Category: Poetry

Congratulations to Colleen M Chesebro and Robbie Cheadle. #newbook #anthology #newrelease #poetry

Robbie and Colleen are excited to share that the 2025 edition of Sunflower Tanka has published.

I’m delighted to have my poems, My New Friend, (Experimental Tanka Prose,) She Finds A Strength, (Garland Tanka,) and Discovering Loves Truth in Dreams, (Tanka Puente,) in the anthology. There were I believe a record number of contributors!

Well done to everyone who contributed to the anthology and to Robbie and Colleen for their fabulous hard work in bringing this all together.

Here’s the link to Colleen’s blog post. Do visit her blog:

New Release – Sunflower Tanka: A 2025 Anthology of Tanka, Tanka Prose, & Experimental Tanka

You will find the book available in print, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited.

They’ve kept their prices the same as last year.

The theme of “dreams,” was perfect for 2025.

They’re looking forward to 2026, and another wonderful year of writing syllabic together.

To purchase the anthology:

Here is the blurb:

Sunflower Tanka, edited by Robbie Cheadle and Colleen M. Chesebro, is an annual anthology showcasing contemporary tanka, tanka prose, and experimental tanka.

Each volume brings together a vibrant tapestry of voices—both emerging and established—from across the globe.

For 2025, our theme “Dreams” invites poets to explore the symbolic language of dreaming, where metaphors blur the line between reality and imagination.

Dreams often serve as gateways to layered meaning, offering fertile ground for syllabic poetry.

This year’s contributors journeyed deep into their dreamscapes, opening portals to boundless creativity.

Through the timeless form of syllabic verse, they captured visions that transcend waking life, weaving poetry that resonates with mystery, wonder, and the infinite possibilities of the human imagination.✨ ✨

✨Robbie and Colleen want to thank each of you for helping us bring the craft of writing syllabic poetry into your hearts.

We’re so proud of all the hard work from our poets and the Tanka Tuesday community. We couldn’t do this without you.

Thank you.

Please share the publication news of this exciting new edition.

Reviews are an author’s dream. We thank you in advance for your reviews. ❤️🎅🏻

Robbie created a video for the 2025 Sunflower Tanka Anthology. She grabbed many magical lines from the submitted poetry, as she shares some of her amazing artwork.

Promo video for Sunflower Tanka Dreams

https://youtu.be/KZF4yFG4D-M?si=hPs3Hxmk1BXr2KnR Colleen M. Chesebro

Robbie & Colleen Contributing Editors, Sunflower Tanka

Signature

The 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge for #TankaTuesday

Photo by Craig Adderley on Pexels.com

My poem using kigo words: Autumn’s voice and Worm’s cry. I felt this appropriate as I have just seen my eldest daughter off for a while. She is returning to a new term as a teacher. It seems just yesterday that she started her Summer’s break. Some photos of Natasha with us in Tavira, Portugal.

She works very hard, I hope her new term will get off to a good start.

autumn’s voice begins
worm’s cry as winds blow with rains
we must contemplate
that summer is a daydream
and Halloween a reward.

Book Review Behind Closed Doors #poetry #book #review @bakeandwrite

Behind Closed Doors is personal poetry from author and poet Robbie Cheadle. It is a great getting to know the author poetry collection.

There is much to admire. One gets a sense of her struggle to achieve tranquility given her great dedication and work ethic in the poem ‘Achieving Tranquillity.’

‘Do You Want It Enough,’ speaks of an authorly desire for fame and acknowledgement. And ‘The Corporate Hunt,’ about the work jungle back stabbing culture for supremacy. Life choices, inspiration and purpose are the topics in ‘Making A Splash.’

‘A fabricated world,’ has a serious element in its musings.

There are also lovely light-hearted touches as in, ‘Can You See The Butterflies.’

There are also lockdown poems, tankas, haikus, limericks and poems aptly illustrated with photos of her undoubted cake making skills. I enjoyed the metaphorical poems about the differences between her and her husband. Relatable, as my hubby and are also so different!

My favourite poems in the collection are ‘Stars In Her Eyes,’ about the magic we will leave behind with our fantastical words. Beautiful. And ‘He Walks Away,’ about her son becoming independent. Again so relatable, though in my case daughters!

Highly recommended. An unusual thoughtful book for poetry readers.

