4.23.2009

Writer's Worshop, 4-23-09

Sure I haven't written anything in a while and my dreams (that are worth recording) don't seem to be happening. Yet Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop usually has a good prompt or two to get the creative juices flowing. I'm running with two prompts this week to make up for my slacker-ness.

Book Review: Scottish Ghosts

I've been reading a conglomeration of stories about Scottish ghosts recently. It's a well composed book, full of interesting stories written by Elliot O'Donnell (I think that's the authors name, I dont have the book in front of me right now.) The book contains different 'genres' of ghost stories, all historical accounts. Castles, battles, regular residences, holy places, and devil sightings are all covered within. It covers all kinds of ghosts too; the longing lost, jilted lovers, benevolent spirits, mad lords, and more malevolent spirits. It's definitely worth a read if you like good ghost stories based on historical accounts.


I'll never forget...

I'll never forget...
My late Grandmother's spirit
Her strength and her life

Now she lends her spirit
Across the island of Oahu
Scattered to Diamondhead

I'll never forget...
Someone who used to be close
How this world damaged you

Love that was once so bright
Shining like the burning sun
Only shadow remains

I'll never forget...
The animals of my childhood
Every dog, cat, and bird

Jingles, Buttons, Bear,
Sid Whiffle, Duchess, Reagan,
Poogy the Cheesepuff!

I'll never forget...
My life out in Pittsburgh
Wandering streets at 4 am

An empty city
These hollow concrete spires
Covered in ice, surreal

I'll never forget...
The roots of my existence
Where I have come from

And where I may go
Will always be tempered
By memory and experience

I'll never forget...
My desire to create
And move people's souls

Open their eyes
To ever-present possibilities
That life is more than consuming

4.02.2009

Writer's Workshop, 4-2-09

So I haven't written anything for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop for a while now. Sometimes I don't feel inspired to write, sometimes I'm just plain lazy. Either or, I'm back at the keys now. The prompt below tweaked my interest, so here we go.

Describe a moment when you felt afraid.

Pittsburgh. June of '98. Tornado.
I was living in Pittsburgh while going to college out there. (Art Institute of Pittsburgh, aw right!) I remember I had just gotten back from classes, took the Incline up Mt. Washington and walked back to my apartment. I had made a bowl of rigatoni and just sat down to eat when it got really, REALLY loud outside.

I went over to the window and peaked outside. I saw on the street below (apt. was on the second floor) a pick-up truck stopped at a stop sign, then a f@#$ing roof FELL on the pickup truck! He backed up quick and took off and I went ruinning into the center of the building downstairs. It sounded like there was a freight train everywhere. All around was this roaring sound. It scared nine shades of grey out of me.

Eventually the wind died down. My apt. building took minor damage. The chimney collapsed and some siding was ripped off. Just down the street, though, was a different story. The photo to the right is only a half a block away from where I lived. The tornado was a F1, "little" compared to other tornados. Still enough to rip the third floor off a couple homes though.