Category Archive:words

Boxing-in-1920
“You was robbed, Mikey! You shoulda been the winner! You want I should go back there and tell em, Mikey? You want me to take care of them for you?”

The two young men strode through the throngs outside the gym. There were jeers and cheers and much posturing.

Mikey shrugged off Pat’s hand and tugged his cap closer to his head. He winced as he touched his eye. Gonna be a beaut of a shiner there tomorrow.

“What do you think you can do, Pat? It’s all good. I’ll get him next week. Just wasn’t my week. Next week.”

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written for Velvet Verbosity’s 100 Word Challenge: ROBBED.

photo credit: 2 Guys Talking Mets Baseball No credit given there for pic.

lineup

The line stretched for what seemed like hours. Richard and Gretchen were getting impatient as many of the children were.

Gretchen whined, “Mummy, when shall we eat? I am so hungry.” Richard punched her in the arm and called her a baby, but their mother simply smiled in her stoic way.

“Soon, children. We are nearly there.”

The line inched forward until they were at the head. Mother took the children by their arms and handed them to the Major Domo.

“Sir, here is my offering for the feasting.”

Without looking back she left the arena as the children screamed.

Photo credit: susivinh / Foter / CC BY-ND

This is my offering for Velvet Verbosity’s 100 Word Challenge. A bit darker than my normal, but it felt right for the challenge.

Come down to the water
My true love sang to me
Come see the sailing ships
And watch the tide with me

Come down to the water
I called back to my love
Let’s seek shells and toss
Pebbles, and rescue starfish

Come down to the water
Let’s watch the sun sink
‘neath waves turned golden
With its waning light

Let’s sit together at the wharf
Dangling our feet and laugh
As waves tickle our toes
And crust them with salt

Oh, do come down
To the water with me
It is there life begins and
Where our love remains
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
written for Velvet Verbosity’s 100 word challenge WHARF. Photo is from a day trip my love and I took to Homer over the weekend. I belong in Homer – someday – someday I shall live there.

Back before the days of wasted hours (sigh) spent on the book of face (tip of hat to Lance), I used to blog regularly. The blog itself has undergone a couple of name changes and home changes, but I have been settled in as the PurpleMoose Gazette for several (hundred or so) years now.

I used to be here and about (reading other blogs) on a daily basis. I wrote and wrote and wrote some more – about the whole fam-damily – about ‘laska – about the world as I see it.

That was before I took a job that required so much brain and heart time that I could not – would not – dared not – write about the world I lived in any longer. I have boundaries that are work imposed and self imposed and confidentiality requirements that keep me pretty closed mouth – most of the time.

I miss the days of coming here and spouting about the latest injustices I saw in the community that I call home and the greater world at large. But, that can come across as so petty and narcissistic and self-serving and ego-centric, don’t you think? After all, I am but one in a greater number of fellow humans. I have made my peace with what I can and cannot change and the people I can and cannot influence.

These days my writing is limited to 100 word and 33-333 word snippets Some days that is all that I can manage to get down on paper/screen. What comes out is at times painful and revealing, but often it reflects the latest book I am reading or have just completed. Who knows what the catalyst might be for the words we choose to share?

Thursday night – simply because I had taken the week off work – I was privileged to attend a local writers poetry reading. I was invited to share poetry I had written – or could bring a favorite author’s poetry to read. So much good writing was heard that night and I left wondering why my poetry has dried up a bit. (thus the above soul-searching) The conclusion I have come to is that I simply do not allow myself the TIME to sit and write and to write and to write some more. I waste those precious minutes away playing silly games on fb.

Perhaps it is time to step away from that – to understand that, in the greater scheme of things, I will not be missing out on much. Gone are the days of the blog hopping and getting mired in the battles of fellow bloggers. Blog-dom has changed – a lot – over the years. My “older” friends will know of what I speak. It is quicker and far easier to get embroiled in battles on fb. Instant gratification – instant justification. I miss the days when you had to THINK about what you posted before you posted.

RESOLVED: spend more time away from fb and here – or in my (paper) journal – reflecting, writing, WRITING, and WRITING. It is time.

Stacey watched the wind-whipped trees from her kitchen window longing to share their obeisance. She ached to bend her will; to sway before her maker; to prove her worth.

Mother’s taunts replayed. “You were always a strong-willed tart. I despaired of you ever finding a mate and giving me grandchildren. You couldn’t even do that for your mother – after all I did for you.”

She shook her head clear of the memory. Mother had been gone these 6 years now. Yet Stacey could still feel her disapproval.

She watched the trees, envied them their freedom, and grieved with longing.

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written for Velvet Verbosity’s 100 Word Challenge: bend.