Welcome to the Tanka Tuesday Poetry Recap featuring the work of poets from around the globe. If you would like to participate in this challenge, you can learn the rules in the menu item called Colleen’s Weekly Tanka Tuesday Guidelines.

POETRY NEWS: POETRY CONTESTS & JOURNAL SUBMISSIONS
Currently, UHTS is accepting poetry for the Autumn Issue of the Cattails Journal. Submissions for Autumn/ October issue open 1st July (midnight) GMT and close 15th August (midnight) GMT.
Read the submission requirements: HERE. You can view the journal HERE. READ the UHTS poetry definitions that are acceptable for submission HERE.
UHTS also is sponsoring the “Fleeting Words” Tanka Competition. Submission Period and Deadline: May 1-August 15 of each year. There is a 10 poem limit on the number of submissions. If more than 10 poems are submitted, only the first 10 poems will be entered. Entries must be the original work of the author, be previously unpublished and not under consideration elsewhere for the entire time period it takes to complete the judging. Click HERE for submission requirements and read carefully to find the current competition.

DON’T FORGET TO EMAIL ME YOUR POEM. And, to those of you who did email their poems, thank you for using the new email tankatuesdaypoetry@gmail.com. ❤
Remember, please send me your name, title of your poem, #type of poem, and the link to your blog post where the poem was published.
Please don’t just send me your link. When you do that, I have to go to your blog, copy your poem and information, cut and paste that with no formatting into a Word document and then, cut and paste the poem into my new post. The recap takes me about 3 hours to compile into a post. I need your help in order for me to continue publishing a RECAP featuring your poem with a link back to your blog. Starting July 23rd, I WILL NOT grab your poems from the link-backs. Sorry, it’s just too much work. ❤
This week, we tried something new! A photo prompt or Ekphrasis prompt. (Many thanks to Merril D. Smith, for the additional information on the official name of this type of prompt). The Poetry foundation shares:
“Description” in Greek. An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning.
Poetryfoundation.org

DON’T FORGET: The Poet of the Week & the honorable mentions will be published in the 2019 Poet of the Week Anthology, which everyone will be able to grab as a FREE PDF in January 2020.
Each week, I like to highlight a poet who I call the Poet of the Week, who has shared an exceptional message, or shown impassioned creativity through words or form. Poetry is all about perception, so don’t be shocked if you don’t feel the same way about a poem that I do.
This week, I’ve chosen H. R. R. Gorman as the Poet of the Week. His poem, The Woman at 106, was gritty and raw in its intensity. After you read it once… read it again. The undercurrent of his words blew me away. In true form, he took on the persona of the woman who lived in that house, and I loved how he read between the lines. I think he saw things, the rest of us didn’t. Here’s what he shared:
“I don’t really know where this came from, but I just looked at that peaceful little house-front and tried to imagine who lived there. The bicycle drew my attention. With “women’s bikes’ relatively rare out there, I tried to cultivate this image of a person trying really hard to seem feminine. As a North Carolinian, I’ve had close exposure to extremely transphobic laws and situations, and I guess that inspired this poem.“
H. R. R. Gorman
I gave one Honorable Mention to Sally Cronin, and her heartfelt poem, Those We Left Behind, because of the great emotions she evoked with her words. Once again, she looked beyond the layers in this photo to show us what was buried beneath this almost too perfect exterior.
I also gave Willow Willers an Honorable Mention for her poem, The Package. Willow tells a delightful story in a double Etheree. Even though Etheree poetry is usually unrhymed, I liked the rhythm her words created. As I’ve stressed before, sometimes you’ve gotta break the rules just a little bit!
Congratulations Poets!

HERE’S WHO JOINED US LAST WEEK FOR our 1st Ekphrasic POETRY CHALLENGE using the image below:

