Robbie Cheadle's Blog, page 5

Robbie’s Inspiration – Esther Chilton’s writing challenge and Sunday Stills #poetry #photography

Esther Chilton’s writing prompt this week is Strike. I missed last week’s prompt which was Window. This piece is for both prompts. You can join in the current prompt here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2025/08/27/writing-prompts-80/

Looking in (shadorma prose)

I never remember my mother striking any of her children physically. There was only the one time when my two youngest sisters fought so long and hard over their woodland family animals and accessories, that mom jumped on one of the houses in a fit of anger. That was the end of the fighting and of the house.

My mother had a different way of disciplining her children. I was generally the receiver of the discipline as I was usually the ring leader of naughtiness like climbing up on top of the hen house and scaring all the chickens. The scaring was accidental as my mission was to scale the flat topped building and have a picnic up there, not to send the hens into fits.

When angered, Mom would lock me outside the house and I would be left to wander around our plot in disgrace. Usually, being outside was where I wanted to be, but being outside on your own was different from being outside with three live dolls to play with. I would wander around peering in the large windows and watching my three sisters having what appeared to be a wonderful time without me.

I particularly recall one afternoon, when my sisters had an indoor tea party with scones, raspberry jam, and tea served in Mom’s blue and yellow teacups. They didn’t save a single scone for me.

all alone

wandering garden

punishment

enough, Mom

no need to give sisters scones

with my favourite jam

Sunday Stills – Construction

Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge is constructions. I have a lot of pictures of cranes. Don’t ask why – I just find cranes very interesting.

You can join in Sunday Stills here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2025/08/31/sunday-stills-under-construction-the-beauty-of-building-and-art/

Picture caption: B&W photograph of a crane in London at SouthwarkPicture caption: Two cranes peeking above the trees at Southwark BridgePicture caption: Road repairs at Southwark BridgePicture caption: Construction in BrusselsPicture caption: There is lots of construction in this picture, but it was the really tall ladder that interested me. This is in Brussels.Picture caption: Construction in BrusselsPicture caption: Construction in Grand Place in Brussels in preparation for a music concert.

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 27, Personification, 08/26/25

Robbie invites everyone to write syllabic poetry using personification, providing an example poem about an iris. Participants are encouraged to …

#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 27, Personification, 08/26/25

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday and Sunday Stills #poetry #photography

Yvette’s challenge is to write a tanka poem with words that have multiple meanings.

You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/08/19/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-no-26-multiple-meanings-08-19-25/

The Present

present with a bow

containing my greatest desire

two airplane tickets

visit to Victoria Falls

hubby dearest takes a bow

Sunday Stills

Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge is autumn trees. You can join in here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2025/08/24/sunday-stills-all-the-trees-of-the-field/

These photographs are from the Imperial Palace Gardens in Japan in late autumn.

This tree is in my garden. I like this picture because it shows three seasons: summer, spring and autumn

Picture caption: read and yellow autumn leaves in the sunshine

Treasuring Poetry – Meet poet and author, Joy Neal Kidney and a review #poetry #TreasuringPoetry #poetrycommunity

Today, I am delighted to introduce Joy Neal Kidney, poet and writer of historical memoirs. What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku,…

Treasuring Poetry – Meet poet and author, Joy Neal Kidney and a review #poetry #TreasuringPoetry #poetrycommunity

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday and W3 #poetry #photography

Firstly, some exciting news. On Photocrowd, a photography social media that includes a number of photography challenges, I’ve moved up from a beginner photographer to the intermediate category. I only joined in early April so I’m pleased.

Colleen’s prompt for Tanka Tuesday is to write a tanka from a first person point of view. You can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/08/12/tankatuesday-poetry-challenge-25-8-12-25-tanka-experimental-tanka/

Michael and I collaborated (for the first time) to write this tanka Puente.

The End in Sight

on the brink of change

bright eyes viewing the future

my son and his friends

graduation imminent

transition to adulthood

– If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right –

anxiety rises

deep despair spreads like fire

fear of failure sparks

disappointing those you love

mother’s nagging tongue lashes

The first verse is mine and the second verse is Michael’s.

The quote is by Henry Ford.

Picture caption: Michael and his partner for his Matric Dance (prom)Picture caption: This is TC, me, Mike’s partner and Mike at the Matric Dance parents function. W3

Violet’s prompt is to choose a word from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows and make it the title of your poem. Your poem should either use the word directly or capture the essence of its meaning. Include a direct link to the word’s page so readers can explore its definition and origin. Write in any poetic form you wish.

Wildred

Bayonets fixed

guns at the forward

the lanky guards

block access

“Stay away,”

their branches rustle

“You’re unwelcome here.

This is our sanctuary”

Soft scuffling

black backed jackel

slinks out of the corpse

defensive trees

standing at ease

to allow his passage

In the bright sunlight

haloed with gold

the creature halts

smirks in our direction

“This is our realm.

Enter at your peril.”

Picture caption: this is the black backed jackal which inspired the above poem.

Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Jaws by Peter Benchley and Fish Paella #fiction #readingcommunity #cooking

My review of Jaws I watched the Stephen Spielberg movie when I was twelve years old and I never forgot it. Like most of my generation, Jaws, the …

Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Jaws by Peter Benchley and Fish Paella #fiction #readingcommunity #cooking

Robbie’s Inspiration – Sunflower Tanka: Dreams, submissions open, Reena’s Xploration Challenge and CFFC #poetry #photography #SunflowerTankaDreams

Sunflower Tanka Dreams Submissions Open now

Submissions for Sunflower Tanka Dreams are open from 9 August to 9 September 2025. You will find all the details and guidelines on Colleen’s blog here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/08/09/submissions-are-open-for-the-2025-sunflower-tanka-anthology/

Reena’s Xploration Challenge

Reena’s challenge for this week is to write a poem inspired by the following wording:

She kept the clock running backward, just to see which regrets would return first.

