The exercise:
Let us write around the theme of: underwater.
Thanks, Metric. I was feeling pretty stuck for a prompt there.
Another busy harvest day for our local customers, with us once again managing to find enough produce for everybody. I'm really quite pleased with how the box program is going so far, and I'm glad that last winter Kat was able to convince me to try it out.
A friend of Kat's is coming tomorrow to stay with us for the rest of the week and I'm very much looking forward to having her around, both for her company and for her help in the garden.
Mine:
He leans against the railing at the side of the boat, staring down into still waters while his fishing rod sits forgotten to his right. His mind flicks from one thought to the next, like a panicking fish flopping about on the deck.
There is a desire for calm, but he has no real hope of landing that particular state. Every few minutes he catches a glimpse of it in the corner of his eye, but it disappears before he can so much as turn his head.
Raising his gaze to the horizon, he confirms once again that there is no other craft in sight. He is utterly, completely alone on the water.
Heh, it almost sounds as if you're going to have to start growing more produce, but that will only increase the work you have to do in the garden. I guess it's a good job you've got a new recruit coming to stay tomorrow ;-)
ReplyDeleteI like the way you run the fishing theme through the whole story, with the language carefully chosen to keep gently reminding the reader. Oh, and inexorable in the last line is a great word!
Underwater
Underwater tr.v. To provide with insufficient water. Requires a direct object and should not be used intransitively despite the attempts of certain rival dictionary providers to claim alternatively. It is a well established fact that writers of the Blossombury circle are technically illiterate.
Ahem.... Examples of underwatering may be found in your front room, on the windowsill, where the geraniums are nearly dead and the cactus is only thin because it's nearly dehydrated. Things that have been underwatered often shrink, and this principle has been used to bottle camels, thus leading to "Ship-of-the-desert-in-a-bottle" much loved of Charles Asciugimento.
...where was I? Oh yes. Etymology. The word derives from the preposition under and the noun water both of which have Proto-Indo-European roots which people like you, dear Reader, wouldn't understand. You thought it could be used intransitively after all.
Pah!
Both interesting entries, I must say. Underwater bring me to a story that I'll be writing for NaNo. Here's my first attempt at writing the Ballad of Tabitha S Era, saviour of Trabia, and a powerful Magi of her time. *grins*
ReplyDeleteUnderwater
We sing the song of Tabitha
And her valiant deed
To save those of us with no magi
In our time of need.
Our mountains they were falling
Singing down into the ground
The water it was rushing
We were sure that we would drown
But Tabitha and her Magi
In her silver tower
Came through to save us all
In our darkest hour
Combining all their might
The eleven fought like one
And though the city was sinking
They stayed till they were done
Now fathoms below
Under all the water
A shrine remains
For our country’s mother
For Tabitha S Era
Sacrificed herself
Drowning out our sorrows
To bring us eternal wealth
...
Greg - yeah, with the weather this year it's definitely been a struggle. But we're still managing to fill the boxes, so can't complain too much.
ReplyDeleteIf Blogger had a way to search through comments, I would insist that you find all of your definitions and post them as a collection. As is, I can only hope you've kept track of them all and can do it yourself.
Cathryn - that's a fun littler teaser for your story!
@Marc: I don't think there's enough of them to collect yet, there's been perhaps a handful at most. I'll start collecting them in a document on my hard drive though; maybe when there's enough I'll put them somewhere for posterity :)
ReplyDelete