Friday, August 1, 2025

Wanderer - #XplorationChallenge #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Happy August, beautiful readers! July was a very stressful month for me with all the renovations. Yesterday was probably the most stressful as I'm dealing with a dishonest contractor. I'm so close to this project being done, and I just want it finished. I go back to work next Thursday, so I'm feeling a lot of stress about whether the renovations will be completed by then. Plus, there is still so much I want to do before the teacher planning days start. I'm trying to focus on one day at a time, but it isn't always easy.

Anyway, for this week's Reena's Xploration Challenge #392, Reena invites us to focus on how one sees oneself in the future. She shares this video for inspiration. I'm nowhere near retirement, but when I think of my future, this is what I see. I've written a tanka for this challenge.

(courtesy of @Edmund_AUT at Pixabay)

vacations galore
rejuvenate my spirit
avid wanderer
emotionally at peace
excited for new journeys


Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

Thursday, July 31, 2025

July 2025 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity @DLFinnAuthor @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I have been working on editing my WIP. I'm happy with the progress I've made and hope to release it before this year is over. I tried to separate time to read this month, but with all the home renovations, I haven't really had time to relax and read. Here is the one book I managed to finish this month, and it was a great one. All the reviews I share are for books I've rated with four or five stars.



Genre: Motivational & Inspirational Poetry eBooks

Pages: 171

Book Blurb:

Explore D. L. Finn’s poetic journey, from her newest to earliest works. Part One immerses you in a combination of her photography and symbolic poems. Peaceful winter days, forests, and sunsets illuminate her search for the magic of life. Part Two retraces her journey from her first poems. Her life is revealed through free verse poems and photographs that were featured in her memoir, No Fairy Tale. She discovers gratitude on her path to happiness. Join her as she explores her reality through emotions and nature in this special collection.

My Review:

This was another wonderful collection of poetry. I have been blessed to own one of the calendars that this author creates from photos she has taken and poetry she has written. The first section of this book included many photos and haiku, each brilliantly combined. She also includes freestyle poetry on many different topics. Some of my favorites were "Beautiful," "Trees," "Ice Beauty," "Rain," "The Door," and "Fear." The imagery is beautiful and her words evoke so many emotions. If you love reading poetry, you will definitely enjoy this book.


Have you read any great books this month? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

A Gnome Donsy- #W3 #dVerse #Quadrille #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro



Hello, beautiful readers! I saw a bit of progress on my kitchen today, just not as much as I was hoping for. The electrical outlets are complete, but the plumber didn't show. The cabinet guy came but only installed a few drawers. He'll be back on Saturday. I go back to work next Thursday, so I'm just hoping it's all done before then.

I've decided to combine two prompts today. The first is Wea've Written Weekly (W3). Dennis shares the photo below and invites us to write a poem in twenty lines or fewer about what we imagine is happening. We also must use the word donsy in our poem. It means group or gathering. It also must have some kind of pattern or structure, so I added a rhyming pattern.

The second prompt is from dVerse's Quadrille #228. Mish asks us to write a quadrille using a version of the word fish in it. For those who are unfamiliar, a quadrille must have exactly 44 words. 

(photo credit: Victoria Baker, Donnybrook Visitor Centre)

A Gnome Donsy

they gather every summer
eagerly awaiting their creator
children selfishly search for shade
newer gnomes make friends and play in the glade
the elderly happily reconnect with friends
to gossip about the new garden trends
and reunite with ale
under summer solstice's magical veil


Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the link below:


Angry Mom - #TankaTuesday #seox #metaphor #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's #TankaTuesday, Robbie invites us to write an implied metaphor within our poem. She explains that an implied metaphor is when a word/phrase is connected to an object/action though it is not literally applicable. I've decided to write a seox, which is a poem with a syllabic pattern of 3-7-6-5-4-3. I've bolded and italicized my metaphors.

(courtesy of @JuliusH on Pixabay)

angry mom
child nothing but punching bag
her words cut to the bone
never a kind word
loveless childhood
bleak future


Would you like to write a poem for this theme? Join us here.

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

A #Haiga - #FFFC #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge, Melissa shares the photo below and asks us to use it for inspiration. I decided to create a haiga, which is a combination of visual art with a haiku.

