an ode
this is a song of living
to the uncertainty that futures bring
although it seems silly to praise
our life of low precision
Tag: creativity challenge
NaShoStoWriMo Story – and Galumphing submission – The Soldiers’ Return
I promised to post one of the stories from my NaShoStoWriMo challenge and I’m only a few days late doing that…this one was inspired by our Galumphing poetry challenge for November. The words were: glass, lake, soldier. This one came in at 713 words – so only a few minutes of your time. Comments and suggestions welcome – I thank everyone for their encouragement regarding my personal short story challenge.
The Soldiers’ Return
By Marcy Erb
When Carl saw the soldiers coming across the pasture in formation, he wasn’t that surprised. He’d seen this before as a child in Germany and so he knew he needed to remain calm. That way, if he was called upon to take any action or speak to the soldiers, he would be able to do so in a dignified manner. Plus, he remembered; nobody else in his family spoke German.
Continue reading “NaShoStoWriMo Story – and Galumphing submission – The Soldiers’ Return”
NaShoStoWriMo! My Version of NaNoWriMo
It’s been inspirational to see so many people participating in NaNoWriMo – and I was thrilled to see our own RSPC founder Steven D’Adamo roaring through it with over 10,000 words written so far. Go Steven!
I decided to challenge myself to a version of NaNoWriMo – with short stories. It’s NaShoStoWriMo (because one good abbreviation deserves another) and anyone is welcome to join me. I have challenged myself to write 5 short stories a week for November. That will be 20 stories by the end of the month. I have not set a particular word count for the stories, allowing it to range from 500 – 3000 per story. I have also not placed any restrictions on topic or style. I have hit my mark for the first week and am only a little behind for week two. We will see where this goes – but I am definitely not expecting 20 O. Henry masterpieces! Maybe one or two gems will result, maybe not.
Theme for September 23rd – Chastity – and you thought it was simple!
The virtue of temperance has historically encompassed a wide range of activities – after all, it “simply” means moderation via personal restraint or will. Although associated in modern parlance with food and drink, in particular alcohol, last week’s poems decided to look at temperance as it applies to less calorie-laden subjects: in speech and in modifying self-doubt.
Chastity is another virtue that has been reduced to a sound bite in the modern day, but was historically much more complex. Chastity today seems to revolve around sexual activity, and if the news is any indication, contemporary conversations about chastity focus on teenagers and pre-marital sex.
Continue reading “Theme for September 23rd – Chastity – and you thought it was simple!”
Free Verse – Temperance – Marcy Erb
TemperanceLoop – a poem in MatLab
Free Verse – Kindness – Marcy Erb
Relative
Pneumonia
my 98 year old grandmother says
is called the old person’s friend
Free Verse – Diligence – Marcy Erb
Perseverance Game
Are you talking about ripples on the river
or a bolt of lightning felling a tree?
I would were I defining perturbations.
Ah, then you are suggesting we draw animals
in dapper suits or ask for the old man in the moon?
Free Verse – Patience – Marcy Erb
Patience in the 1990’s
We were patiently waiting for our lives to start
All around us, suburbs burned to cinders
It snows created houses in Los Angeles,
In October, the chaparral is patient with fire. Continue reading “Free Verse – Patience – Marcy Erb”
Free Verse – Humility – Marcy Erb
Upon Glimpsing the Allegory of Humility in the Sculpture Gallery
From a distance I label her the personification of humility Hands wrapped about herself, like the Virgin Mary, Her bronze shawl draped about her head, neck, breasts To shield her beauty and keep her modesty, even under glass.
Evening Satellite Publishing 