midnightpoet

I'd like to see people draw picture based on some writing....a poem, a short story, something written by someone else, or something you wrote yourself, or even something from the ThinkWrite thread...

I got this idea from Solosater...she drew this lovely picture:
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=38576
and wrote this lovely poem to go with it:
The Faerie Flies at Midnight
By solosater

The faerie was just learning to fly,
to spread her wings and soar through the sky.
But she was nervous about her form;
she’d been told t’was not the norm.
What was a faerie to do?

She made up her mind,
even if some weren’t kind
to do her very best
and worry not about the rest.
She would fly true!

So she practiced and practiced and as time passed
she found that in the races she was not always last
and as for her ascension height
it was getting to be just right
Still, she wanted more.

She decided to go out
when no one was about
and try out some brand new tricks
for the faerie land Olympics
She’d win, she swore!

So midnight it was;
the forest abuzz.
She flew to new heights
Oh, how she loved these nights,
the peace, the freedom.

At last came the games
in the stands the Gents and Dames
And with her new form
she took them by storm.
the best flier in faerie kingdom

Inspired by this...I drew the following picture series based on a stanza from "The Stolen Child" by William Butler Yeats:

Come away, oh human child
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=38884
To the waters and the wild
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=39686
With a faerie hand-in-hand
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=39976
For the world's more full of weeping
http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=39981
Than you can understand...

Baldur

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=39932

solosater

I also added this one to the Think Write Open thread:


http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=38736

Who Am I?

For ever so long I have been becoming who I am. But just who am I? I’ve asked around and no one really seems to know; they think they do, but I know better. If I don’t know who I am then how could they?

I wonder as ones who know me not at all tell me about myself, but they are the ones in control; they do not know me, not even my name!

I tell them what I know about me and they tell me I must be wrong, how can I be? I live it. They tell me they understand me and that I shouldn’t worry so. How can they understand me when we’ve never met?

I feel I’m going mad; they say I am fine. Perhaps they are mad. Perhaps they are not even real and I too am a figment of my own imagination.

Perhaps I’m a figment of yours.

No that can’t be, I remember before, if I were not real I wouldn’t remember a past.

I know what I like: colorful people, beautiful things, peace and quiet, a good book, my faithful companion.

Perhaps she knows me; she cannot say for she does not speak. She does seem to like me so perhaps I am likeable. That’s a good thing right? But is it who I am?

I can make people laugh, but do they laugh with me or at me? I do not know; how could I? I can make people cry, is it for themselves or me? I can inspire wonder in some, is it at my fascinating thoughts or my mad dreams?

When I was a young girl I was an old woman and now as a grown woman I am like a child. I do not know where to begin, am I already there or have I passed it by entirely?

When will I know? When will I be done?

I’m so tired of this struggle to know myself I think, perhaps, I will be done now.

At least for right now.

solosater

Great idea btw!

midnightpoet

Oh, yeah, I forgot about that one, solo...one of my favorites!

solosater

Thank you.

I think Ron may have done one with "Revelation" but I'm not sure.

solosater

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=40810


"Going Back"


Toothbrush & soda, Aspirin for any fever, antihistamine in case she landed in a strawberry patch, antibiotics & anti-viral meds just in case, small gold nuggets and salt to trade with the tinker, three sets of simple, period clothing & shoes and her journal and ink.

If anyone saw her writing she’d tell them her uncle was a cleric and she’d learned her alphabet and reading & writing at his insistence; with a quirk of serendipity she wouldn’t be burned at the stake as a witch or some such stupidity.

This time travel business was a bit risky but how else was she really going to know? There was much she wanted to know, as the saying goes, “History is written by the victors.” she wanted the TRUTH! She was a historian but only knew what she read. But now…

Since she found the rift last month and traveled it freely she’d been preparing for this day.

She wished for someone to wish her luck; oh well, it was time to go.


“But Not So Much…”


This wasn’t a strawberry patch; she seemed to have landed on a cruise ship. Perhaps she had a fever; this whole thing could be a quirky dream.

Oh, crap! If she wasn’t back from “vacation” in two weeks her family would go mad, and it looked like she was currently in the middle of the ocean. CRAP!

“Miss Pennyroyal, you look a little ill, would you like an escort to your stateroom?” said a uniformed man she hadn’t noticed.

Uniformed. Cruise ship. He even had a nametag – Mr. Tinker, Captain, Gold Nugget.

This couldn’t be, the rift went to the 16th century.

She wasn’t prepared for what looked like the 19th, the toothbrush and all would still come in handy but her clothes, she looked down, she was dressed like a well to do miss of the mid to late 1800s. Serendipity?

“Captain, please, I’m feeling a little faint,” she took his proffered arm.

She hummed the alphabet song to calm herself, not working!

The Captain was looking at her rather askance…


“The Journal”


“Serendipity Pennyroyal is your name. You’re aboard the Gold Nugget en route to San Francisco. It’s 1858, you have about 4 days before you jump again, to where I don’t know.”

The journal was in her handwriting, she could tell by the alphabetical quirks but she had not written this, her name wasn’t Serendipity Pennyroyal.

“No, it’s not a fever and no one has tinkered with your mind; you are a guest (victim?) of the rift.

“Try to enjoy it, it gets easier to adjust and you will see amazing things. Your personal items should transfer with you.” Oh good at least she’d have her toothbrush and the meds.

“I haven’t found a way home and by my count I’ve been at it for 6 months, I don’t know how it works but I’ve gotten notes from others so I’ve started leaving them as well. I hope I’ve helped, Good luck, SP.”

She walked to the mirror, this strawberry blond hair was new…


“Adjusting, Kinda‘”


“Captain Tinker says the Nugget will arrive in San Francisco tomorrow, I’ll have three days according to this journal.

“I’ll pack up my own things and the stuff in the room since for the time being it’s mine as I’m currently Serendipity Pennyroyal of the strawberry blond hair and according to The Captain also of a frail constitution (I’ve had several fevers while aboard; I’m guessing that’s a good way to hide out when you don‘t know who or what you know).

I guess this will all be yours next, this is my first ‘jump’ so I’ll defer to the previous entries, there’s some good stuff. If you’ve been at it longer perhaps you can add more information, I’ll keep it up to date for you, SP.

She closed the journal and grabbed her toothbrush; she realized she was humming the alphabet again, it’s a quirk she picked up as a child to calm herself