Tea & Paper

Delight

August 17, 2021August 17, 2021Poetry25 Comments

Tanka Tuesday: “This challenge explores Ekphrastic writing inspired by visual art (photographs). Cheryl, from last month’s challenge, provided the photo for this month’s challenge.” Colleen Chesebro

This photo reminds me of a cottage up north Canada where we spent a few day a while back. The place was pure cosiness. The sky was pretty and the fragrance coming out from the fireplace was intoxicant.

the wine is ready
the sky is the performer
cozy white blanket
red oak is softly singing
the evening is a delight

Petals

August 14, 2021Photography, Poetry22 Comments

layers
treasured by seven locker charms
the hidden innocence
a sacred space
deeply

blaring
each petal whispering for help
obeying no set rules
the poisoned thorns
borders

This week’s prompt for Tanka Tuesday is synonyms only, and the words are sanctuary and follow. I’ve chosen sacred and obeying for my poem. I’m trying new syllabic forms and today I have Cinquo poem. This form consists of 5 lines: 2, 8, 6, 4, 2 and the poem should be unrhymed. I decided to write a double cinquo since I had too much to say.

The photo was taken with my Nikon. I rarely used it, but I thought this pretty rose deserved it. I’m sharing with FOTD.

Have a great weekend!

Water

August 12, 2021Photography, Writing19 Comments

Many years ago from the window of an airplane I saw a river with crystal blue water and I thought: This place will be my home.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),
It’s always our self we find in the sea.
e.e. cummings

Now, as I write this post in my living room, I can listen to the waves and hear the engine of a ship passing by. My home is a few steps from this magnificent river. Every morning I walk/run by its side, feeling its power and energy, flowing with it.

We had rain and thunders during the night. The water was showing all its power. It was washing and cleaning, it filled up the rivers and lakes. Earth’s fragrance is freshness.

A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving, living part of the very earth itself.
Laura Gilpin

Water is magical in all its forms. From Inside a cup ready to hydrate us to the large oceans harbouring fish and others sea creatures. From the tap in our homes to wash our hands to the salt water washing the shore of islands.

Be like water,
Flow like a river,
Crash like the rain,
Fly like the cloud again!
Md. Ziaul Haque

Sharing with WQWWC. The theme this week is Lakes, Oceans, Water

Summertime

August 5, 2021Journaling, Photography, Poetry15 Comments

bare feet in the grass
fresh flowers in abundance
summertime pleasures
thoughts flowing on the pages
delight under the sunshine

Sharing with Tanka Tuesday and WQWWC, both are writer’s/poet’s choice this week, so summertime it is.

When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.
Wilma Rudolph

Tanka Tuesday and WQWWC :: Expedition and Exciting

July 28, 2021July 28, 2021Inspirational, Poetry, Writing22 Comments

diving into minds
excitation of senses
feelings pouring out
the ink bleeding on each page
laying down and flying out

Expedition and Exciting. Always exciting to be part of an expedition. Here, I’m writing about the excitement of going on a solo expedition into the mind. The journey into our own mind or into the mind of others. It’s exciting to let the mind guide our hands and to write our deep thoughts, an expedition to discover the mysteries in the biggest universe inside us. Another form of the expedition is the one into the books. Poetry books in special, where the writer has poured out his/her feelings into a blank page. Some writers have the power to transport us to inside their minds. We can feel their happiness, sadness, insecurity, anger … as if they are our own feelings. Without a doubt, opening a new book and diving into it is a powerful and exciting expedition.

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.
Vera Nazarian

An exciting and inspiring future awaits you beyond the noise in your mind, beyond the guilt, doubt, fear, shame, insecurity and heaviness of the past you carry around.
Debbie Ford

WQWWC :: Relax

July 22, 2021July 22, 2021Photography, Writing20 Comments

Relax. Pockets of ‘me time’ during the day, sometimes not easy to find room for self-care in the middle of the daily business, but it’s a must to be able to do so. Early ‘me time’ sometimes starts with morning pages and a cup of coffee, other times it starts with a run by the river.

Either way, these are moments for relaxing and organizing my thoughts before getting ready for the day. As an introvert, it isn’t easy to be in contact with people and socializing at the work place. I need down time, to think and recharge.

Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges.
Bryant McGill

My garden is my private paradise. Taking care and admiring the flowers and the vegetables or just sitting down and looking at the sky and feeling the breeze washing over my face and my hair. When at home I make sure I have a garden walk at least 3 times per day, generally after each meal.

Nothing more relaxing than spending a hot summer afternoon with a book and a refreshing drink.

Ah! There is nothing like staying at home, for real comfort.
Jane Austen

Sharing with WQWWC, this week’s theme is Relax. And you? What you do to relax during the summer?

Tanka Tuesday :: Butterfly

July 21, 2021Poetry14 Comments

emerge
fluttering wings
a treasure to be found
from the soft bed of the ocean
fresh stars
the strong colours are hypnotic
the chains of a promise
pearls and pure gold
resting

Ekphrastic photo is the prompt for Tanka Tuesday this week. Annette Rochelle Aben provided us with the gorgeous photo above. As soon as I saw it, I was reminded of the freedom and passion the butterflies are able to demonstrate while kissing the flowers in my garden. I wrote a butterfly cinquain (2, 4, 6, 8, 2, 8, 6, 4, 2) to complement my thoughts.

Tree square :: Beautiful surprise

July 20, 2021Photography, Writing18 Comments

Do you know that feeling when you see an unexpected beauty on your way?

Yes, yesterday I had that feeling. This beautiful pear tree was on my way when I stopped by the grocery store. I’ve been many times to that store, but I’ve never seen this tree. Why? Because when I go, I always park closest possible to the entrance, and of course, no trees around.

Yesterday I was driving my hubby’s car, he is very careful with his car, and I didn’t want people scratching it with the shopping carts, so I looked for a distant spot for parking, and voila! This tree caught my attention.

Sometimes changing the routine can bring us beautiful surprises.

Sharing with Becca’s Tree Square.

Tree Squares :: Tree of life

July 17, 2021Photography, Poetry22 Comments

joy
willow
mystery
youth and passion
mixing laugh and tears
underneath the branches
the roots searching for water
orchestration of the branches
leaves caressing faces without shame
the bark is apt to put down fever, aches
following the motion, lightness is dancing
the music is powerful reaching up and down
dreams are alive under the willow tree, forgiveness
the tree of life
a soul mission
ready tho heal
open friendship
grounding, flying,
hearts and bodies

Becca’s squares this month is all about trees! I wrote a syllabic poetry form named Tree of Life here for WQWWC challenge from Marsha, she suggested I also post a Tree of life poem for Becca’s challenge. This poem has a tree outline. I wrote this one inspired by a willow tree in my neighbourhood.

Hope you enjoyed!

Tanka Tuesday and WQWWC :: Exploration

July 14, 2021July 17, 2021Poetry, Writing21 Comments

pause
aching
confusion
disappointment
her thoughts are sowing
her mind's a grassy field
in the middle of the night
no room for flowers or beauty
the darkness is exploding inwards
the distress crawling its way on her limbs
the silence is speaking loud, suffocating
in the ecstasy of despair, overwhelming
an aching intuition exalting to be heard
floating near spikes
terms of bondage
sound of guilty
anxiety
exploring mess
wisdom is lost

Tanka Tuesday this week is synonyms only and the words are Green and Morass, I’ve chosen grassy and confusion as the synonyms words.

WQWWC theme is Exploration – There are so many stuff to be explored around us, but I decided to go inwards, the exploration of feelings, the mind and body getting together in an explosion of uncertainties in the middle of the night.

This poetry form is a new form to me, again exploration shows off here, it’s called Tree of life, a syllabic form containing 19 lines, unrhymed, following the syllabic order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4.

I haven’t added any image to this poem. I wish for the reader to feel the emotion of this poem without any distraction from an image. And the poem has the shape of a tree, so it’s an image by itself.

WE SHALL NOT CEASE FROM EXPLORATION, AND THE END OF ALL OUR EXPLORING WILL BE TO ARRIVE WHERE WE STARTED AND KNOW THE PLACE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
T. S. ELIOT

Hope you enjoyed it! I have written another Tree of life poem here, this time about a willow tree, I’m really enjoying this syllabic form.