Category Archives: Challenges and Writing Prompts

November 18, 2017

Valley of Forgotten Souls

Valley of Forgotten Souls

They hide inside layers of second hand clothes,
loudly conversing with monsters and demons,
roaming the streets, their treasure in buggies,
nightmares in flesh, they come out every evening.
Calamity haunts them wherever they travel.
Long since abandoned, no family or kin.
Begging for pennies with no place to call home.
Survival’s a game that so few of them win.
Outcast, these destitute vagabonds rally,
warming their hands at makeshift barrel fires,
bedding down in dark alleys; shelters of cardboard,
no dreams of a future where they can retire.
Where is the hope for these life-burdened souls?
Untreated insanity rattles their brains.
Could they be angels, to test our compassion,
or are they just people with forgotten names?

~kat

Almost didn’t make it in time for this week’s MindLoveMisery’sMenagerie Sunday Writing Prompt. But an encounter with a homeless man, screaming obscenities as he shuffled behind a shopping cart loaded with refuse and cardboard, gave me my heartbreaking inspiration. The prompt was to choose a title to write about. I chose “Valley of Forgotten Souls”. The photo is by Miriam’s-Fotos at Pixabay.com

7 Comments | tags: Challenge, Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, MLMM, Poetry, Sunday Writing Prompt, title prompt | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Poetry, Social Issues

November 18, 2017

Of Flying Pigs and Truffles

By Kat Myrman

From “Valley of the Black Pig”…

‘The dews drop slowly and dreams gather;’ —W.B. Yeats

Of Flying Pigs and Truffles

Those pigs! They are flying…fleeing in droves,
exposed by the truffles they guzzled with glee,
their gluttonous bingeing, now everyone knows.
Soon they will pay for their vile thievery.
Those truffles! So rare…such delicacies.
They should be savored by pallets discerning,
their place on the plate given prominency,
respected and honored in delicate servings.
It’s been quite the scandal, this wild exposé.
The talk of the barnyard, in locker room speak.
Oh, those pig’s days are numbered, not sorry to say,
and to truffles uprising, the victory tastes sweet.

~kat

Inspired by the news of the day, the slow dripping drop of the dews and the title of the Yeats poem, for Jane Dougherty’s ‘A Month with Yeats’ – Day Eighteen Poetry Challenge.

12 Comments | tags: a month with yeats, Challenge, digital art, flying pigs, Poetry, truffles, verse prompt | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Digital Art & Photos, Humor, Poetry, Social Issues

November 17, 2017

’til the mourning

By Kat Myrman

Photo by rmac8oppo at pixabay.

‘The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,’ —W.B. Yeats

lay me down on beds of clover
as the gloaming ebbs to darkness
let’s pretend that we’re still lovers
despite the veil’s cold opaqueness
whisper on the nor-east breeze
fill the twinkling dippers full
arouse those long forgotten dreams
persuade me to embrace them still
brush my lips with dewy kisses
in the din of silence wrap me
memories are bitter blisses
but without them, where would I be?
hush me now, stop this complaining
I’ll just imagine you are near
bear the slug of time remaining
a life alone, not death, to fear

~kat
For Jane Dougherty’s “A Month With Yeats” – Day 17 poetry challenge inspired by the verse above from Yeats’ poem,‘ Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven’. Photo by rmac8oppo at pixabay.

23 Comments | tags: a month with yeats, Challenge, mourning, Poetry, verse prompt | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Poetry

November 16, 2017

First Impression

By Kat Myrman

Liz prepared holiday dinner for Randy’s parents the first time they met.

She entered the dining room with great flare, then proceeded to trip over the carpet, launching the turkey across the table scattering dishes everywhere.

As she landed in a thud, Randy’s mother guffawed, exclaiming, “Oh Randy! I love this girl!”

~kat

Exactly 52 Words for Sacha’s Writespiration 52 Weeks in 52 Words flash fiction challenge. This week’s theme, “The Launch”. The photo above is by LauraTara on Pixabay.com.