Shared with Sadje’s What Do You See #327 picture prompt
Shadows Hall – 15th February 2026
Tag: WDYS
Within a wall
Axis Mundi – 4th February 2026
Shared with What Do You See #326 picture prompt
A reliquary, stone and timber,
void, earth, water, wind, and fire,
A shinbashira pendulum
that sways to quell the quake’s desire.
A cosmic axis, a connection
from human to the divine,
A transcendental protection
in sacred mandala’s design.
Hear the peaceful water’s fall,
the way cannot be denied,
Shadows span the temple tall
in the mountain countryside.
Today’s Daily Stoic poem:
On Being Invincible
Able to parry any blow
without flinching or reaction
Our reasoned choice will know
the best course of action
Mind Your Step – 7th May 2025
in your head
in your mind
mind full of thought
mindful of thoughts
thoughts that make no sense
thoughts unexpected
unexpected and anxious
unexpected and rising
rising day after day
rising repeated
repeated becomes practised
repeated again and again
again it’s been learned
again this vicious circle
circle ever decreasing
circle takes the square
square it all up at the end
square off with yourself
yourself your significant other
yourself true to form
form from your comprehension
form from understanding
understanding what’s real
understanding your truth
truth from facts
truth beats the lies
lies were your past
lies that you remember
remember those dark days
remember searching, tentative
tentative feet forward
tentative outstretched hands
hands over fist
hands pulling taut
taut the tendon deep
taut to hold together
together you and yours
together finding the way
way down was then
way to go now found
found yourself a ribbon
found yourself a hold
hold on to the guardrails
hold on to the future
future never feared
future finds your step
step into the light
step out of the darkness
darkness
light
Shared with What Do You See #287 and inspired by this post by Nilofer Neubert using the Blitz form, which has this stack of rules:
Line 1 should be one short phrase or image (like “build a boat”)
Line 2 should be another short phrase or image using the same first word as the first word in Line 1 (something like “build a house”)
Lines 3 and 4 should be short phrases or images using the last word of Line 2 as their first words (so Line 3 might be “house for sale” and Line 4 might be “house for rent”)
Lines 5 and 6 should be short phrases or images using the last word of Line 4 as their first words, and so on until you’ve made it through 48 lines
Line 49 should be the last word of Line 48
Line 50 should be the last word of Line 47
The title of the poem should be three words long and follow this format: (first word of Line 3) (preposition or conjunction) (first word of line 47)
There should be no punctuation
8th Aug 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United #189
A Splendid Winter Wood – 5th December 2024
It’s a splendid winter wood
– On a chilly December morning
– – The crunchy road straight
– – Towards the gnarly wooden gate
– Unhinged a snowy warning
Where splendid walls once stood
It’s a splendid moss a-growing
– To shade this dewy frost
– – Ray’s barely breaking through
– – Another turn remained true
– At a further year’s cost
Awaiting the splendid summer’s glowing
Shared with Moonwashed Weekly Prompt – splendid and WDYS #265 picture prompt
Canon – 20th November 2024
I have the words within my pages
My knowledge forms your future texts
Amassed wisdom sung from many sages
Collected comforts to which all connects
This power I pass for you to share
The lessons lived easily explain
To conquer chaos and choose to care
To shrink in size or grow to gain
Your personal action accumulates
Eyes sparkle like dancing diamonds
Mixing the messes of made mistakes
Form the future from many islands
Shared with What Do You See #263 and submitted to an AllPoetry assignment about alliteration.
Today I’m feeling:
OK, once I got going. I slept pretty well and my alarm was a bit of a shock. Exercise and a cold shower jazzed me up all right and once at school, it was fun to back around the students, which gave me some positive vibes.
It was a pretty easy day with one grade 12 class (who were more rowdy than usual but still did my work) and a quick grade 10 class that was excellent. I really like that class, but there are 47 of them, and it’s difficult to take time with some individuals that need help more than others.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Deciding to go to Oasis to pick up some dinner. I think I haven’t been there for more than six months now and the food is as delicious as ever.
The best thing about today was:
Being so happy and relaxed after my last class that I was still chatting with students around the school an hour later.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Something I learned today?
I figured out what I was trying to remember yesterday! It was when I was in the bathroom, drying myself off after a shower. Just recently, I noticed that my right nipple is lower than my left! Maybe it’s always been like this – I’m not sure.
Anyway, I was wondering if it might be connected to the pain I have in my right shoulder. Maybe some muscles in there are not quite working properly.
I have a desire for symmetry!
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I made Baipad and Q get up and walk this morning – just for a couple of minutes. I talked to Q but he couldn’t understand any English but Baipad translated everything quickly and easily. I told her that she should think about getting into translation work.
