Tag: writing

Mind Your Step – 7th May 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 45 Comments

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

The Ink, The Blood – 14th April 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Shared with Momoetry April Poet Month challenge – micropoetry (not very micro but it is one of the forms included) with a few links back to some borrowed or paraphrased lines of inspiration including one* that I forgot to take note of.

ink, blood; blood-ink spills,
chiselled in stone, etched in flesh,
carved on bloodied bones;
the words of God in your hands
to be rewritten again.

shaken foundations;
in the cracks, a seed takes root
until flowers bloom;
you must destroy to create
a space to keep all your words.

then, in audience
they become your cross to bear;
these words are your sword
to cut through stone, to lay bare,
making sense of destruction.

in theatres of hate,
coliseums collapsing
at the empire’s feet;
when the wind whispers its threats*
fanning the flames of defeat.

libraries burning,
the word soon becomes the deed;
the chants of dwellers,
dismiss not, their dialect;
gather our friends, make a storm.

ink, blood; blood-ink spills,
in the cracks, a seed takes root
these words are your sword
when the wind whispers its threats
gather our friends, make a storm.

We Don’t Need Another Poem – 20th January 2025

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 24 Comments

We don’t need another poem
Out of the holidays, out of the seasons
Don’t make the same mistake again
Rolling seas and moonlight are not reasons
To write another one the same
And I wonder when are we ever gonna change
A prompt repeated ’til nothing else remains

We don’t need another poem
We don’t need the same old metaphors
All we want is life beyond
Another simile that simply bores

I know it’s something we can rely on
But there’s got to be better out there
Love and nature, their day is done
Just another castle built in the air
And I wonder when we are ever gonna change
A prompt repeated ’til nothing else remains

We don’t need another poem
We don’t need the same old similes
All we want is life beyond
Another metaphor to simply please

So what do we do with our lives?
We leave only a mark
Will our poem shine like a light
Or end in the dark?
Give it all or nothing

We don’t need another poem
About autumn, Christmas or Halloween
All we want is life beyond
Another set of rhymes already seen

To the tune of We Don’t Need Another Hero. After following a number of poetry prompt blogs for more than 12 months now I found it a little amusing that the same seasonal themes return again.

It’s more an observation than a criticism as I rarely bother to write about seasons specifically, or holidays (especially if they are not relevant to my location). Folks can write about whatever makes them happy. It’s easy to not read something! But I do like to be challenged by the writer to perhaps come at the prompt from a new angle for a change.

26th Sep 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – fall

Fishing – 11th December 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Weak in direction

Wandering in thought
Diffident impulses

Waiting to be caught



Careless of failure

A broad range reception

Cast a wide net

Contemplate reflection



Immediate impression

Accepting anything

Start with a tiddler

From a little spring



Can’t be kept from thinking

Waiting for a nibble

Watch the river flow
Into an inky scribble

Inspired by part of the essay The Way of Writing by William Stafford

The Silo – 5th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

There were many that day
Was it day? Is it night now?
Here, it’s not possible to tell
Time has lost all its meaning

We lined up waiting for the interview
It has been a long wait
But I will review all that came to pass
It was obvious, even as I said it
It took me a long time to figure it out
The master told me that messages were sent
But I had been slow to realise

Later, we all gathered round
And I wasn’t the only one
Most of us facing the review agreed
That we all took too long to realise
Then we returned to the silo
Perhaps one day, we can try again

A time-disoriented play on a life’s review in The Matrix or Heaven.

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good again, though sadly, I was a little achy again this morning. Never mind, I’m still feeling relaxed and positive. Only a couple of classes today, one tomorrow and then that’s the week done for teaching! What a crazy school!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Kru David for inviting me to get involved in a little project idea he has to sell a maths board game. It could be a money maker but for me, I feel that I can’t invest my time in this, especially as it requires effort in marketing it, which I absolutely detest.

The best thing about today was:

Being able to get back to writing poetry with a 3-hour break between classes today and working hard on two pieces. It’s now, when I realise that a lot of my time and effort is going into that writing, as I’m not just churning out the ideas anymore but trying to improve my work.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

The sports boys in my grade 12 class were late to arrive this morning and what I was teaching was far above their capabilities, so I let them be, whilst trying to interact with them whenever I could.

I’m not going to be able to gift those boys with much knowledge beyond convincing them that they should at least give everything a shot.

Something I learned today?

