Sinecure (RDP)

Inspired by and written for Ragtag Daily Prompt – my thanks to Perpetua

Definition: Sinecure – n. a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit

Form: Haiku

wanted: soft option
that pays money for nothing
long holidays too
pay me to make jam
or the bread to spread it on
typed out keys need rest

©JezzieG2023

Succession (RDP)

King Charles III

Inspired by and written for Ragtag Daily Prompt – with thanks to Drkottaway

Given upcoming events here in the UK, I am going with this definition

Definition: Succession – n. the action or process of inheriting a title, office, property, etc

Form: Haiku

destiny
future decided
before birth
with no choice
doing the right thing
duty first
born a prince
never a free man
not like me
fate decreed
on how life would be
crowned a king
by his side
his consort and queen
a gift of love
Long Live the King and his Queen

©JezzieG2023

River (WOTDC)

Thames Head, Kemble, Gloucestershire, UK

Inspired by and written for the Word of the Day Challenge – with thanks to Cyranny

Definition: River – n. a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river

Staying close to home again, I’m lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world

Form: Haiku

seasonal springs rise
nature’s source for old man Thames
that flows to the sea
winding and wider
making his way to the coast
through Old London town

©JezzieG2023

Sakura

Sakura
Form: Haiku

sakura whispers
where the moon spilled silver light
sweet intimacy
and tranquillity
shivers in lunar embrace
pastel pink cascades

©JezzieG2023

Worthy (YDWP)

Inspired by and written for Your Daily Word Prompt – my thanks to Sheryl

Definition: Worthy – adj. having or showing the qualities that deserve the specified action or regard; characterized by good intent but lacking in humour or imagination; n. a person notable or important in a particular sphere

Form: Haiku

celebrity names
made in reality shows
get me out of here

©JezzieG2023

Consequences (RDP)

Inspired by and written for Ragtag Daily Prompt – my thanks to CuriousCat

Definition: Consequences – n. a result or effect, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant; importance or relevance

Form: Haiku

deed’s reward
unthought of event
did you care?
think ahead
of what could go wrong
if you care

©JezzieG2023

Ballyhoo (WOTDC)

Inspired by and written for the Word of the Day Challenge – my thanks to Cyranny

Definition: Ballyhoo – n. extravagant publicity or fuss; v. praise or publicize extravagantly

Synonyms: publicity, advertising, promotion, marketing, propaganda, push

Form: Haiku

new feathers ruffled
beckoning come hither, come
rituals of spring
marketing talents
attracting a friendly mate
a bird must put out
competition’s tough
social skills, self-promotion
his feathers are best

©JezzieG2023

Bitter (YDWP)

Inspired by and written for Your Daily Word Prompt – my thanks to Sheryl

Definition: Bitter – adj. having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet; feeling or showing anger, hurt, or resentment because of bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment

Synonyms: sharp, acid, pungent, acrid, tart, sour, biting, resentful, embittered, aggrieved, dissatisfied, disgruntled

Form: Lune

dissatisfied grapes
disgruntled
in acrimony
such bitter lemons
tart and sour
not sweet lemonade

©JezzieG2023

Chafe (YDWP)

Inspired by and written for Your Daily Word Prompt – my thanks to Sheryl

Definition: Chafe – v. (with reference to a part of the body) make or become sore by rubbing against something; rub (a part of the body) to restore warmth or sensation

Synonyms: abrade, graze, grate, gall, skin, rub, warm

Form: Haiku

the worn-down circles
grazing the sturdy old boughs
where kids used to swing

©JezzieG2023

Working (WOTDC)

Inspired by and written for the Word of the Day Challenge – my thanks to Kristian

Definition: Working – adj. having paid employment; functioning or able to function; n. the way in which a machine, organization, or system operates

Synonyms: employed, functioning, operation, running, action, performance, mechanism

Form: Haiku

gears and cogs
steam pushing pistons
time to go
slow at first
then speeding onward
charging home

©JezzieG2023

Risqué (RDP)

Inspired by and written for Ragtag Daily Prompts – my thanks to Martha Kennedy

Definition: Risqué – adj. slightly indecent and liable to shock, especially by being sexually suggestive