ORDER: title, type of poem, followed with the name of the poet, and the link back to their post, and the poem.
“This Place, Home,” #Etheree, by Merril D. Smith
Train
slows down
time has stopped
rather, reversed–
a more pleasant time–
or perhaps it’s a dream.
She wants to stay here. This place
where flowers bloom, and it is spring
always. She gets off at the stop, now to
live another life, or one meant to be.
***
“Sweet Memories” #Haibun by Miriam Hurdle
For sentimental reason, I still keep many pieces of projects my daughter made. I have a flowerpot she decorated when she was in 5th grade. It is sitting on a round glass top table between two chairs in the front patio. I like to sit in the front porch to drink coffee in the morning. The flowerpot reminds me of the things we did together when she was growing up.
Kids are grown and gone
Keeping the bikes where they were
Jolly wheels still turned
Muddy feet through door they came
Hungry mouths screamed for cookies
***
“Home, Sweet, Home,” #Haiku, by Traci Kenworth
Green vines climb
Bicycle sits idle
A light warms.
***
“Nature Wins,” #Haiku, by Donna Matthews
ivy creeping up
vines crawling up and over
nature wins again
***
“The Beacon,” #Haibun #Haiku by theindishe
The stony steps lined by a verdant gossamer of thin moss led to the teak paneled door of the house. Embedded in the pristine granite frame, it stood guard, a sentinel to love and life inside. The trellis lush with green foliage embellished its facade. Radiating a vernal bloom that was incited by the spark of tranquil serene from the insides of the house. The mystical French Windows, elan and regal, threw open a vista of untold love. And the bicycles stood by the trimmed hedge awaiting to be ridden onto unchartered territories. The lamp cast a bright light on a dark day.
A light of hope bright,
A beacon to show me way,
I stumble to rise.
***
“106,” #Etheree, by Anita Dawes
106
Looks out
At the world
With lights shining
As if it belongs
Chairs hidden forgotten
Bicycles never ridden
Parcel placed outside just for show
Looking for all the world to belong
Hologram, a picture from the future…
***

“The Woman at 106,” #Etheree/DoubleEtheree, by H. R. R. Gorman
She
Lives at
One-oh-six,
Rides a ten-speed,
Listens to a mix
Of classic rock and soul.
Once you get past the bricks
Guarding her house and her ego,
You’ll see to whom my heart is transfixed
But God says I must admire from afar.
She
Joined no
Stupid cliques
Back in high school
Where girls had no dicks.
I’d swim the river Styx
And challenge Pluto for her,
But I can’t cross the crucifix
As He stares me down and tattle-tells
To my boss, to my mom, to politics.
***
“Blue Twilight,” #Etheree, by Linda Lee Lyberg
Blue
twilight
drifting in
on evening breeze
welcoming day’s end
lush scent of greenery
surrounds the welcoming porch
a place to pause, a chair to rest
gather the day’s worries, toss them to
the wind, sip a glass of red wine and dream.
***

“Those We Leave Behind, #Haibun #Haiku, by Sally Cronin
I wait in the shadows of the trees opposite the house. I glimpse movement as the family moves back and forth across the windows. A house of character, substantial and clearly a happy home. Tears run down my face and gather in grief below my chin. I do not have the will to wipe them away. They remind me of another time when I was part of the laughter and happiness. Those that I have left behind have moved on. Do they even remember me? A face appears at the window and stares across the street. A small child with a face that owes much to me, her grandmother. She waves and smiles. Content I fade back into the woods and on to my final destination.
Death is not the end
when we gift a part of us
to those left behind.
***
“Home, Sweet, Home,” #Tanka, by Ritu Bhathal
This is home sweet home
Where the light on the doorstep
Shines a bright welcome
A place filled with memories
A house full of family
***
“Decadent,” #Tanka by Bobby Fairfield
Sounds of jollity
carried on electric light,
pierce ivy shutters,
through twice glazed frames declaring
Neo-Georgian mockery.
***
“Memories,” #Shadorma, by Pratibha
Memories –
Some faded on corners
Others bright;
A green house
Ringing with love and laughter
With me; or without ?
***

“The Package,” Double #Etheree, by Willow Willers
Six
O’clock
Amazon
Has been to call
And left the parcel
Outside against the wall.
Jen arrives and parks her bike
This house is still not quite a home
For he is away and she’s alone.
Then she sees the package outside the door.
Full of excitement she gathers it up.
She rushed in doors to open it
It’s a beautiful photo book
Delighted she takes a look
There he is full of smiles
Waving to her from
Across the miles
Suddenly
They are
One
***
“Putting Down Roots,” #Shadorma by Jane Dougherty
Putting down
roots, clothing bare dreams
with ivy,
is painting
futures with the golden hues
of shared warmth.
***
“Photo Prompt,” #Tanka by M. J. Mallon
Who’s blue bike is that?
Oh wait, I see your shadow
Two bikes and two chairs
Two fruit scones, butter and jam
Two old friends sit by the light
***
“Breaking Free,” #Tanka, by Robbie Cheadle
Is it possible
To escape conformity
And break your shackles?
Try riding a bicycle
With your face into the wind
***
“Home is Where We Love,” #Tanka, by Vashti Quiroz-Vega
Beyond the black door
there are rooms and furniture
tastefully arranged
A home built with love and dreams
The sweetest sort of heaven
***
“Home,” #Nonet, by Colleen M. Chesebro
As the fringes of darkness descend
cicadas sing their summer songs
inviting all kith and kin
where hearts dwell together
wrapped tightly in love
dear memories
bittersweet
send me
home
***