Baby owls often sleep face down because their heads are too heavy.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I good humouredly let Earn know not to talk to me in a rude way, even if it was just for fun. We were both laughing about it, but she understood what I wanted to convey.

One of my students sent me this today, along with some funny, cheeky comments.

You Are The Key – 17th October 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 5 Comments

Cultivate your garden
On the revelations of loss
A flower to push on through
The weeds you’ll come across

Are you terrified of the rain
Or love rolling around in mud?
Either way, stand up again
To see roses made from blood

There always was a before
And there will be an after
For every tear spilt
Endless hours of laughter

You can hold onto your pain
Keep it safely in a box
Remind yourself now and again
Of this healthy paradox

Inspired and paraphrased from this post at Spinning Visions

Today I’m feeling:

A little blurry in the head, though fairly happy too. Waiting for the coffee to kick in!

Trying to write a poem and started off with two killer lines and then coming up blank on anything else! Trying to think but I’m lost in the fog at the moment!

Finally, the coffee started working and I went for a third cup and I should be able to fight off the urge to nap this afternoon!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Not napping! I was tempted but forced myself out to my room to get up to my usual bullshit there. Listen to music, download comics, add blog entries and play guitar.

The best thing about today was:

Playing guitar along to Archers of Loaf, the Wipers and SquirrelBait, whilst a little under the influence of a weed brownie, had me now imagining that I was actually quite good on guitar. I’m not but it sounded good at that moment!

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I braved the rain on the motorbike this morning to go to Utopia, as Amy didn’t want me to use the car yet. Thankfully, it was the end of the storm and just a little drizzle and by the time I came back again, the sun was out.

I also stopped and chatted with Aum Aim while she was working at her mum’s stall. She proudly told me her grade when I asked her – 3.85.

I’ve been thinking about my grading a lot this week, since fielding questions from students last weekend. I think I will be less serious about grading for the high school kids from this semester. The grades they get can seriously affect their options when it comes to university choice in the future.

It seems a bit petty to give an average grade to an average student who isn’t in the English program and whom I only see once a week. If they show willingness, I just give them a good grade, regardless of their skill level.

Am I submitting to the foibles of the Thai system?

Something I learned today?

Anchan told me that despite her being sick, she was in Burma to visit her mum in prison, perhaps the only chance she will get. She said it was dirty and crowded there.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Anchan also told me that she can get back to Chiang Mai from Burma and she will be a little better looked after, food-wise, until she has to come back to school next week. She asked me for money again but I had to deny her this time. I’m happy to help her a little bit but I don’t want her to think that I’m just an ATM.

I took this picture because I received the Minnesota Pocket Circuit CDs from Team today.

Gathering Magic – 13th October 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 4 Comments

Connections form between young and old
As the tribe gathers at these tables
Every nugget may not be gold
And truths told as if they are fables

The dining room, like a rush-hour train
A gaggle of gossip between gulps of water
The old folks never tire to explain
Love for their new grandson and daughter

Two hands touch to make a familiar bond
Share secrets down the generations
Soft in comfort where love belongs
And meets all expectations

Shared with WDYS #257 picture prompt and also submitted for an assignment at AllPoetry.com as follows:
Write a 12 to 24-line poem in any style that uses simile. Keep the imagery consistent and clear. Make sure that you use two clear examples of simile in your poem using the words ‘as’ or ‘like’ as discussed in the lesson. Try to write in the present tense and incorporate at least one concrete use of the senses in addition to imagery and metaphor, which was covered in the previous assignment.

Today I’m feeling:

Reasonable and positive, fairly relaxed.

I woke up late, allowing myself to get up when I felt ready. I had no real appointments or plans, so it was no big deal.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

The hairdresser today, who paid particular attention to trimming the hair out of my ears.

I think that as she knows that as I always tip her and my cut is quick and easy for her, perhaps she felt that she owed me a little extra. I usually enjoy pulling the hair out of my ears whilst I’m waiting at traffic lights. I’ll have to wait a few weeks for them to grow back again.

The best thing about today was:

Well, it might not be right to say it was the best thing but the main thing that happened today was going to another funeral.

This one was for a friend of a friend who, whilst riding his pushbike, got hit into a ditch by a drunk driver who sped off, but was later tracked down.

If he hadn’t sped off and stayed to help, there was a chance that it might have saved this guy’s life.

Today was his cremation and I drove us there and followed the proceedings, which is something I’ve grown used to here. There were lots of fireworks today, more than I’ve seen before.

