Poetry Corner: Where at Last to Reign

It's been a full couple of weeks, and in a scant two days OctPoWriMo begin, and I haven't truly prepared. Since Tuesday are Poetry Corner days, I that I would visit Shadow Poetry and find a new poetic form to try out. Also, since the rains have come with the Tropical Storm Joaquin, today you get a rain inspired poem.

Today's form is a Ghazal, an odd numbered poem using couplets and a repeating word. Each couplet is it's own poem, yet together makes a whole poem. Greater than the sum of it's parts? Hmmmm...

I played a little with words and Rain/Reign. I hope you enjoy, Dear Readers.

When at Last to Reign

The skies at last open and rain,

I know that my time is at an end to reign.

The brightest blue sapphire skies,

have long since departed to the rain.

Cold steel grey papers the heavens,

where the gods have to reign.

Yet the clouds now have overthrown,

seated upon the throne to reign.

A hierarchy they have built this day,

when patiently they begin to rain.

A sign that summer at last has come to an end, 

when the gods have given into the rain.

Much to Report at Round's End

Today I did something different. The Steele Memorial Library in Elmira had a Bad Art Night. It is where you can bring your art supplies and share with others an make "Bad Art". I don't think I have the capacity to make "Bad Art", but I do love making art in any form, whether its good or bad. It was fun to make, see for yourself, Dear Readers. Also, can you guess my favourite TV show?

So, its the Last Day of the Round. Yeah, that's it...

This Week:
        *Reading: finished The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie). I read this back in college, but not since then, so the twist was a surprise. I am in awe of any mystery writer. A mystery needs to be written backwards. An heck, writing can be hard as is, but to write a story backwards. I remember when I took English Detective Fiction in college, which was where I was introduced to Ms. Christie. The big project for the semester was to write a detective story. I did it. I did do it. Hmmm...Maybe I should try writing a mystery story again, or at least pull out that long forgotten story and see if it still holds oup. Also, I dove back into Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman) and I swear his writing is just so addicting.
         *Writing: wrote Sunday (ROW80), Monday (99 word challenge), Tuesday (986 words - started a new story, based on a dream, very Twilight Zone).
         *Editing: edited a flash fiction piece for #writestuff monthly writing challenge. You can read The Birthright here, if you like.
         *Social Media: visited 4 blogs daily and my sponsor duties.

How did I measure up this Round? Well...prior to Music Man started up I was writing everyday and throughout the summer. I finished my read through of The Real Road Trip and was preparing to type up my edits, organize, and re-write the novel to prepare it for my first CP.

This month I have not done much editing. There has been much with Music Man vying for my attention. I even came up with a new schedule to accommodate my rehearsal nights. I think I am just adjusting still. Good things are on the horizon: an awesome show, Doctor Who is back on, I have a new WIP for NaNoWriMo (Modern Muses is already at 17000+ words), and a new short story (currently Top Secret Project).

I think my current problem is that the next step in revising The Real Road Trip feels daunting, and I am scared that after these edits the novel is going to suck. I need to take that fear by the horns and run with it, tackle it and give it a good cuddle. I did my read through edit and was still convinced it was a workable story back in August. What I need is to push myself. Also, I need to revise the editing goal (which I think I already did), to make the revision of draft 2 (I think that's right) complete by Halloween. I can do it, in fact I WILL DO EEET!!! Note and question to you Dear Readers, is the rough draft  technically a 1st draft? What do you consider a rough draft, versus 1st draft?

Overall, I am happy where I am with my goals and my habits at the close of Round 3. And I know where I need to be for Round 4. I have my work cut out for me though as October is OctPoWriMo and followed by November is NaNoWriMo. I want The Real Road Trip, 2nd draft complete by Halloween. Also, will continue to work off the revised schedule throughout Music Man.

WWW Wednesday!
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
     Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman(. I love the way Neil spins his stories. Oh and he has a new book out now too. Must get all the Gaiman.
• What did you recently finish reading?
    The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Christie), see above.
• What do you think you’ll read next?
    Deep Time, 12th Doctor adventures.


This (upcoming) Week:
       *Reading: finish Fragile Things (Gaiman) and start my recently purchased Deep Time (Doctor 12 adventure) before Round 4 starts.
       *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words. Refer to new goals in my new schedule.
       *Editing: type in edits, organize an outline, and and re-writes for at least an hour a day, at least three days week on The Real Road Trip. Update twice weekly.
       *Social Media: 4 blogs daily, sponsor duties, sponsor post.
       *Theatre Stuffs: report of show's progress.

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog challenge that knows you have a life. Call on in and visit the Blog Hop, meet some new friends, learn a few things about writing and/or how to crochet or how to make a gluten/dairy meal. We have an eclectic group here. I love them all.

WIPpet Wednesdays, the brain child of K. L. Schwengel, where writers share a bit of their current WIPs. Using today's date to pick a snippet of said WIP, this means that the date is 9/23 and by this logic I will share 5 sentences (2 + 3 = 5 sentences). My current WIP, Modern Muses, and it's been a week since I shared anything. We left off with Teri as she was trying to get Mel's help through a Dream Form (think something like an out of body experience, but you know where you want to go), but he is just a ittle distracted.

“Mel? Are you listening to me?”

“Mmmm…” he purred to himself. Teri turned, she saw Mel lying on a fainting couch and getting a massage from a woman in a tight dress. She could feel Mel’s mind slipping away from her and she suddenly caught Mel and the woman kissing and then she was able to reach Mel’s steel walled mind and his memories previously hidden from her.

“So, I am on my own then,” as she turned away from Mel in disgust.

Go and visit the other  WIPpeteers here.

Theatrical Poems - Gearing up for OctPoWriMo

A few poems I wrote back in May of this year (during Zombie Prom) and seeing that I am tech crewing it, I thought I'd share a few of the more technical theatre based poems. And one new haiku, for good measure. Also I am gearing up for OctPoWriMo to start next month. There will be a lot of poem, poetic forms, rhymes, and meter. Hope you enjoy, Dear Readers.

Theatrical Flow V.2 (Tetractys)

Stage

the show

begins now

curtains open

hear the music play, as the story is

given life by the actors, in movement--

Just another day...

another show

we do

this.

---------

Theatrical Flow

Mic Checks

Places

Spotlights

Are Now

To the stage for Mic Checks, Places called--

When the moment spotlights are now trawled.

----------

Dark Night ( a Triquain)

It is time--

opening night of the 

time we have spent together, singing 

and dancing to our Beat, the one we have pulsing

underneath our skin to the rhythm--

born in our blood and we

are onstage.

-------------

Be Ready

When the lights go down

the backstage-- silent, ready

 the curtains will rise

Nursing Love

In 99 words (no more, no less) write a love story. Explore what feeds love. It can be romantic or platonic. It can be devoted or damaged. It can be recovering or enduring. Focus on characters or setting, weaving a 99-word love story. From Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge!

From MorgueFile

“Remember when you were sick that weekend?” Sasha said at the table. “And I had to make you chicken bouillon in your microwave?” while watching tiny sparrows fight at the plastic feeder hanging on the porch.

“Well, no actually,” said Myron.

“Oh come on,” she said, “You mumbled in your sleep that night, ‘Gotta catch the viruses,’” she giggled in the early morning sunshine streaming into the kitchen.

“Oh, right. Well, I remember the time you hallucinated in your sleep, he said.”

“Dreaming?”

“Okay, dreaming. You said, ‘Get the frogs after them’.”

“Okay, touché,” she said smiling at him.

Productive Day

This week's check-in...

