Category Archives: Essays

May 22, 2017

Twittering Tales #31 – 23 May 2017

By Kat Myrman

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About the challenge: Each Tuesday I will provide a prompt, and your mission, if you choose to play along, is to tell a story based on that prompt in 140 characters or less. If you accept the challenge, be sure to let me know in the comments with a link to your tale.

A final note: if you need help tracking the number of characters in your story, there is a nifty online tool that will count for you at charactercountonline.com.

I will do a roundup each Tuesday, along with providing us a new prompt. Have Fun!

Twittering Tale #30 – The Round-Up

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Photo titled “Calm” from Pixabay.com

From Michael at Morpethroad:

It was a symbol she knew it instantly.

Fate was tipping in her favour?

He’ll be pleased she thought as she stripped off, clean undies and all. 

(140 characters)

From Reena at ReInventions:

“The laws of physics do not govern the world”, opined the lady “Art and artists will always have their way.” The water in the glass smirked.

(140 characters)

From Kathryn at Another Foodie Blogger:

In anger the witch slammed the glass of water hard on the table, unleashing her frozen spell. Unfortunately, she forgot to exempt herself.

(137 Characters)

From Soul Connection at Through My Heartweb:

He never believed Planchet,Friends forced to join.Mins later,moment he removed finger frm a coin,Half filled Glass on table started Shaking.

(140 Characters)

From Willow at Willow 21:

It was a silent  still night the moon was full he could count the stars.
On the table his glass began to wobble he knew at once, avalanche.
(139 Characters)

From Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:

A sip is all, to quench our thirst,
Need we worry about the glass being half empty or full?
Or is it for others that we are concerned?
(133 Characters)

From Di at Pensitivity:

Forever an optimist, half full or half empty, she knew where to top her glass up.

However, getting the angle right was another matter.

(133 characters)

From Irena at Books and Hot Tea:

“Small earthquake, I guess,” she shrugged.

The ghost sighed. He’s been giving her signs ever since she summoned him. She’s never noticed.

(136 characters)

From Lorraine at In 25 Words More or Less:

Sent remembories, he twitted.

She blinked back the past: “up” Magnetic Hill and Indigo Girls.

Bittersweet magic; his twisted glass of road trips.

(142; 23)

From Kirst at Kirst Writes:

The mother of all hangovers, yet again. He was getting too old for this. Reached for the water… oops! Could’a sworn that glass was level.

137 characters

…and my twitter tale:

“It’ll be fun,” he said. 3 days at sea, 4 more to go, she glanced at the glass of water on the table. The thought of a sip made her sick!
(137 Characters)

Great Job everyone! Another fine roundup. You all have quite the imaginations! 😉 On to this week’s photo prompt from Pixabay. I figure this guy has a few stories to tell. Hope you have fun with this one. See you next week!

Twittering Tales #31 – 23 May 2017

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“Police” from Pixabay.com

Some retirement! After 40 years, all he got was a gold watch and a “good luck.” But he felt useful and it was better than bagging groceries.

~kat
(140 Characters)

38 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Essays, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Twitter Tales

May 21, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 21 May 2017

By Kat Myrman


I’m not sure what to make of this week’s ReVerse. It started out so sweet, twisting into darkness but in the end, a glimmer of hope.

It’s rather like looking into a mirror. Sometimes our best intentions go awry. Sometimes when we think we’re doing the right thing for all the right reasons we realize the reasons become more important than the right thing.

I apologize if all this seems a bit nonsensical. I don’t mean for it to be. One thing I do know for certain. There is always hope. No matter how dark things get. No matter how bleak the prospect of overcoming the impossible seems, there is hope for healing and restoration.

And if things don’t eventually work out as you hoped they would, there is grace in tiny doses to help you through your dark night of soul. There is always grace.

We are complicated beings. It’s true, we sometimes appear to be one extreme or the other…good or bad, dark or light. I suppose the honest truth of being authentic means recognizing that we have the propensity for both sides. It is the stinging stark reality of looking in the mirror and seeing ourselves as flawed that leads us to the greatest revelation of all. And eventually to grace, forgiveness and healing. Not from some ethereal other, but from ourselves. Only then can we find it in ourselves to love others truly, unconditionally. Only then.

Peace, love and healing to you this week. Be gentle with yourself. ❤️

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 21 May 2017

She cares for us always
Pure Love feels like this
She glanced at the glass of water
la femme bête noire
nested they, in great arch-trees
when you are at a crossroad
…it was bedlam
Something sweet, but not too sweet.
leave mothering to others
fools with no conscience
always open to healing

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer,providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Essays, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Week in Review

May 19, 2017

Purloin-Friday’s Word of the Day Haiku

By Kat Myrman

Today’s word of the day from Dictionary.com is Purloin. It “entered English in the 1400s from late Middle English purloynen, from Anglo-French purloigner “to put off, remove.” “ In our present usage it means to take dishonestly; steal; filch; pilfer and to commit theft; steal. The Merriam-Webster dictionary adds another element to the basic definition: appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust.

