Today, I am delighted to welcome Nolcha Fox as my Treasuring Poetry guest. Nolcha is an accomplished poet and also the editor of Chewers by Masticadores. You can find out more about Chewers by Masticadores here: https://chewersmasticadores.wordpress.com/
What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc.?
I don’t have a favorite style. What I enjoy is poetry with unexpected twists, poetry I want to continue past the end. I enjoy poetry I can dance to because of the rhythmic quality of the words. My favorite books are still “Alice and Wonderland” and “The Cat in the Hat.”
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
I’ve always loved Robert Frost, especially “The Road Not Taken.”
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Every time I read this poem, I find something new.
What is your favourite style of poetry to write?
It’s a toss-up between freestyle and pantoum. I don’t like to write rhyming poetry (funny because I enjoy reading it, when well-written). Needless to say, I break many poetry form rules.
I enjoy writing poems with a strong rhythm. Internal rhymes happen accidentally. As I write, I internally feel the bum-bum-bum-bum-bum.
What is your favourite of your own poems?
Robbie, almost every poem is my favorite when I write it. Until the next poem. This is my latest favorite (published in Medusa’s Kitchen), even though I have no idea what I wrote:
Sunflowers in My Hair
I can’t untangle flowers
from the memories of youth.
They are the knots I can’t brush out
until the withering winter.
If it’s not a favorite after I write it, I hit it on the head with a shovel and bury it in the backyard. I’ve learned to run my unfavorite poems past a poet friend (or two). Many poems have been allowed to live because of the feedback I received.
My favorite poems are included in two books, if you want to check them out:
Here is my favorite poem in “My Pelvis Wants to Be Elvis:”
My pelvis wants to be Elvis
on The Ed Sullivan Show, you know,
I want to be that cutie who shakes her booty
while Elvis bumps and grinds. Who minds
gyrating hips and snarling lips?
The truth be said, my darling Ed,
the rest of me wants to be
in bed.
Please tell us about your poetry book, Finger Painting with Words. How did this book come about? What would you like readers to take away from this collection?
“Finger Painting with Words” is a collection of short poems written to inspire readers to see the world with refreshed eyes — through imagination, through the senses, through the emotions. Not through a cell phone (although that could be a different book).
I also wrote this book to thrill my mother. She loved that her daughter was an author. Unfortunately, she died before this book was published.
Book reviews
Seesaw: Quirky Poems by Ken Tomaro and Nolcha Fox
Picture caption: Cover of Seesaw: Quirky Poems
This poetry collaboration between Nolcha Fox and Ken Tomaro is darkly humorous and most entertaining. The poems celebrate daily life in all its boring ordinariness and, by demonstrating how much worse it could be if these chores and activities were not undertaken, highlight the charm of ordinary life. They also ‘take the mick’ out of people’s ridiculous obsession with social media and watching life being lived by others. These poems made me smile and reminded me of the poetic works of Roald Dahl.
Two short extracts that highlight the style and content of the poems:
“Debris that hurries by becomes a melody and why aren’t we taking cover instead of videoing this hurricane on our phones?
Aluminum siding and a trampoline whiz by. So, I’ll snap a pic for all the wandering eyes, just to break the monotony of cat photos on my phone.”
“I come to a door I open it. Not because it is easy, or because I’m curious, or because I’m bored, but because it is the only one that will open. I take weak little steps. Not because I am unsure, but because I am tired. I follow the same path. Not because it is worn, but because all paths are the same.
The only door that opens is to dirty dishes, unmade beds, laundry someone left behind. By the time I clean this house, I’ll be too weak to find a pathway out of here.”
A book that will give your spirits a lift as you laugh at yourself and life.
This is a relatively short collection of fascinating and different poems and the first collection I’ve read by this poet. I have read a lot of classic books and poems written by British authors and poets and have only recently started exploring American writers and poets. The difference in style and content is intriguing to me and I have developed a real appreciation for the boundaryless thought processes and unstructured writing styles of American writers.
For me as a reader, Nolcha Fox’s poetry is a wonderful example of thinking and writing outside the ‘box’ and I enjoyed each poem in this collection a great deal.
An example of this freedom in writing is her poem, Catch Them, as follows: “In morning dark, the stars are blinding white, rampaging fireflies on steroids. Hollyhocks defy gravity and aphids to kiss the sky before the weight of summer tilts them to kiss the ground. Heat bakes the sidewalk into squares of peanut butter fudge, sweet sludge from oven top. Each second a butterfly I scoop with net of tangled words before it flies pastward to cocoon.”
This is an interesting and thought provoking short collection of poems designed to make you think. I must also mention the lovely cover which I found very attractive.
Nolcha Fox’s poems have been curated in print and online journals. A best-selling author, her poetry books are available on Amazon and Dancing Girl Press. Nominee for Best Of The Net and Pushcart Prize. Editor of Chewers by Masticadores.
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
Pachinko is an amazing family saga set in Korea, Japan and America from when Japan took control of Korea in 1910 to 1989. Admittedly, this book was a real eye opener. I had no idea the japanese treated the Koreans so badly and how much the Koreans suffered, both in Korea and in Japan if they immigrated. This discrimination, abuse, and racism towards Koreans by Japanese people continues right up to the end of the book in 1989. It did leave me wondering what the current situation is for people of Korean descent living in Japan.
The book starts with the story of Hoonie, the son of a poor fisherman and his wife who was born with a cleft lip and a club foot. The couple are hard working and have a good sense of business, taking in lodgers and building a secondary business as a boarding house for working class people. This business helps them maintain a reasonable life during the first years of the Japanese occupation when the livelihoods of ordinary Koreans were devastated by high taxes and poor treatment. A matchmaker arranges a marriage for Hoonie, despite him being illegible in terms of cultural law due to his disabilities, to the daughter of a farmer rendered destitute by the colonialization. Hoonie and his wife, Yangjin, continue to build the boarding house business and have one surviving daughter, Sunja. Hoonie dies when Sunja is still a girl and Yangjin and Sunja continue the business alone. When Sunja is sixteen she is singled out by a wealthy fishtrader, Koh Hansu, a Korean living in Japan, who slowly woos her and ultimately seduces her. Sunja becomes pregnant and hopes to marry her loves, but discovers he is already married with three daughters. He proposes to support her as his mistress but Sunja rejects this idea as it goes against her principles. Fortunately for Sunja and her mother, salvation arrives in the form of a sickly Korean minister, Baek Isak, who is travelling to join his brother in Japan. Sunja marries Baek Isak and goes with him to start a new life in Japan as a minister’s wife. The story continues with Sunja and Baek’s lives in Japan and their family of two sons, Noa, son of the wealthy Korean fisherman, and Mozasu, Baek’s son. The saga ends years later when Sunja’s sons are older men with childen of their own.
Sunja was an excellent character. The author aptly captures the innocence of a young girl and demonstrates how Hansu inveigles his way into her life, ultimately seducing her. Hansu is not depicted as being a terrible man in these early days. He wants to support his son and Sunja and keep up his relationship with her but on his terms. These terms would result in Sunja and her mother’s disgrace in their community and her son having no name, but so would Sunja’s having an illegitimate child. If Baek hadn’t entered the story, practically, Sunja would have had to capitulate to Hansu’s request as there would have been no other way for her and her mother. Sunja is a woman of much inner strength and she accepts her situation and marriage to Baek and does her best to be a really good mother and wife to him. She demonstrates much fortitude in overcoming the difficulties she faces in Japan and shows that she is hard working and also has a good business brain and survival abilities. I felt that Sunja was a magnificent tribute to the fortitude and resourcefulness of many women forced to face terrible hardship and find a way to feed their children.
