Category: Prose

Short prose

The Arroyo

A cow is screaming across the arroyo. Looking up I pay attention to what’s around me. I notice the multicolored, fat fish in the arroyo which turns into a pond and then into a wishing well under the skylights of some mall.  I photograph them with my phone to prove all this really happened.

The only coin I have in my pocket is a new penny. Perhaps they won’t mind. I toss it into the well so it can sparkle with the others like stars on the ocean floor.

Resuming my walk I wonder, as I likely should be wondering about everything, What was that all about? I decide to write a to-do list for my next walk just in case.

Linked to dVerse Prosery. Linda Lee Lyberg is hosting with the sentence “A cow is screaming across the arroyo”. It comes from Jim Harrison’s poem “Cow” which appeared in Dead Man’s Float.

Fat Fish in Fancy Mall

Smile

These photos were taken only a few days apart last October. I deliberately went out in the falling snow to take the one below. Snow looks misty when it blurs bright boundaries. I also enjoy seeing sharp contrasts such as those made by the autumn light and shadows in the one above.

Thinking back on both of those very different kinds of day when looking for some photos to post made me smile.

Linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme of Showcase 2019 and to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile.

Snowing
Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile

Weekly Smile

We spent Sunday afternoon at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The day was warm, bright and full of fall colors. The thought occurred to me that having happiness may not always be possible, but being joyful regardless may be.

Linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile.

Beehive
Trent P. McDonald’s Weekly Smile

Cosmically Circular / Cosmically Square

Today darkness seems square like an evergreen against a maple in fall and brightness looks circular like a flower’s bloom. I may see them differently tomorrow, but they blend together cosmically like joyful austerity, like getting unexpected things right, like warm and cold.

This past week the weather has shown how awesome autumn can feel, fitting itself in between summer and winter. It made me smile. The weather got it right.

Linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Prompt with the theme “cosmically circular/cosmically square”. Also linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile.

Final Blooms of Fall
Trent P. McDonald’s image for The Weekly Smile

Independence Paint

The hot afternoon brought a sinister cloud extending across the western horizon that painted the sky behind it dark. From the distance of our heroes on Earth they could not estimate its speed, but they knew it would be upon them at any moment.

“That is the largest alien vessel I have ever seen! It covers the sky.”

“It’s a storm cloud. We need to reach shelter before the downpour.”

“It’s part of the rebellion to liberate the universe from the evil empire. They want our planet as a base of operations.”

“I hope not.”

Then the aliens landed.

Linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge where the theme is “a state of independence” and to Charli Mill’s Carrot Ranch where the theme this week for 99-word stories is “paint”.

Storm Clouds

Without Ice

Bart looked left and right at the majestic Atlantic Ocean, the blue skies and hot sandy beaches. It was 90 degrees. He told the real estate agent, “I suppose if the global economy heats up so much that the ice caps melted then all of these high-rise condos would turn into part of the Everglades.”

“I’ve been waiting for it to happen for over two decades.”

“This place could sink into the ocean. I wonder who’d want to live here then?”

“I’m sure the alligators wouldn’t mind.”

Bart agreed with the agent: Better buy while the ground’s still dry.

Linked to Carrot Ranch. The theme this week for the 99-word stories is “without ice”.

Morning Rain

Beggars Can’t Be Choosers

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Ryan pontificated.

“We’re all beggars. We all depend on a handout, on something going right once in a great while.”

“Not all of us. Some of us can choose.”

“You know you’re a beggar just like I am.”

“Nope. I can choose.”

“What can you choose?”

“I can choose to sit right here.”

That’s when they saw Hawkins, a policeman, approach.

“I wonder what he wants?”

“You know what he wants.”

Hawkins stopped. “OK, guys, it’s 10 o’clock. Time for both of you to go to the shelter.”

“I get top bunk.”

“No, you don’t.”

Linked to Carrot Ranch with the constraint for this week's 99-word stories to be to use the phrase "beggars can't be choosers".
Lizards and Shadows