(image courtesy of Peter Thomas)


Would you like to write something inspired by this photo? Join us here.

Monday, July 28, 2025

Generationally Defunct - #WDYS #tanka #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! For today's What Do You See? prompt, Sadje shares two pictures with us and invites us to use them as inspiration. I chose the image below and wrote a tanka to go with it. My sister and I have been talking about generational wealth and the importance of setting up our children and their children for a stronger financial life. I guess my mind connected that with the picture...sort of. Lol!

(image credit; Christian Crocker @ Unsplash)

Generationally Defunct

seeking ancestors
mysterious heritage
new revelations
descendants of kings and queens
money, power died with them


Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Melted Ice - #dVerse #WDYS #W3 #Etheree #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro




Hello, beautiful readers! I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel in my renovations. It looks like my kitchen will finally get installed tomorrow or Friday. Fingers crossed! It's been a busy day and tomorrow is looking even busier, so I'm going to try to combine three different prompts into one poem today.

The first comes from dVerse's Poets Pub. Lillian invites us to use the name from the list of candies that she provides here within our poem. I'm not a big candy/bar person, though I do love dark chocolate. For my poem, I decided to use starburst as my word.

The second challenge is Sadje's What Do You See? prompt. The photo below is one of the two she provided to inspire us to write. And the third challenge is W3: Wea've Written Weekly. Lesley gives us the option of writing about a desert island or a fantasy castle. I've twisted this a bit to a deserted island of ice, rather than a desert of sand.

I decided to write an Etheree, which is a poem of ten lines with a syllabication pattern of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.

(image courtesy of Colin Watts @ Unsplash)

Melted Ice

you
left me
deserted
my heart broken
shattered pieces formed
protective icy shards
prevented new encounters
with time, the heart began to mend
starbursts of warmth, self-love melted walls
and I found a new love to call my own


Would you like to join any of these challenges? Click the links below:



Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Treehouse Camping - #TankaTuesday #tankaprose #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! For today's #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge, Selma invited us to explore the photography of Paul Szlosek. I encourage you to click on his name and check out his photos. They are fantastic! I chose the photo below and decided to write a tanka prose, which is a paragraph of prose and a tanka.

(image courtesy of Paul Szlosek)

Treehouse Camping

When I was little, my dad was stationed in Vicksburg, Mississippi, for three years. We lived in a brick house on Melrose Road. Behind our house, our yard rapidly descended toward a creek that would rise every time a bad storm came through. On that incline was a huge tree, so my dad built my sister and me a treehouse across its several large trunks. As far as we were concerned, it was a mansion, and all our friends loved to visit. I miss those days where a simple treehouse was enough to satisfy the soul.

treehouse summer nights
sleeping bags up high in tree
crickets serenade
lantern glow illuminates
imagination set free


Would you like to write a poem based on one of Paul's photos? Join us here.

Monday, July 21, 2025

Beauty's Depth - #dVerse #FFFC #prosery #haibun #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro



Hello, beautiful readers! I finally made it to the beach on Saturday. It's been hard to step away from the house because of the renovations. It was so nice to dig my feet into the sand, breathe in the salt air, and laugh with friends. There was over ten feet of seaweed on the shoreline, which wasn't pleasing. Luckily, some people created a path through it so we could still enjoy the water. We were able to find a patch of water with very little seaweed and stayed there for a bit. The temps are in the upper 90s, so it's very hot, and the water is warm. Still, every moment at the beach is a moment of enjoyment for me.

I haven't been as consistent in writing poetry as I used to be, but it hasn't been easy to think creatively with all that's happening. The bedrooms are finally done. I'm still putting things back in place, but we are getting closer to the end now. I miss writing poetry, and I'm hoping to write more this week. For today, I'm combining two prompts.

The first one is from dVerse- Poets Pub. Kim invites to write a prosery, a short piece of prose or flash fiction of up to 144 words (my piece has exactly 144 words, not including the title). In the prosery, we must include the following quote from Derek Walcott's poem, "Dark August". We can add punctuation, but the words must stay in this order without adding other words. I have bolded and italicized the phrase within my piece.

