Tag: Writing

Friday Fictioneers: Grapevine

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I’ve missed Madison’s 100 word Friday photo prompt                                      http://madison-woods.com/2012/07/18/ for a couple of weeks but this time I’ve made it. This maybe a little dark, so I’m sorry, I don’t wish to offend. The photo seems innocent enough, but look closely, see how the tendrils can wrap around and strangle.

grapevine

Riesling

The vine, its naked now, stripped of its treasures, its small Riesling bullets. The master likes to watch while we crush them in the old way; it’s his tradition to make something special for himself. And as he watches, he finishes last year’s reserve.

It started off well, he was in good humour, but as always, it turned to bad. I thought I would die last night; drown on crushed grapes, I prayed to the Lord to take me. Grapes filled my nose, ears, eyes and mouth, while he filled me.

He doesn’t know where I emptied his night water today.

A Small Poem

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Double Vision

In the graveyard today I had double vision

Double vision of the white marble statue

White marble statue on the nun’s grave

The nun’s grave where the sisters are laid

The sisters are laid God rest their souls

Their souls carried heavenwards by wings of white doves

White doves fly now at approaching black habits

Black habits whipped around legs in the wind

In the wind in the graveyard I had double vision

Of perhaps not quite rested souls

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups# 50

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, Exeter, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , , , , , 16 Comments

Week 50, but Julia has focussed on the weather instead of a golden anniversary, with her prompt, … the rain turned the road into a river… 

and here is my entry. There will be more over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week-50/  and maybe you would like to join in.

Bridge Memories

It could only be ugly, you only have to see how they built that block of flats over Whipton way. Eight stories high, where do they hang their washing?

‘Come on mum. Let’s join the crowd and walk across for the first time.’ I didn’t want to, horrid concrete.

‘Look Shirley, see how lovely it was, back when I was a girl. Your dad and me did our courting there, fifty years ago.’ 

‘Huh, every year in St Thomas, the rain turned the road into a river’ she said barely looking at my photo, ‘Now there’s the flood channel and this new bridge. I won’t be long then.’

Photo is from http://demolition-exeter.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/edwardian-exe-bridge.html where Wolfpaw has discussed the copyright.

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 49

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, Games, WritingTagged , , , , , 12 Comments

‘This week is another simple prompt but please forgive me for making it topical to us here in the UK.

….Murray was just about to serve for the Championship when…’

says Julia, over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/ pop across to join in!

Schizoid Match

Murray was just about to serve for the Championship when they arrived. The voices. All three this time and they were arguing like mad.

‘He has to have new tennis shoes; he’s going through the toes of last year’s.’ Tut.

‘I need shin pads, for Saturday, we’re playing Westchester.’ Get out of my head Aidan.

‘Listen, listen, no-one ever needed this stuff, need is about hunger, a roof over our heads.’ Dad shut up.

‘Murray will put the roof over our heads one day, the boy is gifted.’ No pressure then mum.

‘Ha, even he doesn’t believe that.’

The racquet thudded to the ground. You’re right dad I don’t.

Travel Theme: Night

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Ailsa at http://wheresmybackpack.com/ has chosen the theme of night this week. The photo I am posting was taken at Jemaa El F’na in Marrakech which has been recognised by Unesco as a ‘ Masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity’. Beautiful and bustling by day with orange juice sellers and caleche rides, at night it really comes alive. There are snake charmers, story tellers, healers and tooth pullers. In the evening the food stalls arrive, you can choose from a vast array of delights, all cooked on the spot and filling the air with steam and smoke. Be sure to check a few before you decide, of course they will all do their best to tempt you to take a seat, but if you check where the locals are eating you can’t go far wrong. At the back of my photo is the minaret of Koutoubia mosque, the largest in Morocco, but not open to non Muslims. 

When I was a child, I was entranced by the Crosby, Stills and Nash song, Marrakech Express and as I write the lyrics are buzzing through my head. When I finally went for the first time, four years ago, it was a dream come true. I’ve been back since and will again. Marrakech doesn’t disappoint, it’s magical and La Place Jemaa El F’na at night is a vibrant, chaotic, smelly and noisy sensation.

