Another great prompt from Sue Burge’s mind gym, which is Lucent. This can be taken so many ways and any sort of light can be fun.
Who remembers lighting a match for one of the frequent smokers of the past, and their features looking so different in that fleeting glow? Fascinating, if not always flattering.
Today I would like to further explore housework and what it really does. Does it really make a difference? Can it really clean everything ?! It can’t erase past arguments, and emotions.
This one’s a bit grim, not my usual style but read on and see what you think….
Cleaning the marks of a house is impossible
You can wipe things over and hope for the best
But you can’t shine up the arguments and tension.
You can wash the floor but the bitching remains
You can change sheets all you want,
But you can’t stop those nights of worrying.
Spraying a mirror will not erase the memory
Of what it has already seen
However, dusting can be good for the soul – with your eyes closed!
HM 2023
Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back with more poetry adventures real soon…..
While we continue to explore toilet capers, clever poet Trisha Broomfield has summed up a particular memory of the ultimate toilet nightmare – the portaloo. And the murky horrors it brings.
Funny, I was originally going to go to this Who concert in ‘73 but something happened with the tickets. In short, they didn’t appear! So Trisha has pointed out what might have been.
Fantastic piece, Trisha. Thank you so much. It’s a great pantoum, PL’s, do read on….
Isn’t that such a painful memory. I recall Madonna’s concert at (old) Wembley Stadium in 90 degrees. We are so unprepared for these things and Trisha has captured it beautifully. Thanks again, Trisha.
Now, Poetry Lovers, I want you to explore your inner toilet and send your poems on a postcard please to the usual address…
Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back real soon……
Once again I could not resist another prompt from Sue Burge’s Mind Gym. This one featured Cleaning cum Housework. One of my favourite themes, I immediately put pen to paper.
Now you must remember being round someone’s house as a child, and it was like a new pin. Wasn’t it a bore?! Couldn’t go anywhere or touch anything! You were pleased to get home! Well, I tried to capture those gleaming places. Do read on….
Housewives Choice
Auntie Joan polished her walnut radiogram to a brutal shine
Auntie Doris’ red carpet was to be ate off
Auntie Betty had a living room that was never used
And vacuuming was a regular occurrence round auntie Prue’s
It’s hum carried through her gleaming window
Our own crunchy Lino and unmade beds
Complimented the butler sink full of washing up
And the neglected laundry pile
Discarded peas on the kitchen rug
Watching Daktari on a dust soaked telly
Sitting on a crumbed sofa
More comfortable than theirs could ever be!
H Moulson 2023
Thanks for reading, PL’s. I hope it brought back all those bore visits for you too. I mean, who lives like that?! I want to hear your memories please….
We have another variation on our X prompt today. Written by clever and prolific poet Sharron Green, she brings home how X is very much in the limelight indeed.
This great piece highlights a drastic change in our social media. That cute little Twitter bird replaced by a grim looking X. I’m so glad someone has spoke up about this, and thank you, Sharron.
A terrific piece. Read on…
X-Terminology
It’s an xistential crisis
that we’re being forced to face.
The blue bird was the nicest –
X just cannot take its place.
The logo strikes as scary
are we exing now or kissing?
Both seem unnecessary –
tweet simplicity is missing.
Think of all the xtra tweaking,
brand and lingo musk be-crossed,
there will be some angry beaking
now the bird we loved is lost.
@rhymes_n_roses
Wasn’t that a wonderful and relevant piece?! Really reflected the way we’re feeling about this drastic and grim takeover.
Thanks again, Sharron. Please keep them coming.
Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back real soon…..
One of those domestic hazards has occurred. One that is a lifeline for all of us. Yes, the toilet seat has broken! A real blow for any household and mankind.
So how I could not resist a toilet triolet?! A nonsense verse which could actually hit home! Do read on …
Toilet Triolet
The white toilet seat is broken
It was only put in recently
At first I thought you were joking
The white toilet seat is broken
That cheap screw was just a token
That was fitted in feebly
The white toilet seat is broken
It was only put in recently
Well, that was fun. A bit of toilet humour occasionally (more often in my case) never hurt anyone. Now, I know there’s an inner toilet in all of you, so toilet poems on a postcard to Dobby please…
Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back real soon……..
