This meme was started by Delores a long time ago. Week after week she provided us with challenging prompts. Computer issues led her to bow out for a while and I took over. When Delores' absence looked like being more permanent I begged and cajoled for other volunteers to share providing the prompts, and Words for Wednesday became a movable feast. Delores discontinued her blog for a while, but she has returned, and we are grateful..
Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write. Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image. What we do with those prompts is up to us: a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore... We can use some or all of the prompts. I have
Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog. I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
This month the prompts I will be providing the prompts here. The prompts will be here next month too, but will be provided by Margaret Adamson and her friend Sue Fulton. Her prompts will include photographs taken by her friend Bill.
As always, I am hunting for more people to challenge us. Delores and River have volunteered, and I have an extra month of prompts from Margaret et al, but would like more. If you are able to play please let me know in the comments (including which month would suit you best).
This week's prompts are:
- agile
- blast
- cacophony
- desire
- eager
- flirt
And/or
- ground
- hidden
- injury
- jealous
- kindliness
- lament
And this week an image as well which you can use or ignore
Feeling sorry for myself about my recent injury to my hand ground into broken glass. I couldn't help but feel I was being punished for my jealous feelings of my friend about her new boat, especially when she showed such kindliness at my throbbing hand.
ReplyDeleteOh darn I forgot to say the glass was hidden in the grass.
ReplyDeleteLinda Starr: Karma? It certainly sounds like it.
DeleteAnother good selection. The brain is spinning.
ReplyDeleteonly slightly confused: I am looking foward to seeing where it stops.
DeleteA yaghts reflection, I am keep my eyes on you!
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: Nothing to see here... move along.
DeleteAnd the page opens....
ReplyDelete"“Oh! God! I’m not the JEALOUS kind! I never have been, but it’s been a constant LAMENT of mine – ever since we were in high school! At first I treated it as a bit of innocent fun, but Jodi just can’t help herself! Why does she have to FLIRT with every man she meets?”
“You know Jodi. You’ve known her as long as I have, Frankie. She means no harm, She never has.” I replied loudly in an effort to be heard over the CACOPHONY of noisy seagulls that had suddenly made their presence known as they descended on the GROUND below the balcony upon which we stood.
Simultaneously, a strong BLAST of wind rattled the plate-glass window behind us. A storm of another kind was brewing, it seemed.
“Grrrr! For too long I’ve HIDDEN my DESIRE to lash out and cause INJURY; and I’ve never been violent, ever, in my life! I don’t know if I can restrain myself any longer!” Frankie continued, unable to contain her frustration over our friend Jodi’s behaviour.
EAGER to diffuse the situation before things got out of hand – Jodi was due to arrive any minute - my normally AGILE mind spun into overdrive. I knew I had to be subtle, but firm in the way I dealt with the problem. I could see Frankie was at the end of her tether.
I was aware of the harsh childhood Jodi had experienced. She had confided in me more than she had with anyone else. It was my belief the facade she’d created, the walls she’d put up around herself, was her way of coping with her secret suffering.
I also recognised and valued highly her KINDLINESS and warmth towards the elderly, animals and those worse off than herself.
Jodi might be a flirt, but she meant no harm. Her compassion eclipsed her annoying, childish trait."
Lee: Poor Jodi. Sometimes those walls to protect us prevent people from getting through.
DeleteI see a solid hour of talking down the anger in Frankie to a level where she can speak calmly to Jodi. Perhaps it's time for a three-way heart to heart so Frankie understands Jodi better.
DeleteIt was an agile stance
ReplyDeleteWhich caused a blast of a cacophony of feelings.
Hence we might understand what kindled my desire.
I was eager to flirt.
Martin Kloess: And from all I have read, you were a skilled flirt too.
DeleteDrift,
ReplyDeletesoar,
fly.
Before the bars can define and confine you,
and before that shadow claims the light.
Oooh! I LOVE it. Well done.
DeleteBrad listened to the cacophony of voices raised to lament the state of the world and inwardly sneered. Jealous know nothings. They are not the ones with the injury and have no grounds for complaint
ReplyDeleteKindliness? Pah. Wasted energy. If you are really eager to reach the top you need to be agile, let others flirt with popular causes and keep your true agenda hidden.
Which they will realise when he blasts past them all and owns the company...
Whooohooo! And up the ladder Brad soars without a backward glance...taking no prisoners along the way!
DeleteThese are both great, EC. :)
Lee: Sadly the Brads of this world thrive.
DeleteDoes unfeeling Brad have a cousin with weird hair?
DeleteHow can someone as sweet and caring as you depict such a misguided creep so well? Must be talent...
DeleteHave a super weekend.
Susan, has a great point.
DeleteUnfortunately, you depicted a healthy or should I say wealthy chunk of the populace.
Ooh...that photo. Hard to find the words...
ReplyDeleteSandi: Lots of possibility there isn't there.
Deletecacophany? I haven't heard or even read that word in years. I'll get right on that and see what I can do. Love the boat window image.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I am looking forward (as always) to your creation.
DeleteExcellent words and photo. Fraught with possibilities!
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: I hope you are feeling well enough to join us again.
DeleteIf only I was agile enough to get away from the blast and the cacophony of the sounds near by.
ReplyDeleteReally rather eager and have great desire to move onward and upwards. If I was to flirt with the vicar, he might help me to move....
Silly me :)
Margaret-whiteangel: Not silly at all. Flirting with the vicar sounds like a good idea.
DeleteI am jealous of nature in your country love from sunny Europe
ReplyDeleteGosia k: There is a lot about your country which I envy.
DeleteShe looked through the door window as the last visitor departed and tried to remember who even came by the house. The entire day had been a blur and if not for the kindliness of everyone she wasn't sure she could have made it through the day. Had it really been just a few hours since her love was buried in the ground. The past two days had been filled with shock, grief and yearning for things to be like they used to be instead of what they were. She found herself jealous of the moments of time together she had taken for granted, believing they had years and years before having to face a situation like this. Now adding insult to injury, she had nothing left but time, lots and lots of time, alone, without her lifetime love to cry, grieve and lament in solidarity.
ReplyDeleteThey all remarked how well she was holding up. She was always a master of keeping her feelings well hidden, but now everyone was gone and she was left by herself to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. She locked the door, pressed her face to the glass and peered out at her empty world with wet cheeks, a smushed nose and a broken heart.
Anne in the kitchen: This is powerful, sad and not uncommon. Feelings kept under wraps are a long, long way away from having no feelings.
DeleteOMGosh, how sad and intense.
DeleteKudos. Well written.
Hi EC - it's wonderful how people can write up interesting scenes and ideas from your words for Wednesday ... fun to read ... them - I'm bowing out this week ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: It is fun (and amazing) to see where the same prompts take different people. Hopefully you will join us again next week.
DeleteI wish I wren better at doing these things. My stuff has to percolate before it comes out :(
ReplyDeleteRick Watson: Not a problem. I think many of us require percolation time.
DeleteToo early for my brain to engage, but the photo could spur the imagination. Looking forward to reading the results of today's prompts.
ReplyDeleteMason Canyon: There are (as always) some beauties.
DeleteOne of these days I am going to join in. Sounds so much fun :)
ReplyDeleteDenise inVa: I look forward to the day when you do join in. It is fun.
DeleteMy short story is scheduled for Friday, it isn't another chapter in Tom's story, I'm still working on that.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I am looking forward to it - but feel a bit guilty that this weeks prompts didn't suit the Tom story.
DeleteIt's just taking me a bit longer to work in a couple of them. Chapter 8 is well under way.
DeleteRiver: Thank you for setting my guilt at rest.
DeleteWish I could participate today but we have visitors and are headed out for an excursion. Great lists! Take care, EC.
ReplyDeleteMarie Smith: Have fun on your excursion and with your visitors. Next week will be here soon enough.
DeleteThe image is a killer! Some amazing flashes up here already!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to get myself some coffee and see where the words take me...be back later.
The Babbler - he does love CACOPHONY
Deletebut his brain’s not too AGILE
he doesn’t believe in ceremony
though he’s partial to company
his ego’s fat and fragile.
But he’s a friendly, hospitable sort
and it’s mean to call him a FLIRT
just because his digits have sometimes sought
EAGER pathways up a skirt.
And all he DESIRES is to be friends
let bygones be bygones, they’re past -
win old enemies over to his end
show them his digs and have a BLAST.
Wherefore this constant worry and LAMENT?
really nobody has any GROUNDS
the first mistakes… at any event
folks must learn to be more lenient
why all this fury and sound?
Why do they overthink all things always
and look for HIDDEN agendas
adding insult to INJURY is not the way -
KINDLINESS for first offenders!
They’re just JEALOUS that is why
they keep at it again and again
In time they will come to realise
to have an agenda requires a brain.
Couldn't work the image in - upsetting! because I do like it so much :(
You painted a great picture of The Babbler;)
DeleteNilanjana Bose: Loved your take on the Babbler. Mind you, I don't think he is a first offender.
