Thursday July 18th, 2013

The exercise:

I think it's about time to bring the Random CD Prompt back for another whirl.

So pick a song as randomly as you wish, then borrow its first line to use as your own. From there take it where you please, be it in poetry or prose. Credit, most obviously, should be given where it's due.

On top of collecting five pounds of swiss chard for the restaurant, this morning I picked a couple bags of broccoli for our own winter use. After dinner we finally got around to freezing it, under the critical eye of our supervisor.

Pretty certain Max approved of the work we did. Guess we'll find out for sure when we try feeding it to him when January rolls back around.

Mine:

Valentine's Park Part 2 by Monument Valley

I was the bottle that you broke across the back of a new life. You left me shattered, all sharp edges that cut anyone who dared try to comfort me. Unwitting strangers who passed too close were no safer - my rage and confusion spilled their blood just as eagerly as they wounded friends and family.

You moved on, blissfully unaware of what you'd done. Or were you? I always wondered. Did you know? Did you care?

No, I suspect not. You were too preoccupied with your new joys and toys. With your new man.

Unfettered, your spirit soared and sang. I could hear it, even in the dark depths I made my home in those days and weeks. Months. Years? I... don't wish to think of that place anymore.

I left it eventually, of course. It was inevitable. A desire to go forth and live again returned. Fresh air filled my lungs, eager blood pumped through my veins. Purpose came back to me.

I bet, now that you fully understand what you did to me, you wish it hadn't.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...


As I recall broccoli freezes well, and it's a nice vegetable to have around, so I'm sure Max will approve later on in the year. Sounds like a normal day for once this week ;-)
And you're back into writing subtly dark pieces, so everything really is back to normal! There's a definite brooding quality to your piece today, with a undercurrent of unrealised danger. It's quite beautifully put together.

[Technically I'm cheating a little by using the first two lines, but they make a great start!]
Handwritten by the Gaslight Anthem

Pull it out, turn it up, what's your favorite song? That's mine, I've been crying to it since I was young. In fact, I'm still crying about it now, and not even the most generous of flatterers would call me young anymore. I'm suing the band; they broke my tear ducts and I'm not happy about it. People on the street come up to me and ask me if I'm ok because of this; at my grand-daughter's wedding last year she had a tantrum because I was crying in all the pictures. And Kleenex send me thank-you letters annually.
It is still my favourite song though, it's not like you get many songs written by serial killers in the hours before they were executed, and I'm named personally. Mostly as the kid that got away and called the police, but it's fame of a kind isn't it?

Marc said...

Greg - yes, for once. And thank you for the kind words on mine :)

I can certainly forgive the bending of the rules, as the second line really makes this whole thing work.

And that's a great surprise ending that I didn't see coming.