I see the division; right or left, up or down, good or evil. I see the division, its like watching a river flow past. There's an impulse to pick aside, as if one bank looks less muddy than the other from a perch among the reeds.

In fact, just imagining the river places you on a side, the most natural thing, choosing a side as if there is some correct way to watch a river. The side where you're standing must be good, or why else would you choose it?

The river is oblivious of the bank and its inhabitants, busy carving as it flows, eroding as it rushes onward as a raging torrent or trickling past in languid dribble. The river takes no sides, the banks are made around it, ignorant of its course.

I see the division between the two sides, the two choices, and decide one seems a fine choice before switching to favor the other. My feet are untroubled by the mud of the banks, it flows between my toes to be carried away as I stand in the current. The river cares little for my choice, regardless of the side. I care little for the river, and less for the banks. I build litte dams across its path and watch as they are dissassembled by the greedy hands of the rapids. I stand in the center and feel it part around me; neither right nor left, neither good nor bad.

It is what it is.

We ought to be

the embodiment

of free love...

Slip in and out

of each other’s lives...

by the very grace of God

I tend to think...

We do not break

each other’s hearts!

no not at all....

Just leave 

our souls as if...

better fortified

As in a song

whose melody’s

left unsung...

While the entirety 

of our harmony...

is strummed

#ProseChallenge #Music #WeekLXXX

I used to be confident.

Not that long ago actually.

I used to love myself.

I used to love my body.

But now, that summer is here, I’m second guessing myself.

I used to have a crush that I was almost certain liked me back.

But now, they are happily in a relationship.

I used to have many close friends.

But now, they are gone.

I don’t know what to do anymore.

I try to act normal.

Like I actually am happy.

But I can’t do that forever.

One of the only things keeping me alive is my bestfriend.

The only person I can truly be myself around without being judged.

Yes, I do have other friends.

But I can live without them.

I‘m trying my hardest not to loose my bestfriend.

Just like I did everyone else.

Because if I do, I will have no idea what to do with my life.

I need my bestfriend more than she will ever understand.

I have no heart, just a hole.

Empty and just as black as coal.

Did I ever have a heart?

I think I did, back at the start.

I gave it out to many guys.

Feeling happy like I could fly.

Each one that left, I felt blue.

There was only one thing to do.

I cut the heart out of my chest.

I felt like that was for the best.

I no longer felt so sad.

But I couldn’t even feel glad.

Then he appeared within my sight.

And filled the empty hole with light.

Bright blue eyes, golden hair.

Once again, I began to care.

He let me finally feel

That my broken heart could heal.

Shall we...?

make a conflagration...

....And be consumed in the fire of this desire

for the fatal knowledge to which we aspire...?

Shall we...?

with Sir Anthony Hopkins...

...broach the reel to real to probe how sick we'll feel

pulling the wool to see what the Soul will reveal...?

Shall we...?

rewrite world history...

...to better amuse ourselves in our life fun park 

locked in the vernacular of Western Thought...?

#Challenge #WeekLXXIX #FromAshesToAshesToAshes

Your beautiful bride in white lace.

You in your suit, looking stylish.

A lovely pair you make!

Wishing you all the best in life.

Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so much. -Oscar Wilde

Sleep

Tender sleep

Got a little

Brief release

Bliss

Forgiveness

Body at rest

Morning comes too soon

Birds tweeting

Fills my room

Window open

Bright sky

Inviting

But I only want

to snooze

You snooze

You lose

But that’s ok

I’m not winning anyway

Sleep

Tender sleep

Got a little

Brief release

Bliss

Forgiveness

Body at rest

Sleep is what I need

The most

Up all night

Insomnia blight

Give me peace

This morning please

You snooze

You lose

But that’s ok

I’m not winning anyway

Sleep

Tender sleep

Got a little

Brief release

Bliss

Forgiveness

Body at rest

Just let me

Stay at rest

His dark eyes look at me

And my soul is no longer free

His shy smile melts my will

And his touch gives me chills

His sweet voice is just like a song

And my love for him is strong

His arms wrap around me tight

Letting me know all is right

This guy and I combine as one

Happy in love ’til our days are done.

