Poetry, Tanka

Universe of Light: A Reblog

Written by my dear friend, Ivor Steven, here is an awesome and inspiring tanka which is guaranteed to lighten your heart and bring joy and hope to your day. Ivor has shared some of my work on his site and it’s a great pleasure for me to return the favor. Check out Ivor’s site, my friends; he is a master poet and a dear, sweet man. You’ll be happy you stopped by. 😊

This is “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles

NAR© 2026

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

Poetry, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

First Day Rush

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

dashing ~ morning ~ bed ~ forecast ~ always
 sighed ~ give  ~ neck ~ head ~ warmth ~ laid ~ part

Image by Me & Gemini

Mom dashing in at morning light,
Clothes laid out from last night.
“Five more minutes,” one sleepyhead sighed,
Warmth still calling from the bedside.

Check the forecast, grab a snack,
And please don’t forget your backpack!
Always rushing …. the bus won’t wait
The trickiest part is not to be late.

Neck craning back,
give one final wave bye ….
they’re off to high school
And Mom wants to cry.

NAR©2026
#MLMM
#Wordle

This is “School Days” by Chuck Berry

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

Continuing Series, Longer Stories, Noir, Original Series, Recurring Character, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Lady In Red: A Dirk Malone Story

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

siren ~ chanting ~ startled ~ pulse ~ sighs ~ night
basket ~ answers ~ heart ~ shape ~ badge ~ stay

Continue reading “Lady In Red: A Dirk Malone Story” →
Limerick, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Shoo, Fly!

Laughing Along With A Limerick.
The prompt word is “eyes”.

Continue reading “Shoo, Fly!” →
Haibun, Poetry, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Being Still: A Haibun

Written for Tanka Tuesday where our host,
Yvette, asks us to write a poem about facing
our fears and treading with trepidation.

Continue reading “Being Still: A Haibun” →
Mini Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Wedding Toast

Written for Weekend Writing Prompt
where our host Sammi asks us to use
 “felicity” in exactly 78 words. Also
for Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts
Weekend Challenge
– “confused”.

Continue reading “The Wedding Toast” →
Poetry, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Glory Days

Written for Living Poetry. Bart asks
us to write a poem with the words
field, game, and husband.

Continue reading “Glory Days” →
Fantasy, Mini Story, Mystery, Photo Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

The Listening Stump

Written for Crispina’s
Crimson’s Creative Challenge

Continue reading “The Listening Stump” →
Longer Stories, Theme Prompt, Writing Prompts, Writing Challenge

Granted A Life

Written for the Great Minds Think Challenge –
“And that makes all the difference”. Our hosts
Sarah & Rohini invite us to write about a hero
or villain and choose to do one of two things:
1) Visualize how a hero might have become a
villain or vice versa by choosing to make a
different decision at a crucial moment … or …
2) Have a character reflect on their lives and
a key decision that brought him to that place.

Continue reading “Granted A Life” →
Informative, Music Blog, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Love Stinks: Song Lyric Sunday

Written for Song Lyric Sunday –
“Behavior Patterns”

Continue reading “Love Stinks: Song Lyric Sunday” →
Uncategorized

Off Line

Hi Everyone,

I currently have no internet service due to damage to our cable lines outside the house. At the moment I am at my friend’s house using her connection. I will not be able to publish posts until Monday, at the earliest, when Optimum is scheduled to make repairs. I’m taking this time to publish any posts that require Mr. Linky so I don’t miss the deadlines. All other posts will have to wait and if I miss any deadlines, so be it. I’ll be back in touch ASAP. Thanks for understanding.

Nancy

Free Verse, Poetry, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Two-Handed Reintroduction: A Haibun

Written for Wea’ve Written Weekly.
Our PoW, David himself, challenges
us to write a poem about experiencing
something familiar as though it were
happening for the first time. Caveat:
we must include the word ‘again’.

Continue reading “Two-Handed Reintroduction: A Haibun” →
Haiku, Photo Prompt, Poetry, SenHai, Senryu, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Lone Bird: A SenHai

Written for SenHai Saturday where our host
Susi asks us to write a senryu and haiku
using this image as inspiration.