Well, back to poetry prompts from the wonderful Sue Burge’s mind gym. This time it’s using words with ‘Ex’ and possibly ‘ly’. I only managed one of the latter but I got in there with the ‘ex’s’.
I drew so many women last night during I Claudius (who’s watching that on BBC4 ? – isn’t it still wonderful?!) so I was happy to illustrate this and show you my results of this prompt. Read on if you dare…..
The Extract….
It was extremely bad form
To use such expletives
And express my views like that
And to compare you to excrement
I can’t help being so extrovert
And talking to excess
Or rather shouting excruciatingly
No, I’m not from Exeter
Nor from Exmouth neither
Excuse me for my lack of excuses
H.Moulson 2023
I hope you liked that piece, PL’s. I know you all have “Ex’s” in you too, so answers on a postcard please…….
Thanks for tuning in, Poetry Lovers. We’ll be back with more quirky pieces real soon….
Welcome to Part Two of Eccentric rhymes. And the super and talented poet, Trisha Broomfield has come up with some belters. Very clever pieces, thank you Trisha.
Weren’t they just ingenious and clever?! My favourite was the Slough piece. Excellent! Thanks again Trisha. Please keep them coming. That applies to you too, PL’s. Your nonsense rhymes this way please
Thanks for tuning in, Poetry Lovers, we’ll be back real soon….
We can’t let summer get away without at least one tribute to it. And hands up who remembers that summer of ‘76! Hmm..quite a few raised hands there, I see. What an impact that July had on our lives!
I have conveyed Summer generally in my triolet below. However, Trisha Broomfield has written such a beautiful and visual piece about that monumental summer. Superb, Trisha, thank you for letting me republish it.
Trisha’s piece follows mine. Read on if you dare!
Summer Triolet
Memories of past summers sit on my skin
Some of them not worth recalling
Boring, lonely, only fit for the bin
Memories of past summers sit on my skin
Even good summers don’t get a look in
Perhaps they were just as appalling
Memories of past summers sit on my skin
Some of them not worth recalling.
HM 2022
Sunrise Over Islington
It was the only way to get a tan, olive oil mixed with vinegar.
Spreading ourselves on Hampstead Heath,
we fried, St Tropez
an aspiration.
It was the only way to keep cool at night.
We scaled the heights of giddy gates,
swam languidly, naked, in an outdoor pool
surrounded by statues.
It was the only way to party.
We opened our doors to the ‘bring a bottle’ crowd.
By dawn they’d slipped out silently,
taking our possessions.
In our empty flat we stood,
watching through windows
the sun rise
over Islington.
Trisha Broomfield 2019
Wasn’t that a beautiful poem, PL’s. The atmosphere and anguish and joy of the young in London during a brutal summer. I can’t get enough of it.
Thanks again, Trisha. I’m sorry your things got nicked, a painful lesson, I guess. Do read more of Trisha’s work in her beautiful collections When Peter Sellers Came to Tea and Husbands for Breakfast.
And thank you for tuning in, PL’s. We’ll be back real soon…..
Well, I think it’s this unexpected and brutal heat, but suddenly I’m rhyming for England!
Those who are aware of my poetry know I never go near rhyme! However, on attempting to conquer Eye Rhymes, I ended up with only two of those, and the rest are conventional pieces. Never mind, I had great fun doing them.
They really are a bit eccentric, so just humour me. Read on if you dare!
It’s late and enough is enough
As they linger over their tarmac coffee
Stay polite and give a delicate cough
Inside we’ll think we’re only youths
Our wrinkled skin tells us nothing
But to flaunt botoxed faces is uncouth
A faded beauty, you remain glamorous
But don’t overdo your lipstick and blusher
you can end up looking phosphorus !
Welcome to the world, lovely daughter
but please, no bellyaching
just sweet and gurgling laughter
Giving birth hands you a false euphoria
Until the flowers and cards stop arriving
Avoid every ailment, especially pneumonia
Thanks for tuning in and reading, PL’s. Please send any eccentric rhymes on a postcard. I’m off on my travels next week but Dobby, my assistant, will take charge (I think).
I’m so glad someone has spoke up about this, and thank you, Sharron. 
Heather Moulson 