d’Verse and Thursday Doors

Kim at d’Verse challenged poets to write an acrostic poem using someone’s name. When I read here post here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/03/19/meeting-the-bar-tell-me-your-name/ I realised there is a lot more to this form than I have previously believed. I embraced it and wrote two acrostic poems.

The first is for Dennis’ W3 challenge to write about a lighthouse. The first letters form the words Mother Love. You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/03/18/w3-prompt-203-weave-written-weekly/.

The second poem forms the name of my oldest son, Gregory, who graduated from University with Honours in Mathematics this week (with distinction). He is working as a tutor at the University while he does a Masters in Homological Mathematics. This poem is for the d’Verse challenge. Thank you, Kim!

I have also written a micro poem which is between the two poems and about my son.

Mother Love (for W3)

My son, you have made me so proud. It’s an

Outstanding achievement to pass Honours with distinction. Now,

There you are on the threshold of an exciting new life. I

Hope your hard work and dedication will serve you well. You are so

Ernest in your quest to find meaning in your life. Your

Resolve to help others up the education ladder makes you a

Lighthouse in the lives of those less gifted than you. You turn the

Ordinary into something brighter and better. You are calm and never

Vexed when things don’t go your way. This quality makes you quite

Extraordinary in addition to your unusual mind and abilities.

my best qualities

in your hands have become a

lighthouse in the dark

Gregory (for d’Verse)

Guidance kindly provided in your

Responses to your students. You are

Exceptional in your patience. Ready to

Guide others on their way and help

Overcome obstacles along the

Road to success: Yours and other peoples.

You are a wonderful teacher and person

Thursday Doors

This is the door to the Great Hall where the graduation takes place. It is from last year. We were later arriving this year so I couldn’t get as good a picture due to the crowds. You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/03/19/polish-room-announcement/

These are some pictures from the graduation (click on the slideshow to see the pictures).

Roberta Writes – d’Verse, W3 and Thursday Doors

It’s been a bad week. I ended up resigning from my job yesterday. It is time but its been a hard decision because there are a lot of people I like at the firm and I know they need me. This is my ninth and final resignation. But the cemeteries of the world are filled with indispensable people so the firm will go on. It will just be that much harder for the people I like and respect.

My week reflects in the poem I’ve written for d’Verse Open Link hosted by Bjorn. You can join in here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/02/12/open-link-401-and-february-live/

Vampirism

the more you give

the more some people take

attaching themselves

like starving leeches

gorging on your life blood

becoming fat and bloated

greed waxing into laziness

while you diminish

energy drained

passion destroyed

reduced to a breathing corpse

Then, they spit you out

moving on to exploit

the next high performer

W3

Svenja’s prompt: Haiga. You can join in here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2026/02/11/w3-prompt-198-weave-written-weekly/

The theme is  “Let the overall theme reflect the long-awaited shift from winter to spring.”

South African weather is very different to Northern hemisphere weather. We get no rain for over six months during the winter period and as we exit winter, it gets incredibly hot and dry before the rains come in late October or early November.

My photograph is of a beautiful red rose after a rainstorm.

scorching sun

wilted flowers dream

of spring rain

Thursday Doors

For Dan’s Thursday Doors, I am sharing a video of a building I made in Brussels. The video shows a building with all the doors and windows. The fascinating aspect of this building is that its decorated with bicycles painted in the primary colours.

I am sharing this for my talented artist and dress designer blogging friend, Resa. You can find Resa’s amazing art blog here: https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/2025/01/04/skart/. This post by Resa, titled Skart, features some amazing skateboard art and a poem about skateboarding written by me.