Shadow Child
For a fraction of a solitary second,
voiceless child blushed like flower
as the precious ruby hours
flooded her on dusky footprints.
On fragile wings, she attempted
to soar above the shadowy night
in her solemn cape of darkness,
lost among the throngs in silence,
seeking shade in shadows of others,
a fate that threatened to engulf her.
Alienated clouds and dusky skies
fed her hunger to whisper aloud
in moon suspended in charcoal skies.
Cobwebs littered her dim space
as morning mist overtook her soul.
She reached for a smile just out of sight,
yearning for awakening blossoms.
No one saw her bleeding in anguish,
crying for a reprieve from obscurity
as she attempted to whisk doubts
into sheltering winds of hope.
She felt the overcast shade lift
like an eclipse beckoning her
with warm fingers of light.
She grasped her new beginning
in a bouquet of enchantment
for the first time, seeing the truth,
pushing away dejected shoulders.
The shadow child grasped the stars,
healed the clotting loss of innocence,
listening to her voice chorus
with hundreds of other children,
awakening to the knowledge
that her shadowed existence
is the child she once was
but is no more, as she opens
lips to speak, “Please play with me!”
About Prose
Greetings, Prosers,
As many of you know, Wednesday saw the launch of our brand-spanking-new Bookstore. Along with that we updated a lot of copy. Our "about us" copy was the first thing to get a complete overhaul. So today, we'd like to share it with you all. We're guessing that many of you will never read it otherwise, let's face it, you don't need to know about Prose once you are already here. This content is extra special because the entire team added their thoughts and feelings at the end. So, Prosers, enjoy the read! Happy Sunday!
Prose is a social network for readers and writers; with HQ’s in Seattle and London. In hybridizing literature and social media, we stumbled into a beautiful accident. Prose is about self-expression and the sharing of stories and ideas, and with our newest development release, Prose has also become a way in which authors, amateur and professional alike, can make money whilst doing what they love: writing.
Here’s how we did it:
We’ve taken the ego out of social media; the platforms where photoshopping away reality, and making real life plastic, happens all too often. On Prose, Prosers take the ugly and make it beautifully ugly with their words. They highlight the superficial and give it meaning, stripping away the falseness and breathing new life into the stagnant and conventional social media of today.
We’ve taken the greed out of publishing; the industry where a small group of huge businesses do not understand the creative archetype that is the author and are no longer serving their best interests. The time where an author could be a full-time author is long gone, authors are now servers in bars who write in the small hours to further their dreams, because there’s no money to be made, where the creatives are no longer in control. They have the monopoly on the literary space and we wanted to change that.
We launched our bookstore; a place where authors will always have the flexibility and freedom that the current publishing space doesn’t offer. We provide a fair royalty scheme, where the author is always the winner. By merging social media and publishing, Prose offers a platform like no other in the industry.
Not only is Prose fantastic as a content creation and consumption platform, it also serves as a powerful tool for mental health. We’ve found that in anonymously sharing stories and experiences, Prose has given writers and non-writers alike, a poignant outlet and a compassionate, supportive community. The power of words has become a way to enact positive change and Prose is fully committed in partaking in numerous philanthropic efforts, one of which is our Letters from Prison Program; giving prisoners a voice by teaching, listening, and posting all of their content on Prose for our community to support, and offer non-judgemental advice. The results we have seen have been astounding and humbling.
So, who are we?
We are social media, without the superficiality. We are a writing community, without the ego. We are a bookstore that values you and your work. We are an app, without the cost. We are flexible, so you can sell your books, chapters, or short stories. We are in 196 countries, yet are always with you. We don’t censor you, so you can speak freely. We are multi-platform, so that you can shout easily about your words.
We are Prose. Join our movement, today.
What the team say about Prose:
“I love Prose because it's a deep, genuine community where the creators have control, where there is no greed or business-as-usual. Prose is unique to me in its plot-twisting the realms of social media and literary publishing. Working on Prose is beyond a dream job, and it motivates me to do everything in my power to help share this experience with thousands of other people around the world. 'I suppose people like to read about what they want the most and experience the least.' - Bernard Lowe (HBO's Westworld).” - @A, Chief of Operations, Prose
“'Evolution forged the entirety of sentient life on our planet using only one tool... the mistake.' - Dr. Robert Ford (HBO's Westworld). We, humanity forged the entirety of the noosphere using only one tool... language. Language gives rise to ideas, technology, abstraction, gods, and indeed, entire civilizations. Without symbols, without language, we are but primates passively watching the shadows dance upon the walls of our caves. Where modern social media glorifies mindless imagery, thereby ushering in a regression towards our primitive ancestry, Prose offers a divergent path - one that extols mastery of our greatest creation - language.” - @Z, Chief of Technology, Prose
“My love for literature began when I was a child and grew in ferocity as I became an adult. I fell into my job at Prose through my love for the platform as a user. Even now, I am still a user; Bleeding upon the page as often as I can. Prose isn’t just a job to me, it’s a way of life; a lifestyle that is all encompassing in the best way possible. I work with the most passionate people I’ve ever met, and through Prose have met some of the most wonderful people in the world. We are always working on ways in which to inspire authors, enabling them to become full-time authors. I can’t wait to see where Prose takes the literary world next.” - @Sammielee46, Chief of Marketing and Media, Prose
“I fell head over heels for Prose before I started working for them, and the love affair has grown exponentially since I joined the team. It’s like nowhere else out there when it comes to social media. It consists of a movement of like minded lovers of words, many of whom choose to channel and purge only through Prose, purely because it’s such a kind and supportive environment. However, where the community lacks animosity, the content makes up for in baring its teeth. Prose is truly unique and I cannot wait for the rest of the sound-thinking world to join us.” - @PaulDChambers, Marketing and Media Executive, Prose
“Prose is addictive, I can honestly lose myself for hours reading the content. I love the fact that it’s a place where creative writers can express themselves freely without censorship - it produces new, raw, gritty writes to discover every day. I’m inspired daily with what I read which in turn influences my own creative output. With the next evolution of Prose set to change the face of publishing, I cannot wait to see it where it leads.” - @Karen, Creative Designer, Prose
So there you have it, Prosers. Our brand new about us copy, and a few words from the Prose team. If you want to help us change the shape of the publishing world, spread the word, encourage your fellow Prosers, read their work, welcome the newbies (you were new once), share your love for Prose everywhere (online and offline), let us all take this world by storm and make it a better place for everyone who loves reading and writing words.
Until next time, Prosers,
The Prose Team.