This Week:
     *Reading: finished Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Douglas Adams). What a strange story. It was engaging. I feel like I lost the story at a few points, but then found it again a few chapters. Adams is a strange writer, yet fascinating. still I liked it. Working on The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie).
     *Writing/Blogging: Not much really. I have to sneak time to write this week, but this afternoon and early evening I wrote a 99 flash fiction piece, and posted another piece for Tamara Woods' #writestuff monthly writing challenge. Read it here.
      *Social Media: have kept up with my sponsor duties and 4 blogs daily, except Saturday as I was directing and performing in a 1 act for 24 Hour Theatre.
       *House Tending/Exercise: did a lot of house work this after and afternoon from laundry to dishes, trash to vacuuming, and general tidying up around the house. This also included lots of going up and down the stair, so I probably did at least a mile in stair work today. Also I was walking around yesterday during 24 Hour Theatre. :-)
        *Theatre Stuff: finished prop list for The Music Man, updated cast/crew list.

This weekend was KLP's fall 24 Hour Theatre. This was the first time I wasn't writing for it since the very first one. I was directing and acting along side one of my best friends, Sara and my new friend Luke. The show involved elevator, a child with the chicken pox, over acting teenager, income tax, flirting, and talking with your butt. Yeah, good times! Oh and having my husband cross dress as Yasmine Sapphire! You have to be there. Back I've included a few pictures for those curious souls, Dear Readers.

Beauty Pageant

Untitled: A Working Title

Also, yesterday was the season premiere of Doctor Who and wholly crap, what a season opener. After 24 Hour Theatre we all trucked to Sara (she has BBA). Don't worry, Dear Readers, no spoilers! But WOW!!!

Also in the news, I have a smart phone now. I don't know if this is a good idea or not. We'll see...

Finally over thew crude from two weeks ago, just a bit of a runny nose and a small cough. At the Evil Day Job, I survived the week. Tomorrow will be long as I usually go in early to help with the Monday morning crazy. But I am more rested, feeling better, and having a better out look. Been writing more and after today's productivity am ready for a fresh week, Dear Readers.

This (upcoming) Week:
       *Reading: finish The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Christie), work on Fragile Things (Neil Gaiman).
       *Writing/Blogging: write daily, at least 300 words. Blog on Tuesday and Thursday.
       *Editing: look at The Real Road Trip, make a dent in the edits/rewrites.
       *Social Media: 4 blog daily and sponsor duties. Work on a sponsor post for Round 4 (maybe) before end of this Round.
       *Theatre Stuffs: get sponsors. Report progress on Music Man.

A Round of Words in 80 Days is a blog Challenge that knows you have a life. Here's what you do: write down some goals, follow the goals, blog about your progress twice a week, post to blog and linky list, visit fellow writers/bloggers, meet new friends and learn some new things. Come view the Blog Hop here.
 

The Birthright

“Oh, it’s beautiful, Nana,” Celeste said, staring into the box where a blue dress lay folded up neatly. It looked, almost, like a piece of origami paper what with the white polka dots that looked like stars swimming in a sea of inky blackness. Celeste ran her hand over the fabric. It felt woolen and slightly itchy and made her less likely to actually wear it. But as she took a hold of the shoulders and pulled it out in a quick snap.

The older woman at her side said, “Careful dear, this fabric is precious.”

“So how am I supposed to wear it?” Celeste asked flippantly, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she held up the dress. It looked less like wool now that she was holding it. Squinting, her eyes saw stars and galaxies and the whole of universes within the fabric. “Is this cashmere, Nana?” she asked, holding it up. It looks much prettier than in the box.

“It was made of a rare breed of sheep and mixed with Angora rabbit hair.” Her Nana stood there, “your Poppi brought me some of this yarn, from some far away place while he was in the army. It sat in my box of yarn for almost three decades before I decided to use it. He said something about the yarn, from the lady he bought it from. This yarn was only to be used for special occasions. And your graduation is a special occasion. It’s a beginning of a new life.”

Celeste carefully held up the dress you her chest. I felt surprisingly soft against her skin. “You just forgot about this yarn? Why?” she asked, looking at her Nana.

“Oh you know how much yarn I keep around and how much I buy,” her Nana laughed and fingered the edge of the dress. She looked at her granddaughter with a sad pride. “It was a wonder I ever found anything….” Nana laughed. “Poppi told me he wanted me to make something so beautiful to celebrate, that’s why he bought it.”

“What was it called, Nana? The yarn I mean.”

“Oh, I don’t rightly remember. Tessa something…” Nana stood behind Celeste, beaming. “I am so proud of you, My Dear. I never thought for once that I would have this…” gesturing to Celeste.

“Naaaaaaanaaaa, are you going to embarrass me,” Celeste mock whined.

“To whom, Dear,” as she gestured to the empty room, “No I mean it. When you’re Poppi and me were first married we planned to have a big family, eight children at least. But after five years I guess I gave up. You Poppi he was always sad after that…” Sighing, she pulled Celeste over to the floor length mirror. Caressing the fabric, she smiled at her granddaughter. 

“Why was he sad?”

“Oh, that’s a long story…” Her Nana sounding sad as she petted the dress that was pressed up against Celeste’s body,” I guess at the time he wanted as much as I did.”

“But you made Mom. Why would he be sad?”

“You know how things don’t turn out the way you plan. Well, Poppi’s feels that way about his life.”

“But, once you made Mom, I would think me would be happier?”

Her Nana smiled into the mirror, she looked so sad.

“Oh Nana! I’m sorry. Did I say something?” She looked into the mirror and caught her Nana’s gaze. Celeste couldn’t say a word, but she put her hand on her Nana’s shoulder and smiling said, “I love the dress.

“I’m glad. I do hope you wear it for graduation.”

“I will,” Celeste glanced at the dress. It was really very pretty. It was an A frame style dress bluish black with almost iridescent “stars” and sworls of purple and black swimming across the fabric. “I love it!” She smiled the fabric soft against her knees and hands. “I will wear it for graduation.”

“You’ll be the most beautiful graduate on that stage.” Nana stopped, turning away.

“Nana?”

“Its nothing, I just was thinking.” Her Nana took a hold of the dress and Celeste pulled her shirt off to try the dress on.

“About what?”

“Your Mom. You know she never graduated high school.” Her Nana held the dress over Celeste’s head as she lifted her arms. 

“I didn’t know. She never really talks about her childhood much. I just assumed…”

“She had it rough. Even from the beginning...”

“How so?” Celeste asked, as suddenly she shrieked excitedly as the dress fell around her hips, it practically conformed to her body. Celeste removed her capris and looked into the mirror. “Oh Nana, I love it. I’m sorry if I sounded ungrateful earlier.”

“No you weren’t ungrateful, the fabric is meant to be worn and will only look appropriate when on the person it was made for. You are destined for the stars, My Dear.” Her Nana beamed.

“But didn’t my Mom deserve something this awesome too.” Celeste twirled in the mirror. The edges of the dress flared briefly and settle back down.

Her Nana was silent.

“Nana?” Celeste turned away from the mirror. She faced her Nana, “What’s the matter?” She saw her Nana tearing up, her deep blue eyes filling with tears.

“Oh, this is wrong!” her Nana said, turning slowly away.

“What is it Nana?”

“I have a secret, Celeste. Something I haven’t told anyone.”

“What is it, Nana?”

“Your mother?”

“My mother?”

“Your mother, she isn’t your mother. She is my daughter, a young lady your Poppi and I adopted after our fifth year of marriage. I was about thirty and we went to adopt. We found a little girl of about five, parents had died. She was traumatized. Wouldn’t even call us mom and dad 

“He never really loved her. I believe he tried, at least for me, but in the end they were never close and I think she resented that. She was rebellious and did everything against what your Poppi said and did for her. She ran away too many times to count. And only came home for money.

“Then one day everything change. Your ‘Mother’ was twenty five and I was fifty. I learned I was pregnant...

The words hung in the air. Celeste dropped her hands from her Nana’s shoulders. Looking at her Nana and then turning away, she saw herself in the mirror. Realization hit even before her Nana should say another words. In the mirror she saw that Her Nana looked so much like her, while her mother hardly looked like her. Her Nana had blue eyes wavy hair, while her ‘mother’ had black hair and straight. She realized that she never knew much about her mother. She hardly spent much time with her, but she always around her Nana.

As she stared in the mirror, the sworls seemed to stop, frozen in mid swirl; her hands ran across the dresses folds, soft and comforting. And then she looked up and saw her Nana put an arm around her shoulder, “Mom?” Celeste said the word carefully into the mirror.

Her Nana, blue eyes shining and her wavy white hair falling in ringlets around her face nodding.

“Yes, I am your Mother. My other daughter is your older sister and I think she was even more resentful when I ask her to pretend to be your ‘Mother’. And I never told you, because I was ashamed. But when you were ready to graduate and begin a new life I realized I couldn’t hold this back from you anymore. You are my daughter, and I was saving this fabric to give you a birthright to be worthy of.

Celeste wanted to cry, she felt the shudder in her chest as she choked on tears. “So, if you are my Mom, then that makes me a Delacoeur like you, not a Smythe like my Sister?” The words tasted funny as she said them, but they felt right so she smiled into the mirror at her Mother’s smiling face.

Yes, I want you to be Celeste Delacoeur after all this time.”

Nana?” 

“Yes?”

“No, Mom,” Celeste tasted the words on her tongue, “When I filed for my diploma, I already put Delacoeur on my diploma. I already thought of you are my mother, even if I didn’t know it yet.” Celeste took a hold of her Mother’s hand and squeezed it tight. “This is the best way to start a new life.” 

From andrebog on MorgueFile

Not as bad as I thought...

It's been a weird week. My brain is re-couping from a long week at the evil day job (more evil than normal this week), getting sick over the weekend, and adjusting to a new writing/theatre schedule. I usually try to bounce back after a few speed bumps and re-tool my goals to align with what I need, but this week has been a challenge. Goals that had been habit over the summer I am struggling with. Today is the first day that I made real progress.

I guess it happens. Hell that is what ROW80 is all about. It just feels like a backslid a lot. So, how did I do?

This Week:
     *Writing: I did not write Monday or Tuesday. Today I did a writing blitz (796 words) and am writing this
post, so it's a start. Even with the new schedule that account for rehearsal days, I fell a bit short. I hope to return to form as the week continues.
     *Blogging: I posted late Tuesday. it was on old poem, but it was running through my head and I feel like it want to be read by other eyes than my own eyes.
     *Reading: been at a bit of a stand still, what with waking up early, or sleep later. I am less than 50 pages from finishing Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Douglas Adams). It is a strange story. The characters are interesting, but I am not sure how I feel about the plot. It's a little meandering. It's also Douglas Adams though. Still, I am enjoying the different feel of it. Mostly.
     *Social Media: managed to get to 4 blogs Monday, Tuesday, and today, plus my sponsor goals. Even though once I was my own charge. ROW80 folk will probably understand that.
     *House tending: cleaned smelly food from out of the fridge, did the dishes, now need to run to Wegman's and get some needed groceries.
    *Theatre Stuffs: set of secret group for Music Man (to share pictures, video, and important information, answer emails, and type of more of the props list. Also, got my Sloth Mail ready to be mailed (for Amanda Palmer's Patreon group).

This (upcoming ) Week:
     *Reading: finish Dirk Gently and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Agatha Christie).
     *Writing: write daily, at least 300 words.
     *Editing: returning to my slightly forgotten edits of The Real Road Trip.
     *Blogging: post on Thursday.
     *Theatre Stuffs: finish props list, print more sponsor forms, new schedules, and other Music Man related stuff. Prepare for 24 Hour Theatre this weekend.

It's not much, but I am feeling more like what I usually do. There is some adjustment, so I am not beating myself up so much. Nose to the grind stone and slow and steady wins the race. Any more cliches I can use?

A Round of Words in 80 Days, the blog challenge that knows you have a life. Come visit with what the other ROW80-ers are up to at the Blog Hop.

That's it for now, Dear Readers. There will be more stuff in the downward slope of the week. Still I feel good.