DeleteEC, first time offending from that particular perch. :)
DeleteNilanjana Bose: My mistake - he seemed so practised...
DeleteGreat words. Maybe I can participate on Sunday...
ReplyDeleteGranny Annie: Oh good. Looking forward to your creation.
DeleteHave fun!
ReplyDeleteCloudia: Thank you.
DeleteLast week worked so well in a single sentence... Shall we see if I can do it again?
ReplyDeleteI glide like and agile eagle, despite the blast of the wind, intent on burgeoning a cacophony of desire, this eager need please the flirting girls in the front row of our track meet.
Crystal Collier: Wow. I wouldn't have thought it possible...
DeleteHere's mine for this week;
ReplyDeletehttp://jannghi.blogspot.com/2017/05/words-for-wednesday-3.html
I really like this idea. It reminds me of a writing exercise I have used--drawing words out of a grab bag to use in a story, poem, narrative, etc. My friend calls then fortune cookie words because of how I write then on thin pieces of paper, in the size of the paper used for fortune cookie messages. I was doing a creative writing class at work, but it fizzled out because of a lack of participation :(
Jamie Ghione: I really liked your take. Thank you for playing.
DeleteI tried, but I've got nothing for this one (at least nothing that would be short and fit here...haha)
ReplyDeleteRobert Bennett: There will be other weeks, and other words...
DeleteThat photo is really evocative. Definitely story material.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Where would it take you...
DeleteA murder mystery in the heartland.....
DeleteClouds always make a great picture. And the reflected blue, nice! I need to get back to these challenges. Someday soon, I hope!
ReplyDeleteYolanda Renee: I hope you can too. As I hope to get back to yours and Denise's much more substantive challenges.
Deleteagile
ReplyDeleteblast
cacophony
desire
eager
flirt
Deafening cacophony of bombs. That is how it seems to me now, down the years. The blast cut through the urban silence where young women and men used to flirt endlessly leaving behind a trail of mangled limbs. The desire to please his superior had led the sergeant to drop the most powerful bomb on the unsuspecting civilians. Eager to please and equally eager to kill.
Greetings from London.
A Cuban in London: Sadly true. And why, oh why does pleasing a superior involve death and destruction.
DeleteOh my gosh. This was really intense. Wonderfully worded.
DeleteI did think I may join in ... but my mind is a blank.
ReplyDeleteGood to read the others though.
All the best Jan
Lowcarb team member ~ Jan: I hope that next week's words are better for your creativity. And yes, it IS fun to read what people come up with.
DeleteHappy Writing, Gang!
ReplyDeleteThe Happy Whisk: Thank you. I had fun, and hope others did too.
DeleteI know you had told me once before how to embed a link into a comment, but I've misplaced that email so here is my link as it is: http://lettingthewordsescape.blogspot.com/2017/05/words-for-wednesday.html
ReplyDeleteCindi Summerlin: I have been, I have read, I enjoyed. Thank you.
DeleteMakes for interesting reading when the sun is shining outside. Great weather that makes everything come alive. There are great contributions, showing imaginitive stories. Just what I need on a day like today.
ReplyDeleteTreey Stynes: Lovely to see you here. There are some WONDERFUL contributions aren't there?
DeleteI read these contributions. Great! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove Affair with Food: They are fun aren't they?
DeleteFantastic image!
ReplyDeleteLady Fi: Thank you.
DeleteEach day I find something new. Saw yours today. Well written and scarily true.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Thank you. I love reading the directions that the prompts take people. Sometimes similar, often very, very different.
DeleteThat's fun that there is an image included too. I don't remember seeing that before. I do realize it could have always included one and I just didn't notice. I tend to do things like that from time to time. ;)
ReplyDeletemail4rosey: The images are not always included, so don't feel bad about 'not noticing'. Including them was a Margaret Adamson initiative, and there WILL be images next month I am pretty sure.
DeleteJust dropping by to say hello! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteTerri @ Coloring Outside the Lines: Thank you. I hope your weekend is also lovely.
DeleteHad a busy week and an all day book event yesterday a couple hours away, so I am tired. While I am sipping my coffee I enjoyed reading what other wrote, but don't have the quick wit today to participate. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
DMS ~ Jess: I am not surprised you are tired, and glad that you enjoyed the contributions others made. I hope the book even went really well.
DeleteHere's mine. It was fun thank you.
ReplyDeletehttps://muttonyearsstyleandi.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/a-twinset-in-richmond-er-kingston.html?m=1