A friend walks beside you,
Supporting you through difficult times.
A friend does not leave you to blunder alone.
A friend is not judgemental.
A friend is there to confidence build.
Releasing you, when the time is right.
A friend knows when to be very close.
A friend, a true friend is there for a lifetime!
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
To the cradle of the forest, I am drawn when sad, allowing tears to fall unchecked in solitude.
Listening between sobs, for birds soothing calming songs. My mind slowly releases the hurt holding me back, as the wind rustles the leaves into a conversation.
On passing caresses, my face dry with it’s gentle tender touch. I look round at the years of death decay and regeneration, with water the bringer of life, waltzing through. Bursting into new growth, covering the tree canopy in fresh green.
The floor is decorated with multiple scented colourful entrancements. Soothing my spirit, as insects join the chorus, reminding me, sadness is not meant to last forever.
As small amounts of joyful memories carry me to a new day!
2022 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Motivational Strips 4th Anniversary Literary Festival
SIMPLY THE BEST
I heard of Motivational Strips,
Through a friend who encouraged me.
Putting pen to paper,
Words would appear awash in anxiety.
I am dyslexic you see!
The fear that has terrorised my life,
When written work was requested.
My mastery of the spoken word was scrambled,
When released by my pen.
As spelling and punctuation were and still are,
A complete mystery to me.
No matter how hard I tried,
Disaster was all I achieved.
So a storyteller I became,
To release my tales to inform and amuse.
Dodging the need to record them
In a book or on the internet.
With encouragement from friends
And reliant on Spell Check,
I pressed send and off sped my effort to Motivational Strips.
In trepidation I checked the page,
And a magical line appeared accepted by an admin.
The anxiety increased.
They are great writers,
Would they understand me?
What I have to share is everyday material, in a plain way.
Not like the literary giants of today and others long gone,
With deep thoughts and sparking form.
With words beautiful to use
And hear when read aloud from a book.
My hands shook when the likes
And comments started to follow me.
Emotions hit me from all over the place,
Here at last I feel comfortable enough to write.
The years have past,
Motivational Strips has encouraged me all the way.
I have a small place in the world of writing,
Though errors still slip through.
The task is now to encourage others to join us
And see what they can do.
Motivational Strips itself has not stood still,
It has advanced into many countries.
Seeking writers of good writing,
And storytelling straight from the heart.
Encouraging young writers,
With initiatives for them to take part.
Motivational Strips works because it is not propelled by one person.
Each member has a say and helps it expand internationally through admins, artists, media and management back to the main front man Shiju H. Pallithazheth
Penny Wobbly is a thankful member of Motivational Strips, looking forward to the next exciting year of new members and wonderful writing.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Motivational Strips
Kindness is a feeling well worth universal spreading.
2023 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Hero’s all in uniform to protect, yet the heat fought to overcome.
They held their ground battling to protect the homes of some they knew.
As dwelling after dwelling engulfed in flames, roofs blackened by the flares collapsed leaving smoking ruins.
The wind intent on destruction fanned the flames.
As the firemen cursed and tugged on their water-filled heavy snaking pipelines.
Is everyone out? The cry anxiously made, get everyone out!
A fast head count showed all was well, as they were sent to the church for safety.
Unknowing the fire was creeping through the graves, burning all that was not stone.
A quick run up the Church Tower and the alarm was raised, as the fire made it’s way to the church door.
Retreat by all was quickly arranged out the rear it was a close call.
The hours passed before the flames started to dwindle, and the firemen gained control.
It was then all could see the disaster of missing houses leaving great ruined holes.
The village unity came into play, as neighbours gathered together, for support and early planning.
Before some being settled in accommodation away.
Vowing to stay united and rebuild their village, day by day.
Out of the ashes, you’ll see one day the village that was nearly destroyed now living on for another day.
© Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
There are creatures in my garden,
Yet rarely are they seen at all.
Hidden In the walls are spiders,
The odd lizard, leather jackets,
Ants in battalions patrol,
As magic cleaning up
Insect and debris machines.
Weeds scatter seeds
For their plants to keep on growing,
For snails to slimily keep on
Their contented munching and gnawing.
Sadly your cherished plants are on their menu,
As they have a hankering for them too.
Tiny frogs seek shelter in the dampened cracks,
Hiding from aerial birds and ground,
Fox, cat and dog attacks.
A mole surfaces to leave
A hill in the middle of the lawn,
Blindly, burying, furiously underneath,
Hunting juicy worms from dusk to dawn,
Leaving the molehills for you to pat back down.
Butterflies and ladybirds
Gavotting about giving
Amazing colourful displays.
The foxes lay against the wall,
Enjoying the warmth of the sun
And dappled shade after a night
On the essential food hunting run.
Squirrels, furiously battling in the trees,
As nuts rain down to be lost in the ground.
To start new tree growth
In this fascinatingly active garden of mine.
Where all I have to do
Is sit quietly and relax,
Whiling away some precious me time.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Let me see your beauty, I need to gather you near,
As my eyes do seek, yet cannot see till well up close.
