Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com
i reminisce
my childhood days
running free
with outstretched arms
unburdened
oh halcyon days!
* inspired by William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience
When I first studied Blake’s poems in my university days, I could not figure out what was going on in his poems. Now, I think I have a better appreciation of his words. With age comes experience, I supposed.
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
windows of your soul
left wide open trustingly
may they not be shut
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
PLEASE follow them! I’d hate to not see your piece(s) represented in the recap the following week! Confused? Any questions – email me at sushibocks@gmail.com
For more detailed information, read about this challenge here.
sunlight surfs the waves
dyeing the ocean in warmth
like your love for me
I don’t think I’m the only one who sees the heart in this photo. And the sun does look like it is surfing, is it not? My imagination tends to run wild a bit sometimes, but I’m so happy it runs in a positive manner this time round.
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
PLEASE follow them! I’d hate to not see your piece(s) represented in the recap the following week! Confused? Any questions – email me at sushibocks@gmail.com
For more detailed information, read about this challenge here.
Thank you, everyone, for coming here today. For being here for me and my family, and of course, for Maddison, Maddy to our friends and colleagues. Or Mad-dog to those who knew her wild and adventurous side.
I don’t have any more wonderful things to say about my wife. Indeed, many of you have done that just now, sharing beautiful stories. Slices of her life. Pieces of her.
No, instead, I have something different to say today. Things about our marriage which are not beautiful, nor wonderful. Some of you might even be, how should I say, surprised?
Ten years ago, Maddy and I graduated from the same university and we got married. But our fights started even before we got married. And since then, we have never stopped quarrelling.
In fact, you can even say it became worse. Enough to last until we are fifty. Strangely, we fought over food the most. Probably because we are both terrible cooks. And neither of us wanted to cook.
Darling, is there anything you want for dinner, she would ask. I’m fine with what you want, I would reply.
As we figured out how to work in the kitchen, shouts and screams were common. As was the smoke alarm. There were days when we ended up having only burnt instant spaghetti for dinner. At 11 o’clock.
But as her battle with her cancer continued, to the point where she could only lie in bed, these fights were the only thing still meaningful in our lives. The only thing that was still normal in our house.
Darling, is there anything you want for dinner, I would ask. I’m fine with what you want, she would reply.
But things were different. Shouts and screams were no longer common. Neither was the smoke alarm. And I would end up feeding her instant spaghetti, the only dish we learnt how to make.
Funny how these are the things I remember about Maddy. But in the end, it is these little things that made up our lives.
So what if we have enough quarrels to last until we’re fifty? That dream is never going to come true. How I wish I can hear them again. Even just for one more time.
Originally published in LitUp
This piece is difficult to write because so many things came to mind. How do I get the words down without losing the emotions? This story has been sitting around for almost 3 months now and have gone through many rounds of edit. I can no longer figure out what works and what does not. Is it too melodramatic? Does it lack the impact of the message? Is the theme strong and clear enough?
I decided to submit and crossed my fingers that the editor is willing to. The editor, DiAmaya Dawn (talented lady of many crafts, by the way) of LitUp was kind enough to accept and publish it. So what you are reading is the final product, which I hope is a touching message from a spouse.
Photo by NRD at Unsplash
He was completely mesmerised by her expression. How proportionate her facial features were, her mouth slack open and the blank look in her glassy eyes.
Then the phone rang.
He sighed, kissed her lips gently and put her head back in the refrigerator before answering the wall phone.
(279 characters)
Horror is my new favourite genre to write these days, although I am still trying to figure out the macabre without overt dramatisation.
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
About the challenge: Each Tuesday I will provide a photo prompt. Your mission, if you choose to accept the challenge, is to tell a story in 280 characters or less. When you write your tale, be sure to let me know in the comments with a link to your tale. This is important as I have noticed that some of the ping backs have not been working. If you would prefer to post your tale in the comments (some people have very specific blog themes but still want to participate), I am happy to post a link to your site when I post your tale in the Round Up.
Photo by Git Stephen Gitau on Pexels.com
Janice decided her neighbour had lied about her husband kissing his secretary. Her neighbour was trying to sabotage their marriage. She should have known; her neighbour had always been jealous of their relationship.
Sure, they travelled overseas frequently but that was just work. Sure, he sent her home every day but that was just being gentlemanly. Sure, he got the same gifts for Janice and her but that was just a coincidence.
She was not in denial.
(77 words)
I never realised writing 77-word story is so difficult. It is really tough balancing between creating a setting and moving the story forward without losing anything. I sure hope the story packs the punch despite the brevity. And more importantly, it’s not ambiguous…
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
The challenge is simple: each week you will be given an exact number of words you can use to write a poem or piece of prose. You can use any format or style you like; go wherever your inspiration takes you. The only rules are these:
looking at traffic
in a city i call home
cozy in my pants
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
PLEASE follow them! I’d hate to not see your piece(s) represented in the recap the following week! Confused? Any questions – email me at sushibocks@gmail.com
He unfurled the map but no sooner had he absentmindedly let go to scratch his nose did the map rolled up again.
Annoyed, he took a dragon-summoning flute and an angelic feather bracelet to use as paperweights, keeping the blasted map flat on his bench. Highly unorthodox, not to mention very flippant, to use such mighty weapons as paperweights; the High Priestess of Unicorn would have frowned disapprovingly. But the flute and the bracelet were closest things at hand.
Absentmindedly scratching his nose in bliss, he studied the map again, refusing to give up.
Instead of the usual cardinal directions of Heart’s Desire, Mind’s Distraction, Heart’s Hatred and Mind’s Centre, the map’s cardinal directions were North, East, South and West. If that did not compound matters, the distances most certainly would.
What on Shangri-La was kilometres? Why could the map not use the standard Flying Griffin Steps?
This Holy Call was certainly the most arduous task he was ever commanded to perform, finding the mystical place revelled as Earth in search of the Green Mermaid of Coffee, the legendary Starbucks.
He should have volunteered to put down the Eternal Phoenix rebellion in blazing Heart’s Hatred of Shangri-La instead.
(198 words)
I have always wanted to try my hand at fantasy, both the creation of a fantastic world and a story. Quite a humorous story and I had quite a laugh as I edited the story. Personally, I enjoyed writing and reading it.
And of course, COFFEE! Though not necessary Starbucks, but that is the single most iconic symbol when it comes to coffee. Plus there are mermaids involved. Enough said.
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
Welcome to “Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge.” Each week I will be posting a photo I grab off the internet and challenge bloggers to write a relatively short flash fiction piece inspired by the photo. While there are no definitive style or word limits, I suggest trying to keep your posts to under 300 words.
I want to sincerely thank everyone who has participated in these challenges so far. Your posts have been very creative. I hope this week’s image will also generate some great posts as well.
If this picture inspires you and you wish to participate, please write your post, use the tag #FFFC, and link back to this post.
Photo credit: © Pixabay.com
Casting a backward glance,
I leave the clouds behind
with its empty promises
of beautiful blue skies
and journey onwards
to my destination –
happiness
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
Inspiration Call: Micropoetry Monday – use this picture as inspiration for a micro poem (a short poem with no particular rules).
Publishing opportunity details for this writing prompt can be found at Open Publishing Projects.
Photo credits: Tien
I abandon my defences and open my heart up to you; do not trample on my heart, for it is vulnerable.
(21 words)
If you are interested, the prompt is linked below.
The challenge is simple: each week you will be given an exact number of words you can use to write a poem or piece of prose. You can use any format or style you like; go wherever your inspiration takes you. The only rules are these:
From the Window Seat 