Category A Dash of Sunny

Oasis – A Dash of Sunny

freyathewriter 17 Comments

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The chance to just ‘be’

with my thoughts

with my hopes

with my dreams

yes, even my fears

is a need, a must, an ‘I can’t do without’.

Company drains me, if it’s not what fits

as a long-lost jigsaw piece completing the picture of me.

I am a square peg in the round hole of life

unless (and until) I can claim my solitude

until I can meditate on my island

until I can breathe in

until I can breathe out

and feel whole again.

 

Over on A Dash of Sunny, we are invited to express ourselves on solitude. Do we need it? Do we hate our own company? How do we feel?

I don’t think I beat about the bush on this – how about you?

Identity – A Dash of Sunny

freyathewriter 10 Comments

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I’m taking a breather from

the emails

the documents

the deadlines

the treadmill of files

the Escher-like never ending work mountain.

I’m taking a breather from

the headache

that sits like a heavy, black dog

inside my head.

I’m taking a breather – dammit.

I’m listening to music in the sunlight outside,

pushing obligations to one side,

just for a few moments.

I close my eyes, and breathe…

And then, there he is –

“Excuse me, Miss, my name’s Marcus”

I look into his eyes,

see the worry lines creasing his forehead,

the hesitant, apologetic half-smile

hovering around his mouth.

“I’m scared. I’ve nowhere to stay tonight.

I’m scared.”

I’m taking a breather…

He cannot.

We chat for a bit, I tell him my name in return,

I give him some money (that I really won’t miss)

and wish him well

and mean it.

I did nothing really,

except…

give him some time

give him my attention

give him my name

give him recognition

give him humanity.

He gave me peace.

 

It’s time for the weekly prompt from A Dash of Sunny where we are invited to write about something that is important to us. This mish-mash of a poem isn’t a work of fiction, Marcus really did enter into my world for a few minutes during Thursday last week.

I didn’t do anything earth-shattering. We just spoke for a while, like people do. The trouble is, too often homeless people are ignored by the rest of us. I can’t imagine the amount of bravery it takes to ask a stranger for help. The cynical part of me does sometimes question what any money I might give will be spent on, but really, who am I to judge, if it helps that person get through another day with no place to call home?

He gave me more than he imagined, in any case. He took me far away from the concerns of work, and on that particular day, it was a blessing. Thank you, Marcus.

 

Old and New – A Dash of Sunny

freyathewriter 20 Comments

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modern tradition

– an oxymoron some would say,

but i beg to differ.

the beauty of the design of today –

clean lines, smooth curves, simplicity,

matched with the serenity of age-old customs

handed down from parent to child

from mother/father to daughter/son –

or sometimes with a slipped stitch in time

that was caught, just in time

to re-forge the link that almost

wrenched the chain asunder.

modern tradition

that’s how I do it.

 

It’s time for my (mostly) weekly entry into A Dash of Sunny’s Prompt Nights, where this week we are asked to choose a photograph and write a poem or piece of prose inspired by it.

The photo is mine, of my Chanukiyyah that I love because of what it represents (my Jewish heritage), but also because it is beautiful in and of itself. It is made of iron and is so, so heavy, so very pleasingly substantial. I am sure it will outlast me!

All the branches are filled with lit candles, so that signifies the last night of Chanukkah, the eight day ‘festival of light’ which you can read about here, if you would like to know more!

Please do head on over to A Dash of Sunny to read how others have responded – and why not take part yourself?