"I would have learnt to love black days like bright ones."

The second challenge is Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #330. She shared the picture below and asked us to let it inspire us. I thought it would go perfectly with the above quote, so I combined the two. I decided to write a haibun for my prosery.

(image courtesy of @JeffHardi on Unsplash)

Beauty's Depth

For years, I suffered from low self-esteem and depression. No matter what people told me, I couldn't find light, laughter, or self-love. I'd like to think I would have learnt to love. Black days, like bright ones, can be alluring and special. But my eyes were blinded from the beauty surrounding me, stuck in a darkness that drowned any positive thought trying to rise from my mind's black hole. Luckily, I was loved unconditionally by many who stood with me and lent their supportive hands to pull me out of my quicksand captivity. When I finally learned to love myself, both flowers and flaws, the blindfold fell away and the beauty surrounding me, and within me, shone brightly. It was then I learned to love all days, even the dark ones.


thorn bush pricks draw blood
life's mishaps create worry
focus on the rose


Would you like to write for either of these prompts? Click the links below:


Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Beware the Point of No Return - #dVerse #Quadrille #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! Today has been a bit stressful with renovation woes/current country chaos, so my poetry took a bit of a dark turn. For this week's dVerse Q227, Lisa invites us to write a quadrille using the word turn or any concept connected to it. For those of you new to quadrilles, they are a form of poetry with exactly 44 words (not including the title).

(courtesy of @icheinfach on Pixabay)


Beware the Point of No Return

cerulean skies observe
toxicity poisons mindless passageways
ignorant smog darkens clarity
incendiary attacks destroy peaceful neighborhoods
violent tornados abduct loved ones off streets
cumulous clouds crowd the sky
threatening to destroy cherished values
turbulent waters are rising
turn the tide before all is lost


Would you like to write a quadrille with us this week? Join us here.

Monday, July 14, 2025

Full Moon Craze - #WDYS #haiku #poem #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! I have seen a small bit of progress in my renovation, but it feels like one step forward, two steps back. Hopefully, this week will bring me more progress. Fingers crossed!

For this week's What Do You See? prompt, Sadje shares two images and encourages us to find inspiration from one (or both) to write a poem. I chose the image below and wrote a haiku.

(Image Credit; Nik @ Unsplash)

hiding behind smiles
full moon craze starts to fester
road to peace crumbles


Would you like to write a poem for this image? Join us here.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Futuristic Dreams #TankaTuesday #CreativePerspectiveChallenge #tanka #poem #poetry @poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro



Hello, beautiful readers! Painting has begun in my house. It's one step closer to having this renovation over, but there is still so much that needs to be done. I am managing my anxiety fairly well, given the circumstances. I am grateful for these poetry challenges because they are helping me focus on something other than the chaos in my house. 

Today, I'm attempting to combine two challenges. The first comes from #TankaTuesday. Colleen introduced us to synesthesia, which is a literary device that intertwines sensory experiences. For example, you would describe a color by using a word that describes a smell or use an adjective for sound to describe a texture. I have bolded and italicized my synesthesia examples.

The other challenge is the Creative Perspective Challenge, where Denise provides us with the picture below and encourages us to let it inspire us. I've chosen to write a tanka poem for today.




futuristic dream
removes man's harm to planet
joyful, gentle winds
vast, fresh, blueberry oceans
reset provides a fresh start

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:


Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Chaffinch - #WDYS #haiku #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's What Do You See? prompt, Sadje shared two photos and asked us to use one (or both) photos to inspire our writing. I chose the photo below and decided to write a haiku.

(image courtesy of Nik @ Unsplash)


peach chaffinch in spring
shyly waits for seeds to fall
bird feeders bring joy


Would you like to write a poem for this photo? Join us here.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Pool Fun - #FFFC #seox #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro


Hello, beautiful readers! Renovations are still happening over here, but there as been some small progress. Hopefully, I'll see a lot more done this week. Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge provided the photo below and invited us to write a poem or flash fiction inspired by it. 

I decided to write a seox, which is a form with six lines and a syllabication pattern of 3-7-6-5-4-3.