My rating 5 stars

Author Bio

Robbie Cheadle has published fourteen children’s books and three poetry books.

Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The eleven Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations.

Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews.

https://roberta-writes.com/

https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/author/robertalouisecheadle/

New Release! Shh, Purely Poetry by M.J. Mallon @Marjorie_Mallon @dlfinnauthor #newrelease #poetry #whattoread #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity

Thank you so much to D. L. Finn for featuring me on her blog today with a wonderful 5 star review for my new release. Do pop over to her blog to celebrate my launch!

Universal Amazon Link

Source: New Release! Shh, Purely Poetry by M.J. Mallon @Marjorie_Mallon #newrelease #poetry #whattoread #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity

Review

A loving collection of poetry that delicately weaves in relationships at many stages. Many are sensual, full of texture and images, and some offer unique takes on human interaction. Here are a few beautiful passages: “The Sweetness/The longing/Each kiss deeper/different and the same/Like I belonged to more than him/Like I belonged to the poetry.”؅—Dining on Poetry, “…beautiful calligraphy to highlight/tiny ink splodges to add character/tear drops to remind me of sad days.”—Love Hidden In the Margin, and “She is fair and I am dark/Slight and I am robust/We fill our together/completing our silhouettes.”—Silhouettes. “Shh, Purely Poetry” is meant to be savored more than once by lovers of sensuous and thoughtful poems.

 

Sunday Book Review – Shh, Purely Poetry: Sensual, Love and Relationship Poems by M J Mallon @Pokercubster

Thank you so much to D G Kaye for sharing her excellent review of my new book of poetry.

Her 5 Star Review:

Mallon has created this volume of poems inspired by daily writing prompts and her observations and interpretations of the people and places she’s seen in her travels. She uses various poetic styles to showcase her thoughts in prose and poetry, including free-verse poetry for her longer pieces, which resonate with me most.

The sections are broken down into appropriate categories of poems. Many of the poems in the first section are written with food and drink as subject matter, with underlying tones of sensuality. Some of the poems also touch on holiday themes, love and discovery, love and loss, strangers, forgiveness, war, and nature. Much of the poetry is evoked with intimate and imaginative stirring of sensual images and others being quirky tales – as well as some with explicit sexual connotations. And an interesting spin I found with some of Mallon’s poems, that some were written from the male perspective.

I quite enjoyed this interesting twist on poetry story-telling, something very different than Mallon’s previous poetry. Here is a sampling:

Silhouettes

She is fair and I am dark.

Slight and I am robust.

.

We fill out together.

Completing our silhouettes.

.

As we explore each other.

Strangers a moment ago.

.

Now lost, unable to fade away.

.

Because we kissed the deepness

of each other’s shadows and stayed.

.

If you enjoy poetry that tantalizes and stimulates, you will no doubts enjoy Mallon’s poetry.

https://dgkayewriter.com/2024/06/02/sunday-book-review-shh-purely-poetry-sensual-love-and-relationship-poems-by-m-j-mallon/comment-page-1/?unapproved=93984&moderation-hash=9565797f3ae8ded1e6813a29d350a71e#respond?page_id=29589

Launch Day, Shh Purely Poetry #poetry #sensual #love #poems

Delighted to announce the launch day for my new poetry collection, Shh Purely Poetry.

Blurb

A compilation of sensual, love and relationship poems. Quirky, unusual and evocative.

Shh, Purely Poetry is a collection of poetic pieces about love, sensuality and relationships with sections entitled: love as fuel, (food and coffee love,) the summer and winter of love, strangers in love, quirky aspects and nature as sensuality.

Inspired in part by daily prompt poems written for the 365poetrypromptchallenge, observations of places, people and my travels.


Early Reviews

I have been delighted by some of the wonderful comments I have received via early reviews… here are some…

Thank you so much to wonderful author and poet D L Finn for reading and reviewing. And for being my first review and my first 5 star review!


Thank you so much to Amy B Garratt Author and Poet for reading and reviewing and creating this lovely graphic for me. Amy is a fantastic poet you will find on Instagram.

Thank you to a new reader Reggie for the above quote via Book Sirens!

E E’s name came to my mind while reading M J’s poems; I felt a similar sweetness, honesty, pleasant rebelliousness and force in their writing. The major concerns are about readership: is it the same numeric audience today like one hundred years ago? And who’s still reading poetry in 2024? We witness the fact that it is more and more difficult for the modern society to cultivate reading habits and a culture of written (and published) words, when it lacks a reading culture. Thus, I ask myself: how brave must an author be to write poetry in the 21st century?

