In the street of the sky night walks scattering poems
— by e.e. cummings, from “IX- Impressions”
“In the street of the sky night walks scattering poems. Dawn will write a new one soon,” she said that night as we walked, arm in arm, our necks craned, looking up, bare feet scuffling the uneven gravel path that silenced to sand. Beach grass wind-sighed yet was drowned in the roar of stampeding waves pawing at the shore.
“We’ll jump on our sky ponies’ backs and lasso them,” I said while spinning around to face her, pulling her into my arms. We embraced as if it were the last time. And it was.
The next morning, I found her clothes folded neatly on the driftwood log where the grass ended and the beach opened like a runway to heaven.
She’d decided to join her sargasso-haired sisters in the muffled swoon of the deep, crab-bait-to-be, with octopi soon slithering through her ribcage.
[144 words]
images taken at Lake Michigan beach in July 2013
Linda Lee Lyberg is today’s host for dVerse’ Monday Prosery. Linda says:
Write a story of 144 words or less (not including the title). The story must have a beginning and an end, and should not be poetry. Sounds easy enough right? Here’s the twist: You must use the poetry line I have given you within your story. You may alter the punctuation, but you must use the line in its entirety without inserting any other words.
Tao Talk 
This is so sad but so very beautiful. Love the way you described the death in the ocean, joining the sargasso haired sisters.
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Bjorn, thank you very much.
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Your story is lush with wonderful imagery Lisa. A sad, ending, but also freeing.
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Thank you, Dear Linda <3
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You’re welcome. 🙏🏻😊
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Nicely done, Lisa! I love the use of sound in ‘bare feet scuffling the uneven gravel path that silenced to sand’ and ‘Beach grass wind-sighed yet was drowned in the roar of stampeding waves pawing at the shore’. But the ending is quite horrific. Where can I find a sky pony?
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<3 Thank you, Kim.
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You’re more than welcome, Lisa!
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What an amazing write….what an amazing illustration. I am smitten with these words, “Beach grass wind-sighed yet was drowned in the roar of stampeding waves pawing at the shore.” The imagery is divine.
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<3 Thanks Lillian!
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So romantic… until that slithering!
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So you’re ok with the crab-bait-to-be? ;) Thanks, Ken!
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It is so hard to find a Silkie with poetic inclinations. Nice gender switch for the protagonist, but you could have written as a woman with a Merman. Most Mermaids are a bit evil, drowning the lusty sailors. This one was the exception it seems.
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Glenn! Good to see you. Love your comment. There’s an exception to every rule, you know that…
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OMG. That last paragraph is tense.
Happy Monday.
Much💛love
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Thanks much, Gillena!
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Quite disconcerting and sad for the lover left behind. What a whale, I mean, crab-bait-to-be, tale!
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You know I didn’t think of her as a selkie until Glenn mentioned it, but I believe he’s right. Maybe she swallows octopi whole, while they’re still slithering…
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That’s what I thought until … well, she’s a very unusual selkie :)
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Sad, beautiful imagery–and cool photo, too!
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Thank you, Merril!
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You’re welcome!
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So dark and dangerous Lisa, but delightfully so! Great tale you’ve spun around the proffered prompt phrase. You blended it seamlessly into your piece. Bravo my fridnd… 👍🏼🙂✌🏼🕊❤️
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So glad you enjoyed it, Rob, thanks, buddy!
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I thought selkie right away too. Lovely description of the beach. (K)
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Thank you, K :)
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Oh, your words are gorgeous, Lisa! But the last line – breathtaking and heartbreaking. The prompt seamless. Bravo.
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Raivenne, thank you <3
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A beautiful tragedy! You die d a great job with this prompt!
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Thanks much, Dwight!
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You really didn’t die d a great job, you did a great job!:>)
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Sad, but there’s something a bit heroic about it too.
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Thanks much, Jane.
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So well written.
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Thank you very much.
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The imagery is in high gear with this one.
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Thank, Max!
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I feel bad because I cannot give better comments…but I’m learning more and more.
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Reading and commenting is appreciated. No worries, my friend.
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So beautifully written Li.
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Thanks much, Sadje.
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You’re very welcome
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A fascinating piece of prose, Lisa ….. by land or by sea!!
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Thanks, Helen!
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