For me, this fitted nicely into the dreams theme so I’m using this poem as a demo for the Sunflower Tanka Dreams anthology and for Reena’s Xploration Challenge which you can join here: https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2025/08/07/reenas-xploration-challenge-393/

Mellowing of Dreams (rensaku)

hindsight’s clarity

pierces childhood memories

unravelling joys

and long days of happiness

dreams of youth revisited

***

young girl’s ambitions

white wedding among flowers

stripped right to bare bone

goals achievement considered

dreams of youth revisited

***

senior school learner

individuality

suppressed to conform

with pack ideas of coolness

dreams of youth revisited

***

young professional

climbing the corporate ladder

harshest lesson learned

be careful what you wish for

dreams of youth revisited

***

middle age entered

edges mellowed by losses

contentment new goal

value of health understood

dreams of youth revisited

CFFC

Dan’s CFFC challenge is afternoon. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/08/11/time-of-day-afternoon-cffc/ The following pictures are afternoon scenes that could also translate as the fulfilment of a dream or the objective of a dream. Perhaps one of them will inspire you with dreams related poetry.

Picture caption: Houseboat on a canal in AmsterdamPicture caption: Elephant in a South African private game reserve. Picture caption: house facing the white cliffs near Friston Forest in the UK (near to Brighton and the forest home of Winnie the Pooh)Picture caption: small cruise boat on the canal in Bruges, BelgiumPicture caption: My son, Greg, on his graduation day from University with a degree in mathematics and computer sciencePicture caption: English Heritage notice specifying that a famous author lived here.Picture caption: small cruise boat on the Thames in front of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in LondonPicture caption: I’ve shared this photograph before but its my favourite of my wedding photographs

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday, Esther Chilton’s challenge, Sunday Stills, and Thursday Doors #poetry #photography

For this week’s Tanka Tuesday, Willow has asked poets to create a taiga. You can learn about taiga and join in this challenge here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/08/05/tank-tuesday-poetry-challenge-24-a-taiga/

Esther Chilton’s writing challenge last week was Voice. I am late but my taiga were inspired by her challenge which you can read about here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2025/07/30/writing-prompts-76/

The birds are for Don’t Hold Your Breath’s bird of the week invitation: https://anotherglobaleater.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/mountain-hawk-eagle-birds-of-the-week-invitation-cxxviii

Raising his Voice

loud, booming rumble

reverberates across the sand

heard for miles around

male ostrich raises his voice

claiming his territory

Roar of the Ostrich

mating on his mind

black male inflates his long neck

producing a roar

aimed at attracting favour

from dowdy opposite sex

Sunday Stills and Thursday Doors

Terri’s Sunday Stills challenge is Taste of Summer. I am sharing a few of my pictures of meals we enjoyed in Belgium earlier this month. You can join in here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/08/07/more-for-door-and-bunny-lovers/#comment-389260. I am also sharing the doors of the places where we ate for Dan’s Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/08/07/more-for-door-and-bunny-lovers/#comment-389260

Picture caption: Door to Oats, a nice little eatery near the train station in Bruxelles.Picture caption: Caramel and chocolate pastryPicture caption: Doorway to La Bruxelloise, a traditional Belgian restaurantPicture caption: Michael and I shared this huge seafood paella. We couldn’t finish it. The seafood was delicious.Picture caption: Upstairs of Paul’s in Bruxelles. The door at the back is to a storeroom. Picture caption: Baked treats available from Paul’s.Picture caption: Strawberry pancake stack from Paul’sPicture caption: Doorway to Nona’s Pasta – everything is made from natural ingredients and is healthy and tasty. Picture caption: My cheese and nut pasta dish

Robbie’s Inspiration – Tanka Tuesday, d’Verse: Music play on, W3 and Smurfs #poetry #photography

Tanka Tuesday and d’Verse

Merril’s challenge for d’Verse related to music. It is a complex challenge which you can read about in detail here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/07/29/poetics-2/

My poem ended up being perfect for the Tanka Tuesday metaphor challenge which you can join in here: https://tankatuesday.com/2025/07/29/tank-tuesday-poetry-challenge-23-7-29-25-metaphors/

Soul Music (shadorma)

creation

music for my soul

notes rising

in colour

harmoniously blending

symphony of paint

W3

Dennis’ prompt is a donsy of gnomes. You can read more about the challenge here: https://skepticskaddish.com/2025/07/30/w3-prompt-170-weave-written-weekly/

This is the accompanying picture:

Not Blue (shadorma duo)

“Papa Smurf

come and look at this

I’ve never

seen anything

like this donsy of small men

all with hats and beards?

***

“Amazing

but please stay away

they are to

different

they are not our lovely blue

and their hats are red.”

During my visit to Belgium we saw a lot of Smurfs. Smurfs come from Belgium and there is a new movie coming out.

When I saw the gnome picture, Smurfs popped into my head and I wondered how the Smurfs would react to the arrival in their village of a donsy of gnomes.

Here are a few pictures of Smurf promotional artwork in Bruxelles:

Picture caption: Sustainable Development: Smurf our blue planet

Picture caption: Sustainable Development: No poverty

Picture caption: Gender equalityPicture caption: Life below waterPicture caption: Quality educationPicture caption: Advertisement for the Smurf room at the HiltonPicture caption: Sustainable Development: Affordable and clean energy

Robbie’s Inspiration – Reblog: Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge Metaphors

I am host of Tanka Tuesday this week and I am looking for poems that make use of a metaphor. Simple or extended, any metaphor is great.

Tank Tuesday Poetry Challenge #23, 7/29/25: Metaphors