Mrs Mallon proved (again) her bravery in the first line of the poetic flank on the publishing battlefield. I have come to believe that almost ninety percent of the art of versification is about courage, and that the courage to spend time with yourself and write poetry is much more than daring of letting lines go; it’s about allowing the life experiences to inevitably unfold and evoke powerful pictures in the reader’s mind. And yes, poems don’t exist on their own, but are co-created by observers; like beauty in the eyes of the beholder. No question or doubt about it.

“I can still feel her lips on mine
Salty like the caramel snack
That she turned down for peanuts.
My hands caress her breasts
They sit up pert. Asking – no begging to be touched.”
~ fragment from ‘Valentine’s In Chocolates’ Review Quote – Dan Quijote Book Sirens. Thank you so much for Dan for his considered and utterly wonderful 5 star review!

Thank you so much to Richard Dee for featuring me on his blog. Below is a snippet of his wonderful review. Touched to read that I am amongst his favourite poets! Please pop over to his awesome blog to read the full review: https://richarddeescifi.co.uk/book-review-purely-poetry/

Thank you so much to author, poet and short story writer Sally Cronin for not only reading and reviewing but also featuring me on her blog. How awesome is that! https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2024/05/18/smorgasbord-new-book-spotlight-and-review-poetry-shh-purely-poetry-sensual-love-and-relationship-poems-by-m-j-mallon/

Love in the romantic sense is a heady complex combination of physical and emotional attraction to another, sometimes bordering on the obsessive that completely takes over to the point of shutting out everything around you. Senses are heightened bringing a new perspective to the most mundane of activities, sights and sounds.

The author captures the depth of this sensual awakening and also the changes it brings to our lives in her poetry.  The poems start slowly taking the reader through courtship into full blown relationships highlighting the highs and the lows along the way. The path of true love is not always smooth and as well as passion, one needs forgiveness and compassion. Review Quote Sally Cronin.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Shh-Purely-Poetry-Sensual-Relationship-ebook/dp/B0D12C3329/

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Shh-Purely-Poetry-Sensual-Relationship-ebook/dp/B0D12C3329/

Amazon Spain: https://www.amazon.es/Shh-Purely-Poetry-Sensual-Relationship-ebook/dp/B0D12C3329/

The paperback will be out soon. I will be making a separate announcement about when it is okay to order.

In the meantime, please do support me by sharing the good news and downloading your kindle copy.

Many thanks.

A new review, many thanks from Julia Sutton, 5 stars!

Early Book Review & Feature Shh, Purely Poetry #thankyou #review #poetry @RichardDockett

Thank you so much to Richard Dee for this early book review and feature for my latest release due out 2nd June.

REVIEW

Well, where do I start?The author paints a picture in every poem, cleverly intermixing themes and providing a running commentary on aspects of love as part of life.With sections called LOVE IS FUEL, THE SUMMER & WINTER OF LOVE, LOST LOVE/DISCOVERING LOVE, LOVE, LIFE, WAR & FORGIVENESS, STRANGERS IN LOVE, QUIRKY! and SENSUAL SIGHS, there really is something for every mood, every stage of love, seduction and sensuality.The wordplay is deft and draws on powerful imagery, like this, from Breakfast Nibbles,Avocado spread on toast,Like her bikini, green, shiny,lush,Skimpy but oh so satisfying!or this, from Punk Music Babe,bold eyes blink in shadows,saucy salmon pink arch of eyebrows,her unrealluscious lookexcites me.There are so many other great examples, but I can’t show them all. Get a copy, you won’t be disappointed.This volume is recommended for anyone who likes to be taken on an exploration of the beauty, joy and exhilaration that can be found in relationships.

CHECK OUT THE FEATURE: https://richarddeescifi.co.uk/book-review-purely-poetry/Get your copy with these links.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D12C3329

Amazon UK:

Amazon Canada:

Amazon Spain:(English Edition) https://amzn.eu/d/biJvDBl

Shh, Purely Poetry #earlyreview #feature @sgc58

Thank you so much to Sally Cronin for featuring me on her wonderful blog today. A new release, ✨️ different (never written sensual poetry before,) but early reviews have been good.

