She wishes to fade away, to be less than nothing, unborn. A leaf on a tree in late October, falling to the shadowy earth, devoured by the mud of the murmuring forest floor.
At dinner she sits across from the smiling man. Later they retreat to a larger room that is flooded by honey-colored light where he reads from the book, moving from life to death, from lead to gold. Light ning strikes the corner of his blinking eye, the twitch of his crooked smile. He warns her of saintly heroes, how she must fight against all temptation, live in his light to hear the angelic chime of bells that summon her to kneel and remain beside his benevolent being.
At dusk he takes her hand and leads her through a wooded path to an arbor where she must undress for she is not pure and he is good and wise and knows all holy things. An invisible cherubim takes her hand and leads her back through the same woods to the house, high on the hill, it’s madness and despair sleeping. The squirrels, birds, and white tail deer know fear and hide away.
Lovely penned
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Thank you!
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Hmmm! This gives the reader a lot to think about.
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Thank you Roberta.
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Deliciously Victorian Gothic. A true gem if there ever was one. It’s rather good I get to know when you post on WP by simply following Twitter!
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Finally, problem solved. Thank you for the lovely and generous comment Mike, so appreciated dear friend.
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There is a definite gothic twist to this, I loved it!
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I’m so glad you felt the conflict and connection here. Thank you Orville.
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Wow- dark and filled with despair.
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Thank you for reading! Fiction.
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Whew! Happy to hear that. 😉
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🌷
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That opening line❤️
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♥️
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Thank you so much!
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“Lighting strikes the corner of his blinking eye, the twitch of his crooked smile. ” Your descriptive writing takes the reader into the story, the images flashing across my own vision, as she trembles knowing what is to come.
“At dusk he takes her hand and leads her through a wooded path to an arbor where she must undress for she is not pure and he is good and wise and knows all holy things. “…..
I wonder who is the good and holy!..
And this wonderful piece of fiction conjures up those who use their power and holiness to control ..
Wonderful writing Holly… I love your style and inventiveness.. Wishing you a lovely weekend to come my friend.. ❤
Take care… and Much LOVE. ❤
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Sue, you have reached into the heart of this and uncovered the questions. Thank you for your wonderful comment. So appreciated! Wishing you a lovely weekend as well. Sending much love. ❤️
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The pleasure all mine in your gifted words Holly ❤
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Thank you again Sue ♥️
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This is so intriguing! You give enough for us to imagine and leave enough out for us to dread. I love it!
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Thank you Meg, such a great comment.
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Always a pleasure!
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Reblogged this on Ace Friends & Bloggers News.
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Thank you Ian ❤
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So different lady wordsmith and woven from your ❤️ X
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Thank you so much Ian, a lovely comment ❤ X
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Truly welcome Hollie ..🌹
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🌹
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I was shivering from head to toe. Dark and frightening, Holly, right from the first line to the last. Gothic as other comments have noted, but with tones of such deep abuse, numbing and surreal. Powerful, powerful writing.
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Diana you have unfolded this as it was meant to be. Thank you for reading and your insight.
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A woman under the rule of a man is not a person. She is chattel, a chandelier who knows how to wash floors in HIS home.
Fuck him! He is the one who is not pure, a whore of the devil in his mind and heart.
He shall undress in the wild and not not be eaten by vicious wild beasts, because they know how disgusting he tastes.
Naked, he will perish in the winter of his life.
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Amen ! Thank you Resa. ❤️
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❤
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I heard that cry out and it pierced my heart, I had to adorn my warrior leathers and high top boots, pick up my bow and quiver. menywod rheol ! ♥️
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You are the Woman Warrior! You are the spirit who shall not be daunted by male chauvinism.
Your boots are made for more than walking, they are made for stomping… spiking their heels into the minds & heartless of men who intimidate, beat, rape, murder and worse.
This woman, who you epitomize, shall be drawn of sword by my pencil. XO
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Stomping? Ouch. Yes yes yes! All that you said! XO
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
WOW. LEAVING THE READER (THIS ONE) IS EFFECTIVE—VERY EFFECTIVE!
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Thank you Jonathan!
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You write like…an angel, or cherubim.
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Thank you Jonathan, a lovely compliment.
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it seems like a segment of a larger story…who are they?
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No, I doubt if there is anything more in the making.
