I missed commenting and pressing the like button here! How this happened I don't know. But I am here now. Bourbon Street is what you got me listening to now. It sets the tone and soundtrack for this piece. "Desert roses bloom in fields of gold" another great line. Thank you Tali!
Brilliant! Love Steely Dan. 'Deacon Blues' is an amazing song, which the band Deacon Blue named themselves after, of course. 'Only A Fool Would Say That' is great, too. And 'The Fez'. So many great tracks. So many memories... 😎
Ah Deacon Blues is peak Dan for me. Love everything they do. Only A Fool Would Say That is an excellent skewering of John Lennon. Thanks, Chris. Glad it hit home for you!
The temperature was close to ZERO, and we'd been lost in the mountains for two, maybe three days.
There was just me, LUNA and ANAISE left. The others were gone, their BODIES buried beneath a blanket of snow.
We'd managed to find shelter in a small cave, but we were beginning to become CRESTFALLEN, because it was impossible to know if help would ever arrive in time to take us HOME.
It was just a question of WAITING, and trying to keep as QUIET as we could. Any sudden sounds or vibrations could cause another AVALANCHE.
And it was then it happened.
A dangerous concoction of fear and hunger caused the girls to hallucinate and convince themselves they had seen a TARANTULA.
They screamed.
And almost immediately, a curtain of white began to descend all around us.
We were trapped.
Trapped like animals behind GLASS, with no way to tell just how much of the blizzard was now on top of us.
But one thing was certain. If we ever wanted to see the SUN again, we had a lot of digging to do... 😎
Great finish! Very disturbing tale. You have created uneasiness in this story. A bit of horror perhaps? I am not sure of the genre but it’s good. The power of words! Thank you!
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. This mainly grew out of essentially using the songs 'Avalanche' and 'Bodies' as Prompts. It's mild Horror again, for sure. But I guess it's also an attempt at a style of minimalism that Gordon Lish used to call 'writing on the body', where it's not a stream of heavy details, just little touchable ones, that together build empathy and a gut reaction to the plight of the characters... 😎
Haha! Well him and Tom Spanbauer both have some very interesting things to say about Minimalism. And people would pay very good money to hear their wisdom about Editing, and Style, and Form, and their takes on various techniques that can really breathe life into your writing. Like having all characters, scenes and other aspects serve an underlying theme that runs throughout. And showing rather than telling, without ever offering judgements about people and events that only the reader should be making. It's fascinating... 😎
I know I might have said this already, but this is my favourite one of yours. The tarantula hallucination is genius. A lot of your characters have a gruesome ending, just after I've developed an emotionally attached to them.
Thanks! That is very kind. I think it might be my favourite so far, too. It's always fun trying to build up the tension in these little pieces of Flash Fiction, so things can end on a cliffhanger or some sort of predicament. I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎
I can't press on like still... damn! This is good and you know it! Yet another band I don't know. What radio station do we need to be listening to Fotini? Are you setting one up as we speak?
Ah, Good old Bourbon Street. Very timely now that we finally get the second season of Interview With A Vampire. And what a treat! Thank you for this wonderful creative outlet.
Here is my tribute to sting:
Sistermoon reigns supreme and fragile over Bourbon Street
But in her glow, history will teach us nothing
For we are as blind as the dreams of the blue turtles.
When the angels fall, the soul cages open wide
and desert roses bloom in fields of gold.
The one comfort, said an Englishman in New York to me, is knowing
The Lazarus heart shall forever remain rock steady.
Fantastic. Fragile! That's a beautiful song. And 'Shape of My Heart', I like that one a lot, too... 😎
Thank you so much!
I missed commenting and pressing the like button here! How this happened I don't know. But I am here now. Bourbon Street is what you got me listening to now. It sets the tone and soundtrack for this piece. "Desert roses bloom in fields of gold" another great line. Thank you Tali!