Are you looking for more writing/poetry/photography challenges?
H.R.R. Gorman has created a comprehensive list on his blog. Click HERE to learn more. ❤

Reblogged this on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine and commented:
Colleen Chesebro with recap of this week’s poetry challenge, with was a photo prompt.. A wonderful ivy covered house front with flowers and a couple of bikes outside. Who would have thought an image could spark so much emotion, creativity and beauty… enjoy the anthology….
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Thanks so much, Sally for sharing. ❤
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Pleasure Colleen..hugsx
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Wonderful poems Colleen and just goes to show how a simple image can stir such emotions and beauty.. thank you for the honorable mention…I am chuffed…♥
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Thanks, Sally. Your poem really captured saw raw emotions. Great take on the photo. ❤
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♥♥
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Hi Sally, I shed tears reading your poem with mixed emotions; happy to see the ones we left behind are happy; sad too, how we wish to linger longer.
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Thank you Miriam. I see shades of my mother and my father in their great-grandchildren and it is a wonderful legacy. They are never truly gone. xx♥
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It’s so true, Sally. Their legacy is in the genes they left and pass on to generations to come. I can trace the genes from my father to my granddaughter. When I look at myself, I see my dad in me. 🙂 ❤
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Fantastic Miriam.. and people say I look like my mother.. thankfully when she was younger not 95!!! hugsxx
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That’s great, Sally. We’re proud to say we’re like our fathers and mothers. I know my daughter is proud to have the personality and traits like mine. ❤
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Oh my goodness! What a wonderful thing to wake up to – Thank you, Colleen! 🙂 You have been an excellent teacher, and thank you for all the supportive comments you do.
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H, your poem was so creative! I loved what you read between the pixels! Excellent work. 😀
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Thank you!
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Hi H.R.R. What a lovely, lively and fun poem you did. It put a smile on my face.
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Thank you!
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You’re welcome. ☺️
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You’re welcome!
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Glorious entries as ever, I love H.R.R. Gorman’s a great a thought provoking Etheree a well deserved poem of the week. Congratulations to Sally Cronin for her honourable mention …I am gobsmacked that I got one too. Thank you Colleen.
Congratulations to everyone I love reading how differently we all see the same scene.💜💜
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Congratulations, Willow. You each had three different takes on the photo but oh, my goodness, what you saw it was amazing. ❤
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It was a great prompt 💜
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Yes, Willow, Amazon, UPS have a way to bridge the gaps across the miles and bring us smile. I enjoyed your poem.
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Thank you Miriam, I enjoyed yours too💜
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It’s great to share our inspiration, Willow. ❤
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It is indeed 💜
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❤ ❤
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Great entries!!!
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I loved how everyone saw or felt something different. Great fun! ❤
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That is the beauty of these challenges, sis!
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Have you tried this with your students, Ritu? It’s a bit like playing the game, “telephone,” but visually. If you try this, do a post about it. That would be very cool. ❤
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Alas mine are to young to get involved in creative writing like this, but I do try to do group writing… Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to try!!
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You might be surprised at their creativity. Kids are sponges! 💕
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True!
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What a treat to read the entries this week, Colleen. ❤
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Wasn’t this fun? I hope others will join in next time. ❤
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I think partly it’s summer. I went to a women’s luncheon last Saturday. There were 24 ladies last year and it had only 8 this year. I prepared a salad for 24!!! ❤
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Oh my Colleen. What beautiful poems you got in response to this prompt. Congrats to HRR, Sally, and Willow. All three outdid themselves. I hope you’re having an amazing summer, my friend. ❤
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Settling in well into our new house in Arizona. I’m back to writing so that has been extra special. How are you, Diana? Have fun with your lovely family. 😍❤️
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I’m so glad you’re settled in and back at writing. Any desert fairies giving you nudges? I’m still caring for my parents. Another move, another month, and I hope to be indulging the muse a little too. ❤
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Oh, my goodness. It never seems to slow down, does it? The desert Fey are waiting for out desert themed backyard to begin! Once that’s done we’re expecting visitors. 😍
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