RINGS AROUND THE SUN

By Charles Robert Lindholm

It Was A Birthday Gathering
With Cake And Lots Of Candles
Blazing On Top Of It
Waiting To Be Blown Out

THE THRILL OF WRITING

By Charles Robert Lindholm

I Hear The Rhythm
Of My Pulse Beating
Between My Ears
As I Tap, Tap, Tap The Keys

HAIKU: A MORNING RITUAL

By Charles Robert Lindholm

A Morning Ritual

SHE WAS MY WILDFLOWER

By Charles Robert Lindholm

She Brought Joy
Into My Life
Everyday
And Because Of Her

HAIKU: LIFE IS A PATHWAY

By Charles Robert Lindholm

Life Is A Pathway

HAIKU: FISHING IS

BY CHARLES ROBERT LINDHOLM

FISHING IS HUNTING

HAIKU: THE HEART KNOWS LOVE

By Charles Robert Lindholm

There Is A Quandary

Work in Progress

One thing they don't tell you
is that Chemo's pretty shite
If they did no one would do it
and there'd never be the fight
at least not one where poison
is pumped into your body
followed by three weeks of drugs
insidious and shoddy

And yet still here with cancer
it's a choice which must remain
as you're always in the driving seat
and the most to lose or gain
I made the choice to leave it
two infusions; six weeks in
as it took away the best of me
stopped me being; stopped my grin

Rested

Some days merge and meld
There's a place for that
and when coupled with a healing
they border on a beautiful
mostly peaceful use of time
purpose and meaning merging
and melding and slipping away
And I am rested.

Rebellious hope

I believe Belinda may have got it right
and heaven IS a place on earth
not that I'm planning on
going there anytime soon
For those of us who live in rebellious hope
(sic. Dame Deborah Jones R.I.P.)
stand up to adversity no matter how bleak
it sometimes gets.
Heaven is a long time coming
but when my time comes
I'll be off to the place Belinda sees
Right here, in perfection as God intended.
Meantime rebellious hope prevails.

Skin and bone

I now know the meaning of all skin and bone
and it's not something I would choose to condone
for I've lost so much weight it's now bothering me
and as part of this illness scarce solution I see

I've not been this light since I was a lad
and that in itself is making me sad
The answer of course is to eat more but there
is the rub and the root I'll gladly here share

Scaffolding

Outside my window the scaffolding blight
is getting annoying and hiding the light
It's been up too long and there in  our sight
and long overdue to be gone

Good form

Last Sunday, not a good day
thoughts were swirling, caught me up
needed rest and got it
but this remains a bitter cup
Some days it just gets like that
comes in from the left field
and though I do my best to counter
it's hard to stand and not to yield

Slope

When gifted with new wheels
self-propelled - it's best go slow
for you never really know for sure
what's waiting down below

Mobility

I wish I didn't have to
and that I didn't have the need
but I do and am quite chuffed
with my shiny new blue steed
A self-propelled and comfy
wheelchair to get around
and though legs are getting better
means I can get to town
And yes I hope it's temporary
of course I do, but hey
it's all about my comfort
to make the most of every day

Roofing & Sparks

Bang! Crash! Wallop! Bang!
the Sparks is in the hall
Slates are coming off the roof
Rubble's in the wall
New lights are going up around
The chimney's almost down
noise is almost everywhere
with all this building sound
It feels almost chaotic
yet by the ending of the day
A new roof will be up there
and we'll have light to shine the way

SLOW LEARNER AT LOVE

By Charles Robert Lindholm

The Problem Seems To Be
That It’s Hard For Me To See
An Earthquake As My
Responsibility

Am I To Blame
When My Life
Comes Tumbling
And Crumbling
Down
Like Jenga
Pieces

Importance

Let me tell you a tale of importance
and then you can make up your mind
of what to spend time to think about
and what to do to unwind
You see it's all to do with values
and comparisons at the end of the day
some will be imperative
some can go by the way

Roof

The tall chimney stood
for a hundred plus years
but when it came down
there weren't any tears
for it had ceased function
ages ago
and was now letting water
seep in below

Mohican

Mohican equipped I am ready to face
once more again now the old human race
Have had it in mind for a very long time
but finally now I have one that's mine
And no the grey hair won't often be here
colours instead to bring lots of cheer
Yes I'm in my sixties and have cancer to boot
but none of that stops me from having a hoot
Cock-a-hoop to the world, this is the new me
Flipping the finger with a loud tee tee hee

Normal

I long for the chance just
to sit down and say
as evening falls swift
'that was a good day'
But at present that thing
is often denied
almost as if life
had something to hide

HAIKU: FLIGHT APPOACHES

By Charles Robert Lindholm

Watching Butterflies

Struggle

There's someone brave sits next to me
he tells me things to do
tells me I am capable
but sometimes he's a fool
For instance here's me trying
to write down a few words
but my hand won't do as bidden
(it really is absurd)
Lego's a non-starter
I need both hands for that
So I've told him this and, bless him
He's accepted it as fact
So for the present reading
and music is my thing
that and some struggle writing
when poetic voice it sings

Comfort & Safety

I am back in my recliner
it's the safest place to be
that is until I'm better
and my veins are blood clot free

For here I can find comfort
during day and through the night
and there's very little chance
of things here to bring a fright

Drugs

Drugs. I sooner not have them
but have them i must
as with their prescription 
from Doctor's I trust
is the ever hope
they will keep at bay
though sadly they'll not
take this cancer away
So meantime I rattle
not nice but I'll cope
as they're a no brainer
and at least bring me hope

HAIKU: HOURGLASS SAND DWINDLING

By Charles Robert Lindholm

Hourglass Sand Dwindling

I am not my diagnosis

I am clearly not my diagnosis
Ginger Wildheart's song once said
for if I'd listened to my doctors
at this time I would be dead
'Cos that's the time they gave me
back when the news first broke
Although with chemotherapy
a longer time was spoke

The promise of hope

Bezza and me, the sea and the sun
looking out to horizon as noontide is done
synonymous here of the New Year begun
The promise of hope, it is here

The sea all a-silver, precious and new
captured as both of us take in the view
and embrace a bright future bequeathed to the few
The promise of hope, it is here