Writers Inspiration

Poe’s Betrayal

/ lyncrain / 3 Comments

A hunter’s moon illuminates the abandoned old house with
traces of white billowy clouds linger overhead.
The malevolent glowing pumpkin sits on the tree stump
with a lurking expression if seen anyone would dread.
Raven shudders her wings and hesitantly opens her beak but
not a sound could she make to warn Poe of what was ahead.

Before that fateful Halloween night that changed it all
Raven had spoken with Poe, trying to warn him.
Poe said, never more and locked Raven in the great hall.
The witch and her glowing pumpkin came in a hurry
creating such a fury, there was no one but raven to recall.

What it was like before the witch cast her spell only
now her vindictive pumpkin returns each year.
Making sure that ghosts do her evil bidding and
confident the scared raven will not interfere.
The evil pumpkin savors the feeling of power
knowing his helpless victims would soon be near.

Raven shudders her wings and bravely opens her beak
Poe, Poe, can you hear me, remember your Lenore.
The pumpkin eyes flared as he heard Raven speak
Poe, Poe, hear me, I am her, the one you adore
At first, Poe spoke in a whisper then in a roar
Raven, Raven, Lenore, I love you forever more!

 

A tribute to one of my favorite poets, Edgar Allen Poe.

 

 

 

 

Working on the back story

/ lyncrain / 1 Comment

Mairin stood outside the courthouse clenching the divorce filing. She trembled and gasped for air. A stranger gawked at her as he passed slowly but said nothing. Get it together Mairin, you’ve been counting this down for five years. You’re almost there. “Take a picture it’ll last longer!” Mairin yelled at the nosey stranger.

Mairin took a deep inhale, straightened her shoulders and purposely strode to her car. I can do this. Initially, she was going to hang out the garage since the kindergarten run was canceled for the day she didn’t have to be back until 1:30 to do her afternoon run. She glanced at her watch and on a whim drove to the local college campus.  She gradually drove around a couple of times observing the students coming and going. They have no idea how lucky they are.

Stop hemming and hawing, go to the admissions office. Ask what is needed instead of being a voyeur.  Alright, alright I will.

Mairin checked her watch again, second guessing or looking for an excuse not to go but the clock didn’t help. She spoke to the receptionist who directed to an advisor.  A slew of questions later and more documents in her hand, she was now enrolled in college. Imagine that, I’m a college student. A 47-year-old clueless college student. What the hell have I done?

Geez, I still have two hours to kill before my next shift. Hmm, when did that tattoo place open? Mairin laughed at some of the designs in the window and strode away. She opened her car and slammed it shut again. Why the hell not? I’ve finally stepped up to the plate I might as well look like a college student. She waltzed her butt into the tat parlor and told the clerk she wanted a tattoo. The man asked if she wanted to look at any design in particular. Mairin shook her head. “Nope, today is the day I’m tossing the chains to the curb. I filed for divorce and I’m serving my soon- to- be ex myself this afternoon. I want a chain bracelet with a broken link around my ankle. Maybe with one daisy so it’s a bit more feminine but I want the tattoo to look like a busted chain. This is my bust out day!”

“I can do that. Have a seat, I’ll get you the waivers. I do have to ask, any contagious diseases?

“Yeah, insanity.  Other than that I’m harmless.”

“Okay, let’s do it.”

Does hope really exist?

/ lyncrain / 1 Comment

Dedicated to a dear friend who walks with two spirits, a woman trapped inside of a man’s body, fearful that any moment his/her life will be diminished by ignorance in rural Maine. The issue is very real for her because people there are not open to change. They cling to their conservative and fanatical religious beliefs like the clan does their white sheets.

There was a brief glimmer of hope
it floated like a mist over a river
when humanity’s door briefly opened,
acknowledging the possibility of gender fluidity.
But like our fickle climate, hope vanished
and with it came a renewed surge
of hatred and entitlement. Deny or destroy
anyone that dares ask for equality.
Even the moon withheld his glowing face
as he/she contemplates the next course of action
in this vicious cycle called a transgendered life.
Darkness prevails!  The remaining shreds of hope
float away leaving only a trace of compassion
hardly noticeable in the grand scheme of things
when guns silence the masses and zealots
claim righteousness prevails.

I pray for sanity in this world.

