“William Morris 6”
The future gathers in vine, bush, and tree:
Persimmon, walnut, loquat, fig, and grape”
by Yvor Winters from Time and the Garden
Future’s Garden
She wakes to coughs, groans, and clanks. Rubbing her eyes, crusted with dust, she winces and wonders how much time she has before her clouded corneas become blindness. Or will her lungs win the race as they fill with muck beyond scrubbing?
She reaches for her glass bottle, sips green-tinted water, then splashes a few drops into her eyes. The water stings, but there’s also relief.
She shuffles to the community kitchen for her morning ration of amaranth porridge, long-past any revulsion for the insect-peppered gruel.
She’s on forage duty this week. Her nose helps her locate oregano with grazing locusts upon it. A clump of cattail is a rare find.
That night, on her straw pallet, she pulls out the jar of seeds and remembers what mother told her:
“The future gathers in vine, bush, and tree: persimmon, walnut, loquat, fig, and grape.”
[144 words]
My prosery is a nod the movie, “Fury Road” and to Margaret Atwood’s, “MaddAddam” book trilogy.
Sanaa is today’s host of dVerse’ Prosery Monday. Sanaa asks us to write a 144-word story using the given line of poetry.
Tao Talk 
So sad to know that her future were not with the fruits but with the struggle of forage for weeds…
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Thanks, Bjorn. Indeed. At least she will continue to live with her foraging skills.
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This is so poignant! I like how you incorporate the prompt line and lend it wisdom in the end ❤️❤️
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Sanaa, thanks much, and thank you for a great line to expand into prosery.
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I really felt for the character in your future’s garden. Lisa. The description of her poor health brought me closer to her, and I want to know how she became so ill. An intriguing dystopia.
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Kim, both works I drew from are set in post-apocalyptic wastelands. The water, air, etc. have all been poisoned. I feel for her — and for us, if we continue on as we are going. Thank you for reading and glad you are intrigued by the story.
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You’re welcome, Lisa. My kind of story.
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Very stark and futuristic, Lisa. Well done.
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Dwight, thank you.
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Nice one
much♡love
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Gillena, thank you <3
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I like the dystopian nature of your flash. I also like that most of it could be a possibility for our day too, or at least a day, not far away, considering the destruction of our climate. Very nicely written.
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Aaron, you are, unfortunately, right. I was just mentioning to a friend I was looking online for canister filter masks. The smoke from Canadian wildfires has had a big impact on AQI here. Thank you.
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Yep, forest fires are horrible this year. We’ve had a bunch. I think you’re right about the gas mask. Things are ridiculous.
Oh, and you are very welcome!!!
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What yummy meals! The insects must provide extra protein. 😝
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Thanks, Nolcha :)
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Gathering food is a lost and important art. (K)
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A frightening glimpse into a possible future. Well done, Lisa.
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Thank you, Lisa.
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this is awesome Li :-) I really love it well done on such a well written piece of prose!
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Thanks, Carol Anne :)
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A very sad state of future
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Indeed, and it is where we are headed :(
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Very sad
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Such a colourful, summery and refreshing collage 😍
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Thank you, Gia. That’s what she sees when she looks at the seeds.
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🤓🥂
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I don’t know “Fury Road” but do know Ms. Atwood’s work … who I’m certain would love this prose!!
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Helen, it’s her brainchild, refashioned, I hope so. Thanks for your kind comment <3
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Enjoyed this, Lisa. I want to know more about this woman. Love the collage image, it’s the perfect accompaniment to the write.
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Sunra, happy you enjoyed it, and thank you on the collage <3
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You’re welcome.
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A dark theme. Apocalyptical in feel.
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Thanks for reading, Stew. Indeed it is.
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Touches deep sadness, yet in the seeds, carries a shred of hope in my reading. Poignant and powerful.
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Thank you very much, my friend.
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”amaranth porridge” “oregano with grazing locusts” — your prosery piece is a sensory delight.
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Thanks, Melissa!
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