Sunja’s second son, Mozasu, is another wonderful character. Hard working and also an astute business mind, he makes the most of his situation and builds a good business for himself and his family. He also manages to overcome a lot of hardship and tragedy. He is a devoted father to his only son and demonstrates much support of, and affection for, his own people and community. He is not a criminal personality despite being involved in a gambling business that is rigged as all such business must be. He does his best to help other people and be as law abiding as possible in a society aimed at subjugating and even destroying Koreans. His attitude towards the end of the book, when faced by a disappointing (to him) decision by his son, is exemplary and shows what a good parent he was and sensible in the face of life facts.
The author demonstrates in many places his deep understanding of the human condition. One particularly striking demonstration of this understanding is towards the end of the book when Sunja goes home to see her sick mother. This scene really stayed with me and, having experienced similar situation with aging relatives, I found it deeply compelling.
I highly recommend this compelling and fascinating read that shares so much information about the history of Korea and Japan between 1910 and 1989 and also shows a deep understanding of people and their relationships, reactions, and emotions.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to host blogger and hostess of Story Chat about which she says the following: “Story Chat is more than a writing challenge. It is a unique and proven online program that encourages interaction between authors and readers. It’s part writers group, part beta readers, part fun fiction, and pure enjoyment.”
Robbie, thank you so much for inviting me to be on your blog. It is such an honor. I’ve spent a lot of time reading and researching poetry since you sent these questions to me, so it’s taken me a long time to come up with the answers.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc.?
I adore reading tankas, but my favorite style to read is freestyle, words that are natural without the constraints of order.
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
Mary Oliver is a new author to me, but well-known to many. I picked her because I have so many favorites among our friends, and I don’t want to choose. Mary Oliver published poetry from 1963 to 2015 before she passed in 2019. She was well known for her observations of the natural world, tying them to deep emotions or emotional events, as you can see in the following poem.
Gethsemane
By Mary Oliver
The grass never sleeps.
Or the roses.
Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning.
Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.
The cricket has such splendid fringe on its feet,
and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body,
and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.
Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn’t move,
maybe
The lake far away, where once he walked as on
a blue pavement,
lay still and waited, wild awake.
Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not
What I loved about this poem is that it takes a familiar biblical event way outside the box. When you saw the title, Gethsemene, did you think about the grass sleeping or the wind winding itself into a silver tree? I didn’t, until her poem suggested that I think about it.
How can I train myself to think past and around the outer edges of my topic? That is my goal this year.
What is your favourite style of poetry to write?
I like free style, acrostic, limericks, and tankas best. But I also enjoy other syllabic poems and some of the French form poetry when I want a challenge. What I want to improve this year are some of the nuances that I’ve missed in writing syllabic poetry as well as thinking outside the box with freestyle poems.
What is your favourite of your own poems?
Messages From the Cat (free verse)
Poems, no longer innocent kittens,
Intentionally sneak up on you at night,
Concise imagery padding silently across the carpet,
Weaving its way into your dreams.
Rhyming couplets stealthily leap onto your bed,
Pretending they would curl at your feet for a long nap,
Or lie warm against the curve of your spine,
But instead, they pounce on your head, tearing it open.
If you cry out, call for help,
Precise verses slip away, leaving only an open gash.
Life’s language drips from the wound.
You jump to consciousness, capture each phrase
As it percolates from your throbbing skull
Like slush melting away from Frosty on a sunny day.
At sunrise, linguistic gems gleaming,
Iambic felines sun themselves
In a streaming hot shower of midmorning light,
Licking their forms to glistening perfection,
For all to stroke with admiration,
While you trod off to work,
Exhausted from your sleepless scratch with immortality.
Please tell us about your poetry book, Embracing the Power to Live. How did this book come about? What would you like readers to take away from this collection?
You’ve asked several important questions, Robbie. I hope I’ll answer the first question as I answer the second and third ones.
I’ve written (and kept) poems since the 1980s when my first husband and I moved to Visalia, California, to pastor a tiny church in the rural community of Ivanhoe, California. At that time, I experimented with different styles of poetry, most of which were out of date, but writing them challenged me.
After I retired in 2012, I wanted to write a book, but my blog led me in a different direction. Arcadia Books contacted me because of some of my posts about Woodlake, California. Five months later, they published my book, Images of America Woodlake.
Then I tried fiction, and struggled for years trying to write a bestseller that would become the next Netflix series. That didn’t happen.
I loved blogging, and that’s what I did best, so I gave up my dream of publishing a book of my own work until I met Colleen Chesebro and had a year of writing Haiku and other syllabic poetry under my belt. Meanwhile, several of my blogging friends started publishing poetry books. I was intrigued. Normally, I struggled to read a whole book of poetry. However, Robbie, when I read your book, Lion Scream, that changed for me. I was not ready for this poem. I had to put the book aside and wait for my heart to calm down. I had never read such moving poetry in my life.
As I read the poem aloud to a friend, while I prepared for this interview, it brought tears to my eyes and made my stomach churn. I wanted my poems to matter, but I didn’t have an agenda. So, I fell back on what I do naturally, which is to encourage people to do what they do best.
When I picked my word of the year for this year, the title fell into place. I wanted to create something that would be uplifting to others and would help them fulfill their own dreams. So, somehow, I had to go from the poems I had written about random topics and pull them together with new poems that would minister to people’s souls and encourage them to find their own creativity.
I drew a lot from Sunflower Tanka and Cindy Georgakas’s book Celebrating Poetry. As I read her book, I fell in love with certain poems and the titles of poems. For example, isn’t her title “Messages from the Moon” a great title? The idea of the moon sending me messages set my imagination on fire. It became “Messages from the Cat” in Embracing the Power to Live. There were no similarities in the poetry or the subject, but I loved the title.
I have already started to realize the joy that comes from reaching the goal of helping others. I’ve shared on social media and my blog about my neighbor Dan Daniels. Dan started writing poetry at age 11 when he was a rough and tumble New York City kid in a large family. He started working at about age seven.
As he handed me an aged sheet of paper with a typewritten poem, he told me I was only the second person he had ever shared his poem with. I was blown away. He is now in his 80s, and he and his wife inspired one of the poems in my book, “Aging Gracefully.” This is his poem, and I am proud to announce that you are now collectively the third person he is sharing it with.
Stand Amongst the Flowers Gentle
By Dan Daniels
Stand amongst the flowers gentle
Look and smell and feel their power
How they light the day with beauty
Not long enough to stay an hour.
Stand amongst the flowers gentle
Let them fill your soul inspired
Touch them all with love and kindness
Nothing more of you required.
Nature all around us speaks
We, who hear, must answer strongly
Love all that nature has to give
Stand amongst the flowers gentle.
Robbie, I can’t wait to read what your readers say about Dan’s poem. When I called to ask permission to use his poem, he and his wife were sitting in their living room reading Embracing the Power to Live and talking about where he might have hidden the other poems he wrote through the years. Dan has Parkinson’s Disease, so I am going to help him publish them in a small book that he can give to his family as part of his legacy to them.
Another friend called me the week the book came out to tell me she was ordering it for a couple of relatives of hers who had stopped communicating with each other and with her. She thought somehow my book might encourage them to start talking. Helping Dan come out of his poetry shell and helping people find ways to communicate their feelings exemplifies the reasons I wrote the book, Embracing the Power to Live.
Thank you again for inspiring and encouraging me, and for inviting me to take part in this project. It means so much to me.
Thank you, Marsha, for this wonderful interview. It is truly amazing how much you have gained from being part of this on-line poetry community. I am deeply honoured that my poem resonated with you and thank you for the contribution of Dan’s gorgeous poem as well as detailing how Sunflower Tanka and Celebrating Poetry inspired and guided you.
