Three on Friday 15 November

The idea of these challenges is to use the given prompts to create a piece of flash fiction (100-500 words) or a poem

The challenge today offers three quotations to inspire the creative muse, using one, two or all three as a prompt.

The quotations for this week are:

My God, these folks don't know how to love -- that's why they love so easily – D.H. Lawrence

A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return – Salman Rushdie

It is the superfluous things for which men sweat – Seneca

If you take up today’s challenge please leave a link in the comments

Haiku

gathering dust
silent figures stand and stare
at brick-a-brack


© JG Farmer 2013

Beyond

The wheel turns
around
and as I lay dying
I will not be crying
in the quest for eternal light
at the journey’s end
where my fingers reach out
to where she is waiting
always she is waiting
to take me home to rest
so love can begin again

© JG Farmer 2013

At Sunrise

Photography by Al Forbes

The sun stretches across the silken drape
In dawns of awareness there’s no escape
A breath of life in the darkness of sleep
With the sensual arousal of a dream
As confused euphoric tears gently weep
For the love that has come to find its voice
In the disarray of a world of change
As the past confounds in misinformed choice
With futures where all things seem new and strange
In new beginnings thoughts and dreams exchange
The ways that delve beyond deeper than deep
As the art of love takes a different shape
Acceptance replaces the panicking scream
And the soul of love once more can rejoice





© JG Farmer 2013

Prompt: : http://kattermonran.com/2013/10/19/weekly-photo-challenge-what-are-hue-looking-for/

If It Be Your Will by Leonard Cohen (1934-)

I love how Cohen’s words make this devotional poem reach out beyond any particular religion, although it was inspired by the Kol Nidre.

If it be your will
that I speak no more,
and my voice be still
as it was before;
I will speak no more,
I shall abide until
I am spoken for,
If it be your will.

If it be your will
that a voice be true,
from this broken hill
I will sing for you.
From this broken hill
all your praises they shall ring
if it be your will
to let me sing.

If it be your will
if there is a choice,
let the rivers fill,
let the hills rejoice.
Let your mercy spill
on all those burning hearts in hell,
if it be your will
to make us well.

And draw us near
and bind us tight,
all your children here,
in their rags of light;
in our rags of light,
all dressed to kill;
and end this night
if it be your will.

Leonard Cohen

Chocolate Mint Swirl

A classical combination of flavours stylishly swirled together in a sophisticated dessert perfect for special occasions

½pint/300ml double cream

¼pint/150 ml creamy fromage frais

1oz/25g icing sugar

1 tbsp crème de menthe

6oz/175g dark chocolate

Chocolate, to decorate

Place the cream in a large mixing bowl and whisk until standing in soft peaks

Fold in the fromage frais and icing sugar, then place about one-third of the mixture in a smaller bowl. Stir the crème de menthe into the smaller bowl. Melt the dark chocolate and stir into the remaining mixture

Place alternating spoonfuls of the two mixtures into serving glasses, then swirl the mixture together to give a decorative effect. Leave to chill until required.

To make the piped chocolate decorations, melt a small amount of chocolate and place in a piping bag.

Place a sheet of baking parchment on a board and pip squiggles, stars or flowers with the melted chocolate. Leave the chocolate to set then carefully remove from the parchment.

Decorate each dessert with piped chocolate decorations and serve.

Next Time: Chocolate Hazelnut Pots

Call of the Wilderness

Curbar Edge by Les Wilcockson

Brief conversations in wild arias sung in ancient voices where grass and heather whisper the echoes of the wind on the horizon.

The lothario lover used to stand on that rock recalled heather aromatically

Even stone can smile in thoughts of love when the young alpha chased his damsel for a kiss.

Their pups would frolic in twilight, their play watched only by the wild hills grass murmured in its memory

And the stone sighed, recalling the coming of Man in a stench of death and extinction.

Winds howled, their sorrow too much to bear

Yet ears that do not listen only hear silence.

© JG Farmer 2013

Prompt: http://theboipoet.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/words-at-weekend-12-13-october.html

Muse to the Music 14 November

The idea of these challenges is to use the given prompts to create a piece of flash fiction (100-500 words) or a poem

The prompt for this challenge is a piece of music, the idea being to share where the music takes you.

This week’s piece is: Himalaya by Malcolm Brown

If you use this prompt please link back

Classical Piece of the Day 14 November: Christoph Bernhard, Aaron Copland and Yiannis Hryssomallis

A triple bill, starting with the death of the German composer Christoph Bernhard on this day in 1692. The first video is Bernhard’s Aus der Tiefe sung by Veronika Winter with the Kleine Konzert Orchestra under the baton Hermann Max

On this day in 1900 the American composer Aaron Copland was born. The second clip is Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, a piece composed as a homage to the common man premiered on the 31 March 1943, income tax time.

On this day in 1954 the Greek pianist and composer Yiannis Hryssomallis was born. Better known as Yanni the final clip is the composer and his orchestra performing Rainmaker at the Acropolis.

Haiku

ancient thoughts rising

into the warming sunset

of dark frontiers

© JG Farmer 2013

Whimsical Wednesday 13 November

The idea of these challenges is to use the given prompts to create a piece of flash fiction (100-500 words) or a poem

As a poet I read a lot of poetry and some more on top. I also find one line taken out of context can lead to a whole new dimension of creativity. The idea of this challenge therefore is to create what comes to mind from lines of poetry.

This week’s lines of poetry are:

• discussing the eternity of art in that Sardinian restaurant – Quite Frankly by Mark Halliday

• dark and mysterious like a song only time can sing – Ode to Lil' Kim in Florence by Barbara Hamby

• But the watchman over an abandoned mine – Found Poem by Howard Nemerov

If you use this prompt please link back

Classical Piece of the Day 13 November: Gioachino Antonio Rossini

On this day 1868 the Italian composer Gioachino Antonio Rossini died. The video is Rossini’s William Tell Overture performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker under the direction of Robert von Karajan

Haiku

metal and leather

thunder in the distance

high speed rebellion

© JG Farmer 2013

Classical Piece of the Day 12 November: Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin

On this day in 1833 the Russian composer Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin was born. The video is Borodin’s String Quartet No.1 performed by the Moscow String Quartet

Tuesday’s Thinking 12 November

The idea of these challenges is to use the given prompts to create a piece of flash fiction (100-500 words) or a poem

Today’s prompt is:

What scares you most about travelling alone?

If you post a write from the prompt, please post a link in comments or pingback

Haiku

still pools reflect

upon a floating bloom

then fade in ripples

© JG Farmer 2013

Classical Piece of the Day 11 November: Andrea Teodoro Zani

On this day in 1696 the Italian violinist and composer Andrea Teodoro Zani was born. The clip is Zani’s Concerto da chiesa a quattro in A minor performed by Compagnia de' Musici

Monday’s Masterpiece 11 November

The idea of these challenges is to use the given prompts to create a piece of flash fiction (100-500 words) or a poem

Today’s challenge is to take inspiration from a work of art and write from it.

The masterpiece choice for today is:

Dark Night of the Soul by Alana Lake

View more of  Alana's work at:

https://www.artfinder.com/artist/alana-lake/

Please leave a link in comments or pingback if you join in the challenge

Haiku

lost hues

captured in crystalline

and the mind’s gone

© JG Farmer 2013

Classical Piece of the Day 10 November: François Couperin and Ennio Morricone

A double feature today with the birthdays of two composers.

In 1668 the French composer François Couperin was born. The first video is Couperin’s Les Lis naissans .

In 1928 the Italian composer Ennio Morricone was born. The second clip is Morricone conducting the performance of his Theme for the film The Mission