Experimenting With Creative Writing
About
I began writing seriously at the beginning of lockdown. Music, poetry and fiction have become my true sanctuary, and I can’t see myself ever turning my back on them.
Rachael x
Being in lockdown stops your journey through life but your mind continues to wander. Emotions spiral, dreams become so vivid, and perceptions of reality are altered significantly.
Thank you to everyone who has given me encouragement, and provided me with writing prompts!
Echidna and Worldlet Triolet
Isn’t it odd that a word defines,
And yet it’s own meaning can be shady?
Echidna, today, is a mammal with spines,
Isn’t it odd that a word defines?
An ancient worldlet says echidna combines
The tail of a snake and the head of a lady.
Isn’t it odd that a word defines,
And yet it’s own meaning can be shady?
In response to the twelfth “Classical and Sci-fi dictionary” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
My chosen words were “worldlet” (sci-fi) and “Echidna” (classical).
Image credit: pixabay.com
Tanka to Santa
Santa, you forgot!
I woke so eager, to find
A present missing.
Every wish granted except
The return of my lost dog.
Rachael, be grateful!
Santa is a busy man.
He had not the time.
We don’t find, we make, besides,
His sleigh can’t hold livestock! Elf.
In response to the eleventh “exchange of letters” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
Pursuit of Bold Dreams
A warm husky voice calms me,
Brings me memories captured in resin.
Nostalgia engulfs me,
And carries a worthy lesson.
Pursuit of a dream
Takes effort, with no bounds,
A furious rhythm foists me to seek,
To search, to pine, for bold sounds.
My tangled earphones surround me,
Reminding me of soft childhood tunes,
But we must leap over stepping stones,
Exploring far from the banks,
Even on rainy afternoons.
In response to the tenth “junk drawer song” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
Instructions can be found here.
My chosen song was Hugh Harris’ Rhythm of Life, and my junk drawer contained: wires; shells encased in resin; old music devices; and a ring pouch.
A Cat’s To Do List
I must remember to wake my human,
Before I bumble downstairs.
I prod her face, with my gentle paw,
And purr until she cares.
When I hear her footsteps,
Along the staircase,
It’s time to wiggle my rear, jump off the bed,
And then begin the race.
I always beat her to the door,
But I must remember my belly.
So I will rush to my bowl, in the kitchen,
And demand the food most smelly.
After chasing the birds, I must not forget,
When it’s time to come inside.
I must cause a raucous, with my yowl,
But this damages my pride.
So when my human opens the door,
Her patience I must test.
I stretch, I lick, then I strut inside.
And at last, I will need a rest.
In response to the ninth “to do list” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
Based on the antics of Jake, my childhood friend, who blessed my life for sixteen years.
Green, Victor
The tide was not completely in,
There had been no splashes on the sea wall,
All along the west of the beach.
And yet I heard the moon call.
I saw her enticing light,
But it was not my time.
Still, I lie buried beneath spades of dirt.
And for what crime?
I am fuelled with anger,
I, like the tide, never finished my round.
Now I have no power over you,
I’m just decaying in the ground.
I hope my love will not move on,
There’s no better man than me.
I knew what was best for you,
Tell my story right, I plea.
I never hurt you, never once.
I only taught you right.
Your wrongs were corrected,
Each time we had a little fight.
I can’t bear to watch over you,
When I have no control.
Instead I’ll walk across the sand,
As the untimely waves roll.
A continuation of Vic’s Haunt, a previous poem of mine!
In response to the eighth “Return to Spoon River” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
Inspired by the poems featured in Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology.
Shower Shadorma
When I sing,
My shower echoes.
Sending the
Boomerang
Through an autotune salon.
Boosting my e-steam.
In response to the seventh “shadorma or fib” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net, which I’m sure said to include a pun… maybe… Okay sorry for the pun.
I chose the Shadorma because even though the Fib is a beautiful mathematical and natural sequence (combining two of my passions), I really liked the sound of the syllable sequence of the Shadorma.
Love Letters
We wrote plentiful love letters,
With such conviction, and memories.
Our words were rich, worth more to me
Than any vault, or thriving treasuries.
There was no mention of the cost,
With the increase in paper prices.
It’s possible that we, alone,
Caused the drastic rises.
In response to the sixth “line that strikes you” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
My inspiration came from the line: “The Rise in Price of Paper Was Accounted For” from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.
Love Decides
When we forget to try, love runs and hides.
There is no bribe for love, as she decides.
Cussing and a sharp tongue scares love away.
In the same way that forgetting to say:
I love you, will cause love’s laces to fray.
If you love, in existence love will stay.
If she buries herself deep within,
(And there is little you can do to win),
She is worth patience, so leave love free to roam.
When we forget to try, let love find home.
In response to the fifth “The Shapes a Bright Container Can Contain” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
I chose Tennessee Williams’ “We Have Not Long to Love” as a structural reference for this prompt.
Fairy Lights
I followed the fairy lights
To the end of the road.
They brought me no solace,
No matter how bright they glowed.
The walls carried an echo,
Even when I tiptoed.
With every step,
I was being
Followed.
But I never stopped,
And I never slowed,
Not until the end,
The end of the road.
In response to the fourth “liminal” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
Image credit: pixabay.com
Written for anyone who has felt unsettled when walking alone at night.
Cubs
Lion cub yawns,
Youth lessens his roar.
Panda cub rolls,
Fluff cushioning his fall.
Tiger cub prowls,
Stripes masking his figure.
Bear cub wails,
When man pulls the trigger.
In response to the third “Personal Universe Deck” prompt from NaPoWriMo.net
I absolutely adored creating the list of 100 words and during the process learned a lot about myself. The random word generated from my list was “cub”.
Fun fact: other words from my list include “forest”, “bridge”, “coffee” and “blanket”.
