The Unicorn Challenge.
A magical new weekly writing opportunity from her – Jenne Gray – and me.
Visit her blog every Friday to see the photo prompt, and post your amazing story in her comments section.
Or on your own blog, and stick the link down in her comments.
The rules are:
Maximum of 250 words.
Based on photo prompt.
That’s it.
To hear me read my story, just click here:
Fire and Rain
When you first came I made fire with two stones and hunted naked on frozen dew.
You wore pelts for warmth and protection.
You swept away all that we’d been, and taught us to understand fire, and to cook meat.
You were magnificent.
When you sang, the wind stopped to listen; when you smiled, the embarrassed sun hid behind a high cloud.
When you laughed, ah, when you laughed, the woodland creatures emerged from hiding and frolicked at your dancing feet.
When times were hard and we feared for our survival, you called on the ancient gods in long-forgotten tongues and they heard you and worshipped you and sent rain to fall throughout the night to nourish our fields and to fill the vessels you wove so that our animals drank and were healthy.
In the morning our crops rose to greet the sun, and we had bread and fruit in abundance.
Winter became spring, then glorious summer, and we believed the halcyon days would last for eternity.
For you, they did.
The beasts with great teeth who once preyed upon us no longer did in deference to your beauty but, alas, the evil that is man heard, and came seeking.
We still used the simple tools you gave us, we survived, we thrived.
Now I’m the last who knew you, I who loved you as the songbird loves the sky.
The young ones in warm homes don’t know that, when you first came, I made fire with two stones.
Stunning, mon ami.
Thanks, Nancy. Sometimes the words just work.
My word… fab story-telling. Really, really good.
Thanks, Chris, very kind.
Oh my, this is brilliant from beginning to end, C.E. You’ve shown us another side to your storytelling.
Well, sir, I like to pretend I’m more than a one-trick pony!
A very poetic and lyrical tale, C.E. It is also a sad commentary on how man has forgotten what is good. I enjoyed this very much and read it a couple of times (as well as listened to it). It is very thought-provoking!
Thank you, Brenda, I’m more than flattered that you spent so much time on this. Much appreciated.
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one word: ‘Holy Shit!’
you been holdin’ out on us, Mr. Marlowe*
“When you sang, the wind stopped to listen; when you smiled, the embarrassed sun hid behind a high cloud.” Fave line.
though I don’t have the vocabulary in rhetoric, I’ sure there’s a cool greco-roman term for that bracketing thing with the: …”I made fire with two stones.”
muy coolito
*well, yeah, there have been ‘Corns where you throw off the trench coat of down an dirty prose that drags the Reader (or guides them as the hurtle down the Narrative Trail) to a inescapable climax.
Funny thing, Clark, I’ve always considered myself a poet rather than a writer.
But, hey, what do I know!
Glad it worked for you, bro.
What an embodied telling. So well done.
Thanks, Violet, happy you enjoyed.
This is pure poetry – I could look for ways to describe what you’ve written, but you words speak for themselves.
A thing of beauty.
‘I who loved you as the songbird loves the sky’ – an eternal pairing.
You’re very kind, thank you.
Sometimes the Muse speaks.
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