All right, Prosers. Here is the moment for which you’ve all been waiting.

As you know, alongside our Partners, creating challenges is our responsibility. So, to further drive the evolution of Prose, we’ll be launching a new Kindle challenge each month. For May, we challenged the community to write 500 words about death.

Of the 66 submissions only the fiercest, most powerful pieces were chosen. We made selections based on several factors: grammatical soundness, originality, and attention to detail.

In total, there were 40 pieces of poetry and prose that made the cut.

Before we reveal them, we’d like to direct your attention to the newest Kindle challenge: theprose.com/challenge/2317.

For those of you that are not featured in Volume 1, now’s your chance to land a spot in Volume 2. Here are a few suggestions for you, based upon our experience with the first round:

1) Give your piece a title.

2) Double (and triple) check your spelling and grammar before hitting “publish.” This should include the use of appropriate formatting (paragraphs, indentations, quotations, etc.).

3) Avoid extraneous language for purposes of meeting or exceeding the word limit. The piece itself must be a minimum of 500 words. You may choose to provide commentary, such as author’s notes or signatures, but they will not be included in the final publication.

4) Any content that has been previously published outside of Prose, in part or in full, including excerpts, cannot be included in the final publication due to Amazon publishing restrictions.

To read the e-book you must download it from Amazon. You’ll notice that it costs a whopping $0.99.

Our intention was for this publication to be FREE, but Kindle Direct Publishing requires a minimum price. With that in mind, we want to make a fervent promise to the entire community:

All royalties collected will be used to create and publish more books for you, by you.

We would also like to reiterate that, as Prosers, you retain 100% of your original copyright. By agreeing to our Terms of Use (theprose.com/p/legal/terms), you agree to give Prose a permanent and exclusive sub-license to your work, but that’s legalese.

In layman’s terms, we have permission to share your work on our social media and promotional materials.

That allows us to show the world just how talented you are, which is why we’re here.

To download the e-book, visit:

(For Prosers in the US)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YNDY75O?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

(For Prosers in Canada)

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00YNDY75O/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_ask_vP5QJ.1VCDA9W

(For Prosers in the UK)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YNDY75O?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

(For Prosers in Australia)

http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00YNDY75O?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

You’re also encouraged to read all of the entries by visiting www.theprose.com/2230.

We would like to thank everyone that participated for their hard work. The Prose Anthologies are dedicated to this community, which includes each and every one of you.

We're forced to watch as it devours everything. The papers are gone. The books are gone. Everything is gone. It's all in the belly of the beast, torn to shreds by this invisible monster taking over the body of the people I know.

We can't stop it.

No one can stop it.

Papers fly off the shelf into the fire, where they burn to black ash, the ink taking over the whole page and destroying the story inside. The books are being reduced to dust in the wind.

My work is being reduced to dust in the wind.

My friends' work is being reduced to dust in the wind.

They're all being reduced to ash and dust and particles that make us sneeze, and all we can do is watch. Our hands are tied behind our backs with rope, and our feet are bound to the ground by chains. We're put on trial for our daringness and hope.

All we wanted was to teach the people in the town something meaningful.

All we receive is a trial where our fruits are devoured.

All of the stuff they read here, it has no deeper meaning, and it has no underlying truth. It's all romance this, terror that. They don't take the meanings and put them to use, they leave the books bland and unused. The books are pristine with misuse. They are shining in abuse, black and white with no love for them in any heart to provide any color.

The writers of this world are forced to watch their novels burn in this generation without appreciation. They are forced to sit aside and watch as people love their books, but don't take the meanings to the heart. The theme of death in this book is taken to be amusing. The theme of loneliness in that book is just plain depressing, who the hell wants to read that? Justice in this one is taken as protection, and it's not really prominent to the plot line, it wasn't necessary. Government terror in that one is thrown out the window by the media, claiming it was just for fun, something that they wanted to throw in there, not real at all, nope, not real.

People here don't listen to the truths in books, and it's pissing us off.

However, we can't do anything about it. We're stuck here with our hands tied, our feet bound, and our mouths gagged.

When will we get to speak up?

Death, although a normal part of life, is devastating.

The death of my best friend TreVaughn was traumatic. Death has a melancholy, eerie feel to it but to me it ultimately is a time and occasion of somber reminiscence.

The time and occasion to remember the best of someone is death. The world stops for a few minutes similarly to a moment of silence.

The realization hit me back when it happened, the realization that I would never see him again. It hurts. Mourning the loss of a best friend hurts a lot.

Ultimately when you come to peace with what happened is the time it becomes okay again, but every moment until then is agony.

Death for the elderly, when its their time is usually a beautiful moment when they are ready for their eternal sleep, (for those who are blessed with one), It is a time of celebration, respect, reconciliation and peace.

Many of a younger generation are fascinated with death, it is expressed through T.V., video games, and books. My opinions remain neutral on these but many feel it is a morbid expression. In a sense many are obsessed with it.

Many seek relief in death, we glorify and fear it. I feel it is nothing to fear just another part of life. I hold no opinion on any beliefs of the after life or reincarnation, however there are many philosophies following these ideas.

Whether it be with God in heaven or reincarnated based on what you did in one life and how it affects you in the next.

It is taboo, Many are uncomfortable with the thought of death and go great lengths to avoid it. Reasonably, The unknown that death holds is a scary mystery we may never fully answer.