Llanw  takes Holiday

September 17, 2017

“ Molly set the table. The Tide in. Here comes Llanw  with his baskets, bags and holdall full of all sorts of treasures a wee - un would carry back from Cardigan Bay. I'll get the small wood table out for him to place them on.” called Mike.

“Tad grand! Mam mawr! Look at all the pebbles and shells I found today. Here is something for Mam mawr.” said an excited Llanw.

Llanw presented his Grandmother with a crudely strung string of exquisite pearls.

“My goodness where did you find these?” asked Mam mawr.

“I didn't find them Shanaya gave them to me to give to you Mam mawr.” said Llanw.

“Shanaya? Who is she one of your little play friends on the beach?” asked a surprised Tad grand.

“No she can not walk on the beach because she has no legs. Shanaya lives in the sea out by the cliff with the dolphins and seals. If I get too close to the water she scolds me by singing:

Tidy Little House

I have a little tidy house, tidy house, tidy house,

I have a little tidy house,

With the wind blowing to its door each morning.

Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho

With the wind blowing to its door each morning.

Open the door a little bit, a little bit, a little bit,

Open the door a little bit

So that I can see the sea and the waves. 

Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho

So that I can see the sea and the waves.

And here I'll be, happy and content,

Happy and content, happy and content,

And here I'll be, happy and content,

With the wind blowing to its door each morning.

Hei di ho, di hei di dei di ho

With the wind blowing to its door each morning.

“Go wash your hands and face Llanw then we can eat lunch. I made us seaweed soup with vegetables and currant cakes for dessert” Grandmother said softly.

After lunch the dishes washed by Grandfather and dried by Grandmother who put them away the two f them sat down to have a pipe while Llanw sorted his treasures at his little table.

Grandmother said: ” Shanaya is back and protecting our grandson. He is only five but I do worry about him out there on the beach all alone. There are not many families out there during the weekdays.”

“ Shanaya looks like a beautiful and kind girl on the outside but don't be fooled. She can turn on you if she doesn't care for you especially if you eat the animals from the sea.” said Grandfather.

“We do not take from the sea any living animals. We just have the vegetables from the sea that Shanaya said we could take. Arame, Nori, Kombu, Wakame, Dulse, Agar, Kelp, Sea Lettuce,Ogonori  and many more fine plants. When she saved our son many years ago we promised her we would never eat her sea friends and we have kept our word.: said Grandmother.

Llanw continued to play on the beach every summer holiday he spent with his Tad grand and Mam mawr. His parents were visiting other countries r in the islands but they never cam to see the grandparents for very long. GARTH, Llanw's father was the only son of the grandparents and as a child he also played on the beach but not as much as Llanw as Garth preferred to ride pony on the beach or immerse himself in books.

When the three months came to an end Llanw would carefully pick a few of his pebbles and shells then place them in a labeled and dated box to put on the shelf in Tad grand's garage.

The remaining he asked Tad grand and Mam mawr if there was a favorite for each of them and they each would pick one to remember him until next summer. The remaining he took back to the sea saying:

Good bye shells

So long pebbles

I must return you

back to the sea

to tumble and roll

to another child

that will enjoy

the beauty you

gave to Llanw

Shanaya came as close as she could t her little friend saying “ Your father liked to ride pony on the beach. I saw him riding often but he was afraid of me so chose to ignore the fact I was here to protect him from drowning in the sea. I am so happy to have spent this summer with you Llanw. You are not afraid, you are quite logical for a wee – un.”

“Thank you Shanaya I will be back next Holiday. Mam mawr wears her necklace and says to tell you that we still honor not eating your friends. I will draw pictures of my time here to remind me f the fun we had and I will share with Tad grand and Mam mawr.” spoke Llanw.

©Julia A Knaake

To some, a dragon's tail would be worth millions, maybe even billions of dollars. Being able to possess the tail of a creature that we thought didn't even exist, how could someone not charge large sums of money for that?

But for my younger self, the show Dragon Tales was priceless. It may not have been the tail of one of these beasts, but to me, it was of equivalent value. To my child like self, it possibly was worth even more than an actual dragon's tail would ever be.