Tell 5 Secrets Blog Hop — Snapshots from Early Childhood

Many thanks to my dear friend, Sherri, who has tagged me for Tell 5 Secrets Blog Hop. Those of you who haven’t yet stumbled upon Sherri’s blog, do check out A View From My Summerhouse after your visit here, as it is a veritable treasure trove.

For the challenge, I decided to take five snippets from my early childhood and compose a 31-syllable Tanka poem for each of them.

Clipped copper beech hedge
divides half-acre garden.
~neat lawn, wild woods~
Small girl stands before curtain
watching midnight fairies flit.

Boy likes to show off,
“Insectivorous mammal”
his latest two words.
High-pitched squeaks ~ferocious beast?~
Shrew breaks out of cardboard box.

Never mind Dad’s lungs.
Cigarette cards stored in tins
*star collectibles*
bound to impress boy next door.
Bee stings boy’s bum. Bad timing.

Parental oddness
Off to hairdresser with Mum
~latest auburn tint~
Girl swivels around in chair,
awaiting the rising sun.

Girl climbs up high tree,
determined to outdo boy.
On ground, far below,
cracked cases of horse chestnuts
remind her of broken skulls.

 

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And now who’s the lucky person I’m going to tag for the Tell 5 Secrets Blog Hop? No less than the indomitable Blondeusk at Blondewritemore, who blogs every day and manages to make me smile often, with her wonderful turns of phrase and her ability to laugh at herself.

Author: Sarah Potter Writes

Sarah is a British eccentric who writes offbeat fiction, haiku and tanka poetry. When stuck for words, she sketches or paints instead. She's into nature conservation, sustainability, gardening, dogs, natural health, and reading. Her sociability is something that happens in short bursts with long breathing spaces in between.

18 thoughts on “Tell 5 Secrets Blog Hop — Snapshots from Early Childhood”

      1. Jeez… how dull my writing life would be had you not popped into it… first Haiku, then Friday Fictioneers (though I’ve not participated – yet!) and now Tanka!

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    1. Thank you, so much. I’m so pleased you loved my Tankas, Sylvia 🙂 As for that boy’s bum. I was out to impress him that day, but I ended up the impressed one, as he managed not to cry in front of me, although he didn’t half take himself home fast.

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  3. This is wonderful Sarah, I love your Tanka! What a fantastically creative and unique take on the secret’s challenge. I ditto Sylvia, laughing out loud at that line 😀 I too used to see fairies flit and I remember those cigarette cards 😉 A beautifully evocative tribute to childhood secrets as seen through the window of a young girl’s very creative imagination. And thank you too so much for your lovely intro dear Sarah, I am delighted you took part (and I look forward to checking out Blondeusk ) 🙂 xxxx

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      1. I did Sarah, you are a wonderful writer and so versatile 🙂 Thanks for the link, heading over there now, but before I do, just wanted to wish you a lovely weekend dear friend 🙂 xxx

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  4. Pingback: Tell 5 Secrets Blog Hop #bloghop #blogging | Blondewritemore

  5. These are great to read in the early morning before the (school) day starts, Sarah, because they inspire a lot of smiles and good will (in me, at least). When you collect your stories and/or poetry for a book, these should be included–my 2 cents’ worth–for the playful, upbeat tones; the themes of nature and freedom, imagination/fantasy and childhood and sibling rivalry (etc.); and wordplay they suffuse the reader with. I’m glad you’re on this blog-hop. 🙂

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    1. Thank you, so much, Leigh for your kind words, which have (in turn) inspired a lot of smiles and good will in me 🙂 Us sensitive creative souls need all the encouragement we can get, lest we sometimes find ourselves crumpling.

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      1. No problem. I was just thinking about this earlier. You can be the most acclaimed and greatest writer in the world–whatever that is or means–and yet come across in your prose or poetry as remote and almost Sphyinx-like or inhuman. The tanka you wrote, in contrast, were both human and measured. I enjoyed them a lot, and I feel they gave me a buoyant outlook for today, which was particularly helpful as it was grey and I’ve a bit tenuous time as child #2 was exceedingly grumpy for some reason(s) I cannot pinpoint. So, encouragement onward–go forth and be fruitful in your creativity! 🙂

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      2. I will endeavour to be fruitful. Have written a Friday Fictioneers piece today for posting tomorrow. My son read it and went “brrrrr, cree-ee-py!” But be warned, it’s the opposite of light-hearted, but then that’s what writing is all about — creating light and darkeness, with all the various shades in between.

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