mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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#WritePhoto Arch
March 8, 2018
— 9 Comments
arch
We walked slowly and quietly around the long corridors of the old cloister. The long deserted places of worship and daily devotion were kept in order by the town council. Tourists and visitors climbed the winding drive from the village to see the remains of the famous monastery. Religious ceremonies had gone underground in the last decade of the cultural revival. New discoveries by researchers indicate that the last group of secret priests had gathered in this place to say the last rites for their church. It was said they had burned all the literature in a great bonfire to keep it out of the hands of the invaders. They held a great ceremonial funeral march under a full moon, then disbanded for their own safety. Scattering to the four winds, the former religious leaders infiltrated society and took on new occupations in new parts of the region.
They took with them only personal amulets which they kept on their bodies, hidden from public view. Any evidence that they had been part of any religion might have placed them in great danger, so they were cautious. They never spoke to anyone about the past or their former associates. They slowly drifted apart and forgot the importance of the rituals they had performed in the past. They found new interests and new ways of seeing the universe. They started to feel connected to new families and communities, forgetting the ideas they had held closely in the past.
As politics thaw and people once again look to find hope and unity, some say that visiting these old places of worship can bring peace and enlightenment. We feel cool and calm as we drift down the hall, imagining what this must have been like when it was full of monks. There is something about the light that feels serene. The arches that open to the orchard frame trees in blossom, surrounded by wildflowers carpeting the ground. Enchanted beings are said to have taken over the spot after the invaders withdrew. Some say you will observe trolls and wizards if you linger on the grounds after dark. We are enchanted enough for one day, and take our questions with us back down the hill. We wonder what religion really was, and how it has changed history.
#writephoto
This short story is inspired by this week’s photo prompt on Sue Vincent’s Echo. Each week she publishes a new photo on Thursday. Join the group to read, comment, or contribute your own poem, story, or essay. The variety to be found in the responses is amazing.
Desert Wind
February 23, 2018
— 4 Comments
desert colorThe wind blows down from the mountains at daybreak
The treetops sway while birds take off to hunt for prey
The sky is full of wings, soaring and circling above
The small creatures hide in hopes of living another day
We take the water, brew the tea, sip it on the balcony
Nature’s law seems so remote while we live this way
desert color
desert color
desert color
#WritePhoto Crow Games
January 11, 2018
— 5 Comments
crow
Our position has been discovered by the crows
Someone left a shiny piece of aluminum foil
On the ground next to the campfire last night
This morning we are surrounded by the curiosity
Of these black inspectors who went through our packs
Looking for treasures they could stash for later
Finding our party lacking in basic bling they demanded
That we surrender the rest of our food to them
Tormenting us with a screeching cacophony of bird anger
They let us know what a tremendous disappointment
We have been to them by pecking out our eyes
The sky went dark just before the explosion
#writephoto
This little ditty was composed in response to this week’s photo prompt in Sue Vincent’s Echo. Please join us to read, write, comment and enjoy different takes on this weekly photo.
Withdraw
December 27, 2017
— 1 Comment
Step away from the battle, place your weapon on the ground
Look intensely at this serious enemy you think you have found
How does this stranger offend? What makes this human bad?
Your history with prejudice is rooted in a deeper cultural
belief
From which you now must free yourself in order to find some relief
warfare
Break with the past and change the scripted outcome before it is too late
predictable patterns
Path Through Darkness
December 26, 2017
— 1 Comment
darkness and light
Dangerous winds whistled in from the south with news
That change was in the air and revolutions brewed
In the darkness spies crawled into town like snakes
Slithering around the gossiping crowd, those slimy fakes
Gathered intelligence they planned to use in the war
Dust clouds on the horizon brought a shivers and fear
The future loomed so crazy, but there was nowhere
Left for anyone to go but there
fire
Trading Time
December 8, 2017
— 1 Comment
firelight
Which parts of your own well being will you sacrifice
To rush ahead in a mad dash to spend, light, over-do
Partying till you can’t remember why you started
Celebrating by stretching the calendar beyond reason
Saying it is an obligation that comes with the season?
You can stay home with a hot cup of cheer on the mantle
Enjoying of the cozy pleasures of darkness with a candle
luminarias
luminarias
Stone Dragon Studio
December 7, 2017
— 1 Comment
I had the pleasure of meeting Dyna Chin in Tumacacori, AZ last weekend. Her hilltop shop, Stone Dragon Studio, commands an impressive view of the Santa Cruz Valley. The leather workshop is situated near her home, a property she has recently acquired. The work she does with leather is artful and made with extreme care and craftsmanship. She crafts custom pieces, such as the story belts, for customers who want a special personal wearable art. She also designs and makes a variety of utilitarian bags, purses, vests, belts, and wallets which are available full time to customers who want to indulge a wild west fancy in a glamorous way. Her fashions are distinct and classy, as well as highly functional. I highly recommend a visit to see this art in person.
salad and quince tarts
She had prepared a lavish buffet for guests to enjoy during her open house. Her second passion is food, which was easy to taste in the quince tart and mesquite flour cookie I sampled. She does catering for some local people and has plans in the works to begin serving brunch on the weekends on her beautiful hill overlooking Tumacacori. Dyna adds a distinct new artful flair to this already diverse and deeply interesting part of the world.
Seasonal
November 29, 2017
— 4 Comments
garden
Cascade of frozen memories falls over the season
Winter darkness reminds us of missing elements
Left buried deeply in the past by inherited ideas
Formality frames the passage of time with no insight
Inquisitor
November 17, 2017
— 1 Comment
haunted gate
Contrary and contorted, the inquisitor retreated
To study the rules and regulations for details
To bribe the authorities to seek the maximum
Penalty for betraying the monarchy and the court
Treason and heresy had been found in high places
Now the entire population had to fear for the future
Chaos had consumed the wealth and the wisdom
Once widely respected in this now violent place
Leaving widows, orphans, haunted institutions
Of what was once called being on the right side of history
The Inquisitor
Busy Body
November 14, 2017
Mr Busy Body
Busy Body takes a dim view of other fellow sculptures’ emotional needs
He fancies himself a special man among all the men who have ever been
His masquerade from day to day hides the truth he completely disregards
As just some kind of background noise from his own distant, fragile past
His foundation has eroded leaving his memory in a precarious position
He can go on pretending his shining honor has never been tarnished
But everyone knows his life was a series of misguided actions that killed him
