Photography – Page 134 – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

Fish Tale

He wondered if a mermaid was a fish or if he’d catch anything today or if the soldiers would spot him.

Once he was robbed. They almost killed him with the beating. He didn’t mind dying, but he had to bring fish home to Martha and Peter.

He was too delirious from the bombings and hiding to catch food. He slept till she woke him handing him more fish than he’d ever expect to see. “For Martha and Peter. And you.”

As she turned to dive into the water he thought he heard her say, “I’m not a fish.”

Text: Linked to Carrot Ranch April 26th writing challenge. This week the theme is “fish tale” for these 99-word stories. Come and join us.

Photos: “Water and Bird and a Lot of Other Stuff”, above, “Chicago Botanic Garden”, below.

News: Christopher Fielden is celebrating the release of two writing challenge anthologies today which support charities and give writers like myself something to do, Nonsensically Challenged Volume 2, and Tritely Challenged Volume 1. I have a story in each. You are welcome to submit stories for the next anthologies.

Path

By the dunes along the shifting beach
Water’s waiting within dreamers’ reach.
Take this path or choose to take another.
Hear the secrets silence has to teach.

Text: Linked to dVerse Meeting the Bar. I am hosting today.
The challenge is to write a rubaiyat or some variation on that form. The example here is in iambic pentameter, four lines and rhyming AABA. There is only one rubai. Variations for this challenge could be anything the poet doesn’t mind calling a “rubaiyat”.

Photos: “Lake Michigan Shore”, above, “Along the Way”, below.

One-Liner Wednesday — Awareness

Although I try to be aware, I miss most everything.

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

Body Image

The body image of a sturdy tree
Presents the patience of serenity
And all about it, friend or foe, may know
That now’s a special time that they can be.

The body image of a brilliant flower
Seems weak although attraction is a power.
Whichever way the wind tells dreams to go
The now will follow blessing every hour.

Text: Kim of Writing in North Norfolk is hosting at dVerse with the theme “body image”. This post doesn’t quite fit the prompt, so I am not linking it, but stop on by to see what people are posting for it. The form I am using is a rubai: four lines, iambic pentameter and rhyming AABA.

Photos: “Ancient Tree”, above, “Hanging Flower”, below.

Gathering

Gather my emotions here
Where they’re sheltered from my fear,
Where a rich serenity
Holds me like a friend who’s near.

When snow rests upon the bloom
May it see beyond the tomb.
Spring sings of fresh liberty,
Gathers life and gives it room.

Text: Linked to dVerse Quadrille hosted by Lillian. The 44-word poem must contain some variation of the word “gather”. The form I am using is a variation on the rubaiyat which I will be featuring this Thursday.

Photos: “Gathering of Blue Blooms and Snow”, above, “Spring Beginnings”, below.

Trip the Night Fantastic

Winter is the annual night
With the outside covered white
Putting on fresh dreams so sleep
Opens wide new eyes to light.

Nighttime is too short to weep.
Memories of joy we keep
And refreshed with inner sight
We take our daytimes ever deep.

Text: This is a variation on the rubaiyat I have been playing with. I will be featuring forms like this on Thursday at dVerse.

Photos: “Falling Snow”, above, “Snow Leaves the Trees with White”, below. These are linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme “trip the night fantastic”.

Through the Forest Preserve

There’s more than I could ever see.
This gush of generosity
Presents abundance where no wall
Could block receiving all that’s free.

Trees have finished winter’s fall.
They stand magnificently tall.
We breathe together patiently
Through One whose arms embraces all.

Text: Linked to dVerse Open Link Night. Grace is hosting. The form of my poem is a variation on the rubaiyat using iambic tetrameter rather than pentameter and patterned on Robert Frost’s “STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING” featured some years ago on dVerse but with half of the number of lines.

Photos: “Pond”, above, “Open Space with Geese”, below.

One-Liner Wednesday — Reason

Our minds rationalize our hearts’ desires.

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

Lingering Day

Some days I get out of bed and all the night’s rest must have organized something because things appear obvious at least the things that I am aware of. There is much that I am not aware of and that by default isn’t clear because I am not even aware of it.

That lack of clarity is also a good thing. It gives me reason to go to sleep again tonight, trust the muse to do whatever she wants, so I can awaken with a new present, painful or not. And if there should be pain, I will be searching through whatever opportunity sorrow provides to find joy.

EVENING TAKES MY HAND
LINGERS AS THE DAY GROWS LONG
THERE’S THE MORNING SUN

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday. Victoria C. Slotto is hosting with the theme of “lingering day”.

Photos: “Evening Pavement”, above, and “Sunset over Green Bay”, below.

Time

There’s time enough for trees to grow
And time for bunnies, too,
And time for hearts to beat and know
The good. May it be true.

Photos: “Branches Mark Their Time With Curves”, above, “Bunnies”, below, linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Prompt. The theme this week is “time”.