Welcome to Poetry Day for Story Chat Digest 2025. We will discuss these incredible poems just as we do the short stories. Any type of poem is acceptable as long as it doesn’t contain profanity or erotica and would appeal to a large audience.
Oranges
by Smitha Vishwanath
Smitha’s painting shows three oranges on a white plate.
Round and plump, juicy marigolds
Dangling on boughs
Thick skinned nectarines
peeping through green rustling fringes
Like many suns hanging on meadow skies
Fill the air with a citrusy scent when the wind blows
Hanging bulbs, the colour of carnelian,
Golden apples, circle of life
a soft sweetness of a baby’s gurgle,
the zesty tartness of a lovers’ quarrel
a tanginess of grandma’s gooseberry pickle,
the zing of grandpa’s naughty chuckle.
Gift to Zeus, King of Gods
Nature’s bounty, a womb of good fortune
Humble and luxurious elixir,
Haute cuisine’s magic ingredient
The fun and irreverent twist
A chef’s delight, the glowing globe.
***
Cape Buffalo or Black Death
by Robbie Cheadle
Robbie’s painting shows a Cape buffalo standing under a tree in the white grass. He might be missing an eye.
Donโt be fooled by my mild expression or mislead by my delightfully curious look Know Iโve never been domesticated due to my unpredictable temperament Iโm not a wild yak or wild water buffalo my attitude is cantankerous and bad nicknamed โBlack Deathโ or โWidow Makerโ I am dangerous and extremely aggressive fiercely protective of my young and herd I will charge you with surprising speed my ferocity will horrify you. Respect me! Weighting up to 2,000 pounds my massive frame is supported by sturdy and muscular legs. Boy, can I move! Iโll charge you at 56 kilometers per hour My horns, a hard shield called a โbossโ cover my entire head. I use them for defence against my natural predators including lions, African wild dogs, spotted hyenas, and Nile crocodiles You are nothing โ you have no teeth and no fur I will use my horns to toss you with intention your fall to the ground knocking the air from your lungs effectively disabling you. Then, I will gore you while trampling you with focused determination If you hunt me, donโt miss. Donโt leave me wounded. I will deliberately and consciously hunt you down. Lying in wait for your return I am a dangerous adversary, and I will kill you.
***
New Garden
by Raj (Barkat Khoja) and Marsha Ingrao
Marsha’s photo shows a cluster of orange roses.
Your new garden
Looking great
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Flowers so beautiful
I love your garden
Lovely flowers blooming
Your garden is looking nice
I always walk in the garden.
I like the roses and lilies.
I love your garden.
Biographies
Smitha Vishwanath
Smitha Vishwanath embarked on the writing journey in 2016, with her personal blog https://smithavpennings.com/ , while still working as a banker. After having worked for almost two decades in senior roles in the banking industry in the Middle East, she quit in July 2018 and moved to India. Since then, she has busied herself with writing and art. In order to hone her skills, she continuously attends writing courses with the International Writers Collective (Amsterdam), Master Class, Oxford and Authorโs Publish.
Among her noteworthy achievements is the poem, โOmidโ which was nominated for Best of the Net in 2019, Do you have dreams?โ and โForgottenโ were recognized in the International NaPoWriMo hosted by Maureen Thomson in 2021 and 2022, โOut of Orderโ was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2024. She was also awarded the Reuel International Prize in 2023 and was nominated as โPoet of the Monthโ and โAuthor of the Monthโ by SpillWords Press for her poems, โYe birds on my windowsillโ, โEmpty Linesโ and others. Thieving Magpies, Rebelle Society, Silverbirch Press and Borderless Journal are a few online magazines in which her poetry has been published.
Coming Home, her debut novel, written in 2023, was received well by readers and is available on Amazon. It won the Certificate of Excellence from the Asian Literary Society.
Roads- A Journey with Verses, is a poetry book she co-authored in 2019.
