WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

WEDNESDAY 14th APRIL 2021 ~ FLASH FICTION ~ POETRY 

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Last Post on WordPress’ ~ 

Prompt ~ WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

S/he said
Pause whatever you’re doing, and ask the person nearest you what they’re thinking about (call someone if you have to). Write a post based on it.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

by John Yeo

 The person seated next to me responded with ‘I’m reading the newspaper.’  Which happened to be an online version of the ‘Daily Mail.’  I am aware that one of the prime reasons for this  choice of newspaper is the crossword puzzles and mind games that go some way to the alleviation and defence against dementia. The news is almost a bi-product of the investment in purchasing the newspaper. I then asked,

‘What would you be reading if it wasn’t for the puzzles and mind games? In that particular newspaper?

 The unsurprising reply came as, ‘I’m not sure, probably The Independent.’ This reply was obviously based on the more serious aspect of buying a newspaper as an independent slant on the news.

   This response got me thinking about the influences that shape the mind. Most people’s habits of thought and inspiration come from the newspapers that we tend to devour on a daily basis. A constant flow of opinion and the slants on what is happening in the world is ingested and percolated from our reading habits. Usually our choice of newspaper is not so much dictated by our parents, but largely influenced by their choice of newspaper. Until we get to our further education establishment where we develop our own instinctual choices. 

 The wide variety of news sources today allows us to ingest the news in many different ways including the single daily take of our regular morning newspapers.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

by John Yeo

‘What are you thinking about?’

‘The trail is very obscure,
Many twists and turns
Millions have come this way
The path is very well worn.’

~

‘What are you thinking about?’

‘Across the seas, another shore,
There are many signs,
Many corners, many directions,
Many examples to follow.’

~

‘What are you thinking about?’

‘One door unlocks another door,
The instinct quickly learns
The only way is forward,
Be kind, be gentle, be firm.’

~

‘What are you thinking about?’

‘Your trail began at birth,
Already the myriad clues and signs
Were building a pattern to follow.
The learning never ends.’

© Written by John Yeo, All rights reserved.

LUMINESCENT AQUAMARINE

SATURDAY 10th APRIL 2021 ~ POETRY

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Last Post on WordPress’

Prompt ~ LUMINESCENT

Photo credit by Kris Williams

BIOLUMINESCENCE 

by John Yeo

Photographers and nature lovers have been watching bioluminescent plankton glowing off the Welsh coast.

Bioluminescence describes the light that some living creatures, such as fireflies and jellyfish, emit from their cells.

Photographer Kris Williams captured the above sighting in  Beaumaris, Anglesey in Wales.

  To discover vivid natural bioluminescent plankton, one of the best places is in the Indian Ocean.

Travellers to  the exotic waters, surrounding the islands of the Maldives, may be treated to a dazzling natural phenomenon that turns the night-time ocean into a field of glowing stars.

As waves break on the sandy shore, or bare feet step into wet sand, a bright blue glow appears. This magical effect is caused by the bioluminescent plankton that often appears in warm coastal waters. 

A trip to the Maldives could be on our bucket list when we are finally allowed to travel again.

LUMINESCENT AQUAMARINE

By John Yeo

Aqua, a description of water,

Marine, a perfectly placid sea.

Blue, a reflection of heaven

The watery world we inhabit.

Aquamarine is the colour of our orb.

Bioluminescence is caused by

disturbed plankton at the seashore 

Vividly flashing a pale blue light.

~

Earth is blue in the black of space,

Water, our lifeblood, the key.

All life washed ashore from the blue sea

Covering the land with our family.

Aquamarine is the colour of life.

Bioluminescence is created by

disturbed plankton at the seashore 

Emitting a pale blue aura.

~

Translucent depths of a metal hue,

A moon at night of a deep dark blue.

Reflecting a seascape of luminescence

Thoughtful deep dreams in the blue half-light

Aquamarine is the colour of night.

Bioluminescence is created by

disturbed plankton at the seashore 

Shining with a pale blue aura.

©~ Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved

EASTERN AUSTRALIA

FRIDAY 9th APRIL 2021

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Last Post on WordPress’

PROMPT DO-OVER

Go back to a blog post you always thought could be better, or were unsatisfied with – now, fix it.

( Blog post resurrected from Wednesday 6th March 2018)

  This post was deficient in that there was no indication that it took place in Eastern Australia and it was lacking any photographs. I hope this has fixed those unsatisfactory problems.

I had a habit of getting up early and walking along in the local nature reserve. I went for my first walk through the natural woodland in the park with the camera, the weather was cloudy and threatening to rain, I had decided to risk a soaking. There were not many birds around to photograph, although I was aware of the usual cacophony of sound from the trees and scrub in the woods. 

