Hesitation



               Diana Leonard

POT LUCK POETRY
http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/2011/05/poetry-potluck-doubts-fear-inhibitions.html
inspired this topic.

HESITATION

Shall I? Shan't I? Will or Won't?

Could I? Can't I? Do or Don't?

Hesitation back and forth;

West and East and South and North.

Decisive people make me feel

As though my brain cells will congeal.

When I'm tempted to say 'Yes!'

Then I start to make a guess

At all the possibilities

That may result! I sort of freeze.

Suddenly I change my mind,

Leaving 'Yes' way, way behind.

'No!' I shout with exultation.

I have avoided tribulation!

Ah! But that other, daring route,

Who knows, it may have brought forth fruit.

Have I been a silly duffer?

Am I, therefore, going to suffer?

I toss and turn and bite my sheet;

My agony of mind's complete.

I want someone to so adore me

That he makes my decisions for me.

I must bite the bullet! Yes! I must!

Where are instincts I can trust?

Shall I? Shan't I? Will or Won't?

Could I? Can't I? Do or Don't?

*

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A WINE-DARK SEA

Rottnest Island, just off Perth, is a place for holidays,

And the picture up above shows you the reason.

It's a lovely rocky outcrop full of crags and glorious bays

Perfect for fishing, never mind the season.

And the colour of the water almost took my breath away;

There was almost every shade of blue and green.

That's why I'm planning to repeat our holiday,

And to savour, once again, this lovely scene.

*

Clover Honey

                                    Cicely Mary Barker

MONDAY'S CHILD

http://childrensverse.blogspot.com/2011/05/mondays-child-44.html

chose the illustration

CLOVER HONEY

(A poem for small children)

Fairy Clover said to Bee

"Please save all that honey for me!

At breakfast time, when I have my toast,

I like the honey from clover most.

I don't like jam or marmalade;

Honey puts both of them in the shade.

Honey is golden, honey is sweet

Honey's a wonderful breakfast treat.
Work as hard as you are able
And then deliver it to my table."

*

Said Bee " I don't much care about you.

A bee has better things to do,

Than worry about your breakfast food!

I think you're being rather rude!

I slave away from morn till night

Getting my honey-collecting right

In order to feed my baby bees

At home in the nest high in the trees.

Your breakfast doesn't matter to me!"

And he buzzed away very angrily!

*

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SUDDENLY, SILENCE

The cacophony of the busy street.
The blare of the traffic.
A glance to the left. Suddenly, silence.
*

Blue Bonnets

BLUE MONDAY
http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

BLUE BONNETS

Life today is regulated,

Thought about and litigated.

Should these youngsters chance to fall,

From the tree-tops, waving tall,

As they swing from limb to limb,

'Authority' would look quite grim.

True, there's danger, but that's life.

They could, indeed, get into strife.

Hence the 'bonnets', of bright blue,

No doubt called Hard Hats by you.

Harnesses as well there are

So they can't fall very far.

They'll have a great time, there's no doubt,

Learning what height is all about.

But, in my youth, when life was freer,

We didn't have an overseer.

'Go and play' the parents said

And we'd return in time for bed!

I didn't climb; I wasn't tough,

Never adventurous enough.

But I knew boys who'd climb up trees

Easily as high as these!

There'd be falls and cut and gashes,

Bruises, stinging-nettle rashes...

No-one died, as I recall

And everybody had a ball!

What intrigues me, in this regard,

Is, though we labour, very hard,

To keep our children safe and well,

Inside a little protective shell,

We'll be sending them out into 'real life'

Ill-equipped for coming strife!

The crashing cars, the drug addictions,

The many other world afflictions!

When all the supervision's gone

Let's hope they keep their Hard Hats on!

*
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JUST A CREEK

When we speak of waterways,

We know that we are blessed

With ocean, river and the lake.

So who needs all the rest?

But here I show you Throsby Creek,

Just a little waterway

That ambles on towards the sea

And beautifies our day.

We wander, picnic, take our time

Any day of the week,

Enjoying the simple pleasures

That we find at Throsby Creek.

*

Oddballs



GRANDMA'S GOULASH
http://grandmas-goulash.info/
chose the very odd illustration!

ODDBALLS

'Mr Peculiar! You're a square!

Part of you just isn't there!

'It's a rectangle if you please;

It always happens when I sneeze!

And how can you see it? You've got no eyes!'

'You're very quick with your replies!

My eyes are on the other side.

Both of them are open wide.

I like to be a bit informal,

But, unlike you I am quite normal.'

'Mr Odd! Don't be so rude!

You'll put me in a nasty mood.

Hey! Look at that person looking at us!

If I looked like that I'd make a fuss.'

*

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ENGROSSED

Little girl finds a treasure.
Wet sand, a worm, some seaweed, or some junk!
Who cares! It is the centre of her world.
*

Cancellation!

MAD KANE
http://www.madkane.com/humor_blog/
suggested the first line.

CANCELLATION!

A man had to cancel his plan

To act as an orangutan,

When he swung from the trees

His poor wife said 'Oh please!