She currently resides in Kenya, with her husband.
Smitha has been nominated as โAuthor of the Monthโ for her poem, โ An Epiphanyโ by SpillWords. To read the poem, please click https://spillwords.com/an-epiphany/, and to cast your vote, please click here https://spillwords.com/vote/ . You need to be logged in to vote. Thank you for your time.
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Robbie Cheadle
Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published thirteen childrenโs book 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 ten Sir Chocolate childrenโs 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. Robbieโs blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/
Robbie Cheadle also has a degree in Accounting Science and is employed as an accountant.
- Roberta has short stories, non-fiction, and poems in several anthologies. Here are some of them:
- She has two published novels:
- Through the Nethergate, a historical supernatural fantasy; and
- A Ghost and His Gold, a historical paranormal novel set in South Africa.
Barkat Khoja
Most of us know Barkat as Raj. His native tongue is Gujarati. He wrote this to me, “เชนเซ เชฐเชพเช, เชนเซ เชฎเชเชฎเชพ เชเซ.” That means, “I am Raj, I am fine,” according to Google Translate. Raj is a graduate in Business Communications from Gujarat University in India. He studied English in school & college. He is married and has a grown daughter who works as a medical editor and content writer. His parents have both passed. In his spare time, he enjoys volleyball, reading, watching movies, and early morning walks.
Something to Think About
Thanks for reading. Analyzing poetry, and this week, paintings, is a different experience for short story writers. For those of you who know about poetry, give us some clues about how and what you think when you read poetry.
- Have you written a collaborative poem? What are some of your experiences?
- Have you tried writing in a language that is not your native tongue? I know many of you do this on a regular schedule.
- We are fortunate to have some original paintings with this month’s entries. Talk to the authors about how their paintings make you feel.
Attendance with Links
Thank you to everyone who attended this Story Chat Digest session. Without your input, Story Chat is an average writing challenge. Your helpful, honest comments make this like a book club. If you get a chance, check out our attendees’ blogs. It’s well worth your time.
- Ephemeral Encounters
- Grant at Tame Your Book
- Keep It Alive
- Priorhouse Blog
- Retirement Reflections
- Writer Ravenclaw
- Writing Wrinkles
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Exciting Story Chat Volume II Video
I hope you enjoy the video.
Seven Amazon reviews: Thank you so much, D. L. Finn, Colleen Chesebro, Yvette Prior, Esther Chilton, Doug Jacquier, Suzette Benjamin, and Cathy Cade. I don’t think I thanked you all properly. Your reviews are epic! ๐ xxxxxx
Story Chat Volume II Book Blog Tour Schedule
- Colleen Chesebroย โ November 24, 2024 (US) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Gloria – November 29 (UK)
- Robbie & Michael – November 30 (SA)
- Diana – December 1 (US)
- Doug – December 2 (AU) December 1 (US, UK, SA) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Cathy – December 4 (UK) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Amanda – December 9 (AU) December 8 (US, UK, SA)
- Dan– December 11 (US)
- Philip – December 14 (UK)
- Cindy Georgekas – December 16 (US)
- Esther Chilton – January 30 (UK ) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- D. L. Finn – February 4 (US) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Yvette – February 5 (US) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Hugh – January 27 (UK)
Story Chat: Online Literary Conversations
Thank you to Colleen Chesebro, Yvette Prior, and an anonymous customer for your reviews of Story Chat I. Your reviews are awesome! ๐ xxxxxxx
Thanks again for being a great part of Always Write’s Story Chat Digest. Until next time, keep reading, writing and chatting.
