Reena’s xploration challenge invited us to explore the space of Passages, Doorways, Thresholds, and/or Transitions, which dovetailed beautifully with dVerse Poets Banned Book challenge. As an avid ally for the trans/non-binary community, I was drawn to the following quote from Susan Kuklin’s book Beyond Magenta.
… my subjects’ willingness to brave bullying and condemnation in order to reveal their individual selves makes it impossible to be nothing less than awestruck.”
Check out both sites for more information on the challenges and for some great writing.
As someone who lived in the Midwest United States, I am obsessed with the weather. It’s hard not to be. It can shift rapidly, not just daily but hourly.
I also know that when I talk about the weather, I often say “when I was a kid ….” And although it may be annoying to the youths, it is the truth. When I was a kid, September meant the end of summer (not just the start of school), Halloween costumes were almost always hidden by our winter coats, it often snowed at Thanksgiving, and we always had snow at Christmas. What this September taught me AGAIN was that the weather has shifted. It was as hot as hell. It was nearly 90 degrees (Fahrenheit) last week. Every day I would shake my fist at the sky and yell I need summer to STOP!
Thank goodness, the second week of October has finally brought some cooler temperatures. October means sporty jackets and cute boots and hot chocolate and afternoon walks and fall foliage and … Oh NO! October is already halfway over. November looms with its dark days and cold nights and … actually, November last year was beautiful. Did I mention that the weather has shifted. Climate change is undoubtably real and really bad for the planet, but it is nice that it rarely snows before January now. (We need a sarcasm font.)
And now quick verse to summarize the above rant.
when September ends
Summer’s green days fade away
A fable once told
now October’s sun burns red
an admonitory tale
Thanks to FOWC (NEED) and the writer’s workshop and dVerse for their challenges to reflect on September and October.
“The opportunity of a lifetime passed before him as he tried to decide between a cone or a cup.” The thought should probably terrify him.
The woman waiting to scoop his mint chocolate chip (or possibly pistachio) ice cream had actually said “it’s not the opportunity of a lifetime. Pick one.”
She had laughed as she said it, but he could feel life passing him by as he dithered, yet again.
If he was keeping score (which he was) this was the 17th time today he had agonized over an arguably simple decision. Eventually he decided by not deciding. Instead, he walked away empty handed.
He knew why he was spinning in circles: he needed to make what was probably the biggest decision of his life.
As he slid the key into the lock, he made a promise to himself: “I will decide today. Or maybe tomorrow. Tomorrow might be better. But definitely this week. Probably.”
As Jenny took in her reflection, she made a noise that sounded like a cross between a growl and a barking seal. How could she! The haphazard array of polka dots made her look like a giant allergic reaction. This was absolutely the last time she’d ever agree to be a bridesmaid!
Esther asked us to tell a story in 52 words using the following words in it somewhere:
Memories flooded my brain as the smoke from the flickering candle enveloped me. The hint of menthol cigarettes lingering in the air only amplified my déjà vu. My cowardice urged me to turn and run, but before my feet could obey this frantic command the sight of the Two of Swords reminded me of the weight of the choice ahead of me. I couldn’t let one bad incident stop me from seeking guidance. Maybe if I had listened that time, instead of mocking, I would have taken a different road, so instead of taking flight, I sank into the chair. Holding my question in my mind, I shuffled the cards and made a promise to myself: this time, I would listen, really really listen.
I had fun today, creating a six-sentence story and incorporating some additional word prompts that included CARDS, AMPLIFY, CHOICE, and INCIDENT. Visit the site below for more info and more great writing.
Tina Stewart Brakebill 