My review of Embracing the Power to Live
Picture caption: Cover of Embracing the Power to Live featuring a painting of a teenage girl stepping through a door
What Amazon says
Embracing the Power to Live is a poetic journey of a woman’s perseverance despite life’s hard knocks. This collection taps into the true spirit of poetry—reaching ordinary people with the message that they are enough. Some poems hold profound meaning. Others are included simply for the fun of playing with words – a joy reborn when she stepped into the world of syllabic poetry. Told by different authority figures in her life that she would never marry or achieve her dreams, the author defied the discouraging voices. Her poetry shatters shame uplifts the spirit, and encourages readers to embrace the strength to do the same. This collection isn’t a self-help guidebook—it’s an invitation to laugh, weep, grow, and live together, connecting hearts through poetry. Embracing the Power to Live is for anyone who seeks to rise above a spinning world to gain strength, perspective, and a new beginning.
My review
This is a most unusual and enjoyable collection of poems, photographs, memories, and religious quotes that collectively tell the story of the poet’s life. A most interesting memoir, the poet has not shied away from sharing her human experience in all its marvelous highs and compelling lows. The short paragraphs embellishing the poems with additional colour and memories are enlightening and the photographs make the whole experience more visual and vivid.
This book is presented in different chapters, each focusing on different aspects of life and living to highlight and reveal in. While the poems are all encompassing and share moments of sadness and discomfort, the collective package is a positive experience of finding contentedness and peace to support the poet on her journey through life in all its manifestations. Religion, the poet’s guiding light, is threaded throughout the book as a common thread of hope and support.
I am sharing one poem, It’s hard being semi smart (pantoum) which I feel embodies the spirit of this book and its relatability to us all.
It’s hard being semi-smart because, It’s so hard to choose. I have many skills with several flaws And activities that enthuse.
It’s so hard to choose Because I’m sort of good. And activities that enthuse Make me think I should.
Because I’m sort of good, I try to do too much. Makes me think I should, But nothing has the master’s touch.
I try to do too much. I have many skills with several flaws. But nothing has the master’s touch. It’s hard being semi-smart because.
In closing, I must mention the cover of this book which I think is gorgeous.
Picture caption: Marsha Ingrao’s author photograph featuring her in a blue top with her dog against a setting sun background.
Marsha’s newest book, Embracing the Power to Live, a poetry anthology and memoir, is set to come out in late May or early June. She is the contributing editor for Story Chat Volumes I and II. Previous works include a chapter in This Is How We Grow (2023) by Yvette Prior, contributions to Sunflower Tanka, a Poetry Anthology by Colleen Chesebro and Robbie Cheadle (2024), and Images of America: Woodlake – Arcadia Publishing (August 13, 2015), available on Amazon. In addition, Ingrao published numerous poems and articles. She has blogged since 2012.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Teaching, and Administrative Credentials from Fresno State University. As a bilingual teacher, she earned a CLAD Certificate. While employed at Tulare County Office of Education, she earned her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Fresno Pacific University. At the county office, she developed curriculum for Migrant Education and later served as a History Consultant for the county’s Educational Resource Services.
Ingrao believes in lifelong learning. Today, she remains active as a blogger, writer, photographer, and history buff.
She grew up in Indiana and Oregon, moved as an adult to Colorado, then near the Giant Sequoias. After living in Arizona for four years, she and her husband, Vince, her dog, Goldie, and her cat, Moji, have recently returned to the land of the big trees in California.
About Robbie Cheadle
Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author picture
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
Posted: June 11, 2025| Author:robbiesinspiration|Filed under:Uncategorized|41 CommentsPicture caption: Read and Cook bannerPicture caption: The cover of Volcanic Adventures in Tonga featured a small boat on the ocean heading towards an island.
What Amazon says
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the remote islands of Tonga with Ann, a young conservation scientist, in this captivating travel memoir that will leave you breathless. From smoking volcanoes to fierce cyclones, Ann braves the elements while racing against time to save an endangered bird. But as she immerses herself in the rich culture and untouched beauty of Tonga, she discovers the true power of stepping outside her comfort zone. Join Ann as she uncovers the secrets of this breathtaking destination and navigates the challenges of living without modern comforts in “Tongan Time”. This thrilling adventure will ignite your wanderlust and make you appreciate the comforts of home like never before. It will transport you to a new world filled with tropical delights, adventure, a unique culture, and self-discovery.
Here is what you will discover in this book:
A captivating 17-month-long travel story that takes you on an exciting armchair adventure.
Original photos documenting the journey and showcasing the vibrant life in Tonga.
Unique insights into authentic Tongan culture, revealing experiences that go beyond what most short-term tourists encounter in the South Pacific.
Fascinating glimpses into the life of a remarkable bird that relies on a volcano to incubate its eggs.
My review
I read a recommendation for this book on a blog and its premise fascinated me. I am a great lover of southern African wildlife and a part time environmentalist so the idea of a young couple being so devoted to saving an endangered species of bird delighted and intrigued me.
The book tells the true story of the author’s experiences on a remote island in Tonga in the early 1990s. I am slightly younger than the author and grew up in South Africa so the descriptions of rural life and how the Tongan people lived and ate, are quite relatable to me. Having lived and worked in southern Africa for years and studied many reports about corruption and administrative red tape in setting up projects and businesses, those aspects of Ann’s story are also very understandable and relatable to me.
The difficulties faced by this young European couple in gaining entry to Tonga, setting up the project, and ultimately conducting it, were interesting, but the most interesting part of this memoire was the coming of age aspect and the information about the birds.
The couple were idealistic and full of good intentions when they set out on the project. They were going to help save an endangered an highly unusual bird on a remote island in Tonga. These are wonderful intentions but it was obvious to me from the outset, that the reality of what they were undertaking would be difficult and even disillusioning. The hardships the couple faced with illness, getting good food, understanding the culture and the language, and overcoming cultural obstacles and mindsets were fascinating. The story is actually a triumph for this couple who managed to stay true to their objectives in many ways, despite the huge obstacles and, towards the end, deteriorating health.
On reflection, I would never had done what this couple did at their young age, and even less so now. Perhaps because I always had a much greater understanding of what they would encounter on their path. This knowledge makes me even more admiring of their great achievement.
A fascinating story for lovers of wildlife and animals but also a story of enthusiasm, courage, and overcoming obstacles and staying true to an objective despite everything life throws at you in the process. An excellent book that I really enjoyed.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix the spice ingredients in a small bowl. In a wok or frying pan, brown the lamb chops using olive oil. Place the browned chops in a greased casserole dish. Fry the onions in the pan. Once soft and browning, add the spice, tomato paste and combine. Do not let the spices burn. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Pour the chicken stock mixture into the casserole dish and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and top up the liquid with more stock if necessary. Add the apricots. Return to the oven and cook for a further 1 hour.
I served with rice and garlic naan bread.
Picture caption: Lamb tagine with rice and roasted vegetables
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to welcome Michelle Ayon Navajas, poet and curator of After Rain Skies Global Anthology, back to Treasuring Poetry.
About After Rain Skies
After Rain Skies: The Global Anthology is the third installment in the After Rain Skies series, bringing together writers, poets, and storytellers from around the world to speak out against all forms of abuse and violence. Each poem and prose piece is either a personal story or one that inspired the writer—a voice raised in solidarity with those who have endured hardship. These are raw, real stories of resilience, courage, and the search for light after darkness, told through powerful prose and poetry.
Michelle Ayon Navajas, The Curator Published by Michelle Ayon Navajas Publishing House
Over to Michelle!
There are two books in the After Rain Skies series. The first, After Rain Skies: A Compilation of true and inspiring stories of abuse and violence in prose and poetry, comprises of your own poetry based on your experiences speaking to victims of abuse. The second is a global anthology, with contributors from all over the world. What were your aspirations for each of these two poetry collections?
