In July 1908, SOS became the international distress call, so in honour of this, the theme for July's challenge is:

Help

A poem about this please - plenty of scope for a variety of interpretations. Can't wait to read them!

Jo x

Thank you for setting the theme for July, Jo. I look forward to reading the entries. and good luck everyone. Gilly

Catch as catch can
As children zoom in and out
Round and loop
Laughing and shrieking
While in the corner
Behind the trees
A child cries
Who is there to help?

A crowd of adults laugh and joke
And though the crying
Is louder now
No one helps

A man mows the churchyard lawn
The whirring machine
Scatters grass
A flock of sparrows
Chitter chat
And still the child’s cries
Wend around the corner

It is late afternoon
A solitary tramp
Finishes his knife sharpening round
And stops by the tree
In the shade

He hears a sniffle behind the trunk
And pauses
“Hello?”
The cry subsides.
“Can I help?”

The small child emerges
“I am lost,” a whimpering voice
“Me too,” says the tramp.
“Perhaps we can help each other.”

Perhaps.

I thought I would start the ball rolling.
Look forward to reading some more soon.
Jox

this is very good, Jo ....hard to follow!

Rose x

But please do all of you!
Look forward to reading them soon.

Jo x

Loved it, Steve. What a great contribution.
Thanks.

Jo x

Good one Steve.

Most dangers appear in a trice.
And no, it's not usually nice -
Take those on Titanic -
They froze in a panic
When waiters called out 'who's for ice?'

Or Pompeii's for example the stuff.
Its people went up in a puff -
Before they could say 'no'
The local volcano
Decided enough was enough.

So, if one assumes one must shout,
Of clamour and screams there's this doubt:
It might be salvation's
Just imagination -
It might be, of time, one is... out.


________________________________

Really witty, Rowan. Thanks for entering.
Loved it!

Jo x

a late entry ....

Stuck on the motorway in a downpour of rain
Engine has stopped and won’t go again
It’s dark, cold and wet, and I’m on my own
On the hard shoulder, looking for a phone

Traffic rushes by at a dizzying pace
I feel as if I’m caught in an F1 race
But it’s worse when there’s no car in sight
And I can’t see my way in the black of night

The phone seems miles away from my car
Though in daylight it wouldn’t be very far
Thankfully I reach it, call the RAC
SOS, please come out and rescue me

A dread scenario on the motorway! The stuff of nightmares and very vividly written.

Thanks Rose!

I will make my choice late tonight to give the chance for anymore late entries.
Thanks so much to all who entered.

Jo x

I really liked all the entries this month! However after some deliberation I choose Steve's as the winner. I really liked the interspersal of the morse code within the oncoming terrible results of the disaaster.

Well done, Steve. Now it is your turn to choose a theme.

Look forward to it!

Jo x

well done everyone and congratulations Steve!!