There were also lots of people; the guy was a well-liked coffee shop owner and his wife works at the university. He was only 32.

Despite the heat, the three hours there went quickly and I was inspired to write a few related rhymes while there.

Something I learned today?

Stumbling on a video about Junji Ito alerted me to the fact that he has a lot more work out there than I realised. It was an interesting psychological analysis of his work which gave me a better appreciation of his style of horror.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

At the funeral, Amy asked me to fan her to cool her down, to cool us both down. She said that the other aunties there would be jealous because her man was fanning her, something that most Thai men wouldn’t think about doing.

Indeed, one old uncle was curious and came over to try to chat a little but he didn’t stay for long.

I took this picture to remember another funeral. Today it made me think about growing accustomed to and accepting of another culture despite not understanding it.

Perfecting The Eight – 6th October 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 2 Comments

Here’s the one perfecting the eight-liner
Though some things must be said in twelve
Only enjoying writing the rhymer
And philosophy is the place to delve

Sometimes perfection is found in four
The idea sublimely surmised
Yet feeling obliged to write some more
Until the eight lines are realised

Submitted as a task for AllPoetry’s ‘An Expression of Yourself’ course.

Don’t be Ordinary

This assignment is going to take you beyond your reaches. I want something that you can’t even fathom writing. Go beyond what you think is normal.

Write to be remembered. Don’t write like anyone else… Don’t blend in! It’s okay to be original and shocking. To stir the pot and to poke the balloon and deflate it. Shake things up. Make a name for yourself.

Write a poem that you would want to define your ability. A poem that is read and the person is like… that is “your name here”.

Don’t write a poem where it could be stirred into water and blended in with everyone else.

This was an interesting task. I can look at a couple of other poets who follow their own rules and can be identified by their poetry.

As I’ve been writing for 40 years or so I don’t feel that I have a particularly identifiable style, though now I’m thinking more about it.

I do have a preference of style for my own writing though so I submit the following for now.

I could break my preference (and do sometimes force myself with different forms) but not sure that I could ever reach writing something that I can’t myself fathom…..

Today I’m feeling:

A little sleep-in this morning was good, setting me up for the day.

After a simple yet delicious lunch, I dropped Amy off at the airport as she goes off to Bangkok for a couple of days to meet Fern and Pim.

I decided to take Baipad to practice driving a car, rather than a motorbike, as it’s too hot in the afternoon and she called Fahmai to come too.

We drove around near her house and then up at the Uni and they both did well for never having done it before.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Finding old reviews of 2000AD issues that I’m reading now, which help me to understand some of the weirder stories. Excellent!

The best thing about today was:

Teaching the kids a little driving, because I could see the confidence in them both growing as they were learning.

Something I learned today?

The CIA posted on Twitter and Facebook, asking for Chinese citizens to become their spies. This was met with a lot of laughter on Chinese social media platforms.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I messaged Baipad to ask how she felt after she did so well with driving and she replied, ‘I feel proud, I think.’ It’s a good start.

Baipad’s cat, Inky. He’s a very chatty cat when he’s awake.

Cave And Ferry – 19th September 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 21 Comments

Wet with privilege, a subtle sorrow
No more songs will come
A tuneful whistle on a country drive
All that’s left of the genius one

There is always something
And always nothing too
With little air in between
The difference is the work to do

A satisfied melancholy
A poetic drama ends
Left to wander the grounds
Bumping into friends

Inspired and pilfered from The Red Hand Files #286
12th Dec 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United #207 – in between

oday I’m feeling:

Really dizzy and out of sorts. I went straight to the hospital but still hadn’t seen a doctor by midday. When I asked, they said that I had to wait for a ‘special’ doctor who only arrives at 1 pm!

My head is also not in a good place right now, either. Wild thoughts of quitting and moving or just sleeping.

Health:

Physical: 5
Mental: 5

Today I’m grateful for:

All the staff who helped me at the hospital. Despite it being frustrating, I don’t think it was anyone’s fault in particular.

The best thing about today was:

Not much I must admit. I did start to feel a little more positive by the evening, so that is something at least.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I don’t know why things took so long at the hospital today. I got there at nine and finally left at 2.45 pm. I saw a doctor for less than two minutes and was told to come back to see an ENT specialist on Saturday.

Something I learned today?

I should follow up with the staff at the hospital a little quicker. It may only be a coincidence but things only started happening once I asked what was going on.