Marsha Ingrao Always Write 
82 responses to “Story Chat Digest: June Poetry Day”
[…] June 24 SCD Poetry Day Smitha Vishwanath, Robbie Cheadle, Raj and me […]
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[…] You can read the poem I wrote for this painting as part of Marsha Ingrao’s Poetry Day Story Chat here: https://alwayswrite.blog/2025/06/24/story-chat-digest-june-poetry-day/ […]
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Marsha, you asked if anyone has ever written a collaborative poem. I have several times. The one I like best is about the Wabash River in Indiana! It’s on the Indiana Poet Laureate’s Page at Indiana State Library. I forget the exact year, but it was about six years ago I think. I like my lines of course! I just had to include the part about our “Indians” or Native American tribes. My imaginary Indian is a combination of the tribes into a fictional character. It was fun to write with other people.
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How many people did you write with? That sounds like fun. We should write a poem together! ๐ xxx
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I forgot that I contributed to two collaborative poems, Marsha. You can see the recent one at the link. There were about 50 people. Some people had more lines included than others. The editor was the Indiana Poet Laureate that year. It would be fun to do this. We donโt need 50 people unless you want! ๐คฉโDreaming about when the driver asked me, Where do you want to go? Indiana, of course. Thereโs no place like home.โMy lines.
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Letโs take a train across America!
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Let’s go! ๐
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Yay.
“All Aboard! Good evening, ladies. Your ticket says you have booked a roomette with a bunk bed and a couch. You will be very comfortable. We will be leaving Portland in 20 minutes. Dinner will be served in the dining car starting in 20 minutes. So, you have a few minutes to get yourselves oriented.”
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That doesn’t sound very poetic, but We needed someone to get us started, and the ticket master did a good job.
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https://indianahumanities.org/all-together-now-indiana/
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Well done, Kay. I’ve never tried to collaborate with another poet on a single poem.
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I havenโt done much of it. It reminds me of a party game where everyone starts a story then passes the paper to the right. The next person adds and that continues until everyone has their original story back.
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That’s very similar.
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I was never keen on that game ๐คฃ. I didnโt like other people changing my storylines ๐
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Haha, you probably wouldnโt like collaborative writing, then. Though I think Dan found a great way to do it while maintaining control of the plot.
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I enjoyed reading all the poems. The poets used so many sensory details that I can see everything in my mind. The paintings are lovely and the rose is absolutely beautiful, Marsha! Great work from our poets.
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Thank you, Kay. Sensory details. We need to remember how important those are in poetry especially.
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Thank you, Kay. I’m delighted you enjoyed the poems.
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It’s fun to see how the poem turns out.
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I agree!
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Hi Marsha, thank you for including my poem and painting here. I enjoyed Smithaโs lovely and descriptive poem very much. I can taste the fruit. The poem about your lovely garden is a delight. Such a nice tribute to your garden and photography.
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Thank you Robbie. What questions do you think we should be asking to get responses to poetry like we get for short stories?
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We could ask what was the poet’s objective with the poem? What message were they trying to share? How did the poem make you feel? Did the poet achieve the objective of creating an emotional response in the reader i.e. engaging the reader and making them care.
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Those are great questions, Robbie, then the poet could tell them if they were on the right track.
I think your poems are very impactful, and draw out my emotions as well as educate me more than going to a zoo on the US. My question for you is, do you feel your poems are making headway in reaching people who will make the difference you hope to see?
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Hi Marsha, I think the people I have reached with my wildlife poetry have learned from them and gained a far greater understanding of animals and their importance to our natural environment. So yes, I think I do make a small difference ๐
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That makes it all worthwhile! Literature can and does change the world. My hope for people in my hemisphere is that tourists go to Africa to shoot pictures not animals, like John Steiner.
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Thank you so much you like our poem .
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๐ค๐
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[…] June 24 Poetry Day […]
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Robbie’s poem is so very real. I always feel she gets to the heart of things. Your roses are just pure joy, Marsha xx
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Thank you, Jo ๐
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Robbie has a razor brain. She cuts to the heart of every issue. She is so sharp. I hope that her readership is wide enough to influence the right influencers.
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Thank you so you like our poem.