It was in 2019 that I met the women of Perak Women For Women Society in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. I learned from them the devastating effects of abuse and violence on women and children. At that time, I was running an anonymous blog on WordPress for a while, and I thought if I could help them reach more people to amplify their cause and voice, then maybe, together, we would make a difference. I started writing about it on my blog, and I was surprised to receive emails from hundreds of women around the world sharing their stories, and those of someone they know and loved experiencing abuse and violence. It was then that the founder of PWW said, maybe we can do more than just listen and read their stories, that was when the first book was born. I’ve interviewed victims of abuse and violence and put all of their experiences in one collection written in prose and poetry. The first book was a success, it helped PWW generate funds to support their advocacy in helping distressed victims of abuse and violence, and the proceeds of the sales of the book went to the foundation. They also started receiving support from people around Malaysia. We were also able to provide immediate reading material whenever they needed to do campaign talks about abuse and violence. The book was an eye-opener for some victims who were afraid to speak up and tell their truths. More people started to speak up since then. Five years later, I’ve realized that abuse and violence are still a rampant societal problem worldwide. And so with the support of my fellow poets and bloggers, the Global anthology was born. It is aimed to amplify voices rallying against abuse and violence on a global stage coming from the experiences and perspectives of poets, writers and authors around the world.
There were two teenagers and two young adults who contributed to the global anthology. What are you hoping younger readers will gain from this collection?
I was very delighted to receive submissions from Arshien Deticio, an 18-year-old Senior High School student from the Philippines, and Michael Cheadle, a 19-year-old student from South Africa. These are indications that even teenagers are becoming more aware of the effects and tragedy brought about by abuse and violence. Having the voices of young people is a great help in seeking more support from the youth. Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ National Hero, once said, “The youth is the hope of our motherland.” this is true not only to the Philippines but to the youth worldwide. They will be the hope of our world, and having youths who take part in issues and concerns about issues like abuse and violence is an assurance that our world will be in good hands.
Arshien and Michael are the representatives of the great leaders and advocates of the future. I hope these two will continue advocating for causes and issues that are pertinent to making this world a better and safer place to live.
It seems from the contributors to the global anthology that gender-based violence is widespread. What do you see as the leading factors that contribute to this on-going issue? Do you see hope for change in the future?
With my experience and exposure to actual victims of abuse and violence, I’ve realized that they have one common denominator that is they are afraid to speak up because of the social stigma on victims. We as a society also lack the facility to provide immediate care to the distressed victims of abuse and violence. If we have a home for the ages, which caters to our elderly people, and an orphanage for abandoned children, maybe we can also have homes for distressed victims of abuse and violence. The number of victims skyrocketed over the years because they are afraid to speak up and afraid to report, or even seek help. And when they finally find the courage, they don’t have a safe place to go. Another aspect that I believe contributes to the rampant cases of abuse and violence is the lack of awareness and education, especially at home. Maybe it’s time we teach and raise boys not to hurt or abuse a girl or a woman, maybe it’s also time we change the family dynamics. As we all know, men who come from abusive families are highly likely to become abusive during their adult lives. And finally, there is a strong need for efficient legislation on abuse and violence. It is time for our government officials to strengthen the laws concerning abuse and violence. In the Philippines, we have the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262). You could just imagine what happened to victims of abuse and violence in the Philippines before 2004. Their stories were forgotten. Despite this, the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) revealed that 17.5% of Filipino women aged 15-49 have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence from their intimate partners. Why? Because the law itself has so many loopholes. The abusers can just easily get away, especially if they have the power and the money. And I am sure this is also true for the rest of the world.
I know that we have a long way to go in the battle against abuse and violence, but with our collective voices, we will make a difference.
My review of After Rain Skies The Global Anthology
After Rain Skies is an incredible collection of strong voices crying out against abuse in all its forms. There are contributions from countries all across the planet, reminding me that abuse is alive and well everywhere, from the most developed countries to the least developed. The poems involve a variety of different settings and are not exclusive to one sex which reinforced my own views and experiences never to judge people as you don’t know what their circumstances and life obstacles where and continue to be.
Every poem in this collection resonated with me even though I have not personally suffered many of the abuses shared. I have seen it in the world around me, read about it, and can feel it. While all the poems are incredible, visual, and powerful, there are a few that have stayed with me.
Extracts from three poems that really ate into my heart and soul:
“Father said
For because I am selfish
I shall make you want
For because I am angry
I shall make you timid
For why should you, my son
Benefit from the ability to love yourself
When I have not”
From In My Image by Michael L. Utley
“at 31, she just wants to be present for herself.
Sometimes, she feels selfish for it, but being
everything to everyone has drained her. she longs
for a break, a moment of solitude in silence”
From At 31 by Scarlet Rose
“Women, you don’t need to walk around broken.
Pick up every piece that’s been snatch away from you.
Every piece that’s been stolen.
Every piece that’s been smashed to pieces.
Search for them, find them and put them back where they belong.”
From Fine Piece of China by Martha Gloria Byng-Cornwell
Picture caption: Banner of Michelle Ayon Navajas featuring a selection of her books
Michelle Ayon Navajas (born June 23, 1976) is a Filipino poet, writer, and educator. She is a Best-Selling international Poet known for her books reaching the #1 spot within days of their release. Her 8th poetry book, “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark,” went straight to the top of both the best-sellers list and new releases on Amazon on short notice. Her 7th poetry book, “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” went straight to the best-sellers list on Amazon in less than 24 hours of release by pre-orders alone and eventually became the number Poetry Book on Amazon India on its actual release day, soon after the book rose to the best- sellers list as well in all other Amazon Markets worldwide.
Currently, Michelle holds the title of having 4 books published in a row to have made it to Amazon’s Best-Sellers List (“I Will Love You Forever, Too,” “After Rain Skies, 2nd Edition,” “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” and “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark”) and 3 books on Amazon’s #1Hot New Releases/New Releases (“I Will Love You Forever, Too,” “It Ain’t Winning If Without You,” and “I Am In Itself Poetry In The Dark”.)
Her poetry appeared in several international literary magazines and anthologies such as Spillwords NYC, MasticadoresUsa, and MasticadoresIndia. Her poems “Holding Hands” was voted as Spillwords Publication of the Month for November 2021 and “Love Happens” was voted as Spillwords Publication of the Month for December 2022.
She is also part of the award-winning ensemble of authors in two Poetry Anthologies, that are both Amazon Best-Sellers: Hidden In Childhood and Wounds I Healed.
Graduated with a Master of Education majoring in English in the Philippines (University of San Agustin, Iloilo City). Michelle was a former college professor, teaching literature, speech & oral communication, creative writing, drama, and theatre arts. She is also a graduate of Mass Communications major in Journalism (Centro Escolar University, Manila).
Michelle is active in her writing profession and works as a freelance creative writer.
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
The Willows is the story of two friends, the narrator and his companion, called ‘the Swede”, who embark on a canoe journey down the Danube River. As they approach an isolated region, they are warned by the locals to turn back, but they continue, believing the locals to be superstitious peasants. Their adventure quickly turns from an ordinary camping trip into a confrontation with an ancient, elemental force that appears to have been awakened by their intruding into its remote and peaceful territory.
The force that besieges the canoers remains mysterious and undefined throughout the story, thereby heightening the tension and creepiness especially as the two men’s perceptions of what they are seeing and experiencing differ.
This difference in perception is illustrated by the following short extract:
““Good heavens, it’s a man’s body!” he cried excitedly. “Look!”
