Rallentanda

Rallentanda

Saturday, December 13, 2025

FRIDAY WRITINGS # 207 POETS AND STORY TELLERS UNITED

in between
a rock and a hard place
fleeting though it be
there is a softish patch
called Christmas
baubles tinsel and lights
movies that bring tears
hymns carols
people being a little kinder
to each other
(even customer service)
the old cards 
(will never forget you darling))
still on the fridge
a little respite
a little escape
from the nightmare
called reality

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

W3 Prompt # 189....the Skeptics Kaddish



NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART WASHINGTON 

Franz Hals

party time
dutch style
a few hundred years ago
lots of booze
riotous behaviour
in contrast to
Gerard Van Honhorst's
the Concert (1693)
a joyous jam session
a more salubrious occasion
humans have not changed much
centuries make little difference



Monday, December 8, 2025

TANKA TUESDAY CHALLENGE NO. 42....GIFT

 SHADORMA

generous
with his lovely gifts
of paintings
of music
but what counts the most is his 
genuine caring




MLMM MONDAY WORDLE #454 + What's Going On

 try peace balance flat give share hope beauty flat  happy dedicate understand

she thought
she would find peace
try to be happy
in her little flat
dedicating herself to the beauty
of poetry and music
giving it her all
balancing life the best way she could
but she had no one to share it with
and understood
there was no hope of ever doing so

Friday, December 5, 2025

FRIDAY WRITINGS # 206 ....ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION...BABY NOW THAT I"VE FOUND YOU



SHADORMA


when florence
met alison krauss
twas chalk and
sweet soft cheese
je prefere le fromage doux
chacun a son gout


BUTTERFLY CINQUAIN
(based on the lyrics of the above song)

i know
you don't need me
you are just being kind
compassionate to a lonely
woman
that's fine
kindness is precious in all forms
not to be mistaken
misunderstood
for love

The Skeptics Kaddish W3 Prompt # 188


SHADORMA

not surprised
you are still smiling
five hundred
years later
you have aged extremely well
must be the pizza





CINQUAIN


naughty
marmalade boy
running away back to
renaissance mona-still miss you
darling





WHAT'S GOING ON ... RESISTANCE

 " SHOW RESISTANCE THROUGH ART JOY TRUST AND LOVE "


SHADORMA


Frances Fussell

things go wrong
and all together
it is life
i suppose
thank God for the daffodils
on a silver tray

Sunday, November 30, 2025

Friday Writings..# 205 : FOOD AS RITUAL+ TANKA TUESDAY POETRY CHALLENGE # 41

CHRISTMAS CINQUAINS


seafood 
for christmas lunch
maybe down at the beach
depending on the weather or
at home



followed
by a  nice nap
then some christmas movies
with christmas fruit cake and liqueur
to end


christmas
in oz is cool
no fussing and bother
informal relaxed holiday
love it

Thursday, November 27, 2025

Whats Going On !.....Courage


not everyone
(hardly anyone )
is a white mouse



SO

if you choose
to march to the beat
of a different drum
be prepared
you will walk the road 
alone


if you're lucky
you might meet up
with a kindred spirit
the odds are against it
it takes courage and an unshakeable
belief in yourself and values
not easy
tough going
not for the faint hearted



newwhatsgoingon.blogspot.com


Gabriel Fauré - Sicilienne, for cello & piano, Op. 78 ....THE SKEPTICS KADDISH W3 PROMPT # 187



this piece
will always
be you
be part of me
til the end of my days

thank you
for enabling me
to feel again
to shed tears
to love
again

Friday, November 21, 2025

FRIDAY WRITINGS # 204....THE MOST EXPENSIVE GARMENT

 CINQUAIN

" The most expensive garment you'll ever own is your own flesh" Jean Luc Godard

oh dear
done it again
he's got under my skin
falling in love at this age so
silly

there are 
loads of warnings
not to do this  again
especially at this age so
foolish

WHATS GOING ON ....ALIVE


 CINQUAIN

guess who's
a boring gal
whose kitchen makes her feel
alive at breakfast time each day
and night



maybe
a bit messy
but she thrives on colour
in all its forms especially
people




matisse
may not approve
it was black and white
could not resist colouring it
with jewels



Paddington





Wednesday, November 19, 2025

W3 Prompt # 186

tea leaves
floating in the sink
given the toss
no message

unlike the 
bad news bearers
at the bottom
of the tea cup

oh no
not another tsunami
the teapot didn't flinch
just another breakfast



Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge....SHADORMA PROSE


relating  to
her plight and suffering
a gentle soul
of quiet strength
of empathy and compassion
extends the hand of friendship