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I enjoyed all three, Marsha, and look forward to reading more from these talented poets.
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Thanks, Grant ๐ค
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So how would you analyze what you like about these poems, Grant? I had a long talk with Hugh about analyzing art. Do you think we just have a subliminal feeling that tells us like or dislike?
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Sadly, MMMBarkat and Marsha, no-one could say that about my garden.
But next year…
Robbie’s Cape Buffalo comes across as a character not to be messed with but, somehow, dependable.
And Smitha’s plump globes made my mouth water.
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Hi Cathy, you are right.buffalos are very dependable for their young and herds. Devoted and loyal.
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Buffalo are a thing of old cowboy tales here in the United States. I’m glad they are not extinct in Africa.
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No, buffalo are diminishing in numbers but are not yet vulnerable. US buffalo are different to African buffalo but both species are bad tempered and aggressive if threatened.
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Ours werenโt successfully aggressive against trains and rifles.
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No,agreed
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Thank you much !
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What a rich and vibrant collection for this month’s Story Chat Digest, Marsha. I loved the way words and images came togetherโand your wonderful collaboration with Raj. Thank you for creating a space where poetry, art, and community thrive. โค
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Thank you so much, Donna. I can’t imagine trying to write anything creative in another language. I speak and write poorly in two other languages. I’ve never attempted to be creative in either one. I am in awe of the many bloggers I know here that are fluent enough in English to give it a try. For most of them I would never know that English was not their first language.
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I think it’s wonderful that people whose native language isn’t English write poetry. To express your creative ideas in another language must be difficult. I’ve added a few Spanish words to stories and poems and I worry that I did it right. My husband says that some things can’t be translated into English word for word. Many times, a joke in Spanish makes no sense in English for example.
I wonder what other poets think about writing. Does anyone get their inspiration first in their native language and then translate it into English? Or do they just begin writing in English?
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I think it’s wonderful that people whose native language isn’t English write poetry. To express your creative ideas in another language must be difficult. I’ve added a few Spanish words to stories and poems and I worry that I did it right. My husband says that some things can’t be translated into English word for word. Many times, a joke in Spanish makes no sense in English for example.I wonder what other poets think about writing. Does anyone get their inspiration first in their native language and then translate it into English? Or do they just begin writing in English?
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Pienso que escritar en la lingua secundo.
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Muy bien!
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Gracias. ๐ It was hard to write with a spell check phone that changed pienso to piano more than once. ๐ xxx
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๐๐๐
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Thank you so you like our poem.
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The poems were a nice variety and each well done with such original flavors.
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I think they fit together well. Robbie and Smitha are both so talented in both art and writing. It’s a pleasure to have them as regular contributors to the poetry section.
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๐ค๐
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๐๐
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๐๐ฉท
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;0)
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Thank you so much ๐
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;0)
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Lovely poems, and three brilliant authors.
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Thanks so much, Diana. ๐ xxx
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You’re most welcome.
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Thank you, Diana ๐
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๐
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Thank you so much you like our poem.
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๐
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Enjoyed all the ppems Marsha ๐ค
Thank you ๐
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Thank you, Maggie. ๐ xxx
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My pleasure Marsha ๐ฆxo
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๐๐
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Thanks๐
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My pleasure ๐
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๐
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Love your collaborative poem Marsha. It is so lovely and sweet.
Samitha is a talented lady. Love her poetry and painting.
And of course Robbie is not only a great writer but an expert on the wildlife of South Africa. Her poem brings home the ferocious beast the โ Black Death โ.
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Thanks for your lovely comment, Sadje. I am so impressed with Smitha. She is just like Robbie – so many talents, so deep. I am honored to have them both on this week. ๐ xxx
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Yes indeed, both are very talented.
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Thank you, Sadje ๐ฉต๐ฆ
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Youโre most welcome ๐ค
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๐
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Thank you so much, your kind comment on our poem.
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Youโre most welcome
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