Let me smell your scent kept especially for me.
Your hands once smooth yet have worked so hard for us.
Your heart beats in time with mine with the occasional skipped beat, an ageing sign.
I gather you close, for an embrace of remembrance of our youth, those sexually heady caresses.
Now, it is with heartfelt gratitude for the love we have shared all this time.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
I am in a state, I always knew there were other cats in a house near by. I just never saw them except every now and then sitting on the window sill or perched on the back of the couch. Now one of them has had the nerve to come out into my garden.
What a cheek! I rushed over to see her off, but she was not going to go easily. She settled down for a stand off. I approached with caution, as she was bigger than me. I made the most awful noise explaining this was my lawn, my house, she had no business to be there.
She just shouted back, ‘You have had it long enough to yourself, I have seen you, queening over everything.’
What does she mean? I have lived here for years, she has just arrived! What am I going to do? Suddenly she sprayed the bush near her front door, then moved towards me and crouched down again this time opening and closing her mouth with no sound.
She has changed her mind, she is trying to be friendly using her flehmen response, for those who don’t know, she is not speaking but smelling and tasting me! Slowly creeping forwards, that’s better.
Looks as though we might be starting a friendship of sorts. I can’t rush this, otherwise, she will think I am a pushover. I am going off home and I will spray my bushes on the way. Wow! That is quite enough excitement for one day.
Time for a relaxing snooze. I wonder what she is called? I’ll keep my ears open and find out tomorrow. You wait till I tell Satu, he will be amazed.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
In the beginning we were unable to support our own weight and were carried.
Gradually we grew, strengthened, challenged, demanded and loved still supported.
School brought all sorts of new experiences, feelings and insecurities to explore.
The chance of friendship, of being part of a group, or selecting a few special friends, or dealing with bullies.
Testing the ties and challenging relationships with our parents.
Do they really love me, when they set down rules I do not like?
How do I know it is for my good? How do I know their love is true?
Will they always be there for me? My fear is of being alone, before I can stand on my own feet.
As school ends and University, College and on job training, searching for employment of any kind, becomes urgent for our future survival and our country’s.
Hormones start their demands on our feelings and love real or imaginary takes up decision making thinking.
Home making comes as part of the package of accounting and budgeting, with the need for higher wages, houses to rent or purchase and responsibilities for others, children and in some cases parents and pets.
Doing without, to save for the future as best you can, as the future is always uncertain, dependent at times to things outside you or your country’s control.
Together with a partner protecting as much as possible at this time in your life.
Sadly not all of us will be able to hold a partnership or family together, putting further stress on life as we know it.
The time will come for children to leave home, starting their own life journey.
Some will never return home, others will come and go, others will be unable to leave.
For a while you balance all these parts of life together, before age and retirement beckons.
Health issues encroach more than before, jobs round the home and in the garden take longer, needing help and support, a feeling you find uncomfortable to ask for.
Posture changes, pace slows and becomes painful and awkward.
Age is not all gloom, help is offered on buses in shops, and at home where you may be loved and cherished. Laughter comes much easier than before small things amuse.
The young of today are much more interested in our past histories than ever before. Importantly they are also becoming active in fighting for the health of the world we live in now and in the future.
It gives us the pleasure of sharing our knowledge gathered in the life we have lived, good or bad.
As we slowly lose the power of fluid movement and seek comfort, amusement, care and companionship to erase loneliness.
If we live long enough as many of us do, we will need total care, as we did when we were young. The difference we each hope, is that our brains will still be working with knowledge, amusement, compassion and love, till it is time to say goodbye and slip off on another journey of growth and discovery.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
I have ears.
I have ears for decoration.
Not a sound can I hear.
It has created great limitations.
Fear nearly always follows me.
Within four walls I feel safe protected.
Why am I so isolated, neglected?
Smiles I share in plenty.
To have none returned.
It is a barrier between us
The sounds you take for granted,
Sounds we long to hear.
Is there hope?
Yes!
Signing is here.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Not a drop of water to be seen above or below ground.
Oh, where do humans and animals go for a drink?
The night chill drops a film of dew, to insects and creatures desperately seeking, a drop of moisture too.
We know from experience learnt climate can be changed, trees saved, others planted and crops grown, together, water can be saved and shared.
No living thing should have to go without a drink.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
What a delicious delight so I have been told,
Is trapped in the cup icy frothily cold.
Cream to sit upon an upper lip if through a straw I fail to sip.
Urge to lick the chocolate drip or on the table, it will firmly stick.
This delicious delight is not for me.
It is just a taunting picture I am staring at.
I am in Ethiopia and it is a famine we are sharing.
Just think of us as you take your first delicious sip.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
Photo: Pixabay License
Once thinking starts,
You ponder who you are and who you want to be.
You hold the world in your hand as you realise the enormity.
So many channels alone or with help.
To fight on your own-some for wealth and good health.
Or reach out to others less capable than yourself?
At the threshold of your life, what will it be?
Only you can decide,
The rest of us have to wait and see.
© 2022 Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen
