Written with my Thursday night group with the prompts: in a clearing by a river, driving to San Francisco in the rain, under the bleachers, out of touch with the child I was, she is the only one who knew me, chased by a large creature The first thing I remember is being chased by … Continue reading Malleable Memory
Written with my Thursday night writing group (now meeting on Zoom!) with the prompts: one red shoe and oh, dear. Madelaine wore one red shoe and one green shoe because it was Christmas and she was in a wild holiday mood. She wondered, do cats see color?—because it was only the cats who would see … Continue reading How Madelaine Survives Quarantine
Helen followed her older sisters from the kitchen to the family room. To anyone else, her sisters were unremarkable in size and form, but Helen saw herself reflected in the width of their hips, the pronounced shape of ankle and calf, the length of their necks. Blair and Bianca strolled comfortably together, shoulder to shoulder, … Continue reading Outgrown
When I feel sad disconnected unsure of where I belong I invite the poet in. She will remember the soft yellow-gray belly of the mocking bird vibrating as he trills high above me on the outer branch of a tree at the edge of the bridge. Darn, I can’t remember what kind of tree … Continue reading Poetic License
Written with the prompts: take a cat nap, some of the rocks, anger, majestic benevolence, grand rising, I got the real story a few days later I like to take a cat nap mid-afternoon and I won’t apologize for that. When I took up with Harold, he used to tease me about it, told me … Continue reading Cat Naps and Rock Candy
Hey, it's Valentine's Day, so I decided to dig up one of my sweetest little love stories of all time. It's all about the breath. And chocolate. Written with my Thursday group with these prompts: Mr. I Can’t, Oh shit, Rufus said, hallways, chocolate yes indeed Matilda called Rufus Mr. I Can’t, Mr. Rain On … Continue reading The Breath of the Universe
Written with the prompts: Angus lost a shoe not far from the folly, busy street but you are alone, dog named Moose who didn’t like men, buyer’s remorse, refuse, I can carry on It all started the night Marilyn’s husband Angus lost his shoe somewhere in the backyard, near the gazebo that Marilyn called … Continue reading Marilyn’s Folly
Admittedly I wrote this just to get my writer friends to laugh. Hope you like it too. Written with the prompts: please miss me, man named Stephen, eternal spring, press on, family tree, did the love live?, pie dough apple sauce, this is where, Buddhist cat, one minute prayer, then the wolves came, clap on clap … Continue reading A Man Named Stephen
Written with the wild and crazy prompts: he didn’t, women and chair, the abyss, the opposite day, alfalfa sprouts and bacon, transient stakes, meditating on dried fruit, automatic alarm clock, unlock, how brave, nothing but the breath of a snorting dog, wanted a mother who baked, miracle, wiggle them up to your waist, going free … Continue reading The Curious Day Of Marie Cooper
Her mother named her Cheetah, hoping she would grow into a long-limbed, fleet-footed woman, but she developed broad shoulders and rounded haunches like a raccoon. Her father called her Chee, as if it were a nicked name, a shortened version of her totem animal, but Cheetah knew he meant Chi, pure core energy. She wanted … Continue reading Predator Heart
