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#writingworkshops
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#prosepoetry
#flashfiction

"Masks are made of different kinds of material: cardboard, velvet, flesh, the Word. The carnal mask and the verbal mask are worn in all seasons.“ — #ClaudeCahun

This quote is the theme for Issue 6 of #ExistOtherwise #LitJournal, which is available for you to read at

https://existotherwise.cc/issue-6-jul-23/

#poetry #CNF #fiction #essays #photography #flash #ProsePoetry #prose

Cherry blossoms. Starry nights.
Your hands. My heart.

The spectre of your love haunts me,
coating every single moment in a veil of catastrophe.
What a devastating mess you’ve left in your wake.

Time heals, but not completely.
Leaving us fractured and delicate and weary,
just enough to prod the memories of those fleeting moments.

Under the same stars. Pink blossoms swirl.
My empty hands. Your lonely heart.

#ProsePoetry #MyWords #poem

(Originally posted this on my writing account, but reposting here for vibes.)

Issue 6 of #ExistOtherwise #LitJournal is live...

https://existotherwise.cc/issue-6-jul-23/

#poetry #scripts #cnf #hybrid #ProsePoetry #ExperimentalWriting #photography #BlackAndWhite #ClaudeCahun #WritingCommunity

Today's #love #poem is almost a #prose poem.
#LovePoem #ProsePoem #LovePoetry #ProsePoetry #poetry #poems

A careful camera takes note of the placid symmetries of a gated house.
#Dadaist #CollagePoem #DadaistProsePoem #DadaistPoetry #DadaistPoem #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #Dadaism #Dada #Poetry

#Dadaist #ProsePoem: Algorithm says. #DadaistProsePoem #DadaistPoetry #DadaistPoem #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #Dadaism #Dada #Poetry

#Dadaist #ProsePoem:Knot Five. #DadaistProsePoem #DadaistPoetry #DadaistPoem #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #Dadaism #Dada #Poetry

#Dadaist #ProsePoem:Knot Five. #DadaistProsePoem #DadaistPoetry #Dadaist #Poem #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry

#Dadaist #ProsePoem:Knot Five. #DadaistProsePoem #DadaistPoetry #Dadaist #Poem #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry

[A Dog, A God; A Stray, astray]

.

Where the sun rises from endless waves and, after crossing the sky, settles into endless waves on the other side, and then three more days onward with full sails; a broke and breaking sloop, solo crewed by a grizzled wisp, lost the breeze at last.

[-]

The sea was as glass here, hidden from even the wind itself; where none but the lost could ever find.
As the sun set, off in the wrong distance, the wisp tried the tautness of a thick rope stretched across the deck to the anchor release.
Then they climbed overboard, along a frayed fishing net, and grabbed onto the huge anchor dangling above the still water.
As they lashed their legs and waist to the anchor, and slashed the line, they looked not at the sky or ship, just the taut rope and their knife.

[-]

The rope, under such tension, snapped from strain as much as blade, and gears spun suddenly free in the ship's belly; thunderous echoes right before the crash into the silence of the sea.

[-]

Light loses itself quickly in the ocean; rushing in just under the surface and then everywhere but the depths still unknown and unseen. The anchor was not directionless, and dove hard for dark.

[-]

Out of the deep, into the boldest light, rushed a gaping maw; chain caught by snapping jaws, and the one track course reversed. Anchor and its passenger rose faster then they'd fallen, into the cool sea air, and returned to rest on the rickety deck of their sloop.

[-]

Sitting up, and grasping the chains about their legs, the now drenched wisp spits saltwater and shakes their long wet hair free of their face to look out, and then up, at an immense dog's head, draped in seaweed and starfishes, rising up from the sea into the twilight sky.

[-]

Only the waves murmur in the pause as the two meet each other's gaze, and the wisp, though quietly, speaks first

Wisp- who are you
HUGE Dog- some type of sea god clearly
Wisp- are sea gods usually dogs?
HUGE Dog- am i a dog?
Wisp- well you make Clifford look like a chihuahua but yeah you look like a dog
HUGE Dog- looks are deceiving
Wisp- that's true... what's your name?
HUGE Dog- idk, no one has ever asked before
Wisp- is it Poseidon, that was a sea gods name
HUGE Dog- ew no
Wisp- what about Davy Jones, do you have a locker?
HUGE Dog- no and no
Wisp- Neptune?

The ocean dog god howls, spraying seawater and drool across the deck

Neptune- that rings like whale song, that is my name... what is your name?
Wisp- I'm just a sea dog, an ocean stray.
Neptune- SeaDog is a good name, you wear it well.
SeaDog- alright Neptune well could you do me a favor and drop this anchor back where you found it?
Neptune- why would I do that? I saw you the first time, you are terrible at breathing under water. What if I get you off that anchor and we go traveling?
SeaDog-... to where?
Neptune- who cares
SeaDog...what will we do?
Neptune- be there together.
SeaDog- shit, im in

[-]

any wave,
under any sky,
in any storm,
no reason why,
i could stay,
on deck at your side.

