Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

Apple Strudel – Carrot Ranch

I gave my brother peeled apple slices. He placed them one-by-one on the strudel dough that we older ones helped stretch across a cloth on our dinner table. He put some in his mouth. Then came the raisins to scatter on the dough. When it was finished I held him so he could watch our mother lift the cloth underneath the strudel, roll it into a long, thick pastry that fit on a cookie sheet and place it in the oven.

We made many strudels for Christmas and everyone helped.

I’ve never had a dessert that tasted so good.

Linked to Carrot Ranch where Charli Mills offers the theme of family traditions.

Also linked to Crystal Grimes’ Holiday Blogging Party.

Firewood

Though night
conceals the day
our winter’s wood is dry.
Take me in I beg of you. Tell me what I need to do.
With joy and thankful cry
we walk the way
with Light.

Linked to Farrago Express where the prompt is to write a saturnica, a poem of 7 lines with rhyme pattern ABCDCBA with syllable counts 2/4/6/14/6/4/2 centered to look like the planet Saturn with its rings.

Also linked to Crystal Grimes’ Holiday Blogging Party.

Dropped – Friday Fictioneers

Clara remembered how concerned she was when she lost her hair band. She asked her father to find it. He did.

That was Clara’s earliest memory of him, and a pleasant one, but others were painful. With a rebellious daughter of her own she traded positions with her father. Clara, too, would have searched the streets for any hair band her daughter dropped, but her daughter no longer accepted assistance from her.

That may be what a memorial service is good for. It gets regrets out in the open and breaks habits one wished had been broken long ago.

Linked to Friday Fictioneers where Rochelle Wisoff-Fields offers C. E. Ayer’s photo as a prompt for stories of 100 words or less.

Stable, Truthful Hope

Although what shines need not be wrong
beware dark lies that shadow truth,
distract the old, confuse the youth
with specious lyrics from a song.

I wonder.  Must I sing along?
Some tunes that once enchanted me
now don't make sense.  Be just and free,
merciful, alive and stable,
driving out false dreams and fable,
preferring joy to pleasantry.

Linked to Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge where the requirement is to use “stable” as a rhyme word in the D position of a décima have rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.

Also linked to Crystal Grimes’ Holiday Blogging Party.

Sand Train Over a Hill on an Ocean’s Beach

Ronovan's Decima Poetry Challenge Image — Ronovan’s Decima Poetry Challenge Image

Beam – Six Sentence Story

The open beams joined the walls showing the ceiling and the loft where they slept. These beams pressed low enough that Ben could reach up and touch them in their cabin in the Maine woods.

This morning like those beams his spirit pressed in on him, but Ben had no time for moody temptations. Toward evening as he removed his boots and outer coverings he felt a breeze of consolation. He knew that consolation would come if he were faithful which he was.

Rushing to him he lifted his three-year old son and smiled watching his wife add decorations to their small Christmas tree.

Linked to Six Sentence Stories where Denise offers the prompt word “beam”.

Also linked to Crystal Grimes’ Holiday Blog Party.

GirlieOnTheEdge Denise Farley's six-sentence-stories icon — GirlieOnTheEdge Denise Farley’s six-sentence-stories icon

One-Liner Wednesday – Evil and the Light

“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”

John 3:20
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) December 1, 2020

Linked to Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday.

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

Art From Nature

Linked to Cosmic Photo Challenge where Dale offers the theme of “art from nature”. The art here is the hook, trellis poles and grape arbor. Nature framed it.

Also linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile. We moved back to Miami Beach, but could not get our internet re-connected for a couple of days. Everything seemed to go bananas and the excuse was always “covid”. Then the problems vanished after going to the cable provider’s offices personally, covid or no covid. I look at it as divine blessing. I did realize we need to prepare for extended periods without the internet. That realization was the source of my smile this week along with every opportunity to offer gratitude for blessings.

Sunday Walk 17

I had rather feel contrition than be skilful in the definition thereof.
Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Chapter 1.3, Translated by Rev. William Benham, Project Gutenberg

Brooke Ligertwood and Ben Fielding, What a Beautiful Name, Hillsong Worship

Tears To Leave Behind

They're growing in a window well
where light is rarely seen.
Live on, persist, be bright and green,
or yellow hued for just a spell.

They offer us some hope and tell
us though pigheaded, willful, blind
there's grace abounding, sure and kind.
With thankful blessings everywhere
repent, reform, reach up and there
we'll leave our every tear behind.

Linked to Ronovan Writes Décima Poetry Challenge where the word “blind” is a rhyme word in the C lines of a décima with rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oasis – Six Sentence Story

Jim opened the certified package from his friend, Steve, whom he had not seen in fifty years. There was a letter and a copy of The Imitation of Christ that Jim gave Steve decades ago. Steve saw the book while sorting through boxes and decided to return it after finding Jim’s address.

A few months before receiving the package Jim wondered how his life veered off course getting lost in a moral dessert. How did he get from being a teenager who could attend Mass with joy to become an old man who barely had a clue?

Jim cautiously opened the worn book and began reading smelling the fresh air of an oasis amidst its aging pages.

Linked to Six Sentence Stories where Denise offers the prompt “oasis”.

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