These crazy, trying days will pass. They always do. Looking back through some of my old pieces, I found this “Whisper” for you. I hope it encourages you through whatever challenges you face today. I will be spending most of my day planting seeds and preparing for a new flock of chickens…savoring every moment of that fresh spring air. Peace, love, and stay healthy!
Distant…
Hands long for the warmth of flesh
to touch
to hold
to love
The torn social fabric
Covers our mouths
Shielding us
From
Each
Other
This day, too, shall pass—
it always does—
not fast enough for most,
far too quickly for some…
We Mourn
Like doves, tossed in the storm,
Like sheep, led to the slaughter,
Like lone wolves…
Distant…
We howl at the insensitive moon.
It waxes.
It wanes.
It cycles.
We will sort through the carnage—
we always do—
and comfort each other
touch
hold
love
And mend the social fabric
Breathe the fresh air
And Celebrate…
a
…pandemic, DISTANT
©️2020 Tanya Cliff
no snapshot in time
the human tide ebbs and flows
sands shift, alter coasts
~
©️2020 Tanya Cliff
silver-lined clouds drift
latent plants, contained in buds
wait, through winter freeze
~
#staysafe #stayhealthy #stayhome
~
©2020 Tanya Cliff
The sun melts
Crimson pools spill across the horizon
staining clouds
oranges, pinks, purples
A beacon?
Welcome, Night
The moon
waxing, waning,
in a perpetual dance with an ever-jumping cow
A harbinger?
So long, Day
Sands
through the hourglass
falling, passing
“hush-a-bye baby on the treetop” time
A promise
Living art
rendered in warmest hues
broad strokes across the cool sky
Time
passes by
~
©2020 Tanya Cliff
~
Exciting News!
I am going to be hosting a weekly Writer’s Workshop over at the Go Dog Go Café on Saturdays, beginning March 7th. Please join me there for a fun, challenging opportunity to stretch your writing skills in the Café’s warm, friendly environment. I love the group at GDG! I’m thrilled to be joining them, especially in a format that explores the power of language in storytelling.
The Writer’s Workshop will stick with a single prompt response each month, limited to 150-300 words, and involve several editing challenges to the same response designed to sharpen prose. The schedule is as follows:
Week 1: The Fastball
This week, I will introduce some element of good prose and/or share encouraging words from favorite authors. Then, I will pitch the Fastball prompt. Participants can link their responses in the comments section, and I will share them the following week.
Week 2: Batting Practice
This week, I will continue the discussion and share the responses from Week 1’s Fastball.
The challenge to participants this week will be to cut at least 10% of words from their response in week 1, tighten their prose. The 10% cut comes from Stephen King’s On Writing, one of several writing books that you will hear me refer to on occasion. The cut might seem arbitrary, but it forces concision and encourages the use of powerful language.
Week 3: Curveball Challenge
And just when you think you mastered it…
This week, I will throw a curveball, a specific challenge designed to improve prose, some element to be added to the response from the Batting Practice in Week 2. We will use this challenge to explore some of the grammatical tools that can be used to create tension and drama on the sentence level in our writing.
I will also show how I handled the 10% cut from Week 2 (including my word counts) and provide links to the Week 2 responses of participants.
Week 4: Players at the Plate
I will sum up the month’s activities, show how I handled Week 3’s Curveball Challenge, and link to all the other participants’ rewrites. Writing is hard work. You can expect a lot of encouragement and praise from me along the way.
I hope you will pull up a chair in the Go Dog Go Café and join me for the Writer’s Workshop. Visit the Go Dog Go Café to learn more.
Tanya
his strong, ursine hug
gives her dangerous thoughts, dreams
pulse quickens, cheeks blush
~
©2020 Tanya Cliff
~
My response to Stephen’s weekly Level UP Challenge at GoDogGo. Please visit the following creative souls for the promts:
Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge–February 18, 2020
Eugi's Weekly Prompt – Blush – February 17, 2020
https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/category/what-do-you-see/
The complete challenge is available here:
Wednesday’s Level UP Challenge, 2/19/20 and Tuesday’ Writing Prompt Challenge Round UP
