#SundayWalks Autumn is in the air
Tag Grandson
#Poetry ‘Dreams’ #Tanka Tuesday
A child is born,
The Universe throbs with new life,
A dream has come true
Tall trees and glass walls witness
Miracles; baby’s birthday.
Pictures of the Frauenklinik in the Englishen Garten in Munich, where my grandson, Marcos, was born last July.
#MarcosPlaylist ‘Night Birds’ by Shakatak #Spotify #Saturdaysingalong #Tanka
Welcome back to #MarcosPlaylist and #SaturdaySingalong with another song from the playlist I made for my grandson in August 2020 on Spotify, when he was just a few days old. I chose my favourite songs with a mellow rhythm to sing to him, dance with him cradled in my arms and perhaps send him to sleep, or at least calm him down! This post, tanka and playlist is for Marcos, now thirteen-weeks old.
Today I’m featuring Night Birds, an Album and song by the English jazz-funk band Shakatak, founded in 1980. Both the album and the song released in 1982, reached the top ten. All the songs in the album were written by keyboardist, Bill Sharpe and drummer, Roger Odell.
The group is still active, in fact they have just released a 3CD and DVD Boxset All Around the World 40th Anniversary.
The song’s lyrics are short, seven lines and 33 words. The lyrics are evocative, but my favourite sequence of the song is the instrumental part, which is most of the over six, wonderful minutes the song lasts. What can I say? I love dancing around the house, with Marcos in my arms, humming the tune and singing the song.
Here’s the Spotify link:
Here’s my Tanka inspired by the music and lyrics, dedicated to Marcos.
Night Birds
Flying through the night,
Across blackened sky, cool breeze,
City lights brighten heavens,
Nightbirds flutter, piano plays,
Kiss the day goodbye.
****
Watch them sing the song live on YouTube from Tokio in 2016.
I hope you have a long, lazy Sunday, free to do whatever makes you happy.
I’m driving about 800 kilometers to visit my mother. Actually, my husband’s driving and I’m writing this post! I was over the top busy yesterday, packing etc. so this weeks’ #Saturdaysingalong is being posted on Sunday.
what are you doing this weekend?
Do you have a special Spotify playlist or favourite song you’d like to share? Go ahead and tell us in the comments!
Stay safe, singalong, enjoy and have a great Sunday!
Image by Geralt at pixabay.com
#MarcosPlaylist ‘Easy (Like a Sunday Morning)’ by Commodores #Spotify #Saturdaysingalong #Tanka
Welcome back to #MarcosPlaylist and #SaturdaySingalong with another song from the playlist I made for my grandson in August 2020 on Spotify, when he was just a few days old. I chose my favourite songs with a mellow rhythm to sing to him, dance with him cradled in my arms and perhaps send him to sleep, or at least calm him down! This post, tanka and playlist is for Marcos, now twelve-weeks old.
Today I’m featuring Easy (like a Sunday morning) a song written by the great, grammy-award-winning artist, Lionel Ritchie and made famous by Commodores, the popular soul, dance and funky group of which he was a member, until he launched his solo career in 1982.
Richie receiving the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors
Easy became a hit in 1977, when I was in my first year at Westfield College, such a long time ago, and yet it seems like yesterday!
Here’s the youtube remasterised version. Don’t you just love the shiny costumes flickering all over the screen! It takes me right back to the Age of Glitter in Pop Culture in the seventies; David Cassidy, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, shiny icons, sparkling stars, I danced and sang-along with them all! Such glowing memories!
Free as summer sunbeams,
Easy like Sunday morning,
Loose like shooting star,
Unchained, unfettered, serene,
Heart glittering in night sky.
I hope you have a long, lazy Sunday, free to do whatever makes you happy.
I’m looking forward to mine, although I’ll be busy converting my basement into a playroom for my grandchildren.
what are you doing this weekend?
Do you have a special Spotify playlist or favourite song you’d like to share? Go ahead and tell us in the comments!
Stay safe, singalong, enjoy and have a great Saturday and Sunday!
Image by Geralt at pixabay.com
#MarcosPlaylist ‘What the world needs now’ by Jackie DeShannnon #Spotify #Saturdaysingalong #Tanka
Welcome back to #MarcosPlaylist and #SaturdaySingalong with another song from the playlist I made for my grandson in August 2020 on Spotify, when he was just a few days old. I chose my favourite songs with a mellow rhythm to sing to him, dance with him cradled in my arms and perhaps send him to sleep, or at least calm him down!
Today I’m featuring What the world needs now, a wonderful song composed by the great Burt Bacharach and made famous by the singer, Jackie DeShannon in 1965, when I was six years old!
Jackie has recently launched a remasterised Anthology of her songs including hits such as Lonely Girl. She’s also famous for composing Grammy Award Winning Song, Bette Davis Eyes, in 1974, although the song was made famous by singer, Kim Carnes.
Again, I love the calming rhythm and uplifting lyrics as I singalong with Marcos! Here’s the spotify link:
This post, tanka and playlist is dedicated to my now eleven-week old grandson, Marcos.
What the world needs now,
Is love, sweet love, honest love,
Like a mother’s love,
You don’t need to reach the stars,
Just enjoy and share the love.
****
Do you have a special Spotify playlist or favourite song you’d like to share? Go ahead and tell us in the comments!
Stay safe, singalong, enjoy and have a great Saturday!
Image by Geralt at pixabay.com
#MarcosPlaylist ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ by Steve Wonder #Spotify #Saturdaysingalong #Haiku
Welcome back to #MarcosPlaylist and #SaturdaySingalong with another song from the playlist I made for my grandson in August 2020 on Spotify, when he was just a few days old. I chose my favourite songs with a mellow rhythm to sing to him, dance with him cradled in my arms and perhaps send him to sleep, or at least calm him down!
