Friday Writings #46: Different Points of View

Greetings, dear poets and storytellers. I hope you are doing well, perhaps writing and reading what you enjoy. I haven’t been writing as much as I like, but I have been reading lots. Two weeks ago, I was given a copy of Dracula in Love, by Karen Essex, a retelling of the Dracula story from the point of view of Mina. I’ve find the novel interesting, and thought the concept would make a fun prompt.  

So, for today’s optional prompt, I invite you and your muse to write one piece of poetry or prose from two different points of view. Please post both pieces. The complete entry should be 369 words or fewer.

If the prompt doesn’t motivate you or your muse, share a piece of your choosing. Your contribution can be new or old, short or longish, fiction or nonfiction… Share the direct link to your post. One link per participant, please. Take a moment (or 3) to enjoy the words of other poets and storytellers.

next week, Rommy will invite you to write about a hobby that brings you peace.

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Friday Writings #45: War and Peace

 Hello again, dear wordsmiths. How are you doing on this fine Spring (or, for most of you, Autumn) day?

Life is very pleasant in my small town just now. No fires or floods yet to disturb our peace and the war against COVID seems to have settled down to something we can handle. (Though every time we get heavy rain, we feel anxious.) I hope things are going well where you are, too.

It’s sad that in some parts of the world there is actual war happening. Google tells me:

There Are at Least 27 Live Conflicts Right Now.


Of those worsening are the conflict in Ukraine, the war in Afghanistan, political instability in Lebanon, the war in Yemen, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, and the conflict in Ethiopia.

How very disheartening! I hadn’t realised that there were so many. But at least we now know where to direct our prayers and well-wishing thoughts.

 

Image by Candice Seplow, free from Unsplash.

Thoughts of War and Peace always lead me back to Tolstoy’s wonderful novel, and my favourite screen version starring Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda and Mel Ferrer – particularly the moment when Pierre, as one of many trudging through the snow as captives of Napoleon’s army, realises that no-one can prevent his thoughts from being free.

Your optional prompt today is to share your musings on war and/or peace, whether literal or symbolic.

Or please feel free to regale us with any other piece of writing you’d like to share.

One post person please, using Mister Linky below. It can be prose or poetry, old or new, formal or free – we only ask that prose pieces stay within the 369-word limit (excluding title). If you’d like to link back to us at your post, and/or drop us a line here in the comments below, that would be lovely!

Next week, Magaly will invite us to write one piece of poetry or prose from 2 different points of view (for prose, the complete entry should still be 369 words or fewer).

 

 

Friday Writings #44: To Err is Human

Hello, Word Artists and Admirers! We’re getting close to the fall equinox in my part of the world and that always has me feeling more contemplative. Sure, I like to celebrate what I’ve done, but I also think it’s important to honor what I’ve learned. Sometimes that learning is hard won, as in I learned something new after finding out my initial thoughts were wrong. Still I’d much rather find out I was wrong or off about something than continue with my error. It’s hard to grow and change for the better without that knowledge. It’s certainly difficult to be any sort of writer if you can’t admit there are ways of making your first draft stronger.

For this week’s optional prompt, I invite you to write about a time when we realized we were wrong about something, and what we did after the realization hit us. You are free to explore the topic in poetry or prose, fiction or non-fiction. As always, please keep your prose pieces to 369 words or fewer and only one submission per person. 

Next week, Rosemary will ask us to share our musings on war and/or peace, whether literal or symbolic.

Friday Writings #43: Toxic Love

I sat in a workshop, where a high school counselor discussed “toxic relationships” with teenagers and their parents. The first thing the counselor asked was, “What makes a relationship toxic?” Every single response—from teens and adults—referred to physical or psychological abuse in romantic relationships. I found that surprising, since I’ve always thought that all kinds of relationships, all kinds of loves can grow toxic under the right (wrong?) conditions. 

The topic has been in my head for some time… So, for today’s optional prompt, I invite you to write poetry or prose inspired by the concept of “toxic love”.

photo by Dmitry Ratushny, on Unsplash

If toxic love isn’t for you, you’re welcome to link any piece you like. Said piece can be new or old, fiction or nonfiction, short or longish (prose pieces should be 369 words or fewer). Please, add the direct link to your post; one link per participant. After you share your contribution, remember to visit other poets and storytellers.

next week, our Rommy will invite us to write about a time when we realized we were wrong about something, and what we did after the realization hit us.