Fiction In A Flash Challenge Week #17 – Message
This is Fiction in a Flash Challenge Week #17. Each week Suzanne Burke will be featuring an image and inviting you to write a Flash Fiction or Non-Fiction piece inspired by that image in any format and genre of your choosing. Maximum word count: 750 words.
Here is the week #17 Image Prompt.
Message
A letter curled in the bottle of brown
Left adrift aimless in the open sea
Vessel reached the shore; no sailor drown
After floating miles away carrying English tea
~
Left adrift aimless in the open sea
Sparks echoed the shimmering sunbeam above
After floating miles away carrying English tea
A tug in a wandering heart yearning for love
~
Sparks echoed the shimmering sunbeam above
A gentle soul gazed upon the glittering wavy sea
A tug in a wandering heart yearning for love
The mysterious message begged to be free
~
A gentle soul gazed upon the glittering wavy sea
Vessel reached the shore; no sailor drown
The mysterious message begged to be free
from a letter curled in the bottle of brown
(Pantoum Poem)
~
Pantoum poem comprises a series of quatrains (stanzas) rhyming ABAB in which the second and fourth lines of a quatrain recur as the first and third lines in the next quatrain. Each quatrain introduces a new second rhyme as BCBC, CDCD. This pattern continues for many stanzas except the final stanza. The first line of the poem recurs as the last line of the closing stanza, and the third line of the poem is the second of the final stanza, rhyming ZAZA.
1 2 3 4
2 5 4 6
5 7 6 8
7 3 8 1
~
The Showers of Blessings 
So beautiful Miriam. I can feel your words. I also learned about a new type of poetry. 😊💖
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I appreciated your comment, Carla! The ending of the story was inspired by a real story I read ages ago. I’m glad you liked the poem. It kind of sums up how music helped me throughout the years. ❤ ❤
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A gentle poem that rocks like the waves it rides on…
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Miriam, this is exquisite. I never mastered even basic poetry. You’ve made the complicated rules of this form flow naturally. Well done. Hugs on the wing.
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I’m late in commenting, Miriam (playing catch up), but I loved this. The imagery is so vivid, and the flow beautiful.
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Thank you, Mae for your comment. I hope your feeling better. I saw your book review post, will read it today.
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Feeling much better, Miriam. Thanks! 🙂
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Good to hear that, Mae. 🙂
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Ooooh, Miriam. I love Pantoums. And they’re harder than they look, for me anyway. You did a beautiful job. I love the wistful feel of this.
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I know, Diana. The first stanza is hard to set the framework for the rest of the story. I had to revise it a few time to make the subsequent stanzas flow. Thank you.
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The air quality in Oregon is back to normal 😂, phew! Sooner than I thought.
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The rain has been wonderful.
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It’s good to hear that, Diana. My daughter and the kids went to a rock climbing gym. Autumn climbed 12 feet (top) by herself. It was their first time going to an indoor activities.
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My daughter and grandson climb too. I wonder if they cross paths. 🙂
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It must be a popular place. They might have.😉
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A very beautiful poem, Miriam. I felt the loneliness and hope.
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Aww, thank you, Kim.
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Nice one, Miriam! A floating bottle has many stories to tell.
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Yes, Pete. All the entries were in different directions of writing.
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A wonderful Pantoum, Miriam. Thanks for this contribution. I have just featured it on my blog. ❤
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Thank you, Soooz. I’ll check out once I get online. 💖
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Nice. I love the pattern.
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Beautiful Miriam. I loved the flow of this it reminded me of the ocean.
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Yes, I know this is more of the ocean than the beach. I’m pleased with the flow also. Thank you, Denise!
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What a beautiful poem, Miriam! A great response to the prompt!
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Yes, it is, Jan! This is one of the poem forms I like! I’d like to write more in this form again!
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A marvellous pantoum Miriam. Well done.
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Thank you, Peter. I’m glad you liked it.
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I thought I recognized the pantoum form! (I just couldn’t remember what it was called.) Your poem conveys the feelings evoked by a “message in a bottle” very effectively.
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Thank you, Liz. It is an interesting form like writing a story, and concludes with a “solution” to the problem presented in the beginning.
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You’re welcome, Miriam. I’ll have to read some more to get enough of a feel for the form to try it myself.
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Let me know when you tried it. I’d love to read it, Liz.
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Will do!
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🤗😊
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Well done, Miriam. I enjoyed reading your poem with it’s interesting structure.
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Yes, Norah, the structure is interesting. I’m glad you liked it.
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🙂
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I’ve always loved pantoums. So nice to see someone else enjoy the form. Beautifully done.
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It takes a little work for the first stanza so when it flows in the following stanzas. Thank you for your comment, Staci!
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Beautiful poem, Miriam.
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Thank you, Jill!
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A lovely poem, Miriam, perfect for this prompt.
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Thank you, Robbie. I may try this poem form again.
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This is so emotive, Miriam- beautiful ❤
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This is my mood this week, Jacquie! Hope people are safe from the fires. ❤
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