Today I’m featuring isn’t she lovely, once again by Stevie Wonder, well, I did tell you he’s one of my favourite singers. His songs are so feel-good. I love singing-along and dancing to his tunes. It perks me up no end!
Stevie Wonder wrote isn’t she lovely to celebrate the birth of his daughter, Aisha. I never tire of listening to this song, so full of love. Here’s a YouTube video in which he sings it with his grown-up daughter on stage
This post, haiku and playlist is dedicated to my now ten-week old grandson, Marcos.
Isn’t he precious,
Sent from heaven, made from love,
Wonderful Marcos.
****
Which is your favourite Steve Wonder song? Let me know in the comments.
Do you have a special Spotify playlist you’d like to share? Go ahead and share in the comments.
Stay safe, singalong, enjoy and have a great Saturday!
Image by Geralt at pixabay.com
#MarcosPlaylist ‘For Once in my Life’ by Steve Wonder #Spotify #Saturdaysingalong #Tanka
Last month I made a playlist with some of my favourite melodies on Spotify. I chose those which had a mellow rhythm and would hopefully lull my newborn grandson, Marcos, to sleep, or at least calm him down!
I’m not a great fan of most nursery songs for helping children to sleep or relax, they’re either too short and repetitive or too lively to encourage rest!
As I compiled some of my some of my favourite, calming songs, I also use this playlist sometimes while I’m writing, although mostly I prefer silence.
I’ll be posting one of the songs with a haiku or tanka on Saturdays with the spotify link to the song.
Singalong, enjoy and have a great Saturday!
For once in her life
She has someone who needs her,
His voice fills her hopes,
His smile fills her heart with love,
Her dreams shine in his wide eyes.
For Lidia.
****
I love Steve Wonder’s songs! They’re so feel-good and emotionally energising. There’s more than one in Marcos’ playlist.
Which is your favourite Steve Wonder song? Let me know in the comments.
Do you have a special Spotify playlist you’d like to share? Go ahead and share in the comments.
Stay safe and remember…
#WritePhoto ‘The Chess Game’ #FlashFiction #300Words
The Chess Game
“This year we’re having a different Christmas,” my grandmother said as she moved her pawn to the side, capturing mine.
“Why did you do that?” I asked.
She pushed her glasses up and raised her eyebrows. “I had to, didn’t I?”
“You could have ignored it.” I sulked.
She chuckled. “And let you capture mine?”
“Why not? I’m only nine. Most of my friends can’t even play chess.”
“You’ll never learn if I let you win all the time. Anyway, it’s only a pawn.”
She was right, but I didn’t like being little. The grown-ups were all smarter than I was, and it really annoyed me.
“Come on, Tom, it’s your turn.”
I moved my knight. “So what’s new about this Christmas?” My grandmother always came up with great ideas for games and outings.
She showed me a picture of green fields and snow-covered hills. “I’m renting a cottage right here, for the weekend.”
My jaw dropped. It was in the middle of nowhere. “Are we all going?”
She moved her queen. “Of course! It’s Christmas. There’s a real log fire and plenty of hiking trails, and board games to play in the evenings!”
My parents would never agree to staying at such an isolated place. They were always working or going out with friends.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Don’t you like the idea?”
It would be nice to spend a few days alone with my parents and grandmother. That hadn’t happened in ages. “I think it’s a great idea, Granny!” I said as I captured her pawn with my knight.
“Pay attention!” she said as she captured my knight with her queen.
I sighed hoping she’d be as good at convincing my parents to stay at the cottage as she was at playing chess.
****
This piece of flash fiction was written in response to Sue Vincent’s weekly photo prompt. Join in or read other entries here!
Ariel, coloured by my granddaughter, Elsa.
#AtoZChallenge ‘Y is for Yellowing’ #NaPoWriMo #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge
Yellowing Mist
Leafless trees witness
Silhouettes on wet pavement
Grandfather and child
Drift along telling stories
Charmed by the yellowing mist
****
I took this picture of my husband and our grandson on a rainy evening a few months ago, as the sun was waning. I was amazed at the yellow light from the sun, shining through the trees and reflected on the pavement, which gave the scene a surreal, misty aura. The yellow wall to the right, on the corner also adds to the yellow tinge.
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This Tanka is part of Colleen’s Weekly Tanka Poetry Challenge. This week we were asked to write a Tanka with synonyms of ‘enchant’ and ‘shape’. I chose ‘silhouette’ and ‘figure’.
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This year is my fourth AtoZ Challenge. My theme this year is poetry once again. I’ll be writing a tanks today, instead of a haiku. I’m also adding a new hobby to the posts, photography. I will post one of my photos, or a donated photo, every day to accompany my haiku.
This April, I’ll also be sharing my poems and joining another group of poets at National Poetry Writing Month, organised since 2003 by Maureen Thorson. Write 30 poems in 30 days. I’m in! What about you?
#SixWordSaturday Getting Ready for #Christmas Family Reunions
Christmas Tree outside the shopping centre.
Close up of the Christmas tree.
Inside the Christmas tree!
November’s a longish, coldish month.
Today, while doing my weekly food shopping, I noticed a Christmas Tree in the square outside the shopping centre, and plenty of Christmas decorations inside the shop.
I didn’t buy anything, not yet, but it reminded me about the family reunions ahead.
This year I’m looking forward to having all my children and grandchildren at home for a few special days.
Rereading Jane Eyre 