I dreamt of the voice shuttered
tight against the storm. Words
held behind the clouded window, urgent
We are here!
Blue feathers lined in black resting
in sunlit trees. Impossibly large
No, they cannot be mine
Continue reading at The Light Behind the Story
Image: Pixabay
There was once an old woman who lived alone with a big, black dog. Some people thought she was a witch, but, thanks to the dog, she was more of a furry grandmother. For a long time, though, she had just felt tired and her bones ached. It was as if much of the joy had been stolen from the world.
Then, one day, she was summoned to the palace. The two golden-haired princesses commanded her presence, believing that a little magic would brighten their day.
First, the old woman was turned into a monster who had to chase and capture the two giggling princesses as they crawled beneath the big table and hid behind the door. Then, tired from laughter and the chase, they turned her into a big, comfortable chair and snuggled together on her for a while, until they noticed the ‘sparkles’ in her hair. The old woman thought they meant the strands of grey, but no, said the princesses… it was fairy dust.
So they combed out her hair and put flowers in it. Then they painted her face with rainbow colours… and turned her into unicorn.
The princesses took turns at riding the unicorn around the palace… until they decided that they too needed the magic paint. So the unicorn, following their instructions, used the magic paint to change one princess into a butterfly and the other into a triceratops (that soon decided it would rather become a pterodactyl so that it, too, could fly)… and the three magical creatures played hide and seek in fairyland until the day was done.
When the old woman left to go home to her big black dog, she called at the little village shop and people looked at her and smiled. She had forgotten all about the rainbows still painted on her face and the flowers in her hair… and when the mirror in the hallway caught her reflection, it was no longer a tired old face… and a joyful creature, full of life, colour and fairy dust looked back.
There is real magic in spending time with those you love.
The world is sore, and
the sky is stormy.
When the going gets strenuous,
not all of us seek shelters.
Continue reading at Crazy Nerds
Time exacts its price
The eyes of love see beauty
Enduring and true
*
Reblogged from Jessica Bakkers:
Yes, after banging on about my debut novel, Guns of Perdition, for three years, it’s now available for pre-order on Amazon – go live date; 27th June 2020! Paperback will be imminent shortly thereafter.
I can now also reveal the cover art!
Presenting…
GUNS OF PERDITION – THE ARMAGEDDON SHOWDOWN, BOOK I
Continue reading at Jessica Bakkers
The church of St Sennen did not disappoint. It has a cosy feel; a still, silent haven from the elements and the constant motion of the sea. I wondered how many women had taken refuge here in prayer over the centuries, waiting for their menfolk to come home from stormy seas and how many had given thanks for a safe return.
The simple bowl of the font is at least eight hundred years old, and, as always, when they have so many centuries of history behind them, it seems to be a symbol of the community of the church… the people and their stories. In a village setting, this feeling is even stronger; for hundreds of years, almost every villager would have been touched by the water it has held. The font cover is of more recent date. It was carved by a local farmer named Saundry from the timbers of the Khyber wrecked in 1905.
On the wall behind the font is an unusual wooden board, containing the text of a letter from a king. The Carolus Rex is a letter of thanks to the people of Cornwall who had given their support to King Charles I. The local website, which is well worth a read for both the detailed history and the sense of humour of its writer, says of the affair:
Continue reading a France & Vincent
First in this week…
Sue Vincent is the host of Thursday Photo Prompt
Welcome to this week’s #writephoto prompt!
This week’s prompt ~ Soar
(For visually challenged writers, theimage shows a sky full of dark, stormy clouds against which four large birds are silhouetted in flight)
~*~
Soar high into the sky
Fly like a bird out of the cage
Touch the height of the tallest mountains
Feel the air reviving your soul
Soar like a bird out of a cage
Enjoy the freedom of your dreams
The flight of fantasy that imagination brings
Let the spirit roam free with joy
Soar like a bird out of a cage
And don’t live like a fish out of water
~*~
#Keepitalive
#WritePhoto
Following my exploration of the I Ching in the recent series of blogs, (list below), I’ve begun to examine its guidance from the perspective of what I know to be true after a lifetime’s immersion in the mystical arts.
One of the authors I have come to trust is Brian Browne Walker. Brian is the author of several contemporary translations of the I Ching, Tao te Ching, The Art of War and Wie wu Wei Ching. His writing are entirely sympathetic to the ancient tradition, while providing an easier daily access to its undoubted wisdom.
Continue reading at The Silent Eye
Welcome to this week’s #writephoto prompt!
You can find all last week’s entries in the weekly round-up, which was published earlier today.
Throughout the week, I will feature as many of the responses here on the Daily Echo as time and space allows, usually in the order in which they are submitted.
All posts will be featured in the weekly round-up on Thursday 25th June, linking back to the original posts of contributors.
Use the image below as inspiration to create a post on your own blog… poetry, prose, humour… light or dark, whatever you choose, as long as it is fairly family-friendly.
Submit your link by noon (GMT) Wednesday 24th June.
Link back to this post with a pingback (Hugh has an excellent tutorial here) and/or leave a link in the comments below, to be included in the round-up.
Use the #writephoto hashtag in your title so your posts can be found.
There is no word limit and no style requirements, except that your post must take inspiration from the image and/or the prompt word given in the title of this post.
Feel free to use #writephoto logo or include the prompt photo in your post if you wish, or you may replace it with one of your own to illustrate your work.
By participating in the #writephoto challenge, please be aware that your post may be featured as a reblog on this blog and I will link to your post for the round-up each week.
Regular contributors are also welcome to come over as my guest and introduce themselves (click here for details).
Please note: As I do not share my political opinions on this blog, please do not use the challenge as a platform from which to share yours. Party political or racially offensive posts will not be reblogged.
This week’s prompt ~ Soar
For visually challenged writers, the image shows a sky full of dark, stormy clouds against which four large birds are silhouetted in flight.
As one yesterday,
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 