Hope it will appeal!

Shh, Purely Poetry – pop over to Sally’s blog to find out more!

Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight and Review – #Poetry – Shh, Purely Poetry: Sensual, Love and Relationship Poems by M. J. Mallon

Shh Purely Poetry #Arcs #poetry #booksirens @booksirens #reviewers #preorder

My latest poetry collection is available to request via booksirens:

https://booksirens.com/book/BT9LY3L/HLK0JPD

A poem from the collection, The Eagle:

Blurb

A collection of poetic pieces about love, sensuality and relationships with various sections including: love as fuel, (food and coffee love,) the summer and winter of love, lost love/discovering love, forgiveness, strangers in love, quirky aspects and nature as sensuality.Inspired in part by daily prompt poems written for #the365poetrypromptchallenge, observations of places and people on my travels.

Alternatively, I’d be delighted if you’d like to support me by downloading a copy.

Currently on kindle preorder, releases June 2nd, paperback thereafter.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D12C3329/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D12C3329/Amazon Canada:

Amazon Spain:(English Edition) https://amzn.eu/d/biJvDBl

One of the poems in the collection is a collaboration between myself and the lovely originator of the amazing #the365poetrypromptchallenge, Melissa Davillio.

Blooms of Blossoming Mist.

24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge #poetry#tankatuesday #the365dayspoetrychallenge

Today, I am sharing my Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday poetry with some poems I’ve written for the #the365daypoetrychallenge on Facebook. I’m writing at least a poem a day, and today I wrote several! Currently up to day 47 in the challenge. All my poems are shared to my Facebook page which I’d be delighted if you would follow my progress there: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor

For Tanka Tuesday below you will find three kigo phrases that pertain to the northern hemisphere I’ve used one kigo phrase in each of my three poem with syllable count, 10,7,6.

• #1: “buying a new calender” (7 syllables)

• #2: “winter desolation” (6 syllables)

• #3: “trimming the Christmas tree” (6 syllables)

#1 Buying A New Calender


another new year approaching so fast
buying a new calendar
for you to fill with fun.

The winter desolation poem below is inspired by my daughter who lives in Manchester. She mentioned how rainy and gusty it has been with one lady nearly being blown onto oncoming traffic by the wind. She was telling me about it on the phone as she made her way home for a hot chocolate to get away from the wind and rain!

#2 Winter Desolation

this storm brings terrible gusts and such rain
a hot chocolate combats
winter desolation

The Seville photos were taken by me recently on our trip to see the Christmas lights!

#3 Trimming The Christmas Tree

imagine the brilliant task ahead

in Seville reaching that cross

trimming the Christmas tree

OR:

eating the chocolate santa real quick
foil wrapped baubles are all gone
trimming the christmas tree

Day 47 Haiku Inspired Forms #365daypoetrychallenge

Seasonal image 5 lines 7 words Ronkowitz

like nature try to preserve your energy
winter scenes are beautiful but bitter cold
look how thin the berry twigs are
brightest red holding promises dangling so merrily.
bringing much needed winter cheer to you.

Miku 3 line with syllable count, 2 3 2

pinecone
cinnamon
delight!

Photo taken in Seville, Spain.

Abbreviated haiku 3 5 3

Seville lights
bright cascading threads
shining stars

Or 7,2

Seville lights bringing such cheer
tonight!

Photo taken in Seville, Spain.

Ukiah 3 line, 19 syllable,  757 rhyme scheme aaa

such a pretty sight greets me
a star, bell and tree
i pause breathe in, smile and be

4 line haiku 17 syllables or less with 2 line phrases that jukstapose each other

look
snowy penguin 
wearing yellow sunglasses
on a balcony!

Image above taken by me in Tavira, Portugal.

6 line haiku bob-bon with 2 phrases the first 3 lines leading into the next three lines.

tranquil boat
still on the river
just lazing

a reflection
that topples me over
playfully

Or:

tranquil boat
still on the water
just lazing

i reflect
move on with dancing steps
jogging away

Monoku 17 syllables written in one line with 2 stops

The bird sits head bowed awaiting arrival of spring dreams of blue skies

©️2023 M J Mallon poetry and photos of Seville, Tavira Portugal.

24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 12, 12/12/23, Part II: Heavy Snow (December 7 – 20) Taisetsu 大雪24