  The first bird I came across was my old friend the brush turkey who was in the process of building a nest in exactly the same spot as he did fourteen months ago when we were here last. I shot some photographs of him hard at work and wandered along the track which was quite muddy from the incredible rainfall here of late and I was forced to turn back and retrace my steps. 

On the way I was met by my friend the dog walker, a man who I had met in the same place walking his dog when we were here last. Then the rain suddenly came and I was soaked to the skin, within minutes I sheltered under some enormous Palm tree leaves and waited for it to stop. I heard a rustle behind me and I was just in time to  photograph another brush turkey. 

The rain stopped and I was able to continue on my way.   As I was nearing home I noticed some movement in a beautiful Golden Penda tree which was in full bloom and covered with lovely yellow flowers. These trees are everywhere in this area, and they are all covered with pretty yellow blossom at this time of the year. To my surprise and delight there were several rainbow lorikeets feeding on the nectar produced by these wonderful flowers, and I quickly snapped a photograph of the lorikeets feeding, until I was noticed by the birds and they flew off.

© ~ Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

TURN, TURN, TURN

THURSDAY 8th APRIL 2021 ~ FLASH FICTION ~ POETRY

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Last Post on WordPress’  

Prompt ~ TURN, TURN, TURN

For many of us, winter is blooming into spring, or fall hardening into winter. Which season do you most look forward to?

I

TURN, TURN, TURN

by John Yeo

February dark is merging with March birdsong

Our tender baby plants protected from the weather

A forecast with ice and snow on the horizon.

~

Our plants fed, watered, nurtured and growing strong.

Spring is not very far, yet winter days last forever,

February dark is merging with March birdsong.

~

Wind howls from the north the season seems to prolong.

Harsh hardship for growers who have to be clever

A forecast with ice and frost on the horizon.

~

April brings welcome showers as flowers begin to throng

A carpet of colour spreads far outwards wherever

February is merging with March and April birdsong.

~

The farmer has learnt to always weather the storm,

Never afraid to stand his ground whatever, whenever.

A forecast with rain and floods is on the horizon.

~

Never taking shelter from the storms of life,

Ever ready to spread warmth with a smile.

A forecast with sun and warm rain on the horizon.

Merging February, March, April with a May Spring song.

~

~

This prompt was another relatively easy prompt for me to respond to. As gardeners  and confirmed allotment holders, Margaret and I follow the seasons closely. 

 I’m certain spring is the season we look forward to most, as this is the month when most of our hard work is done. We need to sow most of our vegetable seeds in the spring. We grow a surprising amount of our brassica seeds in large tubs, before transplanting the baby plants into their final resting place in the allotment beds.

We are always at the mercy of weather fluctuations, as a late spring frost could easily wipe everything out, sending us straight back to square one. 

 Spring is for me, the favourite time of the year, for the beauty of birdlife, their wonderful tuneful breeding season when the dawn chorus reaches the heights.

~

~

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

THE POWER OF WORDS

MONDAY 5th APRIL 2021

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Daily Post on WordPress’  

Prompt ~Share the Love

Tell us about another blogger who has influenced your own online journey.

Crows roosting by Patrick White – 15/09/1948 – 01/03/2014.

THE POWER OF WORDS

by John Yeo

  It was ten years ago when I first came into contact with a man who had a big influence on my writing. 

  I followed his writing on a daily basis, overwhelmed with his poetry. He would write a long powerful poem on a daily basis and publish it on his Facebook page. It was to become a joy for me to wake in the morning and to start my day by reading his latest overnight post. I began commenting daily on his published poem and receiving a response. We became good online friends, to the point of him signing off by always sending. ‘Love to Margaret,’ my wife.  

He was also a brilliant and accomplished artist, often displaying and selling his work online.

Sadly he passed away on the first of March, 2014.

PATRICK WHITE R.I.P.

by John Yeo

Tragedy; a situation that can be woven into verse?

Not a difficult question for the power of the pen.

Read the question closely, memorise every word.

Take whatever comes into mind and spin it.

I remember a friend I made on the internet once,

A creative poet with a magical mind.

I would wake every day and devour his work

Then we would take time to greet each other.

~

The poetic spells he had woven overnight

Were gems of wisdom and poetic thought.

With the communication of his imagination 

He became a friend, a guide and an inspiration.

Slowly his verse became darker and darker;

My friend was living on borrowed time.

A terminal evil began to darken his verse

As he described in poetry his fight for life.

~

One deep, black moment before the dawn,

I looked for my friend but his magic was gone.

Gone to new horizons to record infinity,

A comet travelling through the universe

Swamped in the starmud of eternal time.

As dawn suffocated the starlight completely

I knew my friend had breathed his last.

Leaving a brilliant legacy of poetic tragedy.

