Sunday, January 30, 2011

Sunday 160: Passing Traditions

Father and son
working together
old teaching young
sharing of tradition
Encouraging words
Chances to try
large hands grip small
Their labor is now over
The feast can begin!

Monkey Man hosts Sunday 160. Like a text message, you have 160 characters to share your thoughts. Head over there and let him know you're playing along in the comments section.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Saturday Centus: Family Drama Part 14


At last Kat pulled into the driveway. Weary from the flight and now this long drive, she was glad to arrive. The house had been in her grandmother's family for generations, and she always felt waves of nostalgia coming here.
Though all she really wanted was a martini and a couch, Kat knew that procrastination was not her friend so she headed for the attic. She lifted the stack of letters from the ancient chest and couldn't help but smile. A tribute to their long friendship, the letters from Russ were a treasure. They'd both learned that going back to the beginning was best, so she opened the first one.

It's Saturday Centus. Head over to Jenny's if you want to play along. You get up to 100 words past the prompt (bold italic above). I'm competitive, that' why mine is a continuing story. Judie supplied the prompt this week. Thanks SO much Judie for a “normal” prompt. I swear Jenny's trying to stop me ;-) If you need to catch up, put Family Drama in my search gadget. Or if you only need last week, it's here.





Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Saturday Centus: Family Drama Part 13


She awoke suddenly when the captain started making landing announcements. It irritated her that even though it was now 2035, they still hadn't been able to stop people from selfishly using up all the overhead compartments at the front of the plane instead of the ones above their assigned seat. Her bag was twenty rows back. She'd have to wait until until the plane was empty to head back there and retrieve it. The robotic flight attendants weren't programmed for independent thinking, and wouldn't break formation to get it. At times like this, she wished that “Beam me up, Scottie1” was actually possible.  


Jenny is still shaking things up for us over at "off on my tangent".  This week's Centus is to be written in sci-fi style.  It's more like sigh-fi.  But, I'm still managing to string them all into one story, just for the challenge of it.  Now there are some other Centusians  doing that too, so it's catching on.  Need to catch up?  Put Family Drama in my search gadget.  Only need last week's?  It's here.  Then head on over to Jenny's to link up your own, or to read the other micro-stories

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Lost in Translation

Being bilingual
has perks
double vocabulary
secret code
More ways to say
I love you
thank you
I'm sorry
but you're not listening
in either language,
and stubbornly
silent.

It's Monkey Man's Sunday 160.  Like a text message, you have 160 characters to tell you're story.  Link up in his comments, and visit the others.  After all, they're a quick read!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Saturday Centus: Family Drama Part 12


Downing her third micro-bottle of surprisingly good chardonnay, Kat realized she had about the same chance of finding Russ as the lottery ticket she'd bought being the winner.
********************
Jenny is still shaking things up for us over at "off on my tangent".  This week's Centus is a 25us.  Yup, only 25 words not including the prompt (in bold italic above).  But, I'm still managing to string them all into one story, just for the challenge of it.  Now there are some other Centusians  doing that too, so it's catching on.  Need to catch up?  Put Family Drama in my search gadget.  Only need last week's?  It's here.  Then head on over to Jenny's to link up your own, or to read the other micro-stories

Monday, January 10, 2011

Saturday Centus: Family Drama Part X and XI


Watching that stuck character in the window display really brought her situation into clear view. SHE was the one who was always stuck helping her troubled, spoiled, narcissistic, annoying, complaining, capricious sister. This wasn't going to be like her crumpled up list of resolutions. She was really going to take a different tack with Elaine this time. It all had to start with the body.
She entered the garage and made her way through the clutter to the ancient chest freezer and plugged it in. There. Should her sis ever decide to deal with her own troubles, then there he would be. Frozen. Not stinking up the place or arousing suspicion. Just waiting.
Kat wasn't waiting for her anymore. She was also quite a bit more than annoyed at Russ. She was worried sick. She'd sent the distress signal, but he hadn't responded. His situation was probably dire. Why else would he break the pact forged years ago when they were colleagues? It was time to go find him. Tossing a few necessities into a duffel, she drove to the airport, looking for a non-stop to Florida. It was probably NOT a good sign that Florida's orange crop was frozen just like Eduardo in the freezer.

I'm trying to catch up on Saturday Centus, one of my favorite challenges of the week.  Since I'm two weeks behind, I gave myself 200 words and combined both of the prompts from weeks 35 and 36.  Week 35 is in bold italic above.  Week 36 is this picture.  Head on over to Jenny's if you want to play.  You'll find all the rules there.  You might also recall that I'm trying to string all the prompts together into one story.  Yeah, I'm crazy like that.  Put "family drama" in my search gadget if you need to catch up.  Just need last week?  It's here.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Snow Scultpure


Today my ninjas are
chiseling memories
into artistic chunks
these renegade artists
can turn that blob,
stuck to your mud guards
into slushy sculpture
It's a fish!”
Chisel and hammer
applied to snow
by artists
dressed in boots
hats,
gloves, but
coats shed
as their lassoed
energy
burns, with
creative fire
and
their meticulous masterpiece
melts
in their hands.


It's One Shot Wednesday!  Write a poem and link up.  Poets of all levels welcomed.

P.S The ninja thing is a reference to an earlier poem I wrote here.