My alien is hard to describe

He comes and goes when he pleases
And he keeps on changing faces
He can be from one of the tribes
My alien is hard to describe

Long chin, prominent teeth, curved lips
Comes with his broken spaceship
Creative as Shakespearean jibe
My alien is hard to describe

He speaks of words with no vowels
It darkened his face, his scowl
And he doesn’t need any bribe
My alien is hard to describe

When he’s crossed, some sparkles come out
Out of his mouth, tea in spout
Some cynics in the planet gibe
My alien is hard to describe*

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

* A Kyrielle is a French form of rhyming poetry written in quatrains (a stanza consisting of 4 lines), and each quatrain contains a repeating line or phrase as a refrain (usually appearing as the last line of each stanza). Each line within the poem consists of only eight syllables. There is no limit to the amount of stanzas a Kyrielle may have, but three is considered the accepted minimum.

Some popular rhyming schemes for a Kyrielle are: aabB, ccbB, ddbB, with B being the repeated line, or abaB, cbcB, dbdB.

For: November 17: Flash Fiction Challenge, Tale Weaver/Fairy Tale Prompt # 94 : Alien Fairy Tales 11.24.16

I’m off to see the sunrise

– Slrlounge.com

I am off to see the sunrise
To be with you, my beloved
I know you I have always loved

My fish and the foggy skies
Riding with me to go with you
To the sunrise and the great view

I hope you will like my surprise
You always ask if I will come
I thought about it, it’s awesome

Last look at my place, dry my eyes
New adventures, new challenges
Thinking about this for ages

Don’t worry, we will improvise
Together we will have some fun
And it will always rise, the sun*

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

* The Constanza, created by Connie Marcum Wong, consists of five or more 3-line stanzas. Each line has a set meter of eight syllables. The first lines of all the stanzas can be read successively as an independent poem, with the rest of the poem weaved in to express a deeper meaning. The first lines convey a theme written in monorhyme, while the second and third lines of each stanza rhyme together.

Rhyme scheme: a/b/b, a/c/c, a/d/d, a/e/e, a/f/f………etc.

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Footy and Foodie. Thank you Footy and Foodie!

For: Photo Challenge #140, FFfAW Challenge by Priceless Joy

I gaze at the tidewater

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Barb CT of the blog, Gallimaufry. Thank you Barb!

THIS WEEK’S WORDS come from “A Village Cat” by Anne Porter: living, under, decorated, daubs, smudges, streaks, clown, carnival, gaze, wonder, back, eyes

I gaze at the tidewater and I wonder when

Wisteria by the sea as I daub my eyes then

I step back living under penetralia

The breeze occur as I wait for a faceless huh

Streaks of fake joy like a carnival cha-cha

Smudges of sharp guilt of a clown drama

Mute prayer as I look for you at the delta

My guts tell me it comes in different forms, karma

As seagulls fly over me I reflect my Zen

I look at the sea and hope to see you again*

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

* The Duo-rhyme, a poetic form created by Mary L. Ports, is a 10 or 12-line poem, with the first two and last two lines having the same rhyme scheme, and the center of the poem (lines #3 through #8 or #10) having their own separate monorhyme scheme.

Meter: 8 beats per line, written in iambic tetrameter (4 linear feet of iambic) Rhyme Scheme: 10-line: a,a,b,b,b,b,b,b,a,a and 12-line: a,a,b,b,b,b,b,b,b,b,a,a

For: FFfAW Challenge – Week of November 15, 2016 by Priceless Joy, Sunday Photo Fiction – November 13th 2016, Wordle #129 “November 14th, 2016”, Whirligig 85 by Magical Mystical Teacher

What future?

PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

The alarm didn’t go off this morning…I’m still curl up in my duvet, my silvery hair all tangled up. I like the feel of velvet, so soft and cosy. The light peeking through the curtain, telling me to get up and start my day. I used to be a busy lady, getting up at the crack of dawn. I even used to burn the midnight oil. Our town used to be the jealous of everyone as we have enough jobs for everyone. I could still hear the echoing of different shops and factories. Our town looks like a ghost town, no jobs, no class and no future.

For: Friday Fictioneers by Rochelle, MINIATURE WRITING CHALLENGE #67, Wordle 272 Oct 30 by Brenda Warren

A bridge of time

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Joy Pixley. Thank you Joy!

a bridge of time so to speak
we hold hands and you kiss my cheek
challenges we try to manage
together we stand on the bridge

days come and go, people pass by
rain or shine, blue or grey sky
we’re best friends and love our marriage
together we stand on the bridge

from the bridge we can see the world
we transport ourselves to dream-world
we’ve known each other from college
together we stand on the bridge

we’ve seen sunrises and sunsets
days and nights, we have no regrets
and each other we encourage
together we stand on the bridge*

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

* A Kyrielle is a French form of rhyming poetry written in quatrains (a stanza consisting of 4 lines), and each quatrain contains a repeating line or phrase as a refrain (usually appearing as the last line of each stanza). Each line within the poem consists of only eight syllables. There is no limit to the amount of stanzas a Kyrielle may have, but three is considered the accepted minimum.