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

~~~~~

Advice from a talented well-respected poet and artist

Patrick White (15/09/1948 – 01/03/2014)

‘I Often employ a Sufi practice in my poems, called scattering. You seed the wind with so many flowers, stars, images, the border guards of front door consciousness are overwhelmed by them to the extent that they start coming in the undefended… back door of the subconscious that listens to and hears everything without missing a thing. The point is to get in first, and then let the conscious mind find a place for them to settle. As for the form, its dynamic, not static and runs like a northern river back to its source, with all the inflections of water, whitewater, still water, falling water etc. reflecting the various moods and intensities of the poet along the way.’ Patrick White

ESCAPE

SATURDAY 3rd APRIL 2021

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Daily Post on WordPress’  

Prompt ~ ESCAPE

Describe your ultimate escape plan (and tell us what you’re escaping from.)

ESCAPE

by John Yeo

Life in lockdown has become a pleasant routine

Wear a mask, respect distance, stay safe at home.

Escape to the beaches of Australia is a distant dream.

~

Another update with frightening statistics between 

Dreaming of a future far beyond the present unknown 

Life in lockdown has become a pleasant routine.

~

Memories of past travels fill our days as we scheme

To visit distant shores flying above the ocean foam

Escape to the beaches of Thailand is a far distant dream.

~

Hope springs eternal with a successful jab of vaccine 

Fake news and rumour cloud the post-Covid syndrome

Life in lockdown has become a pleasant routine.

~

Sunshine, sandy beaches, rest, relaxation intervene 

We enjoy the present but look forward again to roam

A visit to the family in Australia is a distant dream.

~

The future begins to look clearer on the crystal screen 

Covid statistics show a pandemic in monochrome 

Escape to the beaches of Australia is a distant dream.

Life in lockdown has become a familiar routine.

~

 © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

Unsurprisingly this was always going to be an incredibly easy prompt to respond to, as everyone is currently embroiled in a worldwide pandemic. It is impossible to plan an escape from an ongoing, ever-changing situation. However the poem certainly answers the prompt.

PRIZED POSSESSION

FRIDAY 5th APRIL 2021

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Daily Post on WordPress’  

Prompt ~ PRIZED POSSESSION

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a child. What became of it? 

 

PRIZED POSSESSION

by John Yeo

  High adventure, romance, and crime.

~

A uniform array of seats and students,

A desk, an inkwell and a blotter,

A dipping pen with a removable nib,

Blotting paper to soak up the blobs

Inky fingers from leaks and smudges

Nib scratching on an exercise book,

Nibs that got crossed from wearing them in

Tailored to the way you held the pen.

~

Train drivers, firemen and cowboys.

~

Then a competition for all the class,

The prize to win was a modern pen

Blue in colour with a silver nib

With a container made of rubber within

That was filled by a lever with blue black ink.

Write a story, an essay or a poem

Using inspiration and imagination.

I won that pen through determination.

~

Nature, gardens and current affairs.

~

I respected that pen for years to come

My writing improved and my comprehension

A prize with hidden value beyond measure

That allowed me to convey my inner thoughts. 

To all around it was just a cheap pen,

To me it represented a treasure fairly won

A gateway to expressing thought on paper

Writing many stories, essays and poems.

~

Experiences of life, love and growing up.

  ~

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

This prompt was quite easy for me to answer, as I had already answered something like it in a poetry group Margaret and I were both members of seven years ago. I wrote this poem which is based on an actual event that happened during my school days. The fountain pen I won did give me a lot of service over the years. Sadly, I can’t remember exactly what happened to the pen but the main section of this writing prompt is answered within this poem. I think I probably outgrew or lost this wonderful prize that was responsible for inspiring and enabling me to put my thoughts on paper over many years since.

The Germination of Significance from an Insignificant Seed

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

THURSDAY 1st APRIL 2021

I’ve decided to switch my attention to another prompt provider, perhaps with more challenging prompts. So far I have completed three months of my New Years resolution to complete a writing prompt every day. A wonderful exercise during lockdown.

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘The Daily Post on WordPress’  

Prompt ~ THE SOCIAL NETWORK . Do you feel like you “get” social media, or do you just use it because that’s where all your friends and family are?

THE SOCIAL NETWORK 

by John Yeo

  The problem with responding to this prompt is the wide-ranging area of the question. I am sure everyone who experiences both the benefits and the negative aspects of social media would have a different view.

  My first introduction to this; at the time, a hazy, mysterious world, was through one of our daughters who was working on an Open University degree and suggested we join Facebook. I think we both have a lot to thank her for, as from that day, we have both embraced the online social media circle in many ways.