I prefer being kissed by a man!'

*

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GENERATION GAP!

What is it you find so amusing?

I'm proud of these new shoes!

You say they're not the sort of thing

That you would ever choose!

Well, I must say that I hope not,

Since you are seventy-three!

But let me tell you they feel just right

On an up-to-date chick like me!

Do you remember Doc Martin's,

How they were once the rage?

Now this is the very latest style

For girls about my age.

My ankles are in danger?

I'll twist one, you're convinced?

Look at the high heels you once wore!

Look at the way you minced!

You ask what the big red bobbles

Are doing at the front!

You say they have no earthly use

And they are just a stunt!

Excuse me! They're high fashion!

You haven't got a clue!

My friends all say they're fabulous!

We like anything that's new.

No! They didn't run out of leather

When they left that sort of hole

Right in the middle of my instep!

It's just that type of sole!

Granny! You just don't understand!

You in your ghastly flatties!

A bit of velcro to strap you in!

What a fashion-statement that is!

Come on, Gran, let's face it!

You're Winter; I am Spring!

You may find me amusing

But this is the latest thing!

*

Audience of One

CARRY ON TUESDAY
http://carryontuesdayprompt.blogspot.com/
This week we have to use the famous words from Shakespeare...
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players"



AUDIENCE OF ONE

If all the world's a stage

With an audience of One,

Is He sitting there in judgement

From the time the play's begun?

Is He holding his auditions

And declaring who will act

And is He doling-out the roles,

On a stage which is tight-packed?

And are we merely players

Like puppets hung on strings,

And is He in charge of properties,

The crowns, the shining wings?

Since He has sprinkled attributes

Among the fawning players,

And sorted men and women

Into variegated layers

With successes at the very top,

The mediocre in between

And the failures at the bottom,

Not allowed upon the scene,

Achieving even a walk-on part

Is like crying for the moon,

Even if we act quite well

And can even hold a tune!

And if the 'audience' likes the play

Will there be a standing ovation?

Will He thunder-clap his god-like hands

In a heavenly proclomation?

It's all too hard for me, my friends,

I feel much more at home

With those very human, squabbling, lying,

Gods of ancient Rome.

*

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BALLERINA!

A ballerina in the footlights, with tutu pinkly flared!

She has just made her entrance! She is a little scared.

A shadow is her scenery, painted on pristine white,

As she stands there, a little breathless, blinking in the light.

* 

The Yellow Necklace

Newspaper shot

MELLOW YELLOW MONDAY
http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/2011/05/mellow-yellow-monday-119.html

THE YELLOW NECKLACE

I've never been a commuter,

For which I thank my lucky stars!

I've never driven nose-to-tail

Behind a thousand cars.

So I can look at this photograph

And think to  myself 'How pretty!

The lights resemble a neckace

As they travel from the city!

All those shining yellow jewels,

Threaded on a chain!

So much more attractive

Than traveling by train!

And doesn't the snow enhance them!

They're really picturesque!

Worth the journey into town

And working  behind a desk!'

*

But, if I were a commuter,

Those might not be my thoughts!

I'd have many other views

Of many different sorts!

'Shes going to be really acid

If I'm home late again!'

'Drat! I'd be doing better

If I'd chosen a different lane!'

God! This seat's uncomfortable!

My bum has gone to sleep!'

'If that chap in front slows down

 I'll give him a loud beep!'

'I'm feeling lots of aches and pains

In parts I dare not mention!'

'Oh my aching neck again!

They say it's caused by tension!'

'I've got pins and needles!

I need to get out and stamp!'

'It drizzled as I walked from work;

Now my jacket's really damp!'

'I'm ravenously hungry!

I'm longing for my tea!'

'Hours and hours and hours and hours

And I'm desperate for a pee!'

*

I've never been a commuter,

For which I thank my lucky stars!

I think I'd rather catch a spaceship

And head off out to Mars!'

*

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LITTLE GREEN MEN!

For many many nights I've stood out there beneath the stars,

Willing the Little Green Men to come and visit me from Mars.

I've even said the words out loud ' I'm receptive!'! Well I am!

But all those extraterrestrial 'things' just couldn't give a damn!

'Come on, Angels!' I've whispered low, 'If you're there just give a sign!',

But nary a flutter of angel wings disturbs this life of mine.

Another phrase has been 'Come on! I'm here so come and get me!'

But of all the ghosts and ethereal things not one has ever met me!

'Meet me half-way' I crossly say 'I'm ready! Why aren't you?

I just don't think you're trying! You're just not breaking through!'

I long to be a channel, or funnel, or whatever;

Then I'd appear all spiritual, unusual and clever.

I long to get messages from the dead, so I could then transmit them

And then the recipients would gape and wonder what had hit them!

I feel just like a radio that no-one has turned on!

And, as I'm old, my chances will very soon be gone!

So I'll give up the idea of meeting Little Green Men, I think;

I'll simply have to just make-do with one that's vaguely pink!
*