We will all have to face it and sooner or later you may think and fear what comes next. Many believe in residual energies and consciousnesses left behind as ghosts. I do and it makes me ponder reality.

Death is confusing and although terrifying, it is necessary. Many choose to believe and hope to achieve a higher existence through death, that the body is just a vessel for the soul to use as a tool. that we are raw attention trapped in a body. I choose to believe it out of comfort. It helps me believe that this is not meaningless. That our existence is, although impermanent, is beautiful and serves a greater purpose.

We are not just what we accomplished. I am truly terrified if I did not cling to this, I would be forever living my life with a great amount of fear.

Death is unpredictable and today may be your last day. Or you may outlive all of your friends and family.

I feel like death is a bridge we will cross when we come to it. I hope someday we may reunite with those we lost.

I sincerely hope there is relief in the end! And want to pay my respects to Tre. I never forgot. R.I.P.

To my dad. You are one of the few people who I am concerned with any more. My fondest memories are usually of us before and during the darkest times of my life. Its a really long and sad story. So I will save it for later. However, during that 9 years, he was there physically and when he was unable to he was there in my mind. He is one of the reasons I have avoided ending it all. He helped make me a better person and as melancholy this feels, it is not a requiem I promise! He is like a vampire and a computer wizard. We listen to Rise Against, AFI, Misfits (with Glenn Danzig not Jerry Only in my opinion) and The Dead Kennedys. He is the funniest bastard I ever knew and is really nice. I carry great honour in being his son and I would hope someday to be able to sail the seas with him, all 7 in a cabin cruiser. Stuff is not so bad with him around. He knows what to say to help someone out and change a lifetime of grief with a story of Lao Tzu and a joke. To the best dad ever and one of the last people who I still care about. Cheers! and semper fidelis

I love how much of a bitch you are right now.

Something you need to know immediately: you’re not special. Stop thinking you’re above everyone, you pretentious shit. Being different is great, but you’re trying too hard.

I know you like making life hard, and you say you enjoy stress, but those things come out of your mouth because you were spoon fed since birth. Wait a few more years, shits about to get real. You’ll be addicted to crying (the part where you quietly sniffle towards the end is your favorite), suicide becomes an option ( your 2nd attempt is the funniest), but when you come across the secret to living a decent life, you’ll be fine.

A few things:

Stop buying lottery tickets; you have a better chance of dying choking on your breakfast.

You’re in a relationship, right? She cheats on you, bud.

Stop being so nosy. Peoples lives are boring, just like yours.

Apologize for the shit you’ve done, even if you don’t want to. Stop your addictions now, even if you don’t think its possible. And tell your dad you love him before he’s gone, even if you don’t understand it.

Live longer than me, punk.

Please wait, Mr. Death

For I want you to know

That with my last breath

On this cold dark stone

That we all call home

They smile in certain way

When everything's going wrong

Just wanting brighten your days

When the storm seems so long

A dying breed

That, for you, bleed

Oh, Love

We need you,

In this time of need

Oh, Love

You are a dying breed

We all forget constantly

When there's no gentle soul

Left to trust with your own

They're the ones that lets us go

But keeps us close to home

Oh, Love

We need you,

In this time of need

Oh, Love

You are a dying breed

We all forget constantly

Teach us how to feel again

Forgive us for misbehaving

Free us all from this pains

Save us from eternal wandering

Love the forgiven,

When the trust is broken

Wake up and arisen

When your knees has fallen

Forgive us,

When we make mistakes

Remind us,

When we are ignorant

Rescue us,

When we get sucked into the abyss

Oh, Love

We need you,

In this time of need

Oh, Love

You are a dying breed

We all forget constantly

Free us,

Hate has blinded us

Free us,

Greed has chained us

Free us,

Vanity has changed us

Oh, Love

We need you

In this time of need

Oh, Love

You are a dying breed

We all forget constantly

They'd paint you a rainbow

If the storm didn't bring any

They'd offer you a pot of gold

To buy a smile from you, my pretty

Oh, Love

We need you,

In this time of need

Oh, Love

You are a dying breed

We all forget constantly

Oh, Love

The dying breed

Remind me, please

Remind me

Teach us to forgive,

When there's broken trust

Teach us to smile,

When we are DOWN

Teach us the right

When we are wrong

A shoulder to lead on

They'd give you their shirt they wear

In the cold night to keep you warm

When there's too much weight to bear

Carry the burden for you, they will

Keep the razor away from the wrist

Your life has yet been lived still

Take away negativity with a clenched fist

Forgive us,

When we make mistakes

Remind us,

When we are ignorant

Rescue us,

When we get sucked into abyss

Just one smile

Is all a heart needs

Just a touch goes a mile

With the dying breed

Free us,

Hate has blinded us

Free us,

Greed has chained us

Free us,

Vanity has changed us

Free us,

From the abyss

Oh, Love

We need you,

In this time of need

Oh, Love

You are a dying breed

We all forget constantly

Oh, Love

The dying breed

Remind me, please

Remind me

Oh, Love

We need you,

In this time of need

Oh, Love

You are a dying breed

We all forget constantly

Oh, Love

The dying breed

Remind us, please

Remind us

It never happens the way you see it in movies- the long soliloquy of tumbling words followed by the quiet sobs.

No, it's more likely to be

words are cut off

with tears

choking

every syllable

words strangled

at the top of the throat

words stopped up

with crying jags

like cotton stuffing

in a soda pop bottle

that's been shaken

and nearly poured out.