Thirteen

/ lyncrain / 1 Comment
Thirteen by Lyn Crain

Thirteen toads, lizards, and bats
Hear my spell unfold and obey
Into the smoke slither away
Rally all of your friends
The time we waited for is ours
Exhume the bodies of the dead
Exile has ended, we are free
Never a ghoul or goblin again

Thirteen witches in a circle
Hear my spell unfold and obey
In a flash fly to the four winds
Raise havoc on humankind
The time we waited for is ours
Exhilarating pleasures to be had
Evil glares no more
Never be a witch again

Thirteen vampires rise from your coffin
Hear my spell unfold and obey
Intrigue and conspiracy everywhere
Reconvene covenants from the past
The time we waited for is ours
Excitement and anticipation
Experience the daylight of your youth
Never be sentenced to darkness again

Thirteen spells set us free
Hear me now and obey
Illicit pleasures for us all
Raise havoc on civilization today
The time we waited for is ours
Each spell better than the last
Eternally from this Halloween night
Never be ignored again©

177 words, 32 lines

Insanity

/ lyncrain / 6 Comments

 

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Yup, I’ve lost my mind.

October I’m doing the NaNo Prep challenge to get ready for November and NaNoWriMo and a minimum of 50,000 words. You’re probably thinking, writer’s write, so what’s the big deal. I’m a poet. I generally don’t write lengthy pieces. Brevity is my norm. Not anymore, I’m spreading my wings and then some. Wish me luck or join me in the insanity.

https://nanowrimo.org/dashboard

 

NaNo-2017-Participant-Facebook-Cover

Evolution of the Jack-o-Lantern

/ lyncrain / 1 Comment

Write a story or poem from the perspective of a pumpkin getting ready to be carved into a Jack-O-Lantern.

Evolution of the Jack-o-Lantern©Lyn Crain

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Big, or little, oh my, each a different one,
Pick me; pick me, I hope
From one to the next, the excited children run.
The unlucky ones left behind will surely mope.
Because I’m the pumpkin a child chose.
Oh, what will kind of a face will I be?
So much better than being left for the crows
Will it be happy or scary? I can’t wait to see,
what the children create with their knife.
Once a simple pumpkin in the field
One very special moment I will come to life.
A jack o lantern, my true glory will be revealed
as I shine boldly from my special place.
Creating the magic of Halloween night
I am radiant in my chosen state of grace,
happy to have a Jack o Lantern’s exclusive right.

241st Birthday and other things

/ lyncrain / 3 Comments

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4th of July

Happy 241st Birthday USA!  There are many aspects of our beautiful country I am proud of but unfortunately, there are many aspects I am not. Our present leadership and the increasing amount of hatred for individual differences I find appalling.  I’m sick at the path our country is heading as I am sure our forefathers are. They would be very disappointed at the misuse of power that happens daily in our country with the twisting of the Constitution they wrote.  We are facing dark times and I’m not sure the damage can be repaired.

We have to stop trying to make everyone into one mold if this world is going to thrive. We need to embrace each individual, and respect their uniqueness and whenever possible support them in their journey because together we can do anything. We need to remember ultimately we all share the same home…. Earth.

May, June,  and early July

I really enjoyed reading Tami’s summation of her month and decided I’m going to give it a whirl today but I’m going to do the past three months.  I love reading other blogs because you get so many inspiring ideas.  Theresa has helped me focus more on the time I spend writing. I actually managed to write for the month of June 80 hours. Not too bad but I need to get more writing time in.

I’ve enjoyed reading the different bloggers the past three months. Initially, I tried to read everyone each day but found it was too time-consuming so  I choose five different ones each day. I spend time catching up with their entries while I am there. I’ve learned so much from my fellow bloggers. Thank you!

In the 7  weeks, I’ve been crocheting on the Mandala I have 103 hours invested. There will be probably that much more to complete it because the rounds are so much larger.  I am very happy with the color choices, it is so vibrant. My friends Sara and Debbie each had the opportunity during the past weekend to snuggle underneath it. The smiles on their faces made all the time invested so worth it. I wish I had taken a picture of them, next time I will definitely do that.

I did take a couple mental health breaks from the Mandala and crocheted a couple hats and a scarf. Right now I’m working on jellyfish in turquoise and blue for my oldest granddaughter Mikhayla’s new apartment’s bathroom in Goleta, California. I still can’t believe she’s 21 now, time flies when you’re having fun.

In May and June, we’ve had 18 guests in the Airbnb part of our lives staying in our home. I baked scones, muffins, cookies, and brownies for their enjoyment.  Staying on top of the furballs was probably the most time consuming since they are shedding a lot with the warmer weather. The calendar is important too because our lives require a bit more planning than they once did but all in all it’s worked. We blocked out time each month for family and friends so we’re not overwhelmed.