(image courtesy of Tirachard Kumtanom on Pexels)

Pool Fun

summer heat
refreshing pool beckons me
rainbow-hued floating balls
peaceful, easy flow
calypso tunes
cannon ball!


Would you like to write a poem for this picture? Join us here.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Frolicking Bear - #FFFC #haiku @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge, Melissa chose the hilarious picture below, so I decided to write a haiku and have a little fun with it.

(courtesy of Ryan Grewell on Unsplash)

a bear's dream reprieve
frolicking in spring water
with no shits to give

Want to write a poem or flash fiction for this picture? Join us here.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Nowhere Like Home - #TankaTuesday #nonet #home @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! It's been a while. I just got back from my cruise on Sunday. It was just the right mixture of relaxation and fun, especially since I'm still dealing with the renovations of my house. Our NCL cruise took us to Roatan (Honduras), Harvest Caye (Belize), Cozumel (Mexico), and Great Stirrup Cay (Bahamas). We visited native animals, ziplined, and snorkeled in Roatan. We snorkeled and enjoyed the island in Harvest Caye. In Cozumel, we took the Atlantis submarine 108 feet under the sea to explore the marine life and then did some shopping. And in the Bahamas, we snorkeled (again) and relaxed at the beach. And, of course, I spent some time reading on our balcony. Here are a few pics:








For this week's Tanka Tuesday poetry challenge, Willow invites us to write a nonet using synonyms for: the state of the world/our lives. It was so wonderful to disconnect from everything that is happening in my country and the world (as well as the chaos in my own home...lol). Ignorance truly is bliss...until reality catches up to you. 

A nonet is a poem with nine lines with descending syllables (9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1). There are variations of the form, which you can find here. I've chosen to go with the classic nonet. The chosen phrase lends itself to so much negative energy because the state of the world right now is quite sad, but I'm desperately trying to hold on to the calm and peaceful vibes of my trip, so I decided to focus on the state of my life instead, still chaotic but not so harrowing.

(courtesy of Bing Image Creator)

Nowhere Like Home

a whirlwind of construction chaos
cutting, drilling invade my peace
thick dust infiltrates my nose
each room's a working mess
the end is in sight
finished product
well worth it
home sweet
home


Would you like to write a nonet? Join us here.

Monday, June 30, 2025

June 2025 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity #BlackDaggerBrotherhood #prisoncamp #vampires #dragons @PTLPerrin @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm in full summer mode. Unfortunately, the renovations are ongoing in my home, so my creative juices have not been flowing. I managed to read two books before my cruise and another two on the cruise. Here are my most recent reviews. All of them are 4 or 5 stars!



Genre: Paranormal Vampire Romance

Pages: 494 pages

Book Blurb:

The hotly anticipated thrilling conclusion of the Lair of the Wolven series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward.

In this finale, Lydia and Daniel are bracing themselves for his inevitable decline but first, they must go on a rescue mission that will put both their lives in danger.

My Review:

The last book left off with an awesome cliff-hanger, but this story slowed back down at the beginning, which was a bit frustrating at first because I wanted to stay with the adrenaline of the previous book. Then the author worked her magic, adding layers and layers of twists and turns which kept me guessing and curious, and I loved it. 

I loved Blade's character so much by the end. He truly was a misunderstood, suffering soul, and I loved how he stayed true to his inner self. I loved that almost everyone got their happy ending, and I also love that my heart had to practically come out my throat for them to attain it. Lol! 

The last third of the book had me on pins and needles. The action scenes were fantastic, and I loved every minute of it! I loved how she wrapped up this mini-series and would definitely recommend it to others.



Genre: Paranormal Vampire Romance

Pages: 428

Book Blurb:

The daughter of a legend finds the love of a lifetime in this passionate, heart-wrenching installment in J.R. Ward’s #1New York Timesbestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Nalla, the blooded daughter of Zsadist, has led a sheltered life. Protected by her father and the Brotherhood, she is chafing against the walls of the very safety that has ensured her survival. One night, she gives in to her restlessness…and finds herself face-to-face with a male whose inner darkness rivals even that of her sire’s horrific origins.

