Monday April 27th, 2015

The exercise:
 
Write about: the jungle.

Finished off the last of the blackberry pruning this morning, which means I can now focus most of my attention on weeding and mulching the strawberries. With school stuff slowing down, Kat's going to be able to help out in the garden and greenhouse more so I won't have to worry about that stuff for the next little while.

Max and I went to the park after lunch and he insisted on bringing one of his balls along with us. When we got there he proceeded to kick it away from the play area and all the way to the other end of the park... which was where he discovered the "jungle".

It was just a small area by the water filled with trees and bushes, but there was enough of a path (or two) through it for us to explore a bit deeper.

I have a feeling that will not be our last visit to that end of the park.

Mine:

In the black heart of the jungle, a beast awakens. It lifts its head slowly, blinks away the fog of sleep, and considers its surroundings with apparent disinterest. Nothing has been disturbed since it lay down to sleep - no blade of grass has been bent or flattened, no branch or bush has been pushed aside.

All this is as the beast expects it to be.

The air is stale and heavy here, as though no breeze has ever penetrated this far into the lush foliage that encircles the beast. With an unhurried stretch, the beast rises to its feet and sniffs first to the north, then the east, then south, and finally to the west.

It smells nothing but the clearing it calls home - which smells mostly like the beast itself - and it is satisfied.

A distant bird cry reaches its ears every so faintly. The beast knows that this, at nearly a mile away, is the nearest living creature. Nothing else dare encroach further on the uncrowned king of the jungle's lair. None have been foolish enough to try in a very, very long time.

Which just means the beast, who has begun its slow walk into the neighbouring jungle, has to roam for hours in order to find its prey. Far longer than it would choose to, had it been given the choice.

And when the beast does finally find its first meal of the day... it tends to take out its displeasure with vicious enthusiasm.

Sunday March 28th, 2010

The exercise:

Your late night prompt is: lost in the jungle.

Not sure where exactly that came from, but let's see where it takes us.

Had a good time last night, with the final two fights sending everyone home happy. GSP is so good it's scary but I'm hoping the UFC will be able to find him some proper competition soon.

Mine:

The mosquitoes are

Bigger than zeppelins

And the ferns are like

Nature's skyscrapers.

About a mile back

I saw a snake grin,

Its tongue spitting foul,

Poisonous vapors.

I'm losing hope so

Fast my head's spinning.

If only I could

Recall what I read

In that survival book

By Professor Ling!

I guess I really

Should have stayed in bed.