A black thing, turning over and over in the foaming waves, swept rapidly past. It kept disappearing and coming up to the surface again. It was about twenty feet from the shore, and just as it was opposite to where we stood it lurched round and looked straight at us. We saw its eyes reflecting the sunset, and gleaming an odd yellow as the body turned over. Then it gave a swift, gulping plunge, and dived out of sight in a flash.
“An otter, by gad!” we exclaimed in the same breath, laughing.”
The narrator describes himself as being the more imaginative of the pair and rather included to overdramatise situations. The Swede is depicted as a pragmatic and sensible fellow with little to no imagination. As the story progresses, however, the Swede is the first of the pair to acknowledge that there are strange and unnatural forces at play. This narrator is the one who attempts to explain away all the peculiar things that are happening.
The bread goes missing and the narrator tries to explain it away as follows:
““How criminally stupid of me!” I cried, still determined to be consistent and find an explanation. “I clean forgot to buy a loaf at Pressburg. That chattering woman put everything out of my head, and I must have left it lying on the counter or –“
“The oatmeal, too, is much less than it was this morning,” the Swede interrupted.a
Why in the world need he draw attention to it? I thought angrily.”
This role reversal and the narrator’s increasing agitation amid desperate attempts to explain away all the mysteries adds to the dread.
This story is very unsettling and at the end, the reader is left unsure whether any strange occurrences actually took place or whether the creepy surroundings and natural elements like the wind and water unsettled the pairs minds to an extent that they imagined the entire episode. This sense of uncertainty by the reader is created by paragraphs such as the following:
“And, apart quite from the elements, the willows connected themselves subtly with my malaise, attacking the mind insidiously somehow by reason of their vast numbers, and contriving in some way or other to represent to the imagination a new and mighty power, a power, moreover, not altogether friendly to us.”
An extraordinary novella that will appeal to readers of dark psychological horror stories that expose how reason and sense can be worn down by terror.
Speculaas Cake with Raspberry and Butterscotch a la Robbie
I found a recipe for this cake in a magazine. I liked the idea but preferred my own spice cake recipe. The recipes below are the result of my experimenting.
German Spice Cake recipe
Prepare two cake tins, one slightly smaller than the other. Line the bottoms with baking paper and use a non-stick spray for the sides.
Picture caption: My two German spice cakes after they came out of the oven
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.
Ingredients
1 kilogram cake flour
10 ml salt
320 ml castor sugar
6 ml bicarbonate of soda
20 ml baking powder
10 ml ground cinnamon
10 ml ground ginger
5 ml ground cloves
5 ml ground black pepper
5 ml ground nutmeg
250 grams butter
350 ml golden syrup
160 ml hot water
2 egggs
300 ml double thick yogurt
Method
Sieve all the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl. Heat the butter, syrup and water together until everything is melted. Beat the eggs and add to the yogurt. Mix into the dry ingredients and then add the butter mixture. Mix until all the lumps are gone.
Bake for 45 – 60 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
Picture caption: My final decorated Speculaas cake with Raspberry and Butterscotch
Place the frozen raspberries in a pot with the lemon juice and simmer until you have a pulp (about 10 minutes). Strain the mixture to remove the raspberry seeds and pulp. Beat the icing sugar into the softened butter until smooth. Add the raspberry juice and beat until completely combined. Refrigerate until soft but solid.
Butterscotch icing
Ingredients
250 grams full-cream smooth cream cheese
250 grams tinned caramel
Beat the caramel and the cream cheese until smooth.
Assembly
I used the raspberry icing to stick the two cakes together, the smaller cake on top of the bigger cake. I then layered the butterscotch icing over the top and along the front and back of the two cakes leaving gaps at the sides. Where the two cakes joined, I used icing to fill the gap and make the icing smooth. I then layered the raspberry icing along the sides of the cakes, filling the gaps. I decorated my cake with Easter eggs.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to Welcome V.M. Sang, author and poet, as my April Treasuring Poetry guest.
Welcome Viv!
Thank you, Robbie, for inviting me to come and chat about poetry. I am honoured that you asked me.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read?
I enjoy Haiku and Tanka. I appreciate the structure and the work that goes in to make the syllables fit. But I also enjoy sonnets.
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
I struggled with this. There are so many I enjoy. I like the 1st World War poets and their take on the war. Particularly poignant are the two lines from Yeates An Irish Airman Forsees His Death.
Those that I fight I do not hate
Those that I guard I do not love.
But one poem I’ve loved since studying it at College is the sonnet, Ozymandias, by Percy Bysshe Shelley. It is a warning to all who strive to get above themselves. I think it is particularly pertinent at this time.
Ozymandias
by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveller from an antique land, Who said, “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal these words appear: ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
What is your favourite style of poetry to write?
I enjoy writing most forms, but particularly those with a strict form, like the sonnet and the Japanese forms, but I especially like to write rhyming poetry. I know it’s not fashionable at the moment, but I find the discipline a challenge. Discovering words with the right sound and number of syllables can be quite a challenge.
What is your favourite of your own poems?
I have to admit that there are two, both related. ‘I Am Earth’ appears in my first poetry book, Miscellaneous Thoughts, and the second one ‘I Am Earth 2’ is in From January to June, February 7th.
I Am Earth
I am Earth.
I am your mother.
I gave you birth.
I gave you a nest.
A wonderful home
On which you can rest.
I gave you food .
Plenty to eat.
You waste all that’s good.
I gave you the seas
And forests and hills,
But you chop down the trees.
You think you’re so cool,
But you pollute the air
By the burning of fuel.
You heat up the air
And care not a jot
For the poor polar bear.
Animals die
Because of your greed.
You hear not their cry.
I teemed with life,
Both great and small,
Yet extinction is rife.
Like a cancer you spread
Throughout the whole world.
It won’t end till you’re dead.
But I’ll make you pay
For all you have done.
You’ll be sorry one day.
I’ll shiver my skin.
Your buildings will fall
And bury your kin.
The land I will flood
By raising the seas
And drown all in mud.
My mountains so high
Will belch forth their flames
And you will all die.
I am Earth.
I am your mother.
I gave you birth.
BUT I WILL DESTROY YOU.
I Am Earth (2)
I am Earth.
I am your mother
I gave you birth.
I told you
What will occur.
And now you will rue.
You ignore me
And take little heed
Of my anxious plea.
So I send you rain
To flood all your homes
And give you pain.
I send the drought
So no crops will grow.
There’s famine, no doubt.
I heat the world
And many will die
From the heat I have hurled.
Winds I will send
In hurricanes now.
Your lands they will rend.
Yet you will not learn.
To me you are deaf
So the world I will burn.
Fires in the summer;
Deep snow in the cold.
You get dumber and dumber.
My skin I do shiver
And make buildings fall
As the ground it does quiver.
I will belch forth fire
From deep in my heart.
Make Earth like a pyre.
Will you now learn?
Don’t exploit my wealth.
Or you I will burn.
I AM DESTROYING YOU.
Please tell us about your poetry books, One Poem A Day Series? How did this book come about? It is a big commitment to write a poem a day.
My daughter, when she was little, had a bedtime story book with a very short story or a little poem for each day of the year. It was amazing because when she asked for more, as children will, I could say that the next poem or story was tomorrow’s.
For some reason I found myself thinking about this book one day. I’ve no idea why. It was decades ago when she was so small.
Then I thought, “Why not try to write one poem each day for a year, just like that book.” So that’s how it began.
It was quite difficult. Some days I had no inspiration and had to search for it. Other days I just didn’t feel like writing.
The discipline was good for me. I tend to be a procrastinator. There were some days when I couldn’t write due to circumstances, but I caught up by writing two poems until I was back on track.
