Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s Tuesday Weekly Challenge – #Themeprompt – #TankaProse – Useful by Sally Cronin

This week  Colleen Chesebro’s weekly poetry challenge is a theme prompt suggested by kerfe I have created a Tanka Prose using the prompt.

Tanka Prose – Useful

Her aim in life was to be useful. As a child she would do her chores expecting no reward except a smile. As a teenager she cleaned her room without asking and expected no acknowledgement except a smile. As an adult she always tried to be helpful at work and in relationships and expected nothing except a smile. Her smile always lit up the room in return.

It is important
Not to underestimate
The gift of a smile
To show appreciation
For someone who is useful

©Sally Cronin 2022

My most recent book is a collection of poetry and was published in July 2021

One of the reviews for the collection

Jacqui Murray VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars Expect to be challenged by this collection of poems Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2021

In Sally Cronin’s first collection of poetry (I think–she has a lot of fiction collections), Life is Like a Mosaic: Random Fragments in Harmony (2021), be ready for a lilting collection of well-selected words, expertly managed and enhanced by images. Her stated goal:

… to share aspects of life and nature that we experience on a daily basis, but also can sometimes catch us by surprise.

Goal accomplished. The words rely on the images and vice versa–neither is complete without the other. Not only does the message challenge the reader to think deeply but to see beyond what’s on paper.

Some of the fifty+ poems are there just to be enjoyed, to lift your day, but others are to make you think.

…nature takes advantage of the break from progress…

Time can be fleeting or last a lifetime

Some made me think. At first read, I thought I knew what the words meant, even the subliminal message, but on a second read, realized I’d missed the point:

We leave, driven to pass on precious genes, of strength and stamina, humans will need to thrive

Dreams often open pathways, clear of the wakeful detritus, leading our minds in a direction to that sweet spot of perfect clarity.

One of my favorite poems was Skepticism. It touches on politics but not one side or the other. It picked those truths I think everyone believes, hard truths but said so beautifully, instead of anger, I felt sadness.

Politics where truth is scattered on the wind. Media mines dirt from fake news to mislead Agendas wth facts spun to fit planned outcomes Climate change based on flawed research creates wealth Our money works to pay banker’s bonuses Pinch of salt. needed to prevent brain washing.

And my favorite line:

To challenge is to be labelled a nut case.

I had planned to read this slowly, over time, but found I couldn’t stop. Highly recommended for any who have loved Cronin’s other fiction or those who want to be challenged.

You can find all my books and buy links: Sally’s Books and Reviews 2022

 

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you have enjoyed the poem.. thanks Sally.