Our House. Memories.

22 Sep 2020 20 Comments

by willowdot21 in Music, Poems Tags: Changes, home, Life, love, memories

Tonight while having a WhatsApp group chat with friends talking about old times I remembered the home I grew up in.

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Our house

In the middle of a terrace, in a horse shoe surrounding a green

It was home to us all. Our safe place, the best sight ever seen.

In the winter icicles appeared on the window inside as well as out

No heating in the bedrooms so we froze without a doubt.

The backroom was cosy there was always a fire in the grate

We fought to sit at the hearth, huddling together extra heat to create .

Summer was different the windows and doors open wide

The garden full of veg and blackberries and mud we’d trail inside!

Not mum but not far off.

Christmas time was special everyone hanging up the glitter

Mum baking in the kitchen Dad and the boys having a sneaky bitter.

When I was little, everyone went to midnight Mass except Mum and me,

We’d stay home and dress the Christmas tree. Ready for the others on their return see.

There were so many of us yet no one was ever turned away

Whoever turned up was welcome, relative , friend, waif or stray.

Dad had an office in the front room each night he’d do his Union work

Men came for help. After his working day. His responsibilities he didn’t shirk.

There were only three bedrooms all packed to overflowing

It could be very hectic because we would not stop growing.

Four generations. So many memories, too many to share

Sadly the house is sold and closed to me, though it is still there.

We all got Married from that house, we were all were blessed

Our Parents did not have much but they always did their best.

Funerals Parties and reunions it was always the place to meet

For over sixty years it made our lives complete.

Our House

In the middle of a terrace, in a horseshoe surrounding a green

It was home to us all. Our safe place , the best sight ever seen

Tears

21 Sep 2020 30 Comments

by willowdot21 in inspiration, Music, sadness, Talking Straight Tags: Alzheimer's, Life, love, Rebloged, separation

This is rebloged from my sister blog. About life , love separation and Alzheimer’s.

So today was Alzheimers Awareness day….in the morning post was a handwritten envelope with a local postmark. Curious ,I opened it carefully to discover a small blue heart with a blue ribbon and a label attached. On the label was a short poem

A heart for you with love I send How I wish this virus would end.

We’ll soon be through the other side With Clayburn Court as our guide

My fingerprint is in this heart to keep us close while we’re apart.

Well……..Tears welled up as I read these words.

After 4 months of lockdown, in Mid August we could go to visit our loved one albeit only in the garden but now we are back to square one as there has been a suspected case of the dreaded Virus.

Thanks to the internet I can see what is happening at Clayburn and I know they are doing wonderful things to keep the residents well and happy,but it is not the same as seeing them in person.

Whilst eating my meal this evening ,listening to the radio, what should be played but Fontine’s beautiful song ‘I dreamed a dream’..once again tears were in my eyes.The words were so telling and could be applied in part to our situation.

All those years of working and raising a family and looking forward to a time when we could enjoy retirement were gone and we only had 15 years when we could relax together when it all crumbled with the onset of Alzheimers. Now after 61 yers of being together we are separated

please visit Tescol here

International Dog Day.

26 Aug 2020 17 Comments

by willowdot21 in Doggy Tales, photos, Usual Muttwits Tags: International Dog Day, love, loyalty, memories

Read about International Dog Day Here.

All photos © willowdot21 except where otherwise acredited

Join Usual Muttwits at Westly Piddle 🐕

Visit them now 💜

COLLEEN’S 2020 WEEKLY #TANKA TUESDAY #POETRY CHALLENGE NO. 192, #THEMEPROMPT

25 Aug 2020 36 Comments

by willowdot21 in #Haiku, #Senryu, #Haiga, #Tanka, #Tanka Prose, #micropoetry, #poetry, #5lines, #Haibun, #Prose, #CinquainPoetry, #Etheree, #Nonet, #Shadorma, #Gogyoka, Colleen's Tuesday Tanka, Poems Tags: expectations, Life, love, Lows, Maps, Triumphs

WELCOME TO TANKA TUESDAY!

It’s the fourth week of the month! Are you ready for a theme prompt? Kerfe Roig from last month’s challenge picked the theme…

This month’s theme is:

Maps

Pawed over with care
Diversions, fresh starts, my story
The Map of my life
Sometimes in total tatters
Sometimes it’s almost perfect

This is a Tanka for Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday Challenge.

Sofia. The walk.

18 Jul 2020 10 Comments

by willowdot21 in Depression, Homelessness, inspiration, sadness, Stories Tags: Fallen Angel, loneliness, love, Redemption denied, Sofia

Through the years she walked finding solace where she could, changing with the world, yet knowing more than it would ever know. Sofia spent years wondering alone with only animals and the stars to keep her company. She saw man as a race come into being and grow, she swam through the weeks of the great flood and watched the dove carry the the olive branch to the ark.

Sofia was lonely she never met one of her own, she saw Moss receive the ten commandments and wondered to herself if man could adhere to them.

Then one day she could smell one of her own she ran she missed her wings but she could cover continents in hours .
Sofia revelled in the scent she knew it she loved it.

It was Gabriel and he was in the town of Nazareth visiting a young virgin to implant the seed of the one.