My review of From January to June (One Poem A Day Series Book 1)
Picture caption: Cover of From January to June (One Poem A Day Series Book 1)
I enjoyed this collection of poetry very much. It is very British in its content and language and the poems reminded me of the stories of my mother has told me of her childhood growing up in a small town in Suffolk, UK. The references and descriptions are all familiar to me and reading this book was like putting on a comfortable dressing gown.
The style of the poems is varied from freestyle, to rhyming verse, to syllabic poetry and I enjoyed this aspect. There were also several limericks to make the reader smile. The content is also wide ranging from nature, to a Roman gods theme, to friends and family. The poems are grouped by month and tell a story of the poet’s daily experiences during that month in terms of the environment, the holidays, and entertainment.
A few of my favourite poems with a short synopsis: Grown Up – a fun poem asking about why the poet should do certain expected things in order to be deemed grown up; The Peacock – a delightful descriptive poem of a male peacock; Destruction – a sad commentary of the damage humans have, and continue to, inflict on the planet; The Fishmonger’s – a delicious commentary on the yummy seafood enjoyed by the poet; Robin – a gorgeous depiction of a robin in the poet’s garden; Starlings – a tanka about a murmuration of starlings going to roost; Tea – a poem about English tea; Blackpool – a comparative poem between the Blackpool of the poet’s childhood memories and the modern Blackpool; Mum – a very special tribute to the poet’s mother; Boudicca – a poem about this famous historical queen. I was interested to note that the name of this woman has been changed from Boudicea which is the name my mom always calls her. It cleared up a confusion for me; Son – a delightful poem about the poet’s son; Rainbow – an interesting and unique take on the colours of the rainbow; Spring cleaning – an entertaining take on spring cleaning which is very familiar to me; I am a Writer – a poem about why the poet writes. I always enjoy peeks into why poets and authors write; True Love – a romantic poem about a lost love; Teddy – a delightful poem about the poet’s teddy bear from childhood. I also had mine until recently; Fickle Muse – a commentary about when the words don’t come; Gardens, I’ll quote this short poem: “Gardens are bits of heaven Fallen from above. Gardeners are angels Tending them with love.” Ode to Beer – an amusing poem about the historical and modern joys of beer; The Village Green – my personal favourite in this collection. A poem about British communal life;
This is a delightful collection that really warmed my heart.
V.M. Sang was born and lived her early life in Cheshire in the north west of England. She has always loved books and reading and learned to read before she went to school.
During her teenage years she wrote some poetry, one of which was published in Tecknowledge,the magazine of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). Unfortunately, that is the only one that is still around.
V.M. Sang became a teacher and taught English and Science at her first school.
She did little writing until starting to teach in Croydon, Greater London. Here she started a Dungeons and Dragons club in the school where she was teaching. She decided to write her own scenario. The idea of turning it into a novel formed but she did nothing about it until she took early retirement. Then she began to write The Wolves of Vimar Series.
Walking has always been one of V.M. Sang’s favourite pastimes, having gone on walking holidays in her teens. She met her husband walking with the University Hiking Club, and they still enjoy walking on the South Downs.
V.M.Sang also enjoys a variety of crafts, such as card making, tatting, crochet, knitting etc. She also draws and paints.
V.M.Sang is married with two children, a girl and a boy. Her daughter has three children and she loves to spend time with them.
All the books are available in many formats, including audio for several of them.
About Robbie Cheadle
Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author picture
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera
Picture caption: Cover of The Unbearable Lightness of Being featuring a bra and panties in black against a blue background
I knew when I started reading this book that it was unusual and had a big focus on extramarital affairs and womanizing, but I decided to try it anyway and see what all the fuss was about. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is set in Prague, Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring of 1968 and the subsequent Soviet invasion. The story revolves around four central characters who are all facing their own problems and difficulties with relationships. Both of the men are womanizers and unable to remain faithful to a single woman, even one they profess to love. One of the women is also unable to settle down with a partner and has a string of affairs with men, married and otherwise.
Tomas is a successful surgeon at the beginning of the book. He fears commitment and this has already led to one failed marriage. He does not have anything to do with either his ex-wife or his son. When Tereza arrives on his doorstep, huge bag by her side, he is effectively bamboozled into taking her into his home. She fascinates him and he does have feelings of great attachment for her which lead to him marrying her. He fights these feelings and continues to have his countless affairs, in particular, he has an on-going sexual relationship with Sabina, a beautiful artist. Tereza loves Tomas very much and when the Russian Invasion begins, she goes with him to Zurich where she expects him to give up his infidelities. This does not happen, and he continues to see Sabina who has immigrated to Geneva. Tereza decides to leave Zurich and return to Prague. Tomas, despite his desire for freedom, follows Tereza, knowing he will not be able to leave Prague again. His attachment to Tereza is strong but it does not result in a happy ever after due to Tomas becoming involved in a political situation that destroys his career.
Throughout, Tomas and Tereza’s relationship, Sabina has another on-going affair with Franz, a married man who lives in Geneva. Sabina and Franz don’t understand each other at all and when Franz ultimately leaves his wife to live permanently with Sabina, she disappears, leaving him alone with no-one.
The central theme of this book is the philosophical concept of eternal return which assumes that everything in life repeats itself continuously into infinity. The author, however, uses the characters in his story to dismiss the theory of eternal return while maintaining the view that it is the only path to true happiness and as each individual’s life path is a straight line, lasting happiness is not achievable.
This was not an easy read for me, and I returned to it several times in order to finish it. The philosophy is very different from my personal beliefs and while it was a worthwhile read in the long run, it is not a book that everyone will enjoy
A few quotes from The Unbearable Lightness of Being
“Anyone whose goal is ‘something higher’ must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No, Vertigo is something other than fear of falling. It is the voice of the emptiness below us which tempts and lures us, it is the desire to fall, against which, terrified, we defend ourselves.”
“Making love with a woman and sleeping with a woman are two separate passions, not merely different but opposite. Love does not make itself felt in the desire for copulation (a desire that extends to an infinite number of women) but in the desire for shared sleep (a desire limited to one woman).”
“There is no means of testing which decision is better, because there is no basis for comparison. We live everything as it comes, without warning, like an actor going on cold. And what can life be worth if the first rehearsal for life is life itself? That is why life is always like a sketch. No, “sketch” is not quite a word, because a sketch is an outline of something, the groundwork for a picture, whereas the sketch that is our life is a sketch for nothing, an outline with no picture.”
To go with this rather extraordinary book, I am sharing a dessert from my children’s book, Sir Chocolate and the Valentine Toffee Cupid.
Picture caption: Heart-Shaped Meringues before filling
Ingredients:
• 4 large egg whites at room temperature;
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar;
• Pinch of salt;
• 1 cup castor sugar;
• Pink food colouring (liquid); and
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
What you need:
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer;
• Baking trays;
• Wax paper cut to fit the baking trays;
• A large heart shaped cookie cutter;
• Pencil;
• Large piping bag or a strong plastic bag with the end snipped off; and
• Large star piping tip.
Method:
• Preheat the oven to 120 degrees Celsius.
• Combine egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in the bowl of the mixer (it must not be greased and must be clean and dry).
• Whisk the egg mixture on a low speed until the mixture becomes foamy.
• Increase the speed to high and gradually add the castor sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Allow for 20 seconds of mixing in between new additions of sugar.
• When the mixture is thick and glossy i.e. the spoon can stand up in the bowl, stir through the vanilla essence and a few drops of pink food colouring.
Instructions:
• Using a pencil, draw six heart shapes on the non-wax side of a piece of wax paper that fits inside the baking tray.
• Fit the star piping tip into the piping bag.
• Spoon the meringue mixture into the piping bag.
• Squeezing the bag, draw a thick line of meringue around the heart shape. Repeat twice to form three meringue layers, one on top of the other to form the sides of the meringue shell.
