Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, and the standard.
This week’s photo comes once again from Dale Rogerson, and raised my normal level of pleasant befuddlement by a couple of degrees.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on this picture, below.
© Dale Rogerson
Click here to hear the writer read his words:
Book of War
I am writing a book.
The Book of War.
You are reading the first page.
Which I call, unsurprisingly, Page One.
It holds 100 words.
The next page, Page Two, is blank.
Empty.
Like every page after it, page upon page, wordless.
Because there are no more words.
Just white paper.
I am trying to demonstrate how meaningless it is.
All of it.
But I don’t know how.
I lack the skill, the clarity, the intelligence, the craftsmanship and the understanding.
I am no Steinbeck, no Tolstoy, no Hesse.
All I know is war.
And I know it is futile.
How very apt, though. For all that has to be said on the subject has been said before and yet we still continue to fight. Nicely put C
This sounds too much like my book, entitled “All I Know About Women.”
I’m afraid I’m going to have to sue you for copyright infringement.
I think I also wrote that book, Russell.
But sue away, my sole possessions are a half-eaten Brie and a book of French stamps (unlicked).
Wanna go fifty-fifty?
It’s a great angle on the all the sayings against conflict and arguing. The central message being not to engage with it.
That is the only answer, it seems to me
Well beautifully written despite the theme I mean ☺️👍🏻
Thank you, Amanda
You’re welcome 😊
I think silence is a good answer to any call for war… excellent response….
The winners in wars are those who loose the least.
If only we could ignore them, Bjorn
A war with words! A writer stares at a blank page until droplets of blood appear on his forehead, I read that somewhere, occasionally it just be true.
This time, James, I was being slightly more literal
I had watched a Hindi movie on War. The director had said that it is a war film with an anti-war message. I believe that in a war there are no winners. losers both sides. very well conveyed.
https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.com/2019/01/door.html
Hi Kalpana, thank you for taking the timeto read and comment.
The only ‘winners’ in a war are those who stay home and make money; it has sadly become Big Business.
At first, because you mentioned 100 words, I thought the war was the one we have with ourselves each week to think of a response to the prompt and the empty pages were for the battles to come, but reaching the end, I see the message is far deeper than that and very well conveyed
Thanks, Michael, I am glad you persevered
Liked this very much CE. What do you say about war? Not manh words can describe it’s horrors or grasp the entirety of its meaning and tragedy. It just destroys. For me it just makes me think that,although,. some might argue there is a “just cause” for war, giving others no choice but to be in the thick of it, we all really know it’s never justified; but can’t convince everyone of that fact. There lies the problem. History repeats. So,perhaps what worth are words after page 1? Liked that your poem was the entirety of the word. Clever. Hugs CE!
Thank you, Amanda, lovely to see you again.
I agree with everything you say here, you got my point exactly.
Hugs
Thanks CE. Good to know I got it. It’s a beautiful poem. Great to hear from you too. Hugs ☺️
Very poetic.
I’m a poetic kinda dude, Dawn.
Sometimes.
I like the way you make the reader complicit in your exercise in futility. You introduce us to the book, but we are already halfway through it. Your book operates much the same as wars do, it seems. You start with a premise, hook us, and then, nothing that follows is comprehensible.
Thank you, I think you got this absolutely.
And are we not all complicit at some level?
Sometimes the fewest words are the best. Love this write!
Thank you, Jelli, sometimes 100 words is lots to say that something is just plain stupid!
I had a good chuckle over the line “Which I call, unsurprisingly, Page One.” And your blank book was poignant. I felt the meaning after you said all the rest of the pages were blank as well, even before you explained your meaning. Well done.
Thank you, Mandie. This is a comment that makes me feel good about myself, and my writing. Although, as you noted, I try not to take myself too seriously all the time!
Very powerful. This is a perfectly written book I don’t want to read.
Thank you, Gabriele, it is a book I never want to write.
Oh I think you’ll have plenty to say on page two..
Ah, Violet, if only there was something else to say…
This is a book I’d buy.
I suspect you have already paid for it many times, Keith, in your own kindly fashion.
Thank you
Dear CE,
Powerful. I have no words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Sometimes, m’lady, there are none.
Thank you
Very powerful, CE. But won’t the blank pages allow the peruser to fill it however they like?
I sincerely hope so, Varad. Please feel free to add your own words, thoughts, beliefs, doubts and fears
May be in this war, everything from second page onward has died. Now is the turn for first page.
We live in hope, sir, that it will end eventually
This is one I like better heard than read. Excellent!
Thanks, Sascha, glad the old croak didn’t scare you away!
page upon page, wordless.
battle upon battle useless.
Nicely rendered.
Thank you, Alicia, we just keep sending out the message, hope someone hears it
If only everyone could realise how futile creating a war is. Then more great story would fill those blank pages
Thanks, Michael, you hit it on the head
Bravo, Sir, Bravo.
Thank you, Iain, thank you
A powerful piece, CE! You are certainly right, war is futile.
Indeed, Brenda, but sadly money talks so war goes on
Your point is perfectly made. War and futility, indeed.
Thank you, Linda, sometimes there are just no more words
This is brilliant CE. Perhaps, you could take this further. It deserves a mass audience and needs it.
Best wishes,
Rowena
You are very kind, Rowena.
Feel free to expand the audience if you are so inclined.
Liked the dark, brooding voice. Great take on the photo prompt.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Thank you, Susan
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That’s a dark and broody piece, CE. I liked it. The flat, seemingly monotone rendition is apparent just through the words alone.
Thanks, Sandra, that was my way of showing the utter futility of it all.
Totally agree. Words aren’t enough to convey how futile war is…
Blank pages say it all.
Exactly, Anita, thank you
The trouble with publishing a book of blank pages is that people will just use it as a journal
Laughing. You have taken this very literally, Neil.
Sorry. I lack imagination