Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 126, “Poet’s Choice of Words”

05 Mar 2019 39 Comments

by Ritu in #ColleensWeeklyPoetryChallenge Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

It’s Tuesday, and that means Colleen’s Tanka Challenge! And as it’s the first challenge of the month, it is the Poet’s choice of words. All that is to be adhered to is that the poem must be one of the structured syllabic forms, and so this week, I have penned an etheree…

It’s Shrove Tuesday today, so that is where my inspiration comes from.

Pancakes, Pancake, Crepe, Süsspeise, Egg
Flip
Pancakes
For today
Is a day to
Indulge your tastebuds
Eat to your heart's content
As today is Shrove Tuesday
Tomorrow its time to give up
All manner of luxuries for Lent
Start counting down to those chocolate eggs!

Ritu 2018

Today, we discussed Shrove Tuesday in my Reception class, though most children know it as Pancake Day. It was interesting to ask if any of them were aware of why people eat pancakes on this day.

Surprisingly (not) none of them knew any of the religious significance; even the ones that are from church-going families.

It was down to non Christian me to give them a potted history of why, and talk about using up all the fats in the house and giving up these things for Lent. I had to explain that many people give other things up instead nowadays; chocolates, fizzy drinks, that sort of thing, and that it is a countdown to when we celebrate Easter, which is not (as they think) chocolate egg day, but us celebrating the ressurection of Jesus… who they only think of as a baby, as he is who we portrayed in our Nativity a few short months ago, and not a grown man.

Confusing for children much?

Just a tad!

But Christmas, Easter, Shrove Tuesday are going the way of all these ‘special’ days, commercialised so the real reasons aren’t even widely known!

We watched pancake races too, and ended with a tasting session of sweet pancakes, as some children had never eaten them before too!

For me though, my Pancake Day will be tomorrow… or the day after, as we don’t eat eggs or meat on a Tuesday! Totally against the Ash Wednesday beliefs… but then, I’m not Christian!

I just love pancakes!

https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/03/05/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-126-poets-choice-of-words/

39 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. robbiesinspiration
    Mar 14, 2019 @ 18:08:06

    A lovely poem, Ritu, and some interesting facts about Shrove Tuesday. Why do you not eat eggs or meat on a Tuesday? Is it a tradition or does it have a religious meaning?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      Mar 14, 2019 @ 20:39:15

      Thanks Robbie!
      To be honest the Tuesday thing is something my in-laws observe. It is not religious and not all families do it. It is actually based on astrology, and the consulted an astrologer when Hubby Dearest was younger as he used to suffer headaches. It was suggested that they observe a vegetarian day on a Tuesday, and every year place some specific offerings to a local ‘saint’ memorial in the village back in India.
      To be honest, as a Sikh, we shouldn’t actually listen to astrologers, our belief is very much that what happens is God’s will. But many families have an ancestral background in Hinduism which has a strong belief in astrology!
      In my family there is an observance of no meat on a Thursday, and no pork at all, because apparently someone told my dad that a woman died in our family and was never laid to rest properly, and also there is islam in our family background (as for many Sikh families, as the y originally converted from either hinduism or Islam, to become Sikhs) and the no pork is to rectify some age old issue there too!
      I don’t know where they find these things out, but hey… I just try and do what I am asked!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  2. Vashti Q
    Mar 11, 2019 @ 16:27:12

    Hi Ritu! What you call pancakes we call crepes which are also delicious, stuffed with fruit and cream or chocolate. What we call pancakes are round and fluffy and we pour syrup over them. On “Fat Tuesday” people indulge on whatever it is they’re going to give up for Lent. Loved your Tanka! I find it interesting that you do not eat meat or eggs on Tuesdays. I don’t eat red meat. Fascinating post! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. H.R.R. Gorman
    Mar 11, 2019 @ 14:10:42

    I didn’t know about how British people did pancakes for Shrove Tuesday until this past week! Excellent, tasty poem – now I’m hungry!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Trackback: Colleen’s 2019 #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge Recap No. 126, Poet’s Choice of Words – The Faery Whisperer

  5. Colleen Chesebro
    Mar 08, 2019 @ 18:20:26

    Ritu this was a marvelous discussion. As a Buddhist/Pagan I totally understand where you are coming from. Each of our faiths offers different ways of fasting or doing without as a way to honor tradition or show a connection to the divine. Well done. You’re a star. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Jennie
    Mar 08, 2019 @ 12:34:11

    Well done, Ritu. Eat up now. Chocolate eggs will be soon. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. OIKOS™-Publishing
    Mar 06, 2019 @ 15:59:57

    Wonderful, Sis! Love your explaination of “Shrove Tuesday” too. It was the first time i heared about this special day. But what a statement “I am not Christian, i just like pancakes!” Lol Well said! 🙂 Michael

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. macalder02
    Mar 06, 2019 @ 04:22:02

    You are well prepared to challenge because your poem is the best. I already have my breakfast in sight with the pancakes. The story was the best. Surely those children satiated their curiosity.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. Elizabeth
    Mar 06, 2019 @ 00:35:35

    Lovely poem! I’ve to tell you a secret, I’ve already bought chocolate eggs, not sure if I will wait 40 days to eat them!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. Annette Rochelle Aben
    Mar 05, 2019 @ 23:21:48

    Made Easter plans with my extended family today… Made pancakes too! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Carol Anne
    Mar 05, 2019 @ 22:30:25

    Oh me too I love them! Didn’t have any today though! I was being good!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. Marje @ Kyrosmagica
    Mar 05, 2019 @ 22:19:10

    Me too love my pancakes!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. willowdot21
    Mar 05, 2019 @ 21:36:22

    Me too , every day of the week.💜

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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