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Very excellent segment then…It latches onto the reader quickly!
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Thank you Jon. My imagination is alive and well but somewhat flighty. 😊
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Time for new poetic ground? You could do a really hot and sweaty sonnet, if you wanted to! 🙂 Or so intricate that you and your word choices would blast the whole thing into a new level of art form! 🙂 …Or whatever feels right to try…! You got the solid, overflowing talent, my dear
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I like all
Those ideas. I was just reading a steamy sonnet. …who knows?
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Great, talented minds do think similar thoughts…! 🙂
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Ooooh, dark goth, scary, conflict and OH NO! FOLLOW THE ANIMALS kind of lump in your throat.
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Thank you Gigi. Animals know!
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It’s wonderful like all of the things you write. Book please.
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Oh, you’re too kind! When I imagine writing a book I curl up in the fetal position and cry like a baby. 😊
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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thank You John
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You are welcome, Holly.
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Thank you John, I appreciate your support immensely!
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You are very graciously welcome oh lovely Holly. I appreciate you immensely.
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Dark and scary. You hint but let us, the audience, imagine how it will go. Wonderful little piece of writing.
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Thank you so much Otto. I hope you enjoyed reading. I appreciate the lovely compliment.
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Beautifully written Ms. H.
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Thank you so much Mr. D
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zieh dich warm an, eine Erkältung ist nun mal nicht so toll, also, mache es gut, Klaus
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Ich werde einen Mantel und Fäustlinge lieber Klaus tragen. bleib dort warm!🧤🧤
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so machen wir es
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ja das tun wir
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Fantastic read! You build up the suspense well & leave the reader dreading what’ll come next. Nice little touch of the animals instinctively sensing danger and fleeing. Really enjoyed this! 😀
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Thank you Tom, I’m glad you enjoyed!
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Sad and beautifully told–the story of too many women throughout time.
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Thank you Merril, I’m glad you ere moved by this.
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For me, a fantasy feel & setting – yet you’ve written many layers of thought initiated by the imagery you’ve created.
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Thank you for reading Frank and the very thoughtful comment!
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This is so good I could imagine a sequel. 🙂
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Thank you so much Maverick, I think this is all for this one 🙂
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Wow! This one lets us see and feel her pain and at that moment of contrition, where the dignity is sacrificed to the sin, her mind takes flight in the care innocence. Vivid, raw, and done with the utmost care.
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Thanks for reading and the lovely comment Dan.
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Always the portal to my transcendent phantasms are opened by your poetry. A true gift from your ancient origins.
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I’m the descendent of a welsh warrioress,
heddwch fod gyda chi. Thank you for the lovely comment Mr. H.
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What a beautiful thing to say as a warrioress to an old warrior. The true warrior prays for peace and good will because she or he knows there is no glory in combat except for those who were not there that claim the warrior’s victory for their own. I can see you as her. You have the calm presence of experience, the deep introspection and reflection of the past, and the collective wisdom of centuries all expressed in poetry of exquisite exactness. This is also a trait of the most skilled warrioress through the ages. I sought refuge from conflict in flowers. I call them the Warrior’s Mistress and my garden is blessed by countless blooms to soothe the awful pain of those times when peace and goodwill failed and my duty called upon. Your battles may be different, but your noble status does not change. 🌸🌼
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You are golden! Such a beautiful affirmation of life, a revaluation of values where each day is worth living. 🌸🌼
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We share a deep understanding of that affirmation of life.
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It’s really lovely! Thank you Dan.
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🌹
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🌹
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This is a singularly fascinating write…. so much to make one wonder about ! Very cool.
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Thank you Muscles!
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Thank you Muscles! Loveky comment
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Thank you, Holly! Your thought are always worth to rethink, and always guiding me to other spheres too. Michael
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A lovely comment Michael, thank you.
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🙂
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Wow, I wish I had words instead of singing others. Do you write libretto Holly?
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Lol, I’m working on that now. It could take awhile. 😊 thank you Charlotte, I hope you are having wonderful adventures!
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I love how the cherubim takes her back to where she feels safe with all the animals. This is beautiful ❤
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Thank so much Michelle, the forest animals are sweet creatures. 💕
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They sure are I love them a lot too! ❤
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We are encroaching further and further into their territory then we are upset when they get into our trash bins! ❤
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