Sadly in 2011 the square was bombed, killing fifteen people and injuring more. The blast destroyed Cafe Argana, one of my favourites, a great place to sit back and enjoy the spectacle. I have never heard if it has been rebuilt, so if anyone has any information could you share please? I would love to know.

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups # Week 48

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , , 10 Comments

I missed last weeks challenge. I used the excuse of being away, but actually it was just too difficult. This week Julia has returned to her more usual prompt of a few words . . . I blamed it on the dog  . . . much more my scene. If you would like to join in, or read some of the other entries, pop across to http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week-48/

Meanwhile here is my entry.

A Bit of a Tickle

‘Forty years, that’s how long I’ve known her. I never thought she’d leave me. There’s not a day we’ve been apart. We never wanted kids – decided it would be just the two of us.’

‘Sorry mate, I’m not one for weeping, never had cause, we’ve always been so happy.’ The man, who looked far too young for that kind of work averted his eyes and muttered ‘No worries.’

‘She had a bit of a tickle, touch of allergy she said. I think I’ll be following her; I can’t live with this guilt you see. Passive smoking causes cancer. That cough, I blamed it on the dog.’

100 Word Challenge For Grown Ups Week# 46

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, Mental health, Poetry, WritingTagged , , , , 30 Comments

Julia http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week46/ thinks her prompt  . . . in the dark recess of my mind . . . is straightforward this week, well not for my impoverished mind! Equally challenging will be making this page line up as I want it to but here goes.

Electric Recess

In the dark recess of my mind, drowning, overwrought and burdened

            a brand new demon idles there but

The memory cannot linger forever. Forks of light slash through clouds with

            intent to throw open the path

Dark as the night once shared. Storms resounded in those arteries that                                           now are scoured of plaque.

Recess littered with nightmares, fossil formed, now queuing to

            be purged, volted electrically

Of hallucinatory dervish spinning a reel, reaching a hand to heaven, stabbing

            a hand to earth, relentless chaotic earth.

My sanguine fluid put on hold, damned and damned forever to ease my tormented

Mind.

The Power of Blogging

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I don’t know if this link will work in other countries but I wanted to share and apologies to those of you in the UK who will have heard about it.  This is what happens when a blog hits the news, it’s just brilliant! Perhaps school dinners don’t even exist in all of the places where my readers live, but in the UK for two pounds your child can be provided with a lunch. In some places around the country it willbe a healthy and nutritious meal that may even be better than they might get at home.  I believe that the state still provides a free meal for children whose  parents are on benefits or a very low income. Anyway here is the link, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18454800

Friday Fictioneers, On the Nose

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, Wildlife, WritingTagged , , , , , , 44 Comments

Madison’s  challenge has this photo today http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/pathways/ joining in is fun, lots of great flash fiction to read. Here is mine.

woods

On the Nose

‘She has the scent already,’ the sow pulled Emil sharply right, nearly pulling him over.

‘Ouch, why can’t you stay on the path in the light?’Jean-Francois followed laughing, as the pig thrust her snout into the leaf mould, her tail corkscrewing frantically.

‘I can’t smell a thing, but I can see something black down there.’  The boys rummaged in beside her and didn’t hear the footsteps back on the path, but a resounding snort registered. They turned and faced the biggest wild boar ever.

‘It’s old Napoleon, he thinks these are his truffles . . . run for your life.’

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 45

Posted on Posted in Cultural exchanges, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , 33 Comments

Julia’s little treat this week is the prompt ‘there’s a real buzz about this place’, as usual I’m a little off the wall but here goes.

A Chance to Dance

So many nationalities. I’m the only one from Pakistan. My friends back home have dared me. ‘Don’t travel all that way and do as you do at home’ said Jamila. ‘Taste the alcohol and come back and tell us about it, let your hair down’, from Rashida and Yasmin together. It’s my last night and I haven’t done anything radical, nothing that Ammi would be ashamed of, but there’s a real buzz about this place and I may never get another chance. This Niqab is coming off now; I’m going to dance with a man who can see my face.

There will be lots more entries to read over at http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week45/