The rules are simple. Incorporate the following five words, or synonyms of them, in flash fiction or poetry.

Charcoal / Shade / Pale / Wake / Lucid

Welcome back to the DMV, me. Feeling fairly immersed in the ramifications of the current government shutdown, I jotted this guy down sometime late last night. Hope you enjoy.

Nonet

It’s in the shade cast by yet-to-be
Built walls – the pale horse’s terror.
Fear of change, fear of the other
Lucid cries for neither.
Walls made of burnt bonds.
Left with charcoal.
Power will
Wake Up
Soon

So what I realize about myself, in abiding by these short form structures, is that I always am left with the singular feeling of having far more to say.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed my brief submission to The Secret Keeper’s Challenge found here.

Jessie Gutierrez