Rallentanda

Rallentanda

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Pharrell Williams - Happy (Official Video)..WHATS GOING ON

newwhatsgoingon.blogspot.com

TANKA

want to feel like this
when it is my time to go
music speaks to me
much more than words ever can
tis my greatest love of all 

more than  memories
more than the one i adore
more than anything
it has saved my life and the
reason i am still here now




Tuesday, December 30, 2025

TANKA TUESDAY CHALLENGE NO 45....HAIBUN

I am grateful for a priest with a sense of humour who offers up needed prayers for me at daily Mass to keep me going
Thank you dear Fr Brendan for this sweet Christmas card. A lovely surprise. Wishing you a Happy New Year . Dominus vobiscum..



        

a surprise email
from a good friend at Christmas
irish priests rock

Monday, December 29, 2025

MLMM MONDAY WORDLE # 457



closed kind light love memory over pleasure presence smile time touch whim 

 that time of year 
always over too soon 
lovely memories
she closed her eyes
the sheer pleasure
of buying presents on a whim 
made her happy
people being kind to each other 
christmas lights and baubles 
the only thing missing 
your presence 
your smile 
your touch
 your love




Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Chris Rea ~ Driving Home For Christmas (1986),,,,Tanka Tuesday December 22nd

 
he is driving home 
for christmas for the last time 
a sad song for some


CINQUAIN

one of
my favourite
christmas songs by Chris Rea
lots of sadness about this year
Bondi

Monday, December 22, 2025

MLMM Monday Wordle # 456


 pretty look tinsel fairy reception huge residents joyful step  wobble content swipe


she looked pretty
a  joyful fairy in tinsel
a huge success with the residents
who had  all attended the reception
she was content for him to partner her
doing wobble steps  on the dance floor
'a bit worse for wear'
someone swiped in the crowd
love will do that to you





Sunday, December 21, 2025

Au Revoir

TANKA

 TECH PROBLEMS

poor rallentanda
out of action for a while
will be back one day
well i hope so anyway
spent a lot of years on here

SHADORMA

eureka
i am back again
a great gift
for christmas
weeks of stressing out and now
the problem is solved

CINQUAIN

BOXING DAY

uh oh
a new problem
it never ever ends
cannot access some other sites
ho hum



Thursday, December 18, 2025

My Lady Hunsdon's Puffe

 

  SHADORMA

there's something 
about lute players 
an appeal 
certain charm
of another age gone by 
engaging and calm



Michael J Atherton ...Never Miss A Beat...Autobiographer and lutenist.
Michael Atherton AM
Professor Emeritus PhD



Monday, December 15, 2025

MLMM Monday Wordle # 455

post festive tree cat hat curl lights glass photo cheer settle linger

my dream
to linger a little longer
and settle cosy by the fire
to curl up with you and my cat
in our party hats
during this festive season
with a glass of christmas cheer
looking at our  tree
with all the lights
would make a lovely photo
this post is for you






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