Synonyms: bawdy, indecent, rude, racy, broad, earthy,

Form: Haiku

racy yellow blooms
tempting spring’s sensual delights
oh those birds and bees
bluetits chase ladies
come to the nest and lay eggs
raven calls his life mate
pollen collectors
early bees busy sharing
for next year's flowers

©JezzieG2023

Paraphernalia (YDWP)

Inspired by and written for Your Daily Word Prompt – my thanks to Sheryl

Definition: Paraphernalia – n. miscellaneous articles, especially the equipment needed for a particular activity; trappings associated with a particular institution or activity that are regarded as superfluous

Synonyms: equipment. stuff, things, apparatus, kit, tackle, implements, tools

Form: Haiku

sat in this silence
waiting at the cold lake’s edge
sunset reflections
the line barely moves
as the swim has gone quiet
are fish done feeding?
doesn’t matter much
sat here on my tackle box
sipping a cuppa
before packing in
to walk back home in the dark
I don’t come for fish

©JezzieG2023

Pernicious (WOTDC)

Inspired by and written for Word of the Day Challenge – with thanks to Curiouscat

Definition: Pernicious – adj. having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way

Synonyms: harmful, damaging, destructive, injurious, hurtful, detrimental

Form: Haiku

it’s subtle
unseen destruction
missed red flags
damaging
little by little
self esteem
mental health
crashes thoughts darken
to stop it
closing down
released from the pain
six feet down

©JezzieG2023

Churl (AWAD)

Inspired by A Word A Day – thank you, Anu Garg

I do genealogy and one of my ancestors is Annie, a village pauper from the late 18th century. I visit where she is now and then and give her flowers. I am grateful for Annie and her life, she is my direct lineage, and without her, I wouldn’t be here.

Definition: Churl – n. a rude person, a miserly person, a peasant

Synonyms: beast, clodhopper, oaf, provincial;, rustic, chuff, mucker

Form: Haiku

her body lies cold
within a cheap wooden box
for parish send off
no grave marks the spot
Annie forgotten by time
no flowers speak love
a country peasant
so poor her resting place shared
in a common grave

©JezzieG2023

Optimist (RDP)

Inspired by and written for Ragtag Daily, Prompt – with thanks to Martha Kennedy

Definition: Optimist – n. a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of something; a person who believes that this world is the best of all possible worlds or that good must ultimately prevail over evil

Synonyms: idealist, facies held in the mind, Platonist, dreamer. enthusiast

Form: Haiku

drift on tomorrow
daydreamer
today left undone

©JezzieG2023

Write (JustJoJan)

Inspired by and written for JustJoJan – thank you, Linda

Definition: Write – v. mark (letters, words, or other symbols) on a surface, typically paper, with a pen, pencil, or similar implement.

Synonyms: put down, note, compose, address, create, draft, pen, scrawl, rewrite, scribble, ink, jot

And I caught up after a delayed start, and here I am, 31 Jan, writing the first draft to the final prompt for JustJoJan – of course, it must go for editing before it sees the screen let alone gets posted

Form: Haiku

outline – jot down notes
pen and ink of rough ideas
something or nothing
pen roughing outlines
out of order but in sync
scribbles in first draft
edit and rewrite
read through and edit some more
until final draft
check meter and form
count syllables to be sure
are rhyme patterns, right?
syntax and vocab
and there in ink it is done
now ready to type
they think it’s easy
composing words into verse
it’s bloody hard work

©JezzieG2023

(Un)Invent (YDWP)

Inspired by and written for Your Daily Word Prompt – thank you, Sheryl

Definition: Invent – v. create or design (something that has not existed before); be the originator of

Opposite/Antonyms: destroy, end, finish, lose, miss, terminate, forget, stop

Form: Haiku

turn back hands of time
when the living was easy
or so it may seem

©JezzieG2023

Cleaned by the Moon (JustJoJan)

Inspired by and written for JustJoJan – thank you, Linda

At the time of writing it is Saturday which marks the beginning of the writing week for me, and of course, I start with wordplay. However, to make a change, this week I have added the parameter of using opposite or antonyms. The prompt is ‘stained by the sun’ so I am going with ‘cleaned by the moon’ here.

Form: Haiku

Lady of silver
cleansing beams refresh my soul
and life is alright

©JezzieG2023