#writing
#ProsePoetry
#grief
#2ndDrafts

[A Dog, A God; A Stray, astray]

.

Where the sun rises from endless waves and, after crossing the sky, settles into endless waves on the other side, and then three more days onward with full sails; a broke and breaking sloop, solo crewed by a grizzled wisp, lost the breeze at last.

[-]

The sea was as glass here, hidden from even the wind itself; where none but the lost could ever find.
As the sun set, off in the wrong distance, the wisp tried the tautness of a thick rope stretched across the deck to the anchor release.
Then they climbed overboard, along a frayed fishing net, and grabbed onto the huge anchor dangling above the still water.
As they lashed their legs and waist to the anchor, and slashed the line, they looked not at the sky or ship, just the taut rope and their knife.

[-]

The rope, under such tension, snapped from strain as much as blade, and gears spun suddenly free in the ship's belly; thunderous echoes right before the crash into the silence of the sea.

[-]

Light loses itself quickly in the ocean; rushing in just under the surface and then everywhere but the depths still unknown and unseen. The anchor was not directionless, and dove hard for dark.

[-]

Out of the deep, into the boldest light, rushed a gaping maw; chain caught by snapping jaws, and the one track course reversed. Anchor and its passenger rose faster then they'd fallen, into the cool sea air, and returned to rest on the rickety deck of their sloop.

[-]

Sitting up, and grasping the chains about their legs, the now drenched wisp spits saltwater and shakes their long wet hair free of their face to look out, and then up, at an immense dog's head, draped in seaweed and starfishes, rising up from the sea into the twilight sky.

[-]

Only the waves murmur in the pause as the two meet each other's gaze, and the wisp, though quietly, speaks first

Wisp- who are you
HUGE Dog- some type of sea god clearly
Wisp- are sea gods usually dogs?
HUGE Dog- am i a dog?
Wisp- well you make Clifford look like a chihuahua but yeah you look like a dog
HUGE Dog- looks are deceiving
Wisp- that's true... what's your name?
HUGE Dog- idk, no one has ever asked before
Wisp- is it Poseidon, that was a sea gods name
HUGE Dog- ew no
Wisp- what about Davy Jones, do you have a locker?
HUGE Dog- no and no
Wisp- Neptune?

The ocean dog god howls, spraying seawater and drool across the deck

Neptune- that rings like whale song, that is my name... what is your name?
Wisp- I'm just a sea dog, an ocean stray.
Neptune- SeaDog is a good name, you wear it well.
SeaDog- alright Neptune well could you do me a favor and drop this anchor back where you found it?
Neptune- why would I do that? I saw you the first time, you are terrible at breathing under water. What if I get you off that anchor and we go traveling?
SeaDog-... to where?
Neptune- who cares
SeaDog...what will we do?
Neptune- be there together.
SeaDog- shit, im in

[-]

any wave,
under any sky,
in any storm,
no reason why,
i could stay,
on deck by your side.

#writing
#ProsePoetry
#grief

[A Dog, A God; A Stray, astray]

.

Where the sun rises from endless waves and, after crossing the sky, settles into endless waves on the other side, and then three more days onward with full sails; a broke and breaking sloop, solo crewed by a grizzled wisp, lost the breeze at last.

[-]

The sea was as glass here, hidden from even the wind itself; where none but the lost could ever find.
As the sun set, off in the wrong distance, the wisp tried the tautness of a thick rope stretched across the deck to the anchor release.
Then they climbed overboard, along a frayed fishing net, and grabbed onto the huge anchor dangling above the still water.
As they lashed their legs and waist to the anchor, and slashed the line, they looked not at the sky or ship, just the taut rope and their knife.

[-]

The rope, under such tension, snapped from strain as much as blade, and gears spun suddenly free in the ship's belly; thunderous echoes right before the crash into the silence of the sea.

[-]

Light loses itself quickly in the ocean; rushing in just under the surface and then everywhere but the depths still unknown and unseen. The anchor was not directionless, and dove hard for dark.

[-]

Out of the deep, into the boldest light, rushed a gaping maw; chain caught by snapping jaws, and the one track course reversed. Anchor and its passenger rose faster then they'd fallen, into the cool sea air, and returned to rest on the rickety deck of their sloop.

[-]

Sitting up, and grasping the chains about their legs, the now drenched wisp spits saltwater and shakes their long wet hair free of their face to look out, and then up, at an immense dog's head, draped in seaweed and starfishes, rising up from the sea into the twilight sky.

[-]

Only the waves murmur in the pause as the two meet each other's gaze, and the wisp, though quietly, speaks first

Wisp- who are you
HUGE Dog- some type of sea god clearly
Wisp- are sea gods usually dogs?
HUGE Dog- am i a dog?
Wisp- well you make Clifford look like a chihuahua but yeah you look like a dog
HUGE Dog- looks are deceiving
Wisp- that's true... what's your name?
HUGE Dog- idk, no one has ever asked before
Wisp- is it Poseidon, that was a sea gods name
HUGE Dog- ew no
Wisp- what about Davy Jones, do you have a locker?
HUGE Dog- no and no
Wisp- Neptune?

