If only – SoCS July 16/16

July 16, 2016freyathewriter 4 Comments

If we could all take a moment to look into a stranger’s eyes, to communicate properly with each other, to smile, to shake hands, to say thank you, would the world be kinder than it feels now?

I feel extremely uncomfortable about the state of our small blue planet right now. There seems to be so much polarisation, so much isolationism, so much suspicion and mistrust. Shades of grey, nuances seem so far out of reach. There seems to be far too much encouragement to consider everything to be binary – yes/no, black/white, right/wrong/, in/out. This world, full of humans as it is, cannot be like that. We are emotional creatures, there are so many points in-between. Aren’t there?

I’m a relatively cynical woman, but in my daydreams and night-dreams, I sometimes ponder a better world than the one we have now. And in my waking moments, I try to make the infinitesimal space that I inhabit a little better for others – say thank you to the bus driver, smile at the overworked and underpaid shop assistant who still goes about her work in the best way possible, wish the postman a good day. It’s not much, but I hope it helps. We all want to be acknowledged, don’t we?

This week, the lovely Linda has asked to write stream of consciousness style on ‘if’. This week in particular, I am thinking about the similarities that bind us together, not the differences that push us apart.

Why not hop on over to Linda’s place, have a read, and take part yourself?

Running to stand still

July 13, 2016freyathewriter 18 Comments

time oft hangs heavy

but our growth can be stunted

in this fast-paced world

I can be a bit of a flibbertigibbet, hopping from one prompt to another. I love continuity and stability at the same time. I’m a bit of a Schrodinger’s Writer!

I found this prompt courtesy of my new-found blogging friend, Shadeau (thank you, dear lady for popping up in my reader today!).

So here is my entry into the Ronovan Writes weekly haiku prompt, where we are invited to write on the themes of time and grow. I did use ‘growth’ instead, I hope nobody minds!

Why not take part yourself?

The sound of your day

July 12, 2016freyathewriter 10 Comments

What does your day sound like?
The groan that escapes through a mildly bitten lip as you haul your carcass out of bed.
The muted shuffle of slippers on laminate floor and the rasp of terry towelling against skin as you multi-task your way to the bathroom.
The squeak of naked foot against the bath as you slip into the shower – quite literally.
A sigh this time as the soft, warm water- needles pummel your skin,
and the voice of your thoughts, your thoughts, your need to stay just there, just there forever
(or at least for as long as the hot water lasts).
But it’s a work-day, or a shopping-day, or a car-washing-day, or a take-the-kids-to-the movies day
and you have to desert your naked haven and get-damn-dressed.
One day, you promise yourself,
your day will sound like ripe cherries squeaking against your teeth as you bite into their shiny skin and the juice runs down your chin.
One day, your day will sound like your daughter’s gleeful chuckle when she found the Easter eggs hiding in the crook of the branches of the old plum tree.

One day, you promise yourself, your day will taste of freedom.

On my way home, I was listening to an interview on the Radio 4 Woman’s Hour podcast, with Felicity Ford who is a sonic artist (and knitter). She was talking about a project she engaged on to encapsulate the knitting history of the women of the Shetland Islands. This made me think about what a day would sound like (and then I I slipped into taste).

Can anyone identify with my poem?