Day 28 prompt for the 30Words30Days story challeng is ‘clan’. I interpreted that as a large family of extended relatives.
Her mother phoned. “We’re having a funeral. You both need a formal acknowledgement of this loss. I’m calling the relatives.”
Bouquets.
The ultrasound picture.
Speeches about lost futures.
Communal grief.
Another prompt for 30Words30Day challenge. Today’s ‘ritual’
She tries to bring normalcy to their days by making everything a ritual. Make breakfast at 7:30. Do laundry on Mondays. Shop on Wednesdays. Eat at 6:00.
It doesn’t help.
#30Words30Day prompt for April. Day 21: Ideology
He held her while she wept, and hid his tears from her. What was this patriarchal crap that didn’t let men show grief? He could bathe in his unshed tears.
Prompt for day 20: Guest
“Perhaps it would help,” her mother suggested, “to think of the fetus as a guest who’s returned home? Their visit was enlightening, though too short?”
“No, Mom. That doesn’t help.”
The mountains are a
ghostly presence,
faint phantoms
looming above the lake,
wisps over white paint palette
there
not there
Winter hovers
over misty memories
of summer storms.
(with apologies to William Carlos Williams)
.
This is just to say
I have eaten
The last
of the tortilla chips
I know you
Were saving them
For a bedtime snack
But like you
they were salty
And so delicious.
How could I resist?
(Sometimes the breakdown of a relationship is not a surprise to folks watching from the outside).
.
When I met his eyes
.
I saw into the depths
saw his emptiness
unfaithfulness.
He knew I knew
His fake jokes couldn’t mask
the pain he’d cause.
He looked away,
alarms his charms didn’t sway me.
I could see.
They believed
his false smile
piled on adoration
while he crafted
mutual ruination.
She
has strength beyond
will rebuild,
move along.
I can see your end, tough kid. Oh so, glib.
You’ll pick a fight, thump your mighty tiny chest,
find yourself arrested. That mouth will get you
an ankle bracelet in your house, or maybe
a solid punch from some drunk’s big fist
or a slice from a knife that puts you on a slab.
So sad. Too bad.
Hamartia, dude. That fatal flaw hot temper, you know?
Choices you make now could change how it goes.
Being tough is rough.
Choose a more mellow groove!
Envy and bitterness
leaching through messages
Attacking success,
perseverence, achievement.
Pick them apart.
Minimize them to maximize you?
Hey dude,
Are you compensating?
Facing ‘if such unremarkable folk
can do it,
why can’t you?’
Is wondering why they’ve won
making you feel useless?
Um.
Maybe the difference is
they quit making excuses
and just got it done?
.
Shawn L. Bird 