Haiku & Other Poetry, History, tutto e niente

seduction

Tina Stewart Brakebill

longing for a mash

flirtation becomes romance

seduction as art

Bouguereau+2

Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau, La Confidence, c. 1880, oil on canvas mounted on aluminum, 68 x 47 1/8 in. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia. Original gift of Mr. George Seney to the Lucy Cobb Institute, Athens, GA. GMOA 00.67. Courtesy of American Federation of Arts.

As a women’s historian and an avid reader, I’ve always loved the 19th century use of this word. So thanks to Linda’s SoCS Challenge for the chance to use my FAVORITE slang definition of “mash.”

  • noun
    • a flirtation or infatuation.
    • a flirt; sweetheart; lover.
  • verb (used with object)
    • to flirt with; court the affections of.
Flash Fiction, tutto e niente

An Impromptu Decision

Tina Stewart Brakebill

It had been an impromptu decision.

A be in the moment, what could possibly go wrong, you only live once, I’m not THAT old, you’re not the boss of me kind of non-decision decision.

The kind that had ruled (or almost ruined if you asked her) his life until she came along. No. This couldn’t be on him. Surely an alarm would have gone off.

No. Not his fault.

As the water crept closer, he tore his gaze away from the gushing pipe. Put on his game face. She’d be back soon. And this was definitely not his fault.  

anne-higa

Image credit: Anne Higa

Thanks to Fandango’s FOWC wonderful word prompt of IMPROMPTU and Anne Higa’s great photo prompt, I’m back to Rochelle’s Friday Fictioners Challenge after a long absence!

Haiku & Other Poetry, tutto e niente

the bells of spring

Tina Stewart Brakebill

As I say below, this piece was written originally on April 9, 2020 for Sue’s WritePhoto challenge. Today seemed an apt time to revisit it. Thanks to Fandango’s Flashback Friday Challenge

a shower of blue

upon a blanket of green

spring’s carillon song

blue

Thanks Sue. Visit her for details on the #writephoto challenge and other great pieces.

Haiku & Other Poetry, tutto e niente

For Sue (a Haiku)

Tina Stewart Brakebill

Unmet but felt met

Leaving this world as she lived

Lifting with her words

IMG_0751
Author’s Photo 

I never met Sue Vincent, but when I learned she was ill, I wept. And when I logged into Word Press today (after several days absence) and learned she was gone, I wept again. Tears are blurring my view even now. We often never know the ways we affect other people’s lives but I’m glad I got to say “thank you” before she departed. She made me believe that my silly little poems sometimes mattered. And her work was beautiful until the very end. I hope she knew how much she mattered. If you have not, take the time to read Swift Passage.

Like Sue, it’s beautiful.