Glimmer – dVerse Poetics

Here’s my submission to the dVerse Poetics prompt – this week, we are asked to write something inspired by one of the six beautiful artworks created by Catrin Welz-Stein showcased in the blog post.

I hope you enjoy my piece which has been inspired by the picture below – please do visit the linky link thing to read many more!

Copyright Catrin Welz-Stein

Copyright Catrin Welz-Stein

*****

– Glimmer –

I long to fly away from here
escape the tendrils of my fear
that binds its barbs around my heart
and dogs my footsteps in the dark –

The dark that wraps itself around
and anchors my feet to the ground
leaden shoes and iron soul
a face that’s frozen, solid, cold –

A cold that cuts my life in two
that separates the me from you
there is no way to reach you now
I’ll never hear your voice aloud –

Your voice is just an echo, soft
whispers, laughs, holds me aloft
and draws my spirits high above
up to the clouds, with all your love –

Love, fly me away from here
banish dread, despair and fear
gently cradle my bruised heart
and light my way out from the dark.

Undertow – dVerse Meeting the Bar

– Undertow –

I stand and stare at you
in the moments after you stop living;
there are no more words to say to you,
under my breath.
I can no longer pretend or hope or believe or pray
that you can hear me,
that you can smile somewhere deep inside
at the sound of my voice,
and be glad that I’m with you
at the end.
I resent you for it;
for not saying goodbye,
for cutting free so unilaterally.

*****

So, for me, an unsurprising choice this week, when we are invited to write about the difficult or spicy subjects that we tend to swerve, given half the chance. Death yet again is my theme. The death of my dad. Today in particular has been pretty bad. There’s no rhyme, no reason for it. That’s grief, I guess. Tomorrow will be different, I know.

You can read and discover many more slices of life right here.

We Are Family – Alastair’s Photo Fiction

Here is my offering for Alastair’s Photo Fiction this week, inspired by the photo below.  Why not take part? And why not visit his photography and writing blog to take a look at his other photos…?

Copyright - A Mixed Bag

Copyright – A Mixed Bag

– We Are Family –

“There’s a pike in there you know. It’s got really sharp teeth!”

I rolled my eyes over my little sister’s head as she giggled, grasping Dad tightly around the waist. He winked at me, as I knew he would.

“How big is it, Daddy?”

“Ooooh!” He gripped his pipe between his teeth, screwing up his eyes against the tendrils of smoke curling around his head.  He stretched his arms wide. “It must be this big by now – it’s very, very old!”

“And very, very hungry!” I chimed in, unable to resist joining him on the joke.

Sadie peeked at me from underneath her heavy fringe, eyes sparkling and a grin forming like sun winking from behind the clouds. She poked Dad in the stomach. “Da-ad! You’re teasing me again!”

He picked her up, swinging her high above his head. He let go, and she squealed, excited, yet knowing she was safe. He caught her mid-air, pulling her close to his chest with one arm, enveloping me with the other.

“That’s because I love you. Both of you.”