Nate is a fighter with nothing to lose and nothing to live for. Tortured in a human lab as a young, then cursed with immortality, he is all vengeance and no purpose because he cares for no one—not even himself. The Brotherhood knows this all too well and following Nate’s deliberate violation of the cardinal rule in the war, they declare him a dangerous liability that must be dealt with.

When Nalla and Nate find themselves fighting side by side, daggers aren’t the only things that fly. A sizzling attraction is ignited, though Nalla knows her sire will never accept him—and on his side, Nate has made a secret bargain to end his own immortality. As the enemy closes in, and Nalla realizes she must choose between her mate and her sire, what starts with such passion may well end with eternal sorrow and no chance of a reunion—even in the Fade.

My Review:

I wasn't joking when I told you all that I love long book series! Lol! This is book 22 of the main series (there are spinoffs that I have also read), and I am absolutely in love with this series. I wasn't sure how I felt about the time jump that took place in Lassiter, but after reading this book, I'm totally okay with it. I love seeing the kids all grown up and finding their own ways, especially since the Brotherhood is still very much in the story line.

I cried so much with this story, especially during the second half. The love that these characters have for Wrath and one another is just so beautiful. I'm not real happy that the lessers are back, but I know they have their purpose. I did enjoy that we got to see a lesser who wasn't necessarily evil.

Nalla and Nate's story was fantastic. I always felt bad for Nate, and I hated how dark he was at the beginning of the story. Luckily, the love of a good female changes all that! And I loved Z's overprotectiveness and then acceptance of his baby girl's mate. 

For anyone new to the series, I highly recommend starting with book 1, Dark Lover, and then heading to Passionflix to watch the tv-adaptive season 1 of the series. After that, you'll definitely be hooked! :-)



Genre: Vampire Romance

Pages: 490

Book Blurb:

Experience the start of J.R. Ward’s phenomenal #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

DON'T MISS PASSIONFLIX'S THE BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD SERIES

As the world’s only purebred vampire and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed—orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate—Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful woman into another world.

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger—one that threatens to consume them both...

My Review:

I first read this book in 2008 and absolutely loved it. Since then, I have been hooked on the series and have read every book except the newest release. With the book now transformed into a series with Passionflix, I decided to reread it and fell in love with it all over again. I had forgotten a lot about how the Brotherhood began, and I enjoyed seeing the brothers' personalities in book one, especially knowing how much they have evolved throughout the series. I have watched the first three episodes of the new series and love how closely they follow the storyline and the dialogue. If you love vampire stories, flawed males who meet the women who complete them, and sexy characters, you will definitely want to read this book and the series. :-)




Genre: Young Adult Magical Realism

Pages: 292 pages

Book Blurb:

Two worlds separated by time and space, a frantic search, a powerful enemy, and a baby dragon... At sixteen, Gabri’s life is complicated.

When a nightmarish vision rips Gabri O’Connell from her home and family, she wakes up powerless in a freezing tower on a hostile planet.

Saved by a dragon and brought to Sanctum inside the planet, her rescuers don’t want her there.

Will a baby dragon be the key to her survival? Will Gabri ever see her family again?

My Review:

I loved this story! I first met Gabri, the main character, as a baby in the Tetrasphere series, where she and her mother helped save Terra, their planet, from exploding. This series begins when Gabri is almost sixteen, making this a completely new story. Some of the characters from the Tetrasphere series are in this story, but the focus of the story is Gabri. She begins having nightmarish visions of a shadow that calls her world destroyer. At first, she's transported through her dreams to the Shadow's world, but he then kidnaps her, locks her in a tower, and mutes her powers to communicate with her family.

Luckily, Gabri is rescued by others who live on the planet called Sanctum. While her family desperately searches for a way to locate her, Gabri is introduced to a completely new world, one in which she bonds with a dragon and an Aracai. Sanctum's time runs twice as fast as Terra's, and before she knows it, Gabri is bonding with more than just her bondmates. Unfortunately, the Shadow is not done with her, and danger finds her again.

This book is fantastic! The author is a queen of imagery and creating characters that are unique and well-developed. And I absolutely LOVE the dragons! I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who enjoys colorful worlds, dragons, magical powers, and great storytelling. :-)


Have you read any great books this month? I'd love to hear from you. :-)