Poetry | But I Smile Anyway...

#TikTok Drain #Poetry!

18 Apr 2022 43 Comments

by Ritu in Poems, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Poetry, TikTok, Wormhole

I haven’t penned a poem for a while, but something inspired me today, and here it is… on TikTok, for you. If you are a Tiktoker, do follow me on there, otherwise, just enjoy my poetic musings!

@ritubhathalauthor
How Tiktok affected my life #poetrytok #spokenword #browntok #authortok #fyp #foryou #foryoupage
♬ Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (Orchestral Version) [From “Bridgerton Season 2”] – Mega Anthem Hitz

I’ve found another wormhole
Another drain on my time
I can’t believe it’s happened
So I thought I’d write a rhyme

Those kids, they made me do it
Said, go on Mum, it’ll be fun
So I logged in, started scrolling
And slowly I became one

One of those Tiktokers
Lip synching to silly sounds
Trying to match the dance moves
On the trending clips I found

But, back then in lockdown
I kept my privacy
Only sharing videos
With those I trust, you see.

Then life got hectic, so I stopped
Deleted my account
Until the call for Booktok
Grew loud, there was no doubt

Time for me to jump back on
And do it for my book
For a way to get promotion
New readers I could hook

I started out pretty well
A couple of cute videos
Followed some other authors
and booktokers that I chose

Then I started to scroll again
FYP calling me
Silly sounds and dances
But something more, you see

I found all sorts of communities
Browntok, queertok, cooktok
Watching listening learning
Snippet clips that really rock

I learned how knowledgeable people are
But also just how biased
I saw how creators responded
They didn’t sit there all quiet

One video led to another
And soon an hour passed
Jeez, I could have written words
I hold my phone, aghast

Tiktok, I do love you so
But you’re taking me away
From the very reason I’m here
TO write, not watch and play!

And, an aside, those kids 
I mentioned before
They tell me I’m too old for this
Well, that I will ignore

I find myself peppering my daily life
With the latest trending sounds
A little dance here, a soundbite there
While my kids try to shut me down

Because, although it is a drain
A little Tiktok fun
And getting some more followers
Is grand… will you become one?

(Tiktok obsessed) Ritu 2022

Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge Prompt No. 33: (BLIND) in the C rhyme line

26 Nov 2020 42 Comments

by Ritu in Ronovan's Decima Challenge Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Challenge, Decima, Poetry

Thought I’d try a new one, this week, Ronovan has a Decima challenge.

A different type of syllabic poetry, with a rhyming structure as well.

Décima poetry is a 10 line stanza with 8 syllables per line. The rhyming pattern is abbaaccddc. Using the 10 lines there are generally two ways to organize: The 10 lines, or breaking the 10 lines into two stanzas using abba/accddc.
Ronovan Hester

This week, the prompt is Blind, and it needs to be used in one of the C lines.

Here goes….!

 Everything seems just so surreal
 When will this world begin to heal?
 Politics covering the truth
 Blaming the aged, and the youth
 We try to see, they just conceal
 I feel like I am going blind
 Maybe I am losing my mind
 My thoughts muddle with one another
 Feelings that I try to smother
 But it’s just life, the daily grind 

Ritu 2020

Mitigation #CoronaVerses

20 Mar 2020 50 Comments

by Ritu in My Writing Tags: #CoronaVerses, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Poetry

The country's in a muddle
We don't know what to do
Can't even reach for a cuddle
Or even a handshake, it's true

The virus does its rounds
Shutting businesses left right and centre
People buying bog roll in mounds
To ward away this tormentor

Panic buying's not stopping
And it's only getting worse
People are over-shopping
From a nearly empty purse

A prisoner in self-isolation
A cough or fever will render you
Or a vulnerable citizen of the nation
You need to be careful too

Distance yourself, socially
Work from home if you can
But what about the effect, mentally
On all every woman, child and man?

Schools doors have shut
To help halt the disease spread
But it's left folk in a rut
Parents are filled with dread

What will happen to education
How can we teach our kids?
They think it's an extended vacation
Meanwhile, we're losing quids

Teachers and schools will try
To alleviate the tension
Childcare, we will supply
To those helping with prevention

But what to do, it's an emergency
An unprecedented situation
We're all feeling the urgency 
Of curing this awful mutation

I beg of you, please don't be fools
That will land you in despair
Just make sure you're heeding rules
And washing hands with care

Ritu 2020

The Weekly Terrible Poetry Contest 3/14 – 3/20/2020 #CoronaVerses

15 Mar 2020 26 Comments

by Ritu in Terrible Poetry Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Chelsea Owens, Limerick, Poetry, Terrible Poetry

Well, I have seen this challenge by Chelsea Owens around for a while, but never had a chance to get involved.

But, recently, this virus has stimulated a few #CoronaVerses, and I thought I could conjour up a terrible limerick for this week’s prompt…

Are you ready for some TERRIBLE POETRY? Here goes…

A man in a fit of elation
Stockpiled like the rest of the nation
Well, bog roll he had
But it left him quite sad
When all the pasta gave him constipation!

Ritu 2020

Awful, isn’t it?

Here are the specifics for this week:

Topic: Stockpiling against a worldwide disaster, in limerick form.
Length: A limerick. They’re five lines: AABBA, in anapestic meter.
Rhyming: Yes. In AABBA anapestic meter format.
Make it terrible! Got it? Make it terrible!! The world’s ending, after all!
Rating: PG-13. This is the perfect time to panic …poetically.

#CoronaVerses

14 Mar 2020 56 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Poetry

It seems the whole COVID-19 has got my poetic juices flowing, in a kind of stream of consciousness way…

#CoronaVerses

Self-isolating will be easy
If we ever need to, it seems
We tend to do it regularly
In a house of tweens and teens
 
Right now, I’m gracing the sofa,
Hubby’s upstairs, chilling in our room
Lil Man is on his laptop
Li Princess in her own little vacuum
 
The only difference, I think, will be
New supplies of anti-bac,
Regularly bleached surfaces
(By me - they don’t seem to have the knack)
 
The importance of handwashing
Has been truly hammered home
And cleaning down their electronics,
Especially their phones
 
If you’re going to cough, then I insist
Into your elbow or a tissue
And please make sure that when you’re done
Put it in the bin or I’ll take issue
 
Not quite sure what to say about
The necessity of toilet roll
Still, at least we have some
So I guess we shouldn’t moan
 
Every morning, recently, I’ve been
Greeted with one query
“Is today the day that schools are shut?”
My response makes them less cheery
 
“Not yet my loves, your school’s still on
No extended hols just yet”
They really don’t seem to realise
Just how fed up they’ll get
 
As panic ensues out in the shops
And crazed buyers empty shelves
They really should take stock
And be ashamed of themselves
 
For as they buy that extra pack
Of toilet roll, or wipes
That’s one less roll for someone else
Why are you buying all the hype?
 
Think sensibly, buy cautiously
Just make sure you have enough
And, maybe check on others
Who might be finding it tough
 
We’re all set, in case we’re told
To have a lengthy bunk-in
I’ve got my books and chocolate
And plenty of Pink Gin!
 
 Ritu 2020

Seriously, Peeps, I don’t wish to make light of this pandemic that is affecting us all out there.

Keep up the extra vigilant hygiene, be careful of where you are putting your hands, and cough into your elbow if you need to.

Don’t go crazy with panic buying. Don’t worry, the shops should get better soon, the panic buyers should go into hibernation with all their extra stock.

Check up on the vulnerable that you are aware of, especially if they live alone.

And I found this graphic, which is a good basic indication of symptoms, in comparison to colds and flu. I hope it helps to keep people a little calmer.