Welcome, all, if somewhat belatedly, to the Friday 55 for September, 2020. Apologies for the late post, but since last week, things at my place have been disrupted by plumbing emergencies, brick masons and the unpleasant necessity of allowing workmen into my home when my state is 5th in the nation for COVID positivity, creating a very expensive and stressful chaos to match the larger chaos around us. But the 55 must go on, and I know everyone has a great deal on his or her plate right now, what with the fiasco of a debate, the rise of an old/new racist fascism and various other things, like the plague mounting to over 200,000 deaths in the U.S, and our West Coast burning to a cinder. I hope as writers we can use this exercise to some purpose, either to exorcise, excoriate, or escape.
That said, the rules remain the same. Write a poem, piece of prose poetry or flash fiction on any topic, so long as it is in 55 words, no more, no less, and post a link in the comments below. The meme will be live from Thursday at midnight to Sunday at 4 pm CST.
~*~
Once again, I've chosen to escape to the world of dreams in my 55.
Green Snake
Spirits reach for me
but no owls come,
only the smallest snake
curled as a vine tendril,
the jade of an early apple,
sleeping on my pillow.
You
send your fetch
to curse my hearth
ashen grey with death
but the snake slithers me
to cover where
morning kisses water,
where you have
no power.
October 2020
Images: Bullsnake, author unknown, Fair Use
Viking Cemetery, Färjas, Sweden author unknown, Fair Use
what a lovely photo. I do hope you keep the invader at bay during the construction and repair.
ReplyDeleteYou dip into dream language so vividly and sinuously. How you make the subtle switch from 3rd to 2nd person in the stanza to brings the spirit both closer - and then to banish it - a powerful incantation, as it were.
The air here is laden with heat and soot, again. I suppose I should try to escape to dreams, too, now that it's past the witching hour. We'll see if I can come up with anything...
Thanks, M. I hope you are sleeping well enough for dreams. Sometimes they are the only sanity we have.
Deletesorry for being late. at least, the air was moderate enough to breathe on a hie today.
Deletehttps://grapeling.wordpress.com/2020/10/04/heed/
Will return a bit later to read the 55's ... my internet is misbehaving this morning.
ReplyDeletehttp://woonietest.blogspot.com/2020/10/friday-55.html
I love the snake as a hero when night's wish is to torment. I fall into dreamless sleep or more like I'm unaware of what dances through my head at night. I too went to night and dreams with my 55.
ReplyDeletehttps://thesoundofink.blogspot.com/2020/10/ravens-cradle.html
A dream we can all relate to Joy. I love how true beauty won and saved you in the end. Lovely! I hope all your repairs are done soon. I can only imagine the stress that is adding to your life! Sending hugs your way today and wishing you a cozy October weekend!
ReplyDeleteHere is mine:
https://dancingwithelephants2.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-heart-that-will-not-break-is-truly.html?m=1
A vivid image, the brilliant snake versus the ash. A good rescue. I found myself moving in a direction of momentary relaxing rather than actual escape.
ReplyDeletehttp://openwindowopenbook.blogspot.com/2020/10/who-tells-tale.html
I have no idea how you can manage to write like this while enduring what you have been dealing with, but this is such a compact, marvelous poem, dear BFF. I love it.
ReplyDeleteHere is mine: https://fireblossom-wordgarden.blogspot.com/2020/10/migration-patterns-of-leos.html
DeleteWhat a wonderful poem, Joy. I hope all your plumbing issues
ReplyDeleteand everything else are cleared up. Anyway here's am 55 :
https://othermaryswords.blogspot.com/2020/10/friday-55-otis.html
I appreciate the qualities of this particular snake .... most of them are just that!
ReplyDelete