Later, in my grade 12 class, Men told me that he does translation for mobile games. Maybe a good contact for Baipad for the future.
One More Time – 10th November 2024
Amongst the beauty of everyday
Familiarity may breed contempt
Waking with enthusiasm to play
Becomes more difficult to attempt
Maybe it’s a concrete jungle
Or a paradise you are facing
Each day a success or bungle
The happy rats keep on racing
So here it is and here we are
Another mountain for us to climb
Our attitude got us this far
‘cross crystal waters, one more time
Written for Sadje’s What Do You See picture prompt (above) and Reena’s Xploration Challenge – everydayness.
3rd Sep 2025 – Submitted to dVerse Poetics Tuesday – life and lemons
Today I’m feeling:
A little brighter today and trying to fight laziness. Must push hard as I spend a lot of my free time lying down and reading. I love reading but need to move my body more. What to do?
(Later) I avoided the dreaded nap today by playing guitar badly for more than an hour in my room and messing around sorting files on my computer for music and comics. Both things get me so excited, along with reading books too.
And before I know it, it’s dark outside, early evening as the winter slowly creeps nearer, yet I feel full of energy.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
The lady who served me at Tanapiraya, who remained fairly calm as there were many customers at the time and then she had to figure out what the free items were that the store was giving away and deal with the technology of the till software, which wasn’t doing what she wanted.
The best thing about today was:
Playing guitar was enjoyable, though the cheap strings that I bought are making me appreciate the more expensive ones that I will buy again in the future. As I’m pretty much just bashing away, it doesn’t matter too much but even I can tell that it should sound better!
I also just finished writing a poem connected with Native American mythology and compassion. I really enjoyed composing it and testing my brain with ideas.
Something I learned today?
Psephology is the scientific study of elections. I learned this from a poem I read today! ‘Psephos’ means pebble in Greek and ‘psephomancy’ is divination by pebbles. Pebbles were used by ancient Greeks in voting.
A Fiendish Faerie Flame – 3rd November 2024
Fire
sprite
prances
late at night
Sets the fields on fire
until the whole world is alight
A fibonaiku Shared with What Do You See #260 and the attached picture prompt (Klára Vernarcová @ Unsplash)
Today I’m feeling:
Not bad. I woke up at 6.30 and just decided to get up, although after feeding the cats etc did get back into bed to read for an hour, waiting for Utopia to open.
The weather is more reasonable in the mornings and I’m feeling fairly positive about life in general.
There were a couple of points during the day when I was feeling like I could be a bit off, but not actually off. Like it was a possibility. Thankfully, that didn’t eventuate.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
A lazy day of reading. I have to get out of the habit of thinking that I didn’t really do much during the day if I spent most of my time reading. Reading is still learning, particularly when reading David Foster Wallace talking about linguistics!
The best thing about today was:
My fingers working a little better on the guitar today compared with yesterday. I still suck badly, but don’t care.
Keeping my brain busy with difficult tasks makes me feel like I can live a bit longer.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I was starting to get sleepy in the afternoon and even went back to the bedroom but managed to suck myself into reading comics that encouraged me to keep reading, so that eventually I recovered my energy and went back to my room to practice guitar for a second time today.
Something I learned today?
Ipswich are now in the relegation zone and still without a win this season after another draw yesterday against Leicester. Life is tough in the Premier League.
I also discovered that the young MMA fighter Victoria Lee, who died last year, had, as I sadly guessed, committed suicide.
I saw an interview with her sister, Angela, who also confessed that she had attempted suicide when she was a similar age.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I brought in Amy’s clean sheets and made her bed for her, as I usually do.
Close To Home – 4th October 2024
When the light pours out of me*
I will be there as your guide
A whisper from your guardian angel
To counter the devils at your side
Here is the lie of the land*
I’ll shield you from these rocky shores
Vigilant against the swelling tide
Forever knocking at your doors
When the light pours out of me
Together we shall roam
When the sunsets on the horizon
You are always close to home
Shared with WDYS #256 picture prompt and dVerse OLN #371
*paraphrased from Magazine.
oday I’m feeling:
Good, though I was enjoying a dream when my alarm went off. Picked up coffees at Utopia before heading to school. I’ll hang here for a couple of hours before going home. Get some more reading and writing done.
I’ll start thinking about new lessons next week.
Back at home, I had a snooze before heading to my room for more blog updating and a little guitar playing. Then back inside to prepare for Nut and Bruno arriving for dinner.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Nut bringing some beautifully baked bread for us. I was so hungry that I wanted to eat it immediately but didn’t want to spoil my appetite for dinner.