Steely Dan poem
Aja
Peg
Josie
-
What a shame about me
-
Pearl of the Quarter
Rose darling
Ida Lee
-
What a shame about me
-
Janie runaway
Babylon sisters
Gaslighting Abbie
-
What a shame about me
-
Lunch with Gina
Negative girl
Showbiz kids
-
What a shame about me
-
Night by night
The royal scam
Don’t lose that number, Rikki
-
Time out of mind
Pretzel logic
What a shame about me
Brilliant! Love Steely Dan. 'Deacon Blues' is an amazing song, which the band Deacon Blue named themselves after, of course. 'Only A Fool Would Say That' is great, too. And 'The Fez'. So many great tracks. So many memories... 😎
Ah Deacon Blues is peak Dan for me. Love everything they do. Only A Fool Would Say That is an excellent skewering of John Lennon. Thanks, Chris. Glad it hit home for you!
This is great! You've introduced the idea of repeating the same line that I hadn't thought of man of aran! I love Peg! I love this poem!
Thanks Pilgrim, and for the restack! Glad you liked it.
Love the repetition, which gives it a pleasing rhythm. I might just steal this idea ;)
Thanks Treasa! The repetition is one way to anchor and unify an idea. Steal away!
Love this and Steely Dan!
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
The temperature was close to ZERO, and we'd been lost in the mountains for two, maybe three days.
There was just me, LUNA and ANAISE left. The others were gone, their BODIES buried beneath a blanket of snow.
We'd managed to find shelter in a small cave, but we were beginning to become CRESTFALLEN, because it was impossible to know if help would ever arrive in time to take us HOME.
It was just a question of WAITING, and trying to keep as QUIET as we could. Any sudden sounds or vibrations could cause another AVALANCHE.
And it was then it happened.
A dangerous concoction of fear and hunger caused the girls to hallucinate and convince themselves they had seen a TARANTULA.
They screamed.
And almost immediately, a curtain of white began to descend all around us.
We were trapped.
Trapped like animals behind GLASS, with no way to tell just how much of the blizzard was now on top of us.
But one thing was certain. If we ever wanted to see the SUN again, we had a lot of digging to do... 😎
Great finish! Very disturbing tale. You have created uneasiness in this story. A bit of horror perhaps? I am not sure of the genre but it’s good. The power of words! Thank you!
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. This mainly grew out of essentially using the songs 'Avalanche' and 'Bodies' as Prompts. It's mild Horror again, for sure. But I guess it's also an attempt at a style of minimalism that Gordon Lish used to call 'writing on the body', where it's not a stream of heavy details, just little touchable ones, that together build empathy and a gut reaction to the plight of the characters... 😎
Are we getting technical now!? Love this! Tell us more about Gordon!
Haha! Well him and Tom Spanbauer both have some very interesting things to say about Minimalism. And people would pay very good money to hear their wisdom about Editing, and Style, and Form, and their takes on various techniques that can really breathe life into your writing. Like having all characters, scenes and other aspects serve an underlying theme that runs throughout. And showing rather than telling, without ever offering judgements about people and events that only the reader should be making. It's fascinating... 😎
I know I might have said this already, but this is my favourite one of yours. The tarantula hallucination is genius. A lot of your characters have a gruesome ending, just after I've developed an emotionally attached to them.
Thanks! That is very kind. I think it might be my favourite so far, too. It's always fun trying to build up the tension in these little pieces of Flash Fiction, so things can end on a cliffhanger or some sort of predicament. I'm glad you enjoyed it... 😎
Totally different writing here! Agree!
S is for Springsteen
New York City Serenade
Growin’ Up
Downbound Train
Girls In their Summer Clothes
Brilliant disguise
It’s hard to be a saint in the city
One minute you’re here
Tougher than the rest
Last man standing
Out in the street
Held up without a gun
Glory days
Stolen car
Streets of fire
Roll of the dice
Racing in the street
I’m going down
The price you pay
Spirit of the night
If I should fall behind
Lift me up
Huge respect for the Boss and this poem.
Thanks Treasa!
Well now you're talking. The Boss! I love 'Prove It All Night', and 'Thunder Road' - that's a really special one, the lyrics are just amazing... 😎
https://open.substack.com/pub/blingnotbling/p/nina-simone?r=ppxv4&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Here's my song title poem for today!