We’ve been enjoying having the windows open before the peak of summer really hits so that has added to their shedding I’m sure. So far in the month of July, there are 8 bookings and in August we have 6 thus far.

Macavity has benefitted the most, in my opinion, he was a very shy cat with strangers but has become more social with the different interactions. I had to chuckle with his recent antics of lying on the front landing in front of the stairs to go up to the upper level to reach the bedrooms so whomever passes must rub his belly. He especially loved having Sara dote on him while she was spending time with us.  We can’t wait until she returns again, we have so much fun together.

The renovations are coming along slow but sure. The dang water pipes Vic has got under control since the pex pipes and shark bite fittings have made the process rather easy.

I finally got the back yard under control with the dang weeds growing between the patio stones. The birds drop so much seed it is an ongoing battle all the time. I had to put bird netting around my peppers, squash, cucumbers and tomato plants because of the pesky squirrels. The have-a-heart trap is going back in the lower yard too because they are so destructive to my garden.

Sara and Vic hung the lights on the lower level before the party on the first of July. It looks so pretty down there after dark, I love how the lights give the space a beautiful ambiance. Speaking of the party, we hosted “a gathering of the minds” party with the writing group and their significant others. At one point there was 26 of us here out of the 30 invited. 🙂  Sara and I made three different salads and homemade sangria. We were very pleased with the results. Vic cooked burgers, hot dogs, and kielbasa on the grill and Mother Nature even cooperated long enough to complete the grilling time before she down poured on us. Even then it was only a brief shower and we were able to go back outside.  I was very pleased with how everything came together and seeing the enjoyment of all that joined us made all the extra work so worth it. I even managed to get 15 minutes writing time in early that morning.

My first writing class and assignment went well. I am excited about the class but also worried that in the process I will lose my own voice with the methodology. Several of us taking the course discussed the same concerns with other writers and decided to work together if we have issues. That’s the best part of our in-person writing group, we help each other grow to our potential with honest feedback. I’ve created a character Mairin, she’s going to be my hero in my story about facing death. I’m going to work on expanding on her character traits today so I’m ready for the next class.

I need to bake fresh scones and cookies this evening or maybe tomorrow morning since a new guest will be joining u tomorrow evening. Today, Vic and I are going to spend some much-needed couple quality time together.

Enjoy your day wherever you are. I’m sending you positive vibes.

Quote

“I’m good at multi-tasking. I can listen, ignore and forget all at once. 🙂 “

 

 

 

 

Mandala and Other Updates

/ lyncrain / 3 Comments

Mandala

Part 12 is complete, The scallops as I thought took me about 3 1/2 hours per round. I’m very pleased with the color choices for this part. It is 65 inches now. I’m taking a short break from the mandala because we have a good friend coming in from Ohio and I promised her a snuggle under this gem.

 

Hat

I whipped up a hat this evening with the same colors because I really liked how they look together. Not that I needed another hat. The hat I completed in 2 hours, it’s just a simple beanie. I decided to do the long single crochet and half double crochet’s to make the pattern. The upper section is all double crochet which made it real quick to do.WIN_20170627_23_01_10_Pro

Writing Class

On Thursday evenings for the next ten weeks, I will be at a writing class with Raz Steel. He pledges that a writer can write a book with his instructions from start to finish with his techniques without getting stuck. I’m game. I can write great beginnings but then I crash, the middle gets my ass every time. Then I get frustrated and there it sits. Wish me luck.

Raz is a published author of two books Love Without Blood and Blood Between Lovers. We are very lucky to have him as one of the writers in our Lower Bucks Creative Writers Group that meets in Langhorne, PA every week.

I pruned the juniper shrubs, and the hydrangea vine because both have got out of control in my lower back yard. My back is screaming this evening from all the tugging I did on the dang English ivy that was overwhelming the yard.

I have one more task to complete on Writing.com than I can crash. I am so ready but I needed to get some writing time in today. Sadly, this entry is all I’ve done since I worked in the yard for over 8 hours today,  then I came in and made strawberry, orange and rhubarb scones for the guest staying with this evening. She mentioned how she loves strawberry rhubarb pie this morning during breakfast when she was eating strawberries. She inquired if I make pies. I told no, I’m not a good pie maker. I told her about the strawberry rhubarb scones and muffins I’ve made. She thought that was interesting so I promised I would make her some. Lucky Sara gets to enjoy them too when she arrives tomorrow. This is the first time I put the oranges in and that addition made them spectacular. Tangy and sweet, yummy.

Inspiration

Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it’s not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.

Barack Obama

Sweet dreams