Category: Creativity

June 1 Poetry Competition. The Winner

Sorry for the delay, I have been off voyaging for the last week or so and have been a little preoccupied with the weather and the state of the tide, just got back in late last night.

Poetry

I liked all three entries, FEEG’s summer was like many I have  enjoyed here and in the UK, as long as there is food and beer what is a little rain (or even a lot).

It was close run thing between Ara (Maud/Eff) and Janus.   Maud in the garden was also a memory of uncertain summer days in the UK and Maud reminded me of those terrible operatic music sessions that the Beeb used to put out on Sundays.

But this time I will deliver the chalice to Janus whose youthful  summer memories were perfectly crafted (as always) and spot on theme.

So Janus what’s next?  In praise of a recent Royal Occasion or something similar perhaps?

Sitting on the fence

The garden is swimming with insects. In the evening a cloud of tiny midges shimmers in a cloud, back-lit by the late sun and then the Blanford Fly is out and about, nipping ankles at dusk. Once the lights have come on in the house the May bugs start battering the windows and moths seek warmth.

The local felines are edging around one another. Pippi was terribly offended when a rather high-maintenance fluff-ball entered our house without an invite earlier on today. Fluff ball was soon shooed away. The night before we had heard fighting, but Pippi came home injury free, so we assume she either stood up for herself or kept out of the action.

The rooks are raucous, shouting and demanding as they fly over head. Blackbirds are bold as they scuttle along the ground. There’s a tit’s nest in our porch, but not in the tit-box I carefully put up. And no occupants, to date in the house martins nest and the swift boxes either.

In the field behind us there’s a horse which whinnies enthusiastically much of the evening. But I don’t know enough ‘horse’ to know whether it’s joy, frustration or just high spirits. No-one seems to be concerned however, so I assume all is OK Continue reading “Sitting on the fence”

April Short Story: Winner

Thank you very much, Nym, PapaG and LW, for your entries, which I enjoyed immensely.  Well done!

Nym: Magical thinking

An excellent take on the fairytale, Cinderella, which flows nicely and is an absorbing read (you are good at dialogue, Nym; tricky stuff, in my opinion). I expected a happy ending (almost obligatory in such a tale), but still found the final paragraph surprising and delightful.

PapaG: Worlds Apart

This is a difficult and painful subject, but a good choice for the theme.  It is usual to attempt to include the required words seamlessly, but I liked the way ‘orange peel’ is used as a conspicuous introduction to the story; very effective.  A poignant, affectionate and sensitive portrayal of Auntie, PapaG, with sprinkles of humour.

LW: A Very Short Story for Bilby

I had my doubts from the beginning about the wisdom of this inter-species union. It is an odd match, even bizarre, one may say, which makes for a wildly imaginative and entertaining piece, well suited to the theme. I think you could go for a trilogy, LW; this story has legs!

Continue reading “April Short Story: Winner”

A very short story for Bilby (May 9, short story comp)

Worlds Apart

 Zorb of Klig was late…..again.   Billa of Arachnia his wife of ten years on this day was losing what little of her patience that remained.  Zorb was a three-eared, odd-tentacled cephalopod and Billa was an even-footed arachnid as were all of her species but all of this we have heard before.
Continue reading “A very short story for Bilby (May 9, short story comp)”

Worlds Apart

There was orange peel all along the mantelpiece. Not so much ‘S’-shaped orange peel, more ‘C’ shape as if Auntie hadn’t the strength to peel a whole orange in one strip. Her hands were arthritic and she was in her eighties at that time, though still fairly tough and resourceful, making her own envelopes and birthday cards and chopping her own firewood. But the orange peel was something else. When we questioned her she said it was for the fire. I guess it was some kind of fuel. Besides the orange peel, there were two or three candles on the mantelpiece. Auntie didn’t like to waste electricity. In fact, auntie didn’t like to waste anything.

Her nephews would visit her two or three times a year and would usually find old food in the refrigerator, food long past its sell by date. Auntie used to treat her nephews to dinner and tea but that was before she began to get dementia.

Continue reading “Worlds Apart”