The ocean dog god howls, spraying seawater and drool across the deck

Neptune- that rings like whale song, that is my name... what is your name?
Wisp- I'm just a sea dog, an ocean stray.
Neptune- SeaDog is a good name, you wear it well.
SeaDog- alright Neptune well could you do me a favor and drop this anchor back where you found it?
Neptune- why would I do that? I saw you the first time, you are terrible at breathing under water. What if I get you off that anchor and we go traveling?
SeaDog-... to where?
Neptune- who cares
SeaDog...what will we do?
Neptune- be there together.
SeaDog- shit, im in

[-]

any wave,
under any sky,
in any storm,
no reason why,
i could stay,
on deck by your side.

#writing
#ProsePoetry
#grief

[A Dog, A God; A Stray, astray]

.

Where the sun rises from endless waves and, after crossing the sky, settles into endless waves on the other side, and then three more days onward with full sails; a broke and breaking sloop, solo crewed by a grizzled wisp, lost the breeze at last.

[-]

The sea was as glass here, hidden from even the wind itself; where none but the lost could ever find.
As the sun set, off in the wrong distance, the wisp tried the tautness of a thick rope stretched across the deck to the anchor release.
Then they climbed overboard, along a frayed fishing net, and grabbed onto the huge anchor dangling above the still water.
As they lashed their legs and waist to the anchor, and slashed the line, they looked not at the sky or ship, just the taut rope and their knife.

[-]

The rope, under such tension, snapped from strain as much as blade, and gears spun suddenly free in the ship's belly; thunderous echoes right before the crash into the silence of the sea.

[-]

Light loses itself quickly in the ocean; rushing in just under the surface and immediately losing it's way. The depths it won't reach are unknown and unseen, but the anchor was not directionless and plummeted directly into the dark.

[-]

Out of the dark, in the last of the boldest light, rushed a gaping maw; chain caught by snapping jaws, and the one track course reversed. Anchor and its passenger rose through water and light, then into the cool sea air, returned to rest on the rickety deck of their sloop.

[-]

Sitting up, and grasping the chains about their legs, the now drenched wisp spits saltwater and shakes their long wet hair free of their face to look out, and then up, at an immense dog's head, draped in seaweed and starfishes, rising up from the sea into the twilight sky.

[-]

Only the waves murmur in the pause as the two meet each other's gaze, and the wisp, though quietly, speaks first

Wisp- who are you
HUGE Dog- some type of sea god clearly
Wisp- are sea gods usually dogs?
HUGE Dog- am i a dog?
Wisp- well you make Clifford look like a chihuahua but yeah you look like a dog
HUGE Dog- looks are deceiving
Wisp- that's true... what's your name?
HUGE Dog- idk, no one has ever asked before
Wisp- is it Poseidon, that was a sea gods name
HUGE Dog- ew no
Wisp- what about Davy Jones, do you have a locker?
HUGE Dog- no and no
Wisp- Neptune?

The ocean dog god howls, spraying seawater and drool across the deck

Neptune- that rings like whale song, that is my name... what is your name?
Wisp- I'm just a sea dog, an ocean stray.
Neptune- SeaDog is a good name, you wear it well.
SeaDog- alright Neptune well could you do me a favor and drop this anchor back where you found it?
Neptune- why would I do that? I saw you the first time, you are terrible at breathing under water. What if I get you off that anchor and we go traveling?
SeaDog-... to where?
Neptune- who cares
SeaDog...what will we do?
Neptune- be there together.
SeaDog- shit, im in

[-]

any wave,
under any sky,
in any storm,
no reason why,
i could stay,
on deck by your side.

#writing
#ProsePoetry
#grief

#DadaistProsePoem ~ MA IS PLAYING MAH JONG
#Dadaist #DadaistPoetry #Dadaism #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #CollagePoem #Poem #Poetry

#DadaistProsePoem ~ Deep in The Earth
#Dadaist #DadaistPoetry #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #Poem #Poetry

#DadaistProsePoem ~ Deep in The Earth
#Dadaist #DadaistPoetry #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #Poem #Poetry

#DadaistProsePoem ~ I am Tucson's
#Dadaist #DadaistPoetry #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #Poem #Poetry

SUNDAY MORNING

“Rather than place an object of desire into a box, the thrill of ownership dissipating into familiarity, I would make you unbox yourself. For everything that surrounds you to be suddenly apparent. The suburb transfigured by fog or the low winter sun. The wide fraternity of the living and the grudgeless dead. A pinprick spotlight specks the vast rule of time. Sunday morning.”

#ClockCard #poem #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #unboxing #sunday

HUSK DADDY

“Being a Dad is great. It means that I have permission from the cosmos to be a bitter begrudging husk of a human. To stew in the acrid soup of my dashed aspirations and murmur dry-throated lamentations for my freeze-dried virility before my kids shuffle into the room and love just erupts, blasts my skull and ribs to smithereens before I drop them to school, cool off, become a husk again.”

#ClockCard #poem #ProsePoem #ProsePoetry #fatherhood