Renewed Resolve: A Micro-fiction Monday Post

17 months passed

since stepping

into dark confines

beyond cellar door

Vision adjusts

yielding truth:

empty barrels

stark reminder

of life once led

(140)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another Sunday Meme?

Testing, Testing...

Am I on? Yes?

OK, good.

Hello all! I am running a "test" post to see if there would be any interest in a new Sunday Meme, since we no longer have the Sunday 160, conceived, owned, and hosted by the one and only Monkey Man. My idea is to use a similar "micro-story" theme and call it Sunday Seven. I would love it, if you are interested, to indicate your interest in the comment section below. My idea is for all of us to write an expression, micro-story or poem in just 7 words...or tell a story in 7 pictures... As long as it conveys an idea, abstract or literal, fantastical or unbelievable, in 7 components, it's all good.

I am also testing out a Mr. Linky widget. Please help me test it out by placing a link to your current blog post on this widget. This is all new and a bit "high tech" for me, so if you can humor me, I'd appreciate your help.

Thanks so much!

Manifest Destiny: A Flash Friday 55 Post

Destiny made manifest

within darkest night

where dreams, hope, courage

often take flight

Battles with Evil-One

never ending fight

outcome doesn’t matter

victory’s in the plight

Listen carefully inward

‘neath those muffled layers

steel thyself in silence

answers within the prayer

Dreams are who we are

(w/dramatic flair)

destiny made manifest

in images I share

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The conversation went like this (paraphrasing):

G-Man: Are you participating this week?

5th Sister: Depends. You have a topic for me?

G: Yes I do.

5th: And?

G: Please explain the concept of Manifest Destiny

5th: Seriously?

Now I know this wasn't what he meant but I am not a History buff but rather lean towards Science and Language Arts. This is the best I could do within the time constraint given (received my topic last night). Hope it makes sense. 

Sunday 160: The End

This ending

isn’t end

rather

a beginning

Time to explore

new jungles

& lay claim to

branches

bearing bunches

of previously concealed

bananas

Feast well

Don’t throw poop

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image Courtesy of Clkr.com 

Thank you, Monkey Man, for the time spent hosting this meme. I've enjoyed the challenge and will miss our Sunday get-togethers. I wish you well on your break and will welcome you back, with arms wide open, should you decide to return to blogging. Bye, bye Monkey.

16

marching band,

cruising streets,

sneaking smokes

‘neath stadium-seats

first-time love,

heart’s defeat,

death awoke,

brother sleeps

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ms. Jenny is a sly one. Today's writing exercise was to use 16 words about being 16. I took artistic liberty and threw in a memory from when I was 19 as it was a significant event in our lives, and remains a tender spot to this day.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't forget to enter my Holiday Giveaway!

Click HERE.

Flash Friday 55: Sexual Assault

In one hour of prime time television I was assaulted with: 

exploits of getting laid,

indiscriminate sex,

“vagina beds”,  

learning all about a roommate’s penis,

and the 10 year search for a gal in a “slutty” pumpkin costume.

Seriously?

Is this what network TV has become?

Makes the political campaign season seem clean by comparison.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday Centus: Hunting Season

Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! Our beloved Ms. Jenny has decided that this was the week to test our lyric writing skills. She gave us the melody (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star). She gave us the prompt: In the autumn. And she gave us the limitation of up to 32 words INCLUDING the prompt. At this, I take issue...I have always counted the prompt in every single centus limit Ms. Jenny has imposed and kept to the imposed word count exactly. In order to keep true with the notes and rhythm of "Twinkle", I had no choice but to cheat and use 34! Forgive me, Ms. Jenny!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(image courtesy of Total-Wallpapers.com and Google Images)

In the autumn’s cool, crisp air

Mums abloom with vibrant flair

Leaves hitch ride on fall’s brisk breeze

Bare are now embarrassed trees

Time has come for season’s change

Watch out turkeys! Shooting range!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fall is my favorite time of year. Time to break free those sweaters and boots from summer's hiding place. Long morning runs, in the cooler weather, with leaves crunching beneath the feet. Time for harvests and a myriad of fall festivals. And, of course, hunting season commences. It was tradition for my father, along with my brother, and my sister's husbands to go hunting at this time of year. Often times we'd feast on pheasant and quail, invariably biting into a wayward pellet or two. I do miss that (well except for the time my dad took me out hunting and suggested I be the "bird dog" and retrieve the "kill"...ewwww, ick!) Oh, the memories! Hee hee hee!

Microfiction Muse #18

Liza took Grandpa's

words of wisdom 

quite literally 

when he instructed:

"in order to find 

the whole truth 

one must always 

dig a little deeper"

(140)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Micro-fiction Muse involves writing a very short story (140 characters max-including spaces) based upon a photo prompt. I make it my goal to try and use 140 characters exactly. Diane Estrella is our host for this weekly meme. Please be sure to visit her blog for complete rules and to visit other participants. 

Sunday 160: Dawn's Interlude

(photo courtesy of www.inmagine.com)

morning dove croons

as busy squirrel chants

a lonely dog lending voice

a runner’s stride

and rhythmic breaths

providing accompaniment

a percussion

to morning’s melody

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monkey Man is host to Sunday 160: where one must write a story or poem in EXACTLY 160 characters (spaces included). Please visit his site to read other entries and complete rules. 

