What Will Be...

Saturday Centus falls on 9/11 this week, and Jenny's prompt has been chosen accordingly. The rules allow us to post a picture in remembrance of a day that changed our nation and its people forever. The 100 words I've selected to create this fictional story are meant to honor those ordinary, unsuspecting, and certainly undeserving men and women whose lives were impacted most directly by this despicable act of terror. (The prompt, below, is in red.)

∞§∞

What Will Be…

Tuesday morning tasted like regret, and brushing my teeth hadn’t changed a thing. The gritty taint of words thrown like rocks felt bitter on my tongue, Colgate notwithstanding. Fighting at the crack of dawn sucked.

“I do love you,” he offered hopefully as he rushed out the door.

I punished him with silence. I’d call later.

Something in the newscaster’s voice drew my eye to the screen. Second plane… Terrorists…Twin towers.

Oh God. Please, God.

9:03 AM.

Had he made the train? Maybe we’d argued long enough...

I stood frozen in front of the flickering images on my TV.

∞§∞

May those we lost and those who loved them be blessed,

today and every day.

Protestation No. 24: She Doth Protest...

Since many of you seemed to like yesterday's poem, I think I will offer you the sister poem today. Both were written on the same afternoon, with the same inspiration, for the same reason. (How's that for cryptic?)

=)

Protestation No. 24, or She Doth Protest Too Much

©1992 by Susan Noyes Anderson, Infinity Limited

I do not need thee; ‘tis a lie

to paint me weakened by thy charms.

Dost think thy sweeting feign would die

than leave the comfort of thine arms?

Forgive me if my brusque reply

some vision of thyself disarms.

I do not need thee; I am strong,

an oak with roots set firm and deep.

Have I not told thee right along

my counsel I would always keep?

Shouldst thou demur, thou dost me wrong;

but never mind, I shall not weep.

I shall not weep for thee, my dear;

I am not smitten by thy wit.

Though others eagerly give ear,

I find in me no benefit

from thy conceit; in fact, I fear

I harbor little taste for it.

But hold, perhaps I overstate;

I would not have thee think me cruel.

‘Tis not for me to castigate,

nor offer thee for ridicule.

It is not mine to remonstrate

if thou dost choose to play the fool.

And so, a truce, my erstwhile friend;

in truth, I have no feud with thee.

There’s little in thee to offend;

I do not fear thy company.

I need thee not, but condescend,

in service to thy need of me.

A Vigil in Violet

Violet is the color of his true love's eyes.

The Vigil

©1992 Susan Noyes Anderson, Infinity Limited

I speak to you of love

but words are vain,

like music played so oft'

it loses charm.

Written, recited, sung,

words they remain;

words only, with no power

to bless or harm.

But I must speak them

or I live a lie,

and I will watch your eyes

as you reply.

The Song of an Angel: Jackie Evancho

Did any of you happen to see 10-year-old opera singer, Jackie Evancho, on America's Got Talent last night? If not, you need to watch her right here, right now. Not only does she sing like an angel (and this is in no way an exaggeration), but she is absolutely adorable, too.

Be sure to click off my playlist in the right sidebar. You won't want any interference with this amazing performance. (Just in case you don't want to bother, I'm playing meadow noise so all you'll hear is birdsong. But even birdsong interferes with Jackie!)

Here's a link just in case the video won't work for you.

Where Did All the Days Go?

The kids are taking off today at noon.

Their visits make me happy.

I am going to miss them!

=)

PS. Where did all those vacation days go?

Next visit??

Thanksgving...

(hurry up, turkey day)

A Monterey Pine is Sublime

Is there anything more majestic

than a full-grown Monterey Pine?

My next-door neighbors removed this dear old tree yesterday.

They said it had beetle disease, like this one.

But I think they just wanted it out of the way.

It broke my heart.

Descent (Descant) into Madness

I admit to having gone a little off kilter with my Saturday Centus offering this week, but I haven't slept since my family got here, and I'm losing my mind. (Perhaps that explains the subject matter).

As usual, the prompt is in red; the other 100 words are mine, such as they are...

Descent (Descant) into Madness

A Memoir

It was a dark and stormy night;

my soul was changed forevermore.

If only I had barred the door,

to spare myself the awful sight.

To spare myself the awful sight,

I could have stayed within my bed

and pulled the covers o’er my head,

saved by the grace of human fright.

Saved by the grace of human fright,

I might have lived a life unmarred.

I might have loved and laughed, unscarred

by evil shrouded in moonlight.

By evil shrouded in moonlight,

my mind was dealt a killing blow.

We parted in the fading glow;

it was a dark and stormy night.

©2010 Susan Noyes Anderson

Of Elves and Oak Trees

Look who showed up at my house!

The first order of business? A visit to the magic tree!

What has their old friend got for them today?

A little elf-sized note!

Looks like the elves put in a new patio this summer.

Carli's note is complimenting them on their work.

Those oakish elves have been pretty busy since Christmas!

=)

What Do You Know of Indigo?

What do you know of indigo?

It's neither here nor there.

Not blue, yet not quite purple

with a violet sort of flair.

Other colors know their minds

like yellow, red, and green.

They take a stand on one bold hue,

not something in between.

There's nothing wrong with indigo;

it's lovely as can be.

But I prefer a color

with its own identity.

This Is How I Feel Today...

This is how I feel today.

And here is why......

(Go ahead, just click on it. You'll be ever so glad you did!)

=D