In my usual google search I found that it is a popular word, used in poetry, literature and journalism. My favorite newsie headline is this tidbit from KWCH News:

Topeka man accused of trying to peddle crate of purloined steaks at hookah bar.

…and this one from USA Today:

A simple game about flinging fowl at purloining pigs, Angry Birds carved itself an astounding niche in mobile gaming but it’s not the only game in town.

Speaking of birds, I found the quintessential example of purloiners of the avian variety. Nasty birds, called parasitic brooders who pilfer and overtake the nests of other species, often tossing the original eggs or even eating them, in order to deposit their own. If that is not horrible enough, these shady breeders then abandon their eggs and leave the raising of their chicks to the nest owners. If host bird’s chicks do happen to survive the initial scourge of egg destruction, they often find themselves fighting a losing battle against their larger, ravenous, foreign sibling at feeding time, eventually starving to death. Some brood parasites include the cuckoo and the brown-headed cowbird. Read more HERE.

Of course birds are not the only species that purloin, but I’ll leave those other examples to your imagination! Here are a few Haiku.

Plagiarists purloin
inspiring words as their own
fools with no conscience

Cuckoo bird mothers
leave mothering to others
purloining their nests

~kat

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Essays, Haiku, nature, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Word of the Day Haiku

May 14, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 14 May 2017

By Kat Myrman

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It is Mother’s Day in many parts of the world. If you are a mother, I wish you a wonderful day. You deserve to be loved and honored. If you are missing your mother I wish you warm memories, healing, and grace. And if you are a child or mother whose relationship is fractured, I wish you hope and reconciliation.

Life is complicated isn’t it? So complicated and so fleeting. How many minutes, how many hours do we spend each day worrying, working to survive, taking up space, wasting time? How many breaths do we consciously take…how many moments do we savor?

I am woefully caught up in the whirlwind of life’s distractions. I spend most of my days in a an oblivious, vapid haze. My existence is a breathless blur. Each day is like a bulbous speck of mercury colliding into the blob of previously squandered days. But it doesn’t have to be.

Being present is hard. Sometimes it’s painful. But it is also what frees us from the blur. A single moment of mindfulness can open the door to wonder, gratitude, peace, and healing. It is balm for our fading souls.

Of course, when I get to thinking about all this I always resolve to do better, to be better at being present in the moment. I’ve been through this head-talk enough times to know that even my intent is a fleeting wisp of hot air. But every now and again a moment catches me unaware and I am captivated. Another memory blooms from the sludge.

I know I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. As for myself, I need reminding…

Breathe in deeply, slowly; savor the moment. Smile at your incredible fortune to be alive right here, right now. Exhale even more slowly. Let go. You are magnificent. You are a miracle. You are living proof of grace. This moment is everything.

And here’s the thing. There is nothing stopping you from having another moment and another. So go ahead. The cares of the world can wait. You know you want to…breathe…

Love and Peace to you…

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 14 May 2017

dawn rustles beneath
when the heat is on
some find comfort in it’s warmth
fleeting as a blink
but dreams die hard…
…and i smile though my heart is sad
needing no imprimatur
draw me like one of your French dogs
don’t ask me why.

~kat

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Essays, Life Lessons, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Social Issues, Spirituality, Week in Review

May 7, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 6 May 2017

By Kat Myrman


It’s the first weekend in May after a busy week on the world front. Sometimes I wish I could live each day blissfully oblivious to current events; wrapped up in friends, family and fun stuff. You know, the everyday normal that is possible because you know you have elected good, decent people to be in charge of managing the workings of our government, and the details that make our society civil.

Occasionally I do have weeks where I can do that. Where no one has gone over the edge, taking innocent people with them, where my job is secure, where everyone close to me is happy and healthy, no drama, where I actually manage to get some sleep at night.

This was not one of those weeks. I wish I didn’t care, but I do. The people who voted for this are likely not paying attention. Their engagement ended the minute they cast their vote. But for those of us who feel compelled to be involved and part of the process, who take democracy and “we the people” seriously, this was not a good week.

In times like this I need to remind myself that we, the collective we, have survived other weeks like this; darker times than what we are witnessing today. But even if I post happy pictures, flowers or kittens on social media, even if I smile and wave at the neighbors, even if I laugh and engage in happy conversations, never crossing over into anything deeper than the weather, my mind is burdened with truth and reality’s heavy presence and I know that I am lying when I say, “I’m fine.

I’m not fine. Things are not fine. But no one wants to hear that. So I post pictures of flowers and kittens and smiley faces.

Have a great week. Not lying. I really hope you do.

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 6 May 2017

forget the pain | and hopefully,forgive ourselves
it’s the magic of poetry
one moment, she’s warm and bright
Making all that racket, crapping everywhere!
the elusive missing link,
verdant roots planted in soil
a beautiful sunset spoilt
embrace with your heart
dreams of girls aching

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer,providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.

7 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Essays, Life Lessons, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Social Issues, Spirituality, Week in Review