🖤 Nina
Nina, and she's under N too. Someone else wrote a poem on N
Yes, and she is on N-Day with another poem.
I was tempted to do Nina Simon, beautiful tribute to her here.
Ah, you did say you had a Nina poem you were holding on to for today! LOVE IT!!
I did and I did! You had the other one!
Screaming Trees
.
Clairvoyance
.
Dying Days
Caught Between
Ocean of Confusion
Disappearing
Beyond This Horizon
.
Night Comes Creeping
In the Forest
Standing on the Edge
I See Stars
Too Far Away
.
Alice Said
The Looking Glass Cracked
Walk Through to This Side
Tomorrow Changes
Even If
.
I can't press on like still... damn! This is good and you know it! Yet another band I don't know. What radio station do we need to be listening to Fotini? Are you setting one up as we speak?
Oh, dear, my discography is vast but I have to confess that I stole it from my husband :)
Who cares?
I don't, but please don't tell him I said that :)
Can’t read this… what did you say? 😂
Radio Fotini! I'd tune into that but I know I'm not cool enough.
I am no music guru, far from it. I just like so many different kinds of music :)
I disagree! You are a wealthy music connoisseur!
Well, we can agree to disagree, can't we?
Not on this one! Bring on radio Fotini!
Me too!
Last verse is so good, I want a part 2 to this poem to follow where Alice goes.
I can't promise anything, yet, but the follow up sounds like a damn good idea. Thanks Treasa!!!
We can wait!
Omg! I did ask Fotini for a follow up poem previously at some other challenge! 😂
You'll have to wait, prompts are coming fast lately!
Don’t know the band. Excellent poem!
Thanks, man! 🙏
This is a great poem Fotini! Screaming Trees, on the radar but not in my collection. Must rectify this!
Thank you very much, Darienne!
Lovely - the stanzas work so well in this one - great flow between them. :-)
Thank you, Dick :)
Pleasure, as always :-)
These are all such great choices and fit together great. Very nice... 😎
Thanks Chris! 🙏
SIGUR RÓS
.
TLE
.
Inside me a lunatic sings.
We play endlessly with
a buzz in our ears.
Electric current storm,
iceberg backbone.
The heart pounds caution.
https://youtu.be/mZTb8WxEW78?feature=shared
Short and sweet, like a pair of haiku. Works perfectly!
Thanks, the longer the challenge goes on, the shorter the poems are getting. But I'm gonna see it out til letter Z.
As long as you express yourself who cares about length.
Love this, Treasa!
Aaaaw! From Ireland to Iceland!
Ohhh very nice. Love the ending.
Excellent. Works very nicely... 😎
Did Nina Simone as well :-) Here it is properly paginated: https://substack.com/@publicdomainpoets/note/c-56808652 <3
.
Epitaphs for Nina Simone
.
I.
.
come ye
keeper of the flame
take me to the water,
.
i'm going back home—
.
i hold no grudge
.
II.
.
wild is the wind,
.
that's all i ask—
.
what more
can i say?
.
III.
.
summertime,
rags and old iron—
.
one september day
in the evening
by the moonlight
.
IV.
.
night song,
i am blessed—
.
tell me more and more
and then some,
.
tomorrow
is my turn
.
V.
.
end of the line,
chilly winds don't blow—
images
don't explain
.
.
.
My respects to you Dick, this is absolutely beautiful!
Aw thanks so much! 💜💜💜
Amazing work with Nina here! Thank you, Dick!
Ah, Good old Bourbon Street. Very timely now that we finally get the second season of Interview With A Vampire. And what a treat! Thank you for this wonderful creative outlet.
Bruce Springsteen
----
It’s hard to be a saint in the city,
racing in the street,
tougher than the rest
out in the street.
----
I wish I were blind,
blinded by the light,
lost in the flood,
born to run.
----
Darkness on the edge of town,
my hometown,
I’m goin’ down,
downbound train
----
meeting across the river,
the river.
----