• Using the piping bag, fill in the bottom of the heart with meringue mixture.
• Pipe another layer of meringue around the sides of the heart.
• Pipe a few meringue stars to use up the last of the meringue mixture in the piping bag.
• Place the meringues in the oven and bake for 3 hours.
• Switch off the oven, and open the door half way. Leave the meringues to cool overnight.
Picture caption: Filled Heart-Shaped Meringues
Filling for the Heart-Shaped Meringues
Ingredients:
• A handful of chopped strawberries;
• A handful of chopped raspberries;
• Whipped cream; and
• Melted chocolate.
Method:
• Whip the cream and spoon a quantity into each shell. Don’t overfill.
• Add a small quantity of chopped strawberries and chopped raspberries.
• Drizzle tempered dark chocolate over the filling.
Tip:
Only fill the meringues just before serving or they will go soggy.
Sir Chocolate and the Valentine Toffee Cupid is available from Amazon US here:
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
_____________________________________________
This segment of “Read and Cook” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
Today, I am delighted to feature poet and author, Freya Pickard, as my March Treasuring Poetry Guest. Freya is a great supporter of the WordPress poetry community and runs a bi-annual haiku challenge on her haiku blog which you can find here: https://purehaiku.wordpress.com/.
Welcome Freya.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read ie haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc?
I’m not sure I have a favourite style of poetry. I enjoy both modern and traditional haiku, as well as tanka and other short form poetry due to their ability to create startling, vivid images and contrasts. But I also enjoy other poetical forms, including free verse. I usually look for poetry that captures my imagination, that allows me to connect the dots without the poet telling me how I should feel or think or believe. I enjoy any kind of poetry that allows my inner being to connect with ideas and concepts too. My favourite reads from the last couple years include Linda Imbler’s “Twelvemonth” and Willow Croft’s “Quantum Singularity”. I’m also a huge fan of Italian poet, Claudia Messelodi and love her collections “Blue Moon” and “Sky-Blue Wisteria”. I also love JRR Tolkien’s epic poems, especially those in The Lays of Beleriand.
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
A poem I return to again and again is The Lay of Leithian by JRR Tolkien. It tells of a tragic love story between a human man, Beren, and an immortal elf woman, Luthien. Their love is forbidden by Luthien’s father and the story covers many years of suffering for both protagonists. There are horrendous monsters and dark peril for both to overcome. Beren’s task is to obtain one of the elvish jewels, a Silmaril, and in doing so, he loses his life. If you’ve not read it, I won’t spoil it by telling you the ending, but it really is worth reading! (No, I’ve not seen The Rings of Power because I can’t stream images. Plus, I’ve seen trailers for it and the characters are not how I imagined them to look/act!)
I suppose this Lay satisfies my need for both poetry and stories. The narrative is also dark, which suits me fine, and contains both vampires and werewolves amongst the monsters who tread the shadows! The romance isn’t cloying and the ending is bittersweet, which, for me, is a true reflection of life. The Lay of Leithian is incredible long, so here are just a few excerpts which I love.
The first excerpt sets the scene for Luthien’s dancing beneath the moonlight:
There darkling stood a silent elm
And pale beneath its shadow-helm
There glimmered faint the umbels thick
Of hemlocks like a mist, and quick
The moths on pallid wings of white …
The second excerpt describes the vampire that haunts the tale:
A vampire shape with pinions vast
Screeching leaped from the ground and passed,
It’s dark blood dripping on the trees …
And the last excerpt describes one of the many fight scenes:
From shape to shape, from wolf to worm,
From monster to his own demon form,
Thu changes, but that desperate grip
He cannot shake, nor from it slip …
What is your favourite style of poetry to write?
I write from my heart, how I feel, what I see, what I experience, so more often than not I write free verse. Sometimes this outpouring of poetry is rhythmical such as in
Down through the dewy woods, damp and leafy
Wading rivers that rush and whirl
Lost in the mist, in the moors and marshes
Stumbles at last to a steep-sided cliff…
Sometimes it rhymes:
I dream of mermaids, magic and myth,
Of silvery fish tails, immortal gifts,
Flaming red hair and liquid green eyes,
Of laughter and singing old sea-songs.
Songs that whisper of seaweed, wind-rippled sands
That tell of the monsters who walk on land,
That speak of Ancients who dwell in the deeps,
Hinting at languages no man can speak.
I dream of dolphins so free in the sea
Of the whale and the seahorse,
Of what might have been…
But normally I find a rhythm of words that reflects my emotion:
this blurred moment
when
hydrogen combines with
oxygen –
too much water
I drown
swiftly rising
I gasp
draw air
to resurrect myself
wavering
on the edge
I feel life
flickering
doused in moisture
I reach for the wind
bursting full
I skim, I dance
across this strange
ocean called
death
I do use poetic forms to express myself and have experimented with many different short forms in the past. My favourite styles are haiku, tanka and elfje because they are short and focus my attention on one thing at a time. I love haiku, particularly traditional haiku because it tests my ability to say something in just 17 syllables!
eggshell thin fragile
touch me and I will shatter
empty, blank inside
What is your favourite of your own poems?
My favourite poem, so far in my life, is I, Vampire from my most recent poetry collection, Vampirical Verse. I, Vampire sums up how I feel post cancer and encapsulates the experience of near death, open surgery and chemotherapy too.
I understand emptiness
I feel no fear
no pain
no joy
no sorrow
I am hollowed out
what used to live within
has long since fled
yet still, I am not dead
unable to care
to be concerned
no heart beats within my breast
no hormones surge inside
I feel nothing –
un-dead yet un-alive
Please tell us about your poetry book trilogy, This Is Me. What is your main intention with this collection of poems?
This Is Me boxset/paperback contains the frost three published volumes of my poetry. Each volume has a different reason for being in the collection.
Volume 1 – Insides
These poems were written between July 2014 and October 2015 and covers my near death experience of bowel cancer, open surgery, chemotherapy and the start of my recovery. Most days I wrote something in my journal, even if it was just one sentence. I found it hardest to write during chemo due to the utter exhaustion I experienced for 6 months. At other times I was lucid enough to experiment with poetic forms and often, some of my prose sentences became poems when I looked back in my journals during recovery. My intention in this section was to help people understand what it is like to go through the above-mentioned experiences.
Volume 2 – My Mythology
The poems in this section were written between 1990 and 2015. My intention was to allow readers an insight into the sources of my creative inspiration. Again I use free verse as well as poetical forms to explore biblical imagery, Nordic influences and tales of vampires, zombies and werewolves! These poems show others what is important to me as a prose writer as well.
Volume 3 – This Is Me
This section is a compendium of real-life and fantastical imaginings and were written between 1990 and 2017. I explore how important certain things are to me; dancing, writing, the seasons, being single, being married, having cancer, and, of course, reading! This volume gives readers a different kind of insight into my everyday life and routine.
All three volumes together form a poetical auto-biography that I think is more dynamic than a prose re-telling of my life so far. This Is Me was designed so that the reader can dip in an out of it as they wish, or read great chunks at one time if they so desire.
Anyone who reads this book will understand me, the real me!
My reviews of Insides and My Mythology by Freya Pickard
Insides
Picture caption: Book cover of Insides by Freya Pickard
I have read several memoires of journeys through the horrors of cancer and its treatment and they have been very compelling. Depicting this journey using the short and powerful lines of poems took the poet’s experiences to a higher level of emotional involvement for me. Each poem is vivid and visceral and sliced right through my heart. I related deeply to the poet’s reaction to medical confirmation of cancer which took me back to my mother’s diagnosis of cancer. I couldn’t take about it for two weeks because the shock was so great.
This book comprises of four parts and I am going to share a poem or verse from a poem from each section to illustrate the gut wrenching power of these poems.