Sunday 160: New York Bound

Times Square courtesy of Google Images

Channeling Frank Sinatra:

“Start spreading the news,

We’re leaving Thursday

We want to be a part of it

New York, New York”

The question is:

Is New York ready for us?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, it's the best I could do before leaving for work today. Maybe I should have let my daughter sing it. It may have gone over better. To view the writings of seasoned 160 participants, please go visit Monkey Man.

Flash Friday 55: This Tiny Twig

this tiny twig,

a sliver,

if you will,

suddenly,

or so it seemed,

sprouts,

erupting

from middle

of my palm

into budding branch…

appalled, yet curious,

I slowly pull,

diligently,

carefully,

for roots run deeply

surely leaving scars…

upon closer inspection,

sprigs, offshoots,

are forming elsewhere

upon this hand…

I’m persistently pruning…

tender flesh beware

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another poem from a dream. I see some symbolism here so it makes a bit of sense to me. Even if it makes no sense to you, I do hope you enjoy my effort. For more "flashes" of inspiration, please visit Mr. Know It All at the link below:

Flash Friday 55: School Lunch

Mama fried bologna

served it hot from the pan

between mustard glazed

slices of Wonder

We sipped Tang

from recycled Jelly Jars

w/Flinstone characters

in leaded paint

Watching  Little Rascals

on the Black and White

laughing, loving

Alfalfa and Buckwheat

This was lunch

in grammar school days

before school cafeterias

and No Child Left Behind

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Microfiction Wednesday: April 20, 2011

patiently plotting revenge

upon rule breakers

cutting in carpool line:

privileged brats

enabled by a wannabe

wearing yellow vest & silver whistle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dianne Estrella has been so kind to volunteer to host this meme vacated by Susan of Stony River. Please go visit Dianne's blog, That's What I'm Here For, for complete rules and to read other entries in this weekly challenge. 


The above photo is copyrighted by Ashley Sisk and is used with permission for this meme. 

Sunday 160: Dream #4

Quiz:

Smoked Lace?

a) Name of feral cat I took care of in a dream (in order to earn college credit)

b) A tasty new treat

c) What I did just prior to going to bed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some of you, who know me on Facebook, are privy to random postings containing snippets of various dreams I have. Based on the sheer craziness of many of these dreams, I would not put it past these friends to choose C.  The correct answer, however, is A. 

I love my dreams.They are quite entertaining and many give subtle, and not so subtle, clues to the subconscious. The following, a dream which occurred just last night, is a really good example:

I found myself a 2^nd job at another local hospital. Part of my duties entailed participating in an afternoon cooking contest using a mystery ingredient. I was literally “floored” to find out my mystery ingredient was a carpet remnant.

So I did what any clever cook would do. I first roasted the remnant to bring out its natural savory goodness. I then trimmed and deep fried the carpet threads until nice and perfectly crispy. After which I ground them into a fine powder and added it to a mix and made churros. Unfortunately, I woke up before judging was completed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The purpose of Sunday 160 is to write a story or prose in EXACTLY 160 characters. Please go visit host extraordinaire, Monkey Man, to play along or read other offerings. I hope you enjoyed my little contribution. 

1. 

Sunday 160: Dream #3 - The Drive

Driving on foreign land

rescuer at my side

rounding a bend

stunned to see

the giant with a dagger

realizing only then

my passenger

was no hero

rather 

villain instead

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I enjoy participating in this weekly meme, where one must write a prose, a story, in EXACTLY 160 characters (spaces included). I am finding that this format works perfectly with my dreams. Please be sure to visit Monkey Man and read other entries. 

Flash Friday 55: Spring Awakening

Afterlife on the Ipod

deer frolicking in the glade

songbirds serenade morning sun

as fog begins to fade

trees dress in finest glory

of colorful buds so awesome

heralding spring that’s coming

as new life begins to blossom

sunlight dapples dewy trails

tickling the runner’s cheeks

she pauses to behold beauty

of nature’s glorious mystique

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I penned the above quite quickly, before the feelings subsided. For these were the sounds and images that greeted me as I began this most amazing day. 

Sunday 160: Recovery

The recovery center was palatial

It was just where I needed to be

I only wished 

my top secret super power

~floating~

was useful at the steps 

of the palace gates

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another dream that lent itself to 160 characters. 

For more monkey business 

and other 160's, 

please go visit 

The Monkey Man. 

Alphabe-Thursday/Flash Friday 55: V is for Vulnerable

Vulnerable to the Vodka

sitting upon the shelf

and to vintner’s special vintage

a carafe all to myself

Vermouth of particular value

for daddy taught me right

mix with gin; add olive

to serve him every night

Vespers from a bottle

vanishing beneath its veil

ever vowing every morning

in vain attempts to become well

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This verse is in honor of those I know personally as they find validation for their truths in their valiant efforts to remove the chains of addiction. I admire their vigilance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday 160: Guess Where I'm Going Today

Gray sky overhead

A wet, cold, and dreary day

Donning appropriate apparel

The journey begins

To see if we can maintain

The coveted spot:

Last place position

In the NFL

To participate in this weekly meme (where you have a total of 160 characters to write your prose or thoughts) or to read some really fantastic entries, please go visit my friend the Monkey Man. 

Microfiction Monday #59: The Misunderstanding

No, King Charles,

you misunderstand.

The fair maiden Heather is NOT for sale.

What I asked was, 
“How much are you willing to spend

per HEIFER?”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Micro-fiction Monday is a fun, weekly meme hosted by Susan over at Stony River. She provides the photo prompt and we provide the "micro-fiction", which is limited to 140 characters total. Please check out the link for some truly phenomenal stories and prose.