Magpie Photo Prompt #109 - Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison
He tried in vain to regain a slice of sanity. She was gone. He thought of her in her plastic clogs, rusty shovel in loamy hand, poking at the empty rows that were once her garden. He wondered how nature could be so cruel to her, innocent and mercurial, her knarled fingers unable to stave off the inevitable. The weeds and upstarts had conspired against her in an all-out attempt to rid her of their space. Her faded beauty had perished with her and the earth lay fallow before him. He hated the garden. He loathed nature. He despised the ticking of time. He relented for one moment and the madness swallowed him again.
Visit my friends at Magpie Tales to see other prose and poetry for this photo:
Laurel. Cultivate Happiness!
Cool take, Laurel!
ReplyDeleteThank you JC.
DeleteYou've created several metaphors in so few sentences. Read it several times they, and the back stories swallow my imagination! Excellent !
ReplyDeleteRick
Thank you Rick...the photo is totally intriguing, isn't it!
DeleteBeautiful prose piece, Laurel.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Laurie.
DeleteI am slowly reading it as i imagine someone is telling it to me with full of emotions... Love it!
ReplyDeleteJJRod'z
You got it!! Thanks for sharing!
DeleteJust excellent.
ReplyDelete=)
ahhh, shucks:) TYVM, Sue.
DeletePowerful stuff, Laurel...
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind:)
DeleteNice write...I love the garden tie-in...
ReplyDeleteThanks Tess...I couldn't get past the "time" element of the photo either...gears, garden... Love Mag and the opportunity to write what comes to mind. Laurel
ReplyDeletehe does look mad doing all that, doens't he?
ReplyDeleteangular acceleration
What other guy would sees gears in the ground??? LOL! Thanks for visiting. Laurel
Deletenice...i think the time element works well with this...and the garden...and def his feelings after losing her too...in that the slip to madness becomes and easy one...
ReplyDeletemmmm....spoken like a guy with some familiarity to loss:) Thanks for your kind words, Brian. Laurel
DeleteI like the way you went with this. The photo screamed time to me.
ReplyDeleteI too went out in the garden..... for the first time today (since winter) and raked up all the little gifts my dog had left. I totally understand the loathing ..... =D yes I do! Your response is so very expressive, with little nuances and heartwarming details. Thank you for sharing this sad tale of weeds and woe, Laurel.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda...I'm not much of a gardener myself, but I do always love one...could someone else just do it for me??? Ha. Ha. laurel
DeleteGreat imagery. This makes me want to know more by pulling me in. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mr. C. for your kind words.
DeleteWonderful...nicely written. I really enjoyed myself.
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
Thank you SueAnn for sharing your thoughts:)
DeleteYou brought the grieving man to life for me ... I felt his loss.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, Helen.
DeleteIt is hard to lose our abilities...
ReplyDeleteI agree...I broke my arm a couple of years ago, and I couldn't do anything. It gave me great sympathy with folks who deal with impairments their whole lives. Thanks for sharing, Kristen. Laurel
DeleteI liked this. You conveyed the man's feelings and grief as he struggled with the inevitable passing of time, and loss of his beloved.
ReplyDeleteGrief sometimes feels like "madness" as we struglle to deal with it. Thanks for sharing, Christine. Laurel
DeleteThat last line is killer Laurel....grief is a powerful thing.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Sister! Thanks so much Carrie. Laurel
DeleteThis is so eerily powerful; I can feel the guy's insanity creeping about between the lines, his grief overwhelming him, and that slash in the ground getting ready to swallow him ... very cool.
ReplyDeletehttp://nsaynne.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/the-rip/
Thank you Sharon. I appreciate your feedback very much. Must go check out yours:)
DeleteHaunting. Succinct. I loved it.
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