Words at the Weekend 30 November

The idea of the challenge is to use any one or more of the given prompts to create a piece of flash fiction (100-500 words) or a poem.

For the weekend I am going to give four prompts that can be used individually or together depending on how the creative juices flow. There will be a single word with its definition, a word bank, three phrases and a photograph – all are random so may not connect in anyway but as is the way of randomness they may connect in the creative thought – you never can tell!

This week’s prompts are:

Photograph:

Man Cooking (Photographer Unknown)

Word:

DoyenPronunciation: (doi-EN, DOI-uhn)
Meaning: noun: The senior member of a group, profession, etc.

Phrases:

• Tapping in;

• doing for others;

• unlimited vision

Word bank:

credence; facade; never; application; thing.

.

If you create something please link back to here

Classical Memories 30 November: Franz Xaver Gerl

The Austrian composer Franz Xaver Gerl was born on this day in 1764. The clip is Gerl’s Aria pro Omni Solemnitate à Basso.

Classical Memories 29 November: Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi

On this day in 1643 the Italian composer Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi died. The clip is  Monteverdi’s Zefiro Torna.

Muse to the Music 28 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:

Sabre Dance by Vanessa Mae

If you use this prompt please link back

Classical Memories 28 November: Jean-Baptiste Lully

The French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully was born today in 1632. The clip is Lully’s Psyché

Whimsical Wednesday 27 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:

• And on the margins of the sea - Song of Quietness by Robinson Jeffers

• In the shadows of an autumn evening - Aimless Love by Billy Collins

• I shun the thought that lurks in all delight – Renouncement by Alice Meynell

If you use this prompt please link back

Classical Memories 27 November: Guillaume Dufay

On this day in 1474 the Netherlandish composer Guillaume Dufay died. The video is Dufay’s Missa Se la Face ay Pale performed by Cantica Symphonia under the direction of Giuseppe Maletto

The Missing Breakfast

‘Come outside and play’
Mummy said, ‘Let breakfast cool’
And out we all went.

In the trees we walked
Chasing birds and butterflies
In the morning sun.

And when we returned
The chairs had been moved about
And mine was all broke.

I cried at Mummy
‘My chair is all broken up’
And then saw my bowl

Someone had eaten
All my porridge; ‘It’s all gone’
I wailed louder still.

All my breakfast gone
Even my little spoon, licked clean
And I was hungry.

And in the bedroom
The thief was fast asleep
In my own wee bed.


Her with long blond hair
Sleeping under my duvet
I growled and she ran.

She ran away, she did
As Mummy cuddled me close
And made me breakfast.




© JG Farmer 2013
via The Poetic Round Forum

Haiku

the repeat episodes 

we wrapped up in pain

old reels in a can

© JG Farmer 2013

Tuesday’s Thinking 26 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:

Write, using the prompt word: jury-rigged

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

Classical Memories 26 November: Emmanuel Bondeville

The French composer Emmanuel Bondeville died on this day in 1987. The clip is Bondeville’s Symphonie Chorégraphique performed by Orchestre National de l'ORTF.

Haiku

a matching pair

of shared memories and dreams

now he walks alone

© JG Farmer 2013

Oh Earth, Wait for Me by Pablo Neruda

Poem: Oh Earth, Wait for Me

Poet: Pablo Neruda

Date of Birth and Death: 12 July 1904 – 23 September 1973

Nationality: Chilean

Brief Biography: A diplomat for most of his life Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Prize–winning Chilean poet who was once called "the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language’.

Return me, oh sun,
to my wild destiny,
rain of the ancient wood,
bring me back the aroma and the swords
that fall from the sky,
the solitary peace of pasture and rock,
the damp at the river-margins,
the smell of the larch-tree,
the wind alive like a heart
beating in the crowded restlessness
of towering araucaria.

Earth, give me back your pure gifts,
the towers of silence which rose
from the solemnity of their roots,
I want to go back to being what I have not been,
and learn to go back from such deeps
that amongst all natural things
I could live or not live; it does not matter
to be one stone more, the dark stone,
the pure stone which the river bears away.

Pablo Neruda
Tr: Alaistair Reid



Pablo is one of my personal favourite poets and this piece sings to me as more and more I find myself drawn to living at peace with the natural world and also in peace with my own being as is right for me and not what others think it should be.

Chocolate Marquise

The tartness of the crème fraiche contrasts with the rich chocolate sweetness of this classic French dessert. Served with chocolate dipped fruit it gives a delightful closure to any meal.

7oz/200g dark chocolate

3½oz/100g butter

3 egg yolks

2¾z/75g caster sugar

1 tbsp chocolate liqueur

½ pint/300ml double cream

To Serve:

Crème fraiche

Chocolate-dipped fruits

Cocoa powder, to dust

Break the chocolate into pieces. Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until melted and well combined. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl with the sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy. Using an electric whisk running on a low speed, slowly whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture. Stir in the chocolate liqueur.

Whip the cream until it is just holding its shape. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into 6 small ramekins, or individual metal moulds. Leave to chill for at least 2 hours.

To serve, turn out the desserts on to individual serving dishes. Serve with the dipped fruit and crème fraiche all dusted with cocoa powder.

Next Time: Rich Chocolate Ice Cream

Monday’s Masterpiece 25 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

Cerise by Douglas Newton

View more of  Douglas’work at:

https://www.artfinder.com/artist/douglas-newton/

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

Classical Memories 25 November: Johann Friedrich Reichardt and Johann Georg Pisendel.

On this day in 1752 the German composer Johann Friedrich Reichardt was born. The first clip is Reichardt’s Erlkönig

The German composer Johann Georg Pisendel died today in 1755. The second video is Pisendel’s Sonata in C minor.

Classical Memories 24 November: Scott Joplin

On this day in 1868 the American composer Scott Joplin was born. The clip is Joplin’s The Entertainer

Words at the Weekend 23 November

The idea of the challenge is to use any one or more of the given prompts to create a piece of flash fiction (100-500 words) or a poem.

For the weekend I am going to give four prompts that can be used individually or together depending on how the creative juices flow. There will be a single word with its definition, a word bank, three phrases and a photograph – all are random so may not connect in anyway but as is the way of randomness they may connect in the creative thought – you never can tell!

This week’s prompts are:

Photograph:

Shipwreked by Karsun Designs Photography

Word:

Decimate

Pronunciation: (DES-i-mayt)
Meaning: verb tr.: To destroy a large part of something.

Phrases:

• power to create;

• the valley of despair;

• the silent awakening

Word bank:

pregnancy; rights; creditor; evenings; liner.

.

If you create something please link back to here

Classical Memories 23 November: Thomas Attwood

Today in 1765 the English composer Thomas Attwood was born. The clip is Attwood’s Trio in C major.

Haiku

sunrise to sunset 

another day passing by

and time heals all

© JG Farmer 2013