United. Committed. For the kingdom of

Image by Raphael Silva from Pixabay Edited by Me

“I don’t think I’m going to make it, Abi.”

“Shush! Shhhh. You need to keep up your strength. The ambulance will be here soon,” said Abi.

“What? And pay all those fees? I’d rather die first,” said Henrik. He laughed and then coughed up blood.

“Shhh!”

“It’s over yndling. Promise me, you’ll bury me with the lies I told.”

“Done for the greater good,” said Abi, taking his hand in hers.

Henrik put his hand over hers. 

“United.”

She covered his hand.

“Committed.” 

Together they said, “For the kingdom of -”

A group of masked men burst into the room.

“Hold it right there! ICE agents!”

At the other end of the room a door burst open.

“Freeze! FBI!”

Abi knelt with her hands up. Henrik lay where he was.

Then a man and woman entered.

“Gentlemen. CIA. These are Greenland agents.”

“Where’s the woman?”

This is for a dVerse prompt: Write a piece of flash fiction or other prose up of up to or exactly 144 words, including the given line from the song lyric. The song lyric line: “Bury me with the lies I told”. Hope you enjoy!

Ain’t No Country Song

My gosh I hate country
No disrespect to man
Give me Hurt
I’ll listen to him then.

I’m locked up in these prison walls
A man and his guitar
I’m locked up in a country song
And they just ran off with my dog

They got them drawlin’ 
And bending them strings
That man over there on the piano
Playing in a minor key

I’m locked up in these prison walls
A man and his guitar
I’m locked up in a country song
And she just ran off with my dog

Now, I ain’t no criminal, no need for an orange suit
I don’t deserve this prison time with country interludes
I’m a free man now, God bless rock & roll
Ain’t no woman gonna steal my dog and put country on the radio!

This is for a dVerse prompt: For today’s Poetics prompt, I’d like you to read the lyrics, listen to the song, and write a poem about whatever it evokes for you. You may write in any form, but I’d like you to keep your poem to twenty lines or less.

The song is Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”. You can click the dVerse link to read the lyrics and the background for the prompt. I hope you enjoy reading my poem!

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SMILE

Upturned lips, an expression of joy.
A mask for those who in private we scorn,
Turned upside down it becomes a frown.
In rictus, it is horror.
C’mon pretty show us your -
I’ve got the camera, so flash us;
Cheesy though it may be

This was for a dVerse prompt: Just sling us a poem of precisely 44 words (not counting the title), including some form of the word smile.

It is 44 words though technically I did not use a form of the word smile the meaning is there. I hope you’ll smile, forgive and enjoy! 😊

A to Zed

Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay edited by me
Another long story about a man
Bent on destruction in another land
Couldn’t see the forest for the trees
Didn’t consider the thought for these
Ended his journey in a box
Felt justified kicking rocks
Gone but not forgotten
Hell I never knew him anyway

I left a letter to my love the other day
Just to say I love you nothing special to say
Killed with kindness the sweetest revenge
Love is a game you can never win
Mother, mother, don’t leave me because I live in sin

Nothing is never known nor necessary
Other than that which is considered accessory
Perhaps people purchase plush pink plums
Question what is important to some
Rather than ponder the meaning of what they have

Sand and oceans, a great getaway
Trees and mountains, I feel the same way
Under a bridge or in a park
Various places for life in a tent after dark

Worry not what will be
Xanthic is a word I just learn today
Yellow in color a different way to say
Zero xanthic yellow violets under trees see

This was for a dVerse prompt: And for today’s MTB prompt we are becoming Abecedarians – that is taking the Latin script alphabet of consonants and vowels and writing an acrostic type poem thus:-

Poetry Rules:

26 lines
each line begins with a letter of the alphabet
the letters are sequential

I hope you enjoy! 😁

Spider Webs in the Corner

The spider webs bothered me
In the corner sitting there
Unbothered
Collecting dust more than flies
Unswept corners, uncollected strands of silk

Perhaps they were made for decoration?
Tiny strands of silken knick knacks or bric a brac
‘They weren’t meant to be picked up. That’s their space there.’
Bullshit
The corners are just dirty.

A dirty living room, in a dirty apartment
With a dirty man living there
Dirty whores who visit and do dirty things
Not me. Not I. 
I am not going to be another dirty strand of silk left in the corner

“I’m sorry Brad. I can’t do this. It feels dirty. I shouldn’t have come here. I’m going back home to my husband.”

This is for a dVerse prompt: For your first poetics challenge of the year, I’d like you to dip your word-brush into Bishop’s poetic inkpot, as it were, consciously incorporating accuracy (detail), spontaneity (immediacy), and mystery (revelation) to write your own original poem. I hope you enjoy!

Are you subscribed to The AuthorStew page? Why not? It makes for a great start to the new year! 😉

I Need to Go

Image by Jeremy Zhu from Pixabay
I need to go, like terribly,
Not go terribly just the need is great.
Great to go. To leave. To go away.
Away from … here, now, the situation.
All of it. No, not all of it. Not you.
I need to go but not from you
But because I need you. Desperately.
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In Between The Holidays I Came To Kiss You

Image by Sabine Kroschel from Pixabay
In between the holidays I came to kiss you,
When time stops in this strange period in between.
I want to be where my heart can be true.

Your lips on mine linger like spilled wine,
A drunken moment that I’d like to last into the new year.
Days compacted into just this time seems just fine.
Tomorrow’s request for me holds no fear.

What is the day? What is the year?
I lay in your arms in a bed we haven’t left; much less made.
What is the hour that we hold dear?

In between the holidays I came and kissed you.
Time stopped, the seasons changed, the calendar moved.
I did all and none of the things I was meant to do.
Will I look back, on the 2nd day of the 1st month past the year removed?
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Merry Me

Image by 奕茗 王 from Pixabay
Merry me this Christmas, give me laughter and joy
Merry me this Christmas, but not with toys.
I want to be joyous, filled with emotions happy and gay
I want to be joyous, not because of things.
No more sad, spreading joy across the land
No more sad, I’m want to feel all things glad
Merry me this Christmas, give me all your love
Merry me this Christmas, joy, laughter and love to all.
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Cold Tableau: Better Man Than I

Cold wind blows snowy streets
Sidewalks white with snow
Lights brightly colored
Hang on tree branches
And rooftop edges
I walk towards home

Presents under trees
Would be nice to see
As would be her smile
Neither are likely
For me this Christmas
I’m so cold inside

The end of the year
Considerations
Past events rearview
All of them with you
Turn to walk backwards
Harsh winds on my back

But I walked away
Finding a surprise
You with another
Joseph seen in a
Nativity scene
Better man than I

This is for a dVerse prompt: And now we come to the prompt for composing a poem in the manner of a tableau
Poetry Style:

1 or more verses
6 lines per verse
5 beats/syllables per line
Poetry Rules:

title should contain the word ‘tableau’
poem should aim to be pictorial
no rhyme scheme
Extra points for creating a static Tableau scene as seasonal December or Nativity

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