Twiglet

Twiglet — I’m Tired of Being a Pussy

Fandango9 Comments

I don’t want to feel scared anymore. I don’t want to be afraid of my shadow. I’m tired of being timid. I’ve got to stop choosing flight over fight all the time. I’m a wimp. I’m gutless. I let people walk all over me, as if I’m a doormat. It’s got to stop! I don’t want to be a pussy anymore.

I want to be a wolf. An alpha wolf, the leader of the pack. A warrior, a wild, ferocious epitome of masculinity. I will be aggressive, savage. I want to howl at the moon and for people to shake in fear at the sound.

Here’s the new me. Hear me howl!

Written for Misky’s Twiglet, which is “to be a wolf.”

The Thin Veil of Silence

Fandango22 Comments

In the stillness of the night
A silence so thin, so slight
It hangs in the air like a veil
Whispering secrets, telling tales

It’s a silence that’s hard to define
But it’s there, oh, so sublime
It’s a hush that’s almost palpable
A quiet so calm, so comfortable

It’s a silence that’s full of meaning
A pause in the chaos, intervening
It’s a moment to catch your breath
To contemplate life and its breadth

In the thin silence, we find peace
A moment that brings us release
Though it may be fleeting and brief
It brings us calmness, brings us relief.

Written for Misky’s Twiglet prompt using the words “thin silence.”

Note from Fandango: Lest you think I have suddenly turned into a decent poet, I have a confession to make. I did not write this poem. I was struggling with this prompt, “thin silence,” and was thinking about writing something having to do with the thin silence of tinnitus, but I was coming up empty. So just for giggles and grins, I opened up a ChatGPT AI app called Genie, typed, “Write a poem about thin silence,” and the above poem is what the app created. I was actually impressed with the poem and decided to use it in my response to Misky’s prompt. Then I went to Bing Image Creator and typed in, “Thin silence,” and the image it created is at the top of this post. I was also impressed with the image Bing created.

Just so you know, I will never publish a post generated by AI and claim it to be my work. And I will never post an image that is AI generated without saying so.

I Need It To Be Worth It

Fandango2 Comments

“Congressman, you’re going to be facing an uphill battle trying to get this environmental bill passed given the opposition to it coming from the other party. How are you planning to do it?” The reporter asked.

“I am hoping that there are a few members on the other side of the aisle who understand the long term stakes of doing nothing,” the congressman said. “I think I may be able to twist a few arms.”

“It certainly won’t be easy, Congressman, to break what up to now has been a united front,” the reporter said.

The congressman gave the reporter a happy nod. “I don’t need it to be easy,” he said. “I need it to be worth it.”

Written for Athling2001’s The JSW Prompt, where the challenge is to write a post including this sentence: “I don’t need it to be easy, I need it to be worth it.” Also for Misky’s Twiglet, where the phrase is “happy nod.”

Twiglet — Rain-beaten Stones

Fandango14 Comments

The rain-beaten stones seem to glow in the dim light of dusk, their surfaces pockmarked with tiny craters.

Each stone is unique in size and shape, each with its own patterns of craters and indentations. Some are smooth and unblemished. Others scarred and pitted from years of weathering.

I wonder what secrets these mottled stones hold. Are they symbols of resilience and endurance? Or are they evidence of the decay that time and the elements impose?

Written for for Misky’s Twiglet for the phrase, “rain-beaten stones.” Image credit: AI Art.

Twiglet — Not What She Was Expecting

Fandango14 Comments

“He Just called and wants to meet me at the bar after work today,” Amanda told her coworker, Sally. “What do you think it means?”

“It probably means he wants to have a drink with you after work today,” Sally said, laughing.

“Stop it, Sally,” Amanda said, “I’m serious. Brad and I have been going out for four months and I feel like things between us have stalled.”

“Four months is not that long, Amanda,” Sally said. “But maybe you should come right out and ask him where he sees your relationship heading. If he leans over and gives you a kiss on the cheek, that will speak volumes.”

A few hours later, Amanda walked into bar, spotted Brad at a table, and headed over to him. Brad stood up and greeted Amanda with a kiss on the cheek.

Amanda started to cry. “Sally was right. After four wonderful months you’re blowing me off.” She turned around and started to run out of the bar, but Brad caught up with her.

“Amanda, wait,” he said grabbing her arm and turning her around. “I’m not blowing you off. Not even close.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small square box. He flipped it open, got down on one knee, handed the box to her and said, “Make me the happiest man on Earth and say yes.”

Written for for Misky’s Twiglet for the phrase, “kiss on the cheek.”