Lily Love #chōka

Photo credit: Terri Webster Schrandt,

love breeze beguiled us
when we planted white lilies –
our precious flowers
in our glorious garden.
In gratitude, some
butterflies twirl, eager to 
plant vibrant kisses 
on pristine petals of love
a true commemoration 

***

that our love was both – 
tenuous and fiercely wild
ruins are beautiful! 
who said spring is eternal?
shifting sands murmur
shadows of night susurrate
water flows at will
all carry the same message:
love is just like white lilies

***

your lilies withered
when you didn’t nurture them 
the door was open
I just had to walk through it
into the wide world
rooted to icy threshold,
 in quagmire of fears,
I shudder at skepticism
that is pulling me backwards.

***
© Balroop Singh

Thanks to Colleen and Terri for the inspiration to create syllabic poetry. This week I chose to write a nine-line chōka, which has 5-7-5-7-5-7-5-7-7 syllables.

Thank you.

If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Or hang out with  Hues Of Hope 

Astute Artist #Ekphrastic #Poetry

Portrait of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1865-1932) by John Singer Sargent, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Astute Artist

She knew her charm, she could entice within moments, she had slayed many with her looks yet this artist chose to paint the Lady of Conceited Charisma. Confident of softening her expressions, he devoted one hour everyday to sketch her portrait and left in a hurry, pretending loss of inspiration. The chagrin of the lady mounted with each passing day but the humility with which he bowed his head and promised to complete the commissioned work within a month touched her heart.

He chose lavender
that could soften the semblance 
she liked fiery red
he painted calm nuances
she yearned for a love embrace.
© Balroop Singh

Thanks to Colleen for the inspiration.

This week’s challenge is Ekphrastic poetry, inspired by a work of art. I chose tanka prose. There are two basic forms in classic tanka prose: Preface (explanation) and the Poem Tale (episodic narration.)

Thank you.

If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Or hang out with  Hues Of Hope 

Blissful #Love Double #Etheree

Image by photographer, Terri Webster Schrandt,

Blissful Love

When
roses
coruscate,
the passion of
petals emit a
resplendent spark that shows
how ecstatic are whispers
of green love that blooms unawares,
a fairy tale that sounds authentic,
a journey to luminous lands of choice.

The fragrance fleets just like the petals drop
but austere love embraces each moment
it glistens and thrives in the hearts
complemented by new dreams
percolates into souls
just like vintage wine
swirls on our tongue
a sublime
touch of
bliss.
© Balroop Singh, 2023

This week’s challenge is photo prompt. Thanks to Colleen for the inspiration to write some syllabic poetry. I chose Etheree, which consists of 10 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 syllables. Etheree can also be reversed and written 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Thank you.

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Or hang out with  Hues Of Hope 

#TankaTuesday #Photoprompt – Heaven

Picture by photographer, Terri Webster Schrandt

Photo prompts kick my muse even when she is cross with me! Such a beautiful picture of Mother Nature calms her down perfectly to write syllabic poetry.

Want to see heaven?
where morning clouds glow soft pink.
come to our backyard
snow fairies dance here with glee
we revel with them all day.

***

Cold can not touch us
that is the bliss of childhood!
giggles thaw the snow,
the thrill of togetherness
embraced by wild ecstasy.
© Balroop Singh

Thanks to Colleen and her friend Terri for the inspiration to create this double tanka.

Thank you.

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Or hang out with  Hues Of Hope 

Double #Etheree #ThemePrompt

The Gray Scarf

My 
gray scarf
breathes yearning,
holds warmth of love.
Purchased ages ago,
you promised it’s fragrance 
would never fade from our lives.
Then how did winter winds creep in
to divest us of our solemn vows?
Yet it sings familiar strains of summer,
shimmering with renewed rhythm of hope
that just lies at the bottom of sea
never reaching your empty heart.
Memories of gray scarf crawl,
weary shadows follow
on this Thanksgiving
till paths of love
converge in 
the next
world.
© Balroop Singh

Thanks to Colleen’s weekly TankaTuesday challenge for the inspiration to create syllabic poetry. Eugi selected this month’s theme: The Gray Scarf.

 I chose Etheree, which consists of 10 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 syllables. Etheree can also be reversed and written 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Thank you.

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Here is my latest release  Hues Of Hope