SHADORMA

a thoughtful
lovely gift to soothe
her  frayed nerves
how lucky
to find an angel so kind
sensitive so sweet





Friday, November 14, 2025

FRIDAY WRITINGS # 203.....A celebration of Childhood Memories

lavender and lace
eau de cologne
afternoon tea and scones
cosy memories
of a gentler time


waiting for a tram
in the rain
we did not own a car



an only child

never lonely

with a little family

of her own


lots of fun in a little dinghy

inspired by Enid Blyton

creative and imaginative games


 

 


 church

every sunday

hats and gloves 

dress up occasion


no ensuite

in our abode

jugs and bowls

for a french wash




getting a typewriter

for my birthday

was very exciting and grown up

i loved mine

i wish i still had it



 


 how could i forget

dear tibby

actually tabby

but with thick accents

in the house

sounded like tibby



 


vinyl records

rock n roll

tan shoes and pink shoe laces

and a big panama with a purple hat band

happy memories
 


 




 



 

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

W3 Prompt # 185

internal rhyme is on my mind
it leads to indigestion
sausages and chocolate
don't really mix
rules and regulations
are not my fix
a strange adoption
of poetic concoctions
think i'll stick to what i know
satan's  little helper will sign off now
ho -  say hi to your mum
ho- bob's your uncle
ho






Tuesday, November 11, 2025

What's Going On....Black Or White

 

CINQUAIN

tango
in black looks great
but when it turns to red
it's even better with vibrant
colour

i can
dance the tango
my partner turns white when
i try these moves for obvious
reasons



Tanka Tuesday Challenge No.38




you bring me such joy
a beautiful birthday gift
one of your paintings
your warmth and love saturate
the colours on the canvas






 

Friday, November 7, 2025

Friday Writings # 202...Dancing In The Dark

 Dancing In The Dark

 a glamorous elegant time
seen in black and white movies
favourites even as a child
everyone well dressed
good looking
gliding across the dance floor
to great songs like
dancing in the dark
nightclubbing in the 30s


i love the idea of
dancing in the dark
with a chap who
could dance like fred astaire 





sadly
left my run too late
would no doubt result
in  a bed situation 
not a desirable one
 a hospital bed
from a slip and fall









Wednesday, November 5, 2025

W3 Prompt # 184


SHADORMA


she breast strokes
up and down the pool
gliding like
a svelte swan
gets out  and lies under a 
big beach umbrella



a scorcher
unbearable heat
a cold beer
does the trick
magical comfort moment 
on a summers day


Whats Going On

 Kinship With Flowers
newwhatsgoingon.blogspot.com




SHADORMA


i relate
to lovely flowers
one of the
only things
that gives me comfort these days
in these sad grim times



some magic 
on an old sarong
reminder
of good days
when the world was bearable
and love was about


let's stand tall
you used to love me
a little
a while back
we can sing together in
harmony once more


Tuesday, November 4, 2025

TANKA TUESDAY Challenge no. 37 --- TANKA




seductive dance  with veils
a rita hayworth special
blockbuster movie
a hollywood biblical
version bells and wolf whistles 

Monday, November 3, 2025

MLMM Monday Wordle # 449

 


follow stunned short walk secure mistake future inspire thought lie happiness monument

her happiness was short lived
stunned by his beauty
inspired by his talent
she would have followed him anywhere
she thought she had a secure future with him
that it would be a walk in the park
she had made a monumental mistake
it was a lie

Thursday, October 30, 2025

What's Going On




they say
there are
two certainties
in life
death and taxes


there's a third certainty

they say
better to love
than never  to have loved at all
untrue
tis fraught with danger


not for those
delicate poor souls
whose hearts
can be broken
by a puff of light breeze interaction
with humans 


Monet said " I must have flowers always and always "



true joy
can only be  found
in things
that don't hurt

flowers-always a joy
Bach..la voix de Dieu
music
art
and never last or least
my beloved cats


https://newwhatsgoingon.blogspot.com

PROMPT: WRITE ABOUT THINGS OR IDEAS THAT REMAIN THE SAME DESPITE LIFE"S EVENTS








Wednesday, October 29, 2025

W3 PROMPT # 183....TAN-KU


a harsh dry beauty
storm clouds rumble in the sky
black and threatening

we do need the rain
it's droughts or flooding rains here
in the wide brown land
no not for the faint hearted
yep you've got to cop it sweet

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge no 36...Tan - ku


it is  so awful
getting closer to the  time
of the use by date
sixties hot chicks were not made
for a reality trip

well it could be worse
we don't have to wear bras or
corsets thanks to us