The Bag Lady

“Every color I can think of and nationality, we were all touched by Dr. King because he made us like each other and respect each other.” Lena Horne

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One-Liner Wednesday – Plans?

Pretty in a pink tutu and ballet slippers too, Susie was ready to dance. She was only three, but had been taking gymnastics, dance and tap lessons for six months. She was always flitting around the house and her grandmother Becky, encouraged it. Her grandmother secretly had wanted to be a ballet dancer in her youth, however, attending any classes was out of the question. When she had a daughter, she saw that she attended class and as a teen, danced in gigs around the state. When Becky had grandchildren, she enjoyed watching them in any form of dance and sports.

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Simply 6 Minutes – Welcome to the Challenge: 02/24/2026

He stared at the paper stating his friend Joe was his son’s dad. Thinking of how much Mikey resembled and started acting like his friend, he wondered why he had never equated the fact they were so alike in personality. Richard had served in the Marines overseas for two years coming home on leave twice, back when it might have been possible for Joe to be his wife’s lover, but…he could not think of it! He crumpled up the paper and decided to resume the loving family he previously thought he had. And it was, had been ever since he returned home for good. Timing and birth days be damned. Everything was perfect before this piece of paper appeared. Richard threw the crumpled paper into the fire.

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Fandango’s Story Starter #236

Maui

Beautiful sands

Clear green-blue ocean waves

Rolling in and out for surfers

Divers

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Cinquain Poetry Prompt 41: TRIP is your inspiration.

winter day

clouds moving swiftly

cold lingers

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wind sneaks in

windows forming ice

frosted scenes

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trees, bushes

bend, laden with snow

white, heavy

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frozen lakes

beckoning skaters

icy dance

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cold winter landscapes

wild geese flying overhead

white puff clouds moving

faded sun tries warming us

winds declare the freezing win

–

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#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 53, Rensaku, 2/24/26

Too soon I say, the man complained

His tolerance for sweets was strained

He just avoided the Christmas sweets

When along comes Valentine’s down the street

Chocolate was forbidden you see

No candy at all, said his Doctor, Zee

Joe couldn’t even shop in stores

All the seasons had chocolate galore

Joe decided to ask his pharmacist

Is there a pill to make me resist

The holiday candies on display

The drug counter guy said, no way

So this story is long and very sad

Finding poor Joe who had gone mad

He broke into a confection shop

Swarmed, then died from chocolate drops

He ate and ate, got very sick

But now in heaven he just says “ick“

When craving something, use my rule

Try a tiny bit and your taste is soothed.

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Writing Prompts

Founding fathers

Freedoms’ future failing

Fueled factions filing

Frustrating foul facets

“History has failed us, but no matter.” Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

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Of course when I opened “The Martian”, I was hooked, and found other books I enjoy from this author, Andy Weir, one was my second read from him, “Hail Mary” which is also being made into a film.

Poetics Tuesday: Beginnings are Endings

Appetite wanders listlessly
Bread, the staple always provided
Even in confinement they give you bread
The thirst is the worst
Dry mouths, tongue sticks to teeth
Without water, hunger lessens
But bread, water, just a crust
Begging nourishment
Death in starving
Eases the pain

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Q242 Hunger Makes the Best of Poetry

I chose number 4 – allergic reaction

I was having a twenty minute operation on my right wrist for carpal tunnel. Easy Peasy according to the doc. They had applied a beir block – “A Bier block (intravenous regional anesthesia) is a safe, effective, and short-term anesthetic technique for arm or leg surgeries, involving an intravenous injection of local anesthetic into a limb isolated by a tourniquet.” When the quick op was done apparently the anesthesiologist let the tourniquet that held back the lidocaine loose too fast, went straight up to my heart and stopped it. All I remember is sitting straight up all of a sudden, and then falling back. I died there for a few minutes and then woke up with a bunch of equipment and a mask which I tried to remove – of course I’m claustrophobic- and my sister in law pushed it back on telling me I had to have it. I really didn’t know what happened until hours later. This is the first time I died so my family thinks I’m immortal…

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This Week’s Writer’s Workshop Prompts – February 24, 2026

sunny day venture

curious exploration

drawn to the color

a soft caress to beauty

golden petals yield to touch

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What do you see # 329- 23 February, 2026