Written for Muse On Monday.
David challenges us to write a
story involving a distant relative.
Tag: Family
Greyhound, 1938: A Haibun
Written for dVerse Haibun Monday:
Wedding Bliss. Our host, Mish, ask us
to write a haibun based on a wedding.
Dedicated to my godparents.
RDP Sunday: fishing
Written for RDP where drkottaway asks us
to get creative with the word “fishing”.
In Tuscany
Written for Weekend Writing Prompt
where our host Sammi asks us to use
“alfresco” in exactly 50 words. Also
for Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts –
The One Day Prompt.
Between Two Shores: Vito’s Story
Inspired by Max’s blog, ‘Old Steam Ships’ –
SS Andrea Doria: The Last Great Ocean
Liner Disaster. This one is personal;
this is the story of my father,
what he felt in his heart and
what he would have said.
RDP Monday: groggy
Written for RDP where segoil asks us
to get creative with the word “groggy”.
Thanks, Heather!
RDP Thursday: cone
Written for RDP where Brian asks us
to get creative with the word “cone”.
Ashes
Written for dVerse Prosery – Luminous
Accountings. Our host, Dora, invites us
to write a piece of prose in no more than
144 words incorporating the following
line from “King of the River” by Stanley
Kunitz: “…and the iridescent image
swims through a mirror that flows.”
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
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.
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”.
In Plain Sight: A Minnie Ming Mystery
Borrowed Words, New Worlds Challenge –
our hosts Sarah & Rohini invite us to write a
piece of our choosing incorporating the
following quote by Arthur Conan Doyle:
“The world is full of obvious things which
nobody by any chance ever observes.”
What’s Left Behind
Written for Sadje’s weekly question:
What Do You See?
The Chase
Written for Reena’s Xploration Challenge,
which is to write a poem or story as
inspired by parataxis and hypotaxis.
What My Mother Taught Me
Written for dVerse Poets – ‘Quadrilling
without a care in the world.’ Our host,
Sanaa, asks us to write a poem in 44
words using a form of the word “care”.
Wild Roses
Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.
change ~ known ~ fault ~ seen ~ money ~ silence
flowers ~ excited ~ irritated ~ hand ~ table ~ kept
Daddy’s Girl
Written for Haiku Fridays with J-Dub
The Explanation
Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.
town ~ anxiety ~ box ~ half ~ wrong ~ sound
today ~ full ~ bench ~ running ~ message ~ again
Insomnia
Written for “Can You Tell A Story In” –
exactly 60 words using the prompts below.
insomnia, dare, tambourine, dust, fox, fan
Continue reading “Insomnia”Mercy, Delayed
Written for “It’s Story Time” with Jolene.
Our four prompts lines are shown below.
The Debt
Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle.
Here are Brenda’s prompt words:
shot ~ foot ~ dark ~ bright ~ prairie ~ grass
hot ~ ash ~ dead ~ resurgence ~ fight ~ god
After Pennsylvania: A Letter To Henry
Inspired by Max’s blog, ‘Old Steam Ships’ –
this is my story based on facts about the tragic
boiler accident on the steamboat Pennsylvania
which killed Henry Clemens, younger brother
of Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain.
The Day the City Slowed
Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.
heat, concern, rush, dug, imagine, elderly,
provide, work, box, digital, drop, halt
RDP Tuesday: Summer Memories
Today at RDP, Martha asks us
to share summer memories.
Big Blue
At Great Minds Think, Sarah & Rohini
offer up ‘The Object Speaks Challenge’
where we are invited to give a voice to
the objects we usually overlook. This
is a rewrite of a story I wrote in 2023.
Just Like Heaven
Written for FOWC with Fandango.
with the prompt word “earthquake”
and for Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts
Weekend Challenge word ‘stop’.
To Beach Or Not To Beach
Written for Living Poetry where
we’re asked to write a beach poem.
Hell Week In Florence
Written for Wea’ve Written Weekly.
As PoW this week, I suggested writing
8×4 Poems – 4 line stanzas, 8 syllables
per line. Here’s my poem based on a
real-life debacle in Florence, Italy.
Promised Land: Fire & Water – From Mount Breckan to SS Waratah
Inspired by Max’s blog called ‘Old Steam Ships’.
This is my fiction story combined with facts about
four passengers on board the doomed SS Waratah.
Abuela’s Advice
Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
the prompt words are shown below.
Here’s where the prompts took me.
late ~ high ~ sugar ~ waste ~ thinking ~ silly
rough ~ eventually ~ allow ~ shy ~ coax ~ surprise
Inheritance
Written for Esther’s “Can You Tell A Story In” –
exactly 37 words using the prompt words shown
below. Here’s where the prompts took me.
prophet ~ dungarees ~ swagger ~ castle
Continue reading “Inheritance”
The Elephant's Trunk 