The warmth, the love she felt was amazing. Sofia waited in the alley below the young virgin’s window listening. Then when Gabriel left the young girl wondering what had happened to her, Sofia approached him. Silently she leant out and touched him and when he turned to face her she was shocked by the look in his eyes. It was strange there was grief, pity and fear “Gabriel” she said in not much more than a whisper “Brother , brother touch me please” Gabriel spoke with no emotion “I cannot touch you you have fallen from grace you may not look upon my face.” Weeping now she reached out and touched his arm. To her horror and dismay he withdrew his arm like lightening and produced his flaming sword.

Shrinking back she could not believe her eyes the pain she was experiencing was raw and new to her, it was tearing at her insides like a cancer. Glancing once more at Gabriel she turned and slipped away feeling dirty inside and out!

Gabriel watched her leave , beaten broken head bowed. He shook his beautiful head then as he turned to go he heard Sofia ask “What about forgiveness” hesitating he turned back once more to see her slinking off into the shadows….. something hurt his eyes it was a burning he moved his hand to rub his eyes to find that they were leaking water??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sofia was hurt deeply she found her grief all consuming,she hid in the shadows for days but she decided she was going to watch this young virgin in whom the One has entrusted such an important seed.

Gently she shadowed the young girl helped her take the sticks and stones and words that came her way, she even intervened with the man who was to be her husband. Sofia whispered in his ear that she was a good girl and that she had indeed been visited by a messenger of the the One, hard to believe as that was, it was true!

She followed them to Bethlehem and ensured that they had somewhere to stay. Sofia had to smile at how easily she was now finding getting inside the human mind and suggesting her will to them. The air was full of angels at every turn she could smell and feel her beloved kindred, sadly though they all ignored or even worse denied her. Stubborn though she stayed with the young couple doing her best to help them.

Finally when the child was born Sofia sat outside the stable weeping the angels had refused her entry she could not defy them she had not the strength. The warmth she was being denied was too much pain, more than she could bear, as she rose to leave the young woman asked why Sofia could not see the child she thought he was to save all. There was no answer and so the woman rose and slowly walked out into the shadows towards Sofia.

The warmth and the love Sofia had not dared to think of was walking towards her. The hope she received from the child was more that she had ever imagined . She looked into the eyes of the young mother and said” thank you”.

images from Pixabay.

True, Selfless Love.

10 Jul 2020 45 Comments

by willowdot21 in inspiration, Poems, songs, thank you Tags: dogs, guide dogs, love, loyalty

I love dogs, the are the most loving animals, they work with us and for us. The most important thing is they give us unconditional love.

Our Dog Ruby is a retired guide dog, we have taken her for her free run exercise time since she started working at eighteen months, when she retired she came to live with us.

Below is a poem I wrote about a young friend of mine Natalie, she a real hero. She has a partner and two beautiful and clever children. Ruby and I have the privilege of joining her and Quala, her guide dog on Qula’s Free exercise walks.

I wrote this double Etheree about her and Quala last year .

Blind Faith

Trust

Is all

I ask for.

Never will I

Complain. I will learn.

Eighteen months training.

I always do my best

To help you at play and rest.

I am part of the family

Life without out me is a memory.

I’m your guide dog to help and set you free.

Trust

In her

I put my

Faith. She helps me.

Blind, I cannot see

Her presence sets me free.

She is with me everyday

We walk the children to the school.

You help me work and play, my best friend.

Quala and me together to the end .

*********

Above Ruby sitting and Quala laying down.

Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 185, #Poet’sChoice

08 Jul 2020 42 Comments

by willowdot21 in #Haiku, #Senryu, #Haiga, #Tanka, #Tanka Prose, #micropoetry, #poetry, #5lines, #Haibun, #Prose, #CinquainPoetry, #Etheree, #Nonet, #Shadorma, #Gogyoka, Colleen's Tuesday Tanka, inspiration, Poems Tags: Childhood Memories, Friendship, love, Syllabic poetry

WELCOME TO TANKA TUESDAY!

It’s the first of the month and you know what that means! Poets, choose your own syllabic poetry form, theme, words, images, etc. It’s up to you!

This week I have chosen to write a double Etheree about my cousin Lyndy and myself, crowing up.

Lyndy and Me.

This is part of Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly Haiku Challenge.

One

Two three

Lyndy and

Me. Playing in

The yard happily.

Four five six young and free

Life was good for Lyndy and me

Daddy made the scooter, we shared

Such happy days, we were free from care

Seven eight nine, endless days in the sun shine.

Time

Flew by

For Lyndy

And little me too.

Playing in fairy dells,

Ten, eleven Twelve

Summers were good to Lindy

And me.Thirteen fourteen fifteen.

We grew up cousin Lyndy and me

Close together, wherever we may be.

Wordless Wednesday. Mum and Dad.

02 Jul 2020 17 Comments

Image by willowdot21

Three Things Challenge #170

10 Mar 2020 6 Comments

by willowdot21 in #threethingschallenge, inspiration, sadness Tags: dogs, love, Pack

Welcome to Di from pensitivy101: The Three Things Challenge.
Every day she’ll give you three things that will hopefully trigger your creativity.
You don’t have to use them all if you don’t want to, simply read the prompt and see what comes to mind. Today’s Three Things are FIGHT WOUND BLOOD

The Pack.

She fought with all of her might, putting up the fight of her life. The pack was not around to help her. The mongrels bit into her , she fell, they pounced, she perished.