Grounded – dVerse

June 10, 2014freyathewriter 39 Comments

nailers, brewers and
butchers; artists, hoofers and
railway platemakers

Titanic, double-
booked, third class overflowing
what a stroke of luck!

———-

This week, on dVerse Poetics, Grace has asked us to delve into our family history – what makes us, where have we come from, who are our ancestors? As I get older, as life changes, I feel more of an urge to answer these questions. Recently I spent a lovely long weekend with my family up in Worcestershire, investigating old photos and luxuriating in tales of what happened way back when. This knowledge is to be treasured, no?

I have decided to be short and sweet this week. Two haiku-form stanzas and two photos – one of me as a little girl, and one of my scribbles during a quick coffee break. You’ll see the second stanza didn’t really sit well with me… hence it got the chop. Ancestors in both my mum’s family and in my step-dad’s family almost made it on to the Titanic… strange, but true!

Release – VisDare 61

May 17, 2014freyathewriter 4 Comments

“Come with me now.”

I raised my head gingerly, recalling a night of chills, pain and fever-riddled dreams.

The girl smiled, joy flooding her eyes. “We make you better.”

I doubted it. Oh, the sickness would go – but I had been travelling for so long and still I woke each morning, desolate.

She shepherded me through tall grasses. I heard tinkling bells in the distance, laughter and chanting.

The entire community had gathered by the river, bearing lit paper lanterns. The tiny flames punctured the early morning mists like stars fallen to earth.

“Grandfather left our world last night for eternal happiness. Now we wish him safe travels. You must do the same. You must let your loved one go.”

I took the lantern, paused and then launched it into the air, watching until it disappeared.

Enveloped in the embrace of strangers, I had set myself free.

I’m back for another entry into Angela’s VisDare prompt, where the challenge is to respond, in 150 words or less, to the photo she puts up on her blog each week.The young lady is stunning, with such a winning smile, I just couldn’t resist!

I hope you enjoy it, please do take part. I’ll be linking up now and commenting on other contributions later!

Reclaimed – VisDare 60

May 7, 2014freyathewriter 6 Comments

‘I have saved them – they are not lost, thank goodness, oh thank goodness!’

Judah’s thoughts raced and he released a shuddering sigh, expelling the pent-up adrenalin of the past hours. All he had left in the world, and he had snatched it from destruction with moments to spare. Someone – or something – was smiling down on him.

“Hey, hands off the truck, this haul is mine, mate!”

Judah’s hot temper flashed momentarily, but he knew when he was beaten – he had no energy left for a fight with Solly, the local prize-fighter. The time for acting first, thinking later, was gone. Times had changed.

As the truck coughed into life and roared away, he turned to his small daughters standing expectantly behind him – his only reason for living, now and always.

After a long absence, I decided to return to Angela’s VisDare prompt, where the challenge is to respond, in 150 words or less, to the photo she puts up on her blog each week. Something about this photo really pulled me in, so the story wrote itself – result! I had in mind refugees escaping conflict – I have used Jewish/Yiddish names, because that is the tie in history I know most about, but sadly, the situation can be easily transferred to any conflict where civilians are the victims…

I hope you enjoy it, please do take part. I’ll be linking up now and commenting on other contributions later!