Random Comic (not my own)

Yesterday, Michael sent me a link to a comic strip because it reminded him of me. I know I created this blog to exercise my writing abilities and to incite passion into my creative mind, but I just wanted to share this comic. For some reason, I just really love it. I even printed it out to stick on my refrigerator, possibly the wall if I find a good frame and some other comics to go with it. Here it is:

If someone knows who I should credit, please comment (hint to Michael since he sent it to me).

Blue Waterleaf

I'm doing a mystery poem challenge at swap-bot.com where the moderator gives each participant a line to incorporate into their poem. My line is "petals withdraw, shut and shielded." I just sent this poem out to two partners, and I'll receive two more poems from other people. I'm very excited to use swap-bot because there are a few swaps that involve writing. Here's my poem.

Blue Waterleaf

Her petals withdraw, shut and shielded

From all the pain he has wielded.

In the dark, her frame is wilting

Until her entire world is tilting.

Thorns adorn her skin like tattoos

To protect her from his abuse.

When his shadow leaves her side

And the sun shines forth in the sky,

Her blue petals open one by one

And she stands a little taller in the sun.

But when the night falls again,

Her battered body will hang.

Her petals will withdraw, shut and shielded

From the pain he has wielded.

Eventually falling one by one,

Her petals will wither in the sun.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Doo bee doo bee doo!
Remember when we walked down Valentine Street
On our way to the bus stop to get to work,
And I was singing
Doo bee doo bee doo?
Then some pebbles tripped me?
You laughed so hard.
I still can't live that down.
Doo bee doo bee doo.
I love you anyway.

- dedicated to Michael

I Can't Write a Poem

I can't write a poem.
Why? because pausing with a caesura can be complicated
because rhyming doesn't always have good timing
because writing in meter is too hard
because using scansion stresses me out
because gradually alliteration gets annoying
because I can hardly spell onomatopoeia, let alone use it
BAM! because I want my readers to stay awake
because who's going to read it?
because personification dances circles around me
because sometimes poetry just doesn't make sense
because similes are "like a box of chocolate. You never know what you're going to get."
because punctuation isn't always important
because I use anaphora too much
because there's either too many rules or no rules at all
because I have to learn a lot of terms:

couplets, metaphors, iambic pentameters, and refrains
metonymy, hyperboles, stanzas, and quatrains

because I'm busy making excuses.

Six Word Story

Ernest Hemingway wrote a complete story in just six words. "For sale: baby shoes, never used."

With just those six words, an entire story is created in the reader's mind. I picture a bereft woman, clutching her empty, but swollen stomach. She could have had a miscarriage or gave birth to a stillborn. Maybe she found out she couldn't have another child. Or maybe her and her husband decided not to try for another. There's pain and sorrow in those six words.

In today's post, I'm going to try to create a story with six words. I'll make several attempts.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Blood dripped from her sliced wrist.

You were great. I'll call you.

Is that lipstick on your collar?

Dear Mom, I'm sorry. Love, Alex

Still fingers, blank page, frustrated writer.

He knelt before her. She gasped.

For Sale: baby sister, no refunds.

One revolver, one bullet, Russian roulette.