 To go back to the first part of the question, I would have to say I certainly do ‘get’ the benefits of social media and also I ‘get’ the prospect of the hidden dangers.

  The main positive factor has always been instant communication with the family wherever in the world they have settled. The sharing of photographs and comments both enables one to literally watch their children growing up in real time.

  A huge benefit to me has been the making of many interesting international friends who have helped me enormously with my writing. 

  Social media has a lot of hidden dangers only counteracted by whatever one reveals to the world of online respondents.

SOCIAL MEDIA

by John Yeo

The question is, ‘Do you ‘get’ Social Media at all?’

It’s the word, ‘get’ that triggers some mild anxiety,

At first the presentation is designed to enthral.

~

The feeling of a timeline on your very own wall,

Communicating with your friends and family,

The question is, ‘Do you ‘get’ Social Media at all?’

~

Friends suddenly appear to test your ultimate recall

Stretching the limits of your personal privacy,

At first the presentation is designed to enthral.

~

Mention a product, start a search, begin to trawl,

Soon your wall contains adverts in a great variety

The question is, ‘Do you ‘get’ Social Media at all?’

~

Your close friends and family reveal their almost all

Reminders appear of many an upcoming birthday,

At first the presentation is designed to enthral.

~

The twists and turns of opinion can often apall

Despite a feeling of fellowship and friendly society,

At first the presentation is designed to enthral,

The question is, ‘Do you ‘get’ Social Media at all?’

~

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

MARCH MIST

SUNDAY 28th MARCH 2021

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘Putting My Feet In the Dirt’, Writing Prompts hosted by ‘M’.
Which can be found by following the link below..

Prompt ~ MARCH MIST

https://puttingmyfeetinthedirt.com/2021/03/01/march-2021-writing-prompts/

MARCH MIST

by John Yeo

  Dawn breaks on a misty March day, frost fills the air and colours the pathway through the fields with a grey-white film. Early March shadows loom and recede along the hedgerows, cast by shrubs and trees. There’s not a sound to shatter the icy silence of the mist-shrouded morning. Then, a deep throated warble sounds from a nearby bush, a fusion of birdsong begins to break the silence, melodiously rising and falling to colour the bleakness of the scene. A Blackbird song signals a new day dawning. The rich quality of the tuneful sound loudly resounds and can be heard for miles around. A natural sound, designed as a territorial warning. He whistles and warbles sweet sound, smooth trilling notes with melodious perfection. 

 Slowly more birds add sound to the dawn chorus; a cacophony of melodic, richly outspoken, deep throated choristers soon penetrates through the March mist.

  Then without warning the smooth flow of notes is broken. A cry of alarm sounds and many wings flap as birds take to the air to escape from the danger of feathers or fur. Their natural defense against man, predatory feline or hawk. When all danger is past the beautiful dawn chorus resumes in a mass of sound. Tuneful and melodic, with perfect clarity. The morning March mist lifts, as a watery sun breaks through the clouds, spreading warmth.

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.

INDISCRIMINATE MIXTURES

FRIDAY 26th MARCH 2021

This is a response to a Flash Fiction prompt from ‘Putting My Feet In the Dirt’, Writing Prompts hosted by ‘M’.
Which can be found by following the link below..

Prompt ~ INDISCRIMINATE MIXTURES

https://puttingmyfeetinthedirt.com/2021/03/01/march-2021-writing-prompts/

INDISCRIMINATE MIXTURES

by John Yeo

    Ideas are not easy to attain, they are an amalgam of information. A perfect mixture of acquired information coming together from many sources. So much inspiration is perspiration, while one is waiting for that eureka moment when some seemingly unrelated facts come together.

    My day starts with a habitual routine of little rituals, I wake early and check out my online social media accounts. Then I avidly check the headlines and stories in the online newspapers. Following this I will read a couple of chapters of the current book I’m immersed in. At the moment I have three on the go. ‘The Road,’ written by Cormac McCarthy, a post-apocalyptic novel that vividly illustrates what life could be like for the survivors after a nuclear holocaust. The other two are, ‘Tamburlaine Must Die,’ a novel written by Louise Welsh. My other current book is a reread of Charles Dickens, ‘Oliver Twist,’ an old favourite I am sporadically reading. I have always thought that reading is as important to the formulation of ideas as breathing. 

  These days information arrives from many sources leading to an indiscriminate mixture. There is also a need for contemplation, not a quiet meditation on the meaning of things but a meeting of the outer and the inner eye, a quiet process of mixing, matching and remembering.

  I enjoy the challenge of answering writing prompts by ‘M’, on WordPress. Each day I’m confronted with a random couple of words and I then allow my thought processes free rein to come up with ideas for a poem or a short piece of writing to answer the prompt. Opening up my mind to fill the indiscriminate mixtures between life and art, inspiring ideas. The interesting, usually two word prompt; allows my mind to take off in a flight of fancies. This is the great adventure that is writing, the challenge of going somewhere I may not already have been.

© Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved