A Winter Night

december 17, 2016 by rugby843

The room is dark except for the small scented nightlight. The snow plows on the main road, and the sad sound of a fire truck broke the silence. Some poor family might be stranded in this freezing weather, or a motorist slipped out of control on the ice. A winter night exposes tragedy. The young men cannot keep up with their shovels for the wind is filling in snow as fast as they clear it. A dog’s howl insures others will answer. Every being is feeling lonely and cold tonight.

The room is dark and the scent of the nightlight cannot dispel the loneliness. She hears a car drive by, but it’s not stopping here. No one is coming to break her mood. She sips the tea, but cannot eat. Her body aches, but not for food, or sleep, but for the company of his love. Her mind plays tricks, causing her to see him in the shadows. Could it be? Would she turn on the lamp and see him there? She dared not because she knew he wasn’t, no matter how much she wished it.

The scented nightlight caused a small shadow in the dark room. As she pulled the covers around her, she could almost feel him beside her. His warmth, his body next to her. She curled up and nestled into her pillow, wanting it to be him. She covered her head with the warm blanket, hiding from the nightlight glow. She wanted to shut everything out, to just pretend he was there. She drew the covers in, as if they were his arms holding her tight. The cold, the loneliness, wouldn’t reach her here. She would sleep and dream of him.

The room was dark and the nightlight glowed. The snow was still falling, but the night sounds were quieting. The plows stopped, the shoveling men retreated till morning. The animals finally slept. The winter night’s cold was unrelenting. The lanes were freezing icy trails. Jack Frost painted glass with beautiful designs. She fell asleep to dream.

***

http://fivedotoh.com/2023/10/20/fandangos-flashback-friday-october-20th/

https://talesfromglasgow137065088.wordpress.com

🥳I just had my yearly cancer tests and all good results! Since my two sisters’ deaths this last spring, I was more than anxious going in for these tests. I am elated and grateful to be healthy. When sitting in the waiting room for results yesterday and seeing other older women in bad health, I realized just how lucky I am. 🥳

https://rugby843.blog

budding love needs definite sign

garden offerings are aligned

pesky thorns ruin the sublime

just forget the corsage

http://ronovanwrites.com/2023/10/18/ovi-poetry-challenge-18-funny-is-your-inspiration/

https://onelinefun.com/time/

One-Liner Wednesday – Heading out

war is hell

an old phrase spoken

men, women

sad children

many quotes from veterans

deeply remember

*

blood soaking

cloth and streets

never ending loud alarms

crowded bunkers filled

children’s wide-eyed tears

war is hell

no safe space

*

bread and water scarce

medical supplies too late

mothers flee in fear

war is hell

weeping reigns

futures end

***

http://skepticskaddish.com/2023/10/18/w3-prompt-77-weave-written-weekly/

From NPR: “The book ban movement has taken its toll on a beloved school tradition: Scholastic Book Fairs. The organization received criticism for separating most of its books on race and gender in different displays and allowing schools to opt out of ordering them.”

We looked forward to these events every year. It was a good way to get kids who were not used to going to the library to experience the wonder of books. This is very sad news along with harassment of librarians and the volunteers who work at libraries. I could make a few sarcastic remarks about the “people” who cause this, but I am just too sad.

https://rugby743.blog

And now for your poetic prompt:select one of the pieces of artwork presented in this post. Write an ekphrastic poem about the work, incorporating the emotion it evokes in you and/or the emotion evoked through the eyes of the artist. Be creative! Go wherever the art and artist take you! Feel free to use the artists’ quotations as inspiration in your work.

http://dversepoets.com/2023/10/17/haunted/

Angelic face

Framed in lace

Smiles come at a rapid pace

Never won the judgment race

She seems haloed inside her space.

***

Moonwashed Weekly Prompt – Haloed

This week’s Story Starter teaser is:

Sandra made a promise to herself that she would never do it, yet here she was, about to do precisely what she said she never would. She checked her pockets, making sure she had about twenty dollar bills. Sandra was going to dress more provocatively than ever, making sure the deep v neck sweater would show off her best features. At least she had been told they were…back in the eighties…by a few eager boys. That was so long ago she thought, it’s time for a change. Husband and kids asleep for the night, she grabbed her party clothes, stuffed them in a bag and left her “happy home”. Her girlfriends pulled up quietly outside by her driveway and she got in their car quickly. They all were laughing to hide their nervousness and drove to the club. The sign outside read: “One night only, all ladies welcome”. Photos of male dancers surrounded the sign.

***

http://fivedotoh.com/2023/10/17/fandangos-story-starter-119/