Continue reading “Lone Bird: A SenHai” →
Continuing Series, Letter, Longer Stories, Monologue, Original Series, Theme Prompt

SS Pacific: Guilty Conscience

Inspired by Max’s blog, ‘Old Steam Ships’ –
this is my fictionalized “confession” (and I
use that term loosely) made by an un-named
foreman from an unknown shipyard, written
days after the coroner’s inquest re the SS
Pacific, addressed to no one in particular,
which somehow makes this tragedy even
worse. See my notes on the coroner’s inquiry.

Continue reading “SS Pacific: Guilty Conscience” →
Photo Prompt, Short Story, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Fixer Upper

Written for Muse On Monday.
Our challenge is to write a story
about a piece of obsolete technology.
Thanks to Brian at bushboys world
for allowing me to use his photo.

Continue reading “Fixer Upper” →
Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Can You Hear Me Knocking?

Re-written for Esther’s Writing Prompt
using the prompt word ‘test’.
Original from 2023.

Continue reading “Can You Hear Me Knocking?” →
Haiku, Photo Prompt, Poetry, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Bootleg Baroque

Written for Haiku Fridays with J-Dub.

Continue reading “Bootleg Baroque” →
List Poem, Poetry, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Beatitudes of the Mundane

Written for Reena’s Xploration Challenge.
Our challenge is focus on the mundane.
Do we find it boring or interesting?
This is my interpretation.

Continue reading “Beatitudes of the Mundane” →
Mini Story, Photo Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Varykino

Our gracious host, Rochelle, is asking us to get
creative in 100 words or less using the photo
seen below. This is Friday Fictioneers.

Continue reading “Varykino” →
Poetry, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

A Little Help Would Be Nice

Written for Thursday Inspiration –
“Help Me”

Continue reading “A Little Help Would Be Nice” →
Fable, Fantasy, Photo Prompt, Short Story, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Feline Gateway

Written for Sadje’s weekly question:
 What Do You See?

Continue reading “Feline Gateway” →
Monologue, Photo Prompt, Short Story, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

My Daughter’s Hair

Written for Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction
Challenge
using the image below as inspiration.

Continue reading “My Daughter’s Hair” →
Short Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

RDP Wednesday: sloppy

Written for RDP where segoil asks us
to get creative with the word “sloppy”.

Thanks, Heather!

Continue reading “RDP Wednesday: sloppy” →
Fable, Fantasy, Nursery Rhyme, Poetry, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Three Little Doves: A Nursery Rhyme

Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.

once ~
three ~ haven ~peace ~ thoughts
why ~ angry ~ if ~ final ~ love ~ none ~ dream

Continue reading “Three Little Doves: A Nursery Rhyme” →
Haibun, Poetry, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Drought: A Haibun

Written for dVerse Poetics: “Have You Ever
Seen the Rain?” Our host, Lisa, challenges
us to write a poem in any form about weather.

Continue reading “Drought: A Haibun” →
Poetry, Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Wordle, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Distant Melodies

Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:

keys ~ drumming ~ rare ~ morning ~ lazy ~ humming
odd ~ whispers ~ open ~ chain ~ urge ~ ghosts

Continue reading “Distant Melodies” →
Poetry, Séadna, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Gold and Amber: Séadna

Written for Tanka Tuesday where our host,
Willow, asks us to write a Celtic Autumn poem.

I have written a Séadna.

Continue reading “Gold and Amber: Séadna” →
Poetry, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Bug Off!

Written for Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts
Weekend Challenge
word ‘anxiety’.

Continue reading “Bug Off!” →
Poetry, Quadrille, Theme Prompt, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Going For It

Written for dVerse Poets Quadrille Monday:
Jumpstart Your Poem. Our challenge, put
forth by De Jackson, is to write a poem in
44 words, including the word ‘jump’.

Continue reading “Going For It” →
Mini Story, Word Challenge, Word Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

Come Autumn

Written for Weekend Writing Prompt
where our host Sammi asks us to use
 “cornucopia” in exactly 36 words.

Continue reading “Come Autumn” →