who’s sorry now? (Troiku + Cherita) Daily Moments

She arrived at work over two hours earlier than usual since she had appointments in the morning. Taking her time to settle at her workstation, she fires up her computer and decides to listen to some music on Youtube. This week is the Montreal International Jazz Festival and what better occasion to listen to jazz.
They were entering their first heatwave, so she started by listening to Summertime by Ella the Queen of Jazz and Soul along with other versions getting her acquainted to more singers and musicians. She vacillated from older masters of Jazz to today’s artists allowing the music to of another time carry her…

For the past few years, I am so mesmerized by this singer.

swept away
Coltrane whines mournfully
recalling another time

swept away
Unforgettable lines
crooned by Cole

Coltrane whines mournfully
piercing deep
into her soul

recalling another time
replaying over and over
Who’s Sorry Now

©Tournesol\’18/06/29

Daily Moments – Jazzy afternoon (troiku)

Who’s Sorry Now (A Cherita)

music brings her back seeing her heartbroken mother for months

coming home after school
remembering on the darkness with shades pulled down

hearing the sobbing voice
Connie Frances moans over and over and over
that unrelenting turntable

©Tournesol ’18/06/29

planting seeds ( a cherita)

It rained all day and all night, cleaning debris from the ground

Clouds slowly making their way beyond
Sun shyly peaks her golden crown

Mother Earth waits
Her season’s feast
As farmers plant their seeds

Daily reflections – planting seeds

Daily reflections – heartfelt prayers to Sante Fe

a drill with ringing bells

children stand in line and face their teachers
popping sounds alarm them all

running for their lives
confused and filled with fear
the tragedy inside the school

with sorrow and broken heart we weep

yet salty tears shall comfort slight
too many wounds and losses

youths and adults lament
parents and children fear their future
and unforeseen asylums

©Cheryl-Lynn Roberts –

hidden storms (A cherita) Daily reflections

inner storms distracting such a beautiful day

lightning striking every corner of this form
thunder muted respectfully

making room to heed
pleading cries ignored
left with salty tears

A Cherita – early rise – daily moments May 17 2018

it’s midnight and still not home

early rise at seven in the morning but well worth the effort
starting a new chapter in our work history

Communication is key
open to hear each other, essential
there is no “I” in team

Daily moments -blossoms (a cherita and haiku)

Tiny blossoms dancing in the wind

Scents of lilacs
springtime by the river

Childhood memories
Swaddle me
GrandMaman’s embrace

Golden rays
Midday sunshine
Set in magenta

no man’s land. (daily moments May 12/18)

Daily moments no man’s land A cherita and a Senryu

Time and time again soreness sharpens

Once in a while it reaches a peak
Explosion of tears her only recourse

She sits, listening to her body screaming
Confused and lost not knowing where to look
Which joint cries louder?

Still in the night
assaulting her sleep
dissonance of pain

blessings (Cherita) daily moments

April 3rd 2018

Early rise can be demanding for night owls

Bright sun beaming down on us
Makes it all well worth the effort

Yellow star on blue canvas
Hearing click click of boots on sidewalks
No slushing and crunching today

Blessings of a new day.

A man sweeps the sidewalk in front of his home
Sure beats breaking his back shovelling snow

Playing a game of hide and seek
A squirrel tries to turn his back to eat in peace
Curiosity gets the best of him …

April 4th

March winds robbing April causing havoc everywhere

Blowing snow looks like swirling smoke
Nighttime city streets turn into scary movies

April fool’s lingers way too long
Teasing us with winter cold and white rain
Spring turning Helter Skelter

April 5, 2018

Sound of sirens waking her

Pounding on her windows
Blowing winds so fierce and loud demanding notice

Minus 7 this April morning
Sun beams brightly on pale blue sky
Makes the cold much more bearable

City streets ( a cherita)

Staggers on city streets dilated pupils

Leaning on folks pleading for twonies
Women and seniors look away warily

Begging turns to taunting
Pedestrians shrink away
Looking for a peaceful place

Today I was walking downtown on St Catherine Street in Montreal and a panhandler was harassing people on the sidewalk, leaning in close to them, blocking their way so they could not walk and I started walking a bit slower to be closer to other pedestrians. Then I noticed he was harassing an elderly man walking with a cane. The man lifted his cane out of desperation and froze a moment telling the man to stop bothering him. I stopped walking and watched to make sure the man was safe,cell in hand ready to call 911. [I was kicking myself for not having a can of hair spray or pepper spray in my pocket]. Finally the panhandler went onto another pedestrian.

I went into the Eaton Centre and walked towards the food court and crossed the man with the cane. I told him I was happy he was able to get away from that man who was bothering him. “Oh, you saw that, did you?” He seemed pleased that he was actually not alone for those tense moments. I felt an immediate bond…older folks feeling a bit intimidated with situations due to our age and inability to run away fast enough.