Part One Colostomy
Stoma-ached “my insides on my outside, red blancmange in jellied form, dark innards encrusting pale, tired flesh, interruption of natural order – raspberry flavoured belly belches.”
Part Two Surgery “cancer; cancer; barren fruit inside my flesh, pierced through, cut free, removed from within”
Part Three Chemotherapy “frustration of not being able to do what I want to do; no energy to do anything
this long haul of weariness seems never-ending
endless waiting, patiently sitting in three different waiting rooms – checking my swollen arm for clots …”
Part Four Recovery “fogged landscape reveals my future path; life”
The poems in this book depicting cancer in all its stark reality have stayed with me. They brought back my own memories of countless waits in hospital for news – sometimes good, sometimes not so good. It feels like I’ve spend a huge portion of my life waiting for outcomes. It was psychologically uplifting to me that Freya’s treatment process, unbelievably hard as it was, had a successful outcome.
My Mythology delves into the poet’s interest in mythology and legends which is an important aspect of who she is as a person, poet, and writer. My mother is English and I was brought up on a diet of dragons, unicorns, Arthur and the knights of the round table, and other British myths and legends. My mother’s home town of Bungay has an array of ghosts and the church my mom attended as a girl is home to a famous story about the Black Shuck of Bungay. I knew all of these stories as a youngster and as I grew older, I expanded my interest into Greek and Norse mythology. As a result, I recognised many of the figures and creatures featured in this book.
The poet has written beautiful and lyrical word pictures and stories incorporating elements from various myths and legends, all of which are vivid and a delight to read. The poems are divided into ten sections: Roots, Imaginate, Oceansong, Legend, The Lizard, Fringes of Fear, Blank Mirror, Spectral Visions, Time & Space, and Deity.
I am going to share extracts from a few poems that particularly captivated me under the specific section heading.
Roots “I am the lifting of your heart I am a candle in the dark.
I am the cry of a new-born child I am a cub in the bitter wild.” from ‘Hope’
Oceansong “The sun was dying through the mist And in the waves that kissed the beach Bright blue and purple, grey and green, Tails flickered with a rainbow sheen.” from ‘Shifting Wave of Green’
Legend “metalled horn spirals up gleams between dark, liquid eyes contrasting with his pale coat that shines with starlight, moonlight – luminous’ from ‘Silvered Constellation’
Deity ‘Air is Breath of my sould, That which will last beyond My body’s destruction, living Always.’ from Substance
This is a book for the dreamers of this world. Those of us that revel in the possibility of a bit of magic and wonder around the next corner. A superb book of gorgeous poems.
Pushcart Prize nominee, Freya Pickard is the quirky, unusual author of The Kaerling series, an epic fantasy set in the strange and wonderful world of Nirunen.
A cancer survivor, she writes mainly dark fantasy tales and creates expressive poetry in order to rest the prose side of her brain. Her aim in life is to enchant, entertain and engage with readers through her writing.
She finds her inspiration in the ocean, the moors, beautifully written books and vinyl music (particularly heavy metal and rock). Her most recent relaxation techniques to get her through lockdown include hatha yoga and painting landscapes and monsters in watercolour.
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.
Picture caption: Cover of The Museum of Ordinary People showing people organising display items in a room against a yellow background
What Amazon says
Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she’s ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. As she sorts through a lifetime of memories, everything comes to a halt when she comes across something she just can’t part with: an old set of encyclopedias. To the world, the books are outdated and ready to be recycled. To Jess, they represent love and the future that her mother always wanted her to have.
In the process of finding the books a new home, Jess discovers an unusual archive of letters, photographs, and curious housed in a warehouse and known as the Museum of Ordinary People. Irresistibly drawn, she becomes the museum’s unofficial custodian, along with the warehouse’s mysterious owner. As they delve into the history of objects in their care, they not only unravel heart-stirring stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long-buried secrets that lie closer to home.
Inspired by an abandoned box of mementos, The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant novel about memory and loss, the things we leave behind, and the future we create for ourselves.
My review
Most people have items in their lives that are special to them. Items that may not hold a high numerical value but which represent a special time and/or memory in their lives. These are the things we all try to hold on to over the course of our lives. The things stored in a memory suitcase or box that we would save first in the event of a fire or disaster. These are the things that constitute the Museum of Ordinary People.
This book is an extraordinary idea that builds on the concept of beloved possessions with which we do not want to part when someone dies, but which we may not have the space or ability to keep. The author has built a heartfelt and brilliant story around the interesting idea of a museum where these special items from ordinary people can be housed and displayed.
Jess Baxter grow up in Northampton in a single parent family. Her mother is incredibly dear to her and when she dies unexpectedly, Jess is overwhelmed with grief. Jess is left with the dreadful job of going through her mother’s possessions and disposing of them in order to empty her home, ready for sale. With the help of her best friend, Luce, Jess manages to get this task completed, but she hangs on to a set of battered and well used encyclopedias from her childhood. She takes them home to the posh London flat she shares with her boyfriend, Guy, and stores them for a period to time. A year later, Guy decides they should formalise their relationship and purchase a house together. Jess is faced with having to get rid of the encyclopedias. A search uncovers the existence of The Museum of Ordinary People and Jess decides to take the encyclopedias there where they will be safely stored. When she arrives, she finds that the owner has recently died and his business, including the museum, have been inherited by a man called Alex. Alex has terrible scars which have impacted his whole life and turned him into an introvert. Alex doesn’t know what to do with the museum and Jess desperately wants to save it. She also sees the museum as an opportunity for her to act in the capacity of curator of her own museum, a position she has dreamed of. Jess persuades Alex to give her a chance to turn the museum into a money-making venture.
Jess is a lovely character. She is anxious and full of self doubt but she has an inner strength that comes out strongly over the course of the book. She has made some mistakes including her involvement with Guy who is stifling her creativity and preventing her from pursuing her dream. Jess has the strength of character to go against Guy’s wishes and follow her dream which I really enjoyed. She demonstrates determination, a great work ethic and ability to achieve success in difficult circumstances. As the novel progresses, Jess also gets a second chance at love.
A thoroughly entertaining read with a strong female main character.
Ingredients (I made double of the Toad in the Hole)
16 pork sausages (pricked on both sides)
Olive oil for cooking the sausages
Yorkshire pudding batter
500 ml egg (I used 10 1/2 eggs) – you need to measure the egg
500 grams all purpose or plain flour
375 ml milk
125 ml cold water
2 Tbspns mayonnaise
1 tspn salt
White pepper to taste
100 ml olive oil
Onion gravy (I did not double this part of the recipe)
Sausage fat and olive oil for frying
1 large red onion chopped
1 tspn garlic flakes
45 ml all purpose or plain flour
500 ml beef stock
5 ml Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper to taste
Method
In a bowl, whisk the flour into the egg. I used an electric mixer. Add the cold water, milk, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth. Place in the refrigerator.
In a frying pan, brown the sausages in a little olive oil. Retain the sausage fat.
Heat the oven to 220C. Place the olive oil (100 ml) into a baking pan and place in the oven for c. 10 minutes. When sizzling hot, remove carefully from the oven and quickly place the sausages all around the pan. Pour over the batter and replace in the oven to cook for c. 35 minutes until golden brown.
Picture caption: Toad in the hole ready to be baked in the oven
Add some olive oil to the sausage fat and cook the onion. Mix in the flour, garlic and black pepper. Add the beef stock stirring continuously. It will thicken quickly. Add the Worcestershire sauce.
Picture caption: Onion gravy
Serve immediately.
Picture caption: Baked toad in the holePicture caption: A serving of toad in the hole with onion gravy
About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
_______________________________________
This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