The best thing about today was:
Chatting with Bruno and catching up on things. I was pretty tired but never bored, and stimulated with talk about music, culture and books, amongst other gossip-type stuff.
Something I learned today?
Kru Tang sent us the plan for next week and then the week following is a holiday.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I tightened up the bolts on all the chair legs before Nut and Bruno arrived. I felt recently that some of our chairs were getting a little unstable when sat on.
Step Into The Light – 21st September 2024
So tired of being in the dark and all alone
There’s still a mountain to climb
And will the promise there hold true?
Step into the light I keep telling myself…
Step into the light I keep telling myself…
Step into the light I keep telling myself…
Submitted to WDYS #254 (above picture prompt). The title and first line is from Archers of Loaf’s ‘Step Into The Light’ and constitute the whole of its lyric! I haven’t added much more but it represents the dark headspace I’ve found myself in recently.
My reply to this post about sitting on the fence and UK politics
I could admire Thatcher as a woman dealing with a man’s world, but as a politician I despised her.
It’s impossible to say how things would have gone if she was never elected but I see the decline of the UK starting with her.
I appreciate that things were on the decline before that but this was visible during my lifetime and one of the reasons I was glad to leave the UK in the 90’s.
“Is it so wrong to sit on the fence?” – I constantly consider this, perhaps a reflection of my own Englishness. People who don’t sit on the fence seem to have more charisma and confidence but I find the world far more grey.
I also consider that I shouldn’t express an opinion if I am not fully aware of the facts.
Today I’m feeling:
A little dizzy and out of sorts. I was up early to get to my hospital appointment and forgot to even grab a coffee first.
As I was driving here, just over the bridge, there was a loose flock of sheep on the highway and one had been hit and killed, lying in the middle of the road.
There’s still garbage and drying mud everywhere at the sides of the roads and the vague fences that used to hold in animals are all flattened.
Health:
Physical: 6
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Not taking too long at the hospital this morning and getting back to enjoy a couple of coffees before lunch.
The ENT doctor didn’t seem too worried and just prescribed some more meds and told me to come back in two weeks’ time.
The best thing about today was:
Finishing reading Childhood’s End and enjoying it a lot.
It got me in the mood to watch Interstellar tonight as my student Film kept raving about it. I enjoyed it too, but only really appreciated it in the last 20 minutes or so when some of the earlier parts of the movie started to make sense.
I think I will lend Film Childhood’s End to read. His English is pretty great and I think he can understand most of it and would enjoy it.
Something I learned today?
I know what my throat looks like now after having a tube camera stuck in my mouth. Apart from the mucus stuck inside, things in there look good and healthy.
Brisbane managed to get over Geelong today in a tough match, losing one of their players to injury too.
It bodes well for the Swans next week, except for a couple of things.
Today, Brisbane played at the MCG, where next week’s game will be played. They are also last year’s losing finalists, which gives them extra motivation.
Having said that, most of our team played in the losing final the year before that, so that motivation is there for us too.
Thinking about following sports is something that at least keeps me focused on the now. I understand the appeal to others of sports that I have no interest in.
Pack Yr Bags – 12th September 2024
“On yr bike!” she said
But I was already prepared
Bags packed and stacked
Taking all my lovers with me
Contained on the pages
Where there is every poem I’ve ever written
Submitted to WDYS #253 (attached picture prompt) and the form and idea inspired after reading this poem as The Skeptic’s Kaddish.
Today I’m feeling:
A little tired still, as I woke up in the night, as Amy was restless and worried about the flooding. Thankfully, all seems ok at her parents’ so far but water levels are still increasing in certain areas.
Her stupid brother booked himself a flight from Bangkok and despite everyone telling him to stay there, he insists on coming. This morning, the airport road is flooded and the flight is delayed and he’s thinking to fly to Chiang Mai! Why!?
Amy asked him why he wants to come when he couldn’t even get to the family home and he just replied that he misses home. Something is not right in his brain!
This is the underpass at the airport. Thankfully, the water isn’t too high on the road but still, the airport soon closed this morning.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
The one pharmacy today that had the Tiger Balm that Amy wanted. The four I tried yesterday all had a different type.
It seems she has gotten herself a bruised rib from slipping over at the weekend when we were cleaning the house. One of those injuries that hurts more after a few days.
She’s taking a bit easy and I am her little slave boy when required.
The best thing about today was:
Getting some flow whilst sitting at Utopia and putting together a couple of lessons. Once I get into that state, I just want to keep going but it was already lunchtime.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I sent a message to all my students asking if they are all doing ok. Most are but some are telling me that they are about to be flooded. It’s weird because at my house it has already stopped raining and the sun is out!
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