Some popular rhyming schemes for a Kyrielle are: aabB, ccbB, ddbB, with B being the repeated line, or abaB, cbcB, dbdB.

For: Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers by Priceless Joy

Down by the pond

PHOTO PROMPT © CEAyr

down by the pond we used to swim
not a care in the world – us kids
in our youth we were full of vim
tried to catch some fish and squids

not a care in the world – us kids
swam with our dog and carabao
tried to catch some fish and squids
then we went home for some cacao

swam with our dog and carabao
now we’ve all grown up and apart
then we went home for some cacao
and they’re all still part of my heart

now we’ve all grown up and apart
in our youth we were full of vim
and they’re all still part of my heart
down by the pond we used to swim*

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

* The pantoum consists of a series of quatrains rhyming ABAB in which the second and fourth lines of a quatrain recur as the first and third lines in the succeeding quatrain; each quatrain introduces a new second rhyme as BCBC, CDCD. The first line of the series recurs as the last line of the closing quatrain, and third line of the poem recurs as the second line of the closing quatrain, rhyming ZAZA.

The design is simple:

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4

Line 5 (repeat of line 2)
Line 6
Line 7 (repeat of line 4)
Line 8

Continue with as many stanzas as you wish, but the ending stanzathen repeats the second and fourth lines of the previous stanza (as its first and third lines), and also repeats the third line of the first stanza, as its second line, and the first line of the first stanza as its fourth. So the first line of the poem is also the last.

Last stanza:

Line 2 of previous stanza
Line 3 of first stanza
Line 4 of previous stanza
Line 1 of first stanza

For: Friday Fictioneers by Rochelle

New Place

PHOTO PROMPT © Amy Reese

“OK, that was the last box,” Rick sighed after heaving the box in.

“.. to think that we’ve started with just two suitcases,” Jen nostalgically added, looking at the bulging storage unit.

“It would only be for a couple of years, we couldn’t take them all, plus it’s a furnished flat the company is renting for us.”

“I know, but I’ll surely miss them all, our friends, our local pub …”

“Talking of which, our friends are waiting at the pub, come on…here’s to our new adventure!” Rick reached for Jen’s hand, looked at their stuff one last time and off to see their friends to say goodbye.

For: Friday Fictioneers – 30 September 2016

Up and Down

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Joy Pixley. Thank you Joy!

We met, we kissed and we made promises
We were on top of the world
No one could reach us
Like being with the stars
Or the seventh heaven
On top of the highest mountain
Ah, that was heaven!
But then out of the blue
You were gone and left me alone
I didn’t want to carry on
Like there was no air to breathe
No sunshine, no breeze, nothing
It went on like that until I realised
I’ve got to live, I’ve got to move on
Slowly, with the help of time, I’m me again
I’m strong, I could do it and you don’t deserve me

For: FFfAW Challenge Week of September 20, 2016 by Priceless Joy

Turning Leaves

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Phylor. Thank you Phylor for our photo prompt!

The autumn leaves all red, yellow, brown, orange
And Mother Nature was telling me something
We ran, giggled and into the stream we plunged

People back from holidays busy babbling
Lots of stories to tell and pictures to share
When we meet friends in cafes people watching

Ready for harvest, apples, pumpkins and pears
Children all excited to start the new term
Let them enjoy the term, we say in prayers

Let them learn all the lessons in the long-term
When autumn leaves seem to drown down the stream
Light breaks over the horizon, that’s confirmed

A magnificent season, top of the cream
Autumn at its best and life is such a dream*

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

*A Terza Rima Sonnet is form of poem that has an eleven syllable count in each line and a rhyming scheme of aba, bcb, cdc, ded, ee.

For: What do turning leaves mean to you? 100wcgu #188 and FFfAW Challenge – Week of September 6, 2016 by Priceless Joy. Also for: Taboo Challenge – Day 6 “as”

August 31: Flash Fiction Challenge – Goodbye

the hardest goodbye
was to my Dad
on his bed
before my flight
I didn’t cry
I said sorry
things I’ve done
things I haven’t done
he said no need
I was forgiven
I promised him
lots of things
I’d look after everyone
I’d make sure they’re fine
I looked at him one last time
he was the man I dearly love
my idol, my ideal man
the man who pinned my medals
the man who left me notes
the man who cooked
the man with a big heart
his memories in my soul
miss him like the rain

(c) ladyleemanila 2016

For: August 31: Flash Fiction Challenge