For this weeks Flash Friday I wanted to try something a little different. We had 200 words, but instead of writing a straight up story this week I tried my hand at some poetry. Note that there’s an extra verse in the version posted below as I don’t have to stick to the strict word limit for my blog, but I had to remove it for my official submission to get the right word count. Here’s the picture prompt:
Capbreton. Photo courtesy of Makunin, @ Pixabay
Beside the Sea
We first met upon the beach,
I saw him give his famous speech,
He shared the news of his poor health,
And spoke of the urge to share his wealth.
I snuck past guards to talk to him,
It was a young and foolish whim,
I asked for money to buy some food,
He smiled and said, “how very rude.”
I thought he meant my forwardness,
But he had more and I had less,
If you don’t ask then you don’t get,
I didn’t care that we’d just met.
He said, “Please tell me, what’s your name?”
I lied to him and said, “It’s Jane.”
He said, “You’re lying, but I don’t mind.
You’ve caught me when I’m feeling kind.”
“I had a daughter just like you.
I worked so hard I barely knew.
Then one day she ran away.
If I’d been home she might have stayed.”
I felt bad for his heart ache,
But it didn’t fill my empty stomach,
I turned to leave here even thinner,
He said, “Come inside and have some dinner.”
He took me in, gave me a home,
The only one I’ve ever known,
I stayed until he passed away,
Then I moved out, I couldn’t stay.
It was his final gift to me,
His giant house beside the sea,
But like his frail and weathered frame,
It crumbled never to rise again.
