To arms – dVerse Quadrille Monday

September 12, 2016freyathewriter 52 Comments

electricity_junction_box_with_birmingham_coat_of_arms_-_andy_mabbett_-_02

“Push the door, just a little

and stride into the unknown beyond,”

my brave heart urges, insistent, strong.

I shake my head, in time with my quivering hands,

fight-flight pushing and pulling me

every-which-way.

I think I want to cower.

But I go.

Forward.

It’s time for the dVerse Quadrille Monday, where this week Victoria invites us to wrote on the theme of ‘open’ in any manner we choose, as long as we use the quadrille form.

The picture above is the coat of arms for Birmingham (UK), the city of my birth. The lady on the left is holding a book and an artist’s palette, representing art, and the man on the left is a blacksmith, representing industry. It gives me a feeling of strength and determination, very much how the people of Birmingham were, and how I see them (us) still.

I’ve been taking a little breather from writing to regroup, and it’s good to ease myself back in with a quadrille, a form I really enjoy writing in.

Please do head on over to dVerse to read… and take part – why not?

Edge – TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge

September 10, 2016September 10, 2016freyathewriter 10 Comments

Knife glitters under

moonlight, buried in velvet

with no soft heart. Pause…

Think, reconsider

do not take that final step.

Turn back from the edge.

It’s time for TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge, where this week our prompt is ‘edge’. This is also the prompt for the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, so I’m also entering there too!

The photo above is of Beachy Head, a beauty spot on the Sussex coast, and also, sadly, a magnet for those who feel that life is too much for them. The cliffs are just too irresistible. A local charity, the Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team patrol the clifftops in order to give as much help and support to those in distress as they possibly can and save many lives in the process.

By the way, I am not on that precipice, please don’t worry! It was just the first thing that came to mind when seeing the prompt word…

Identity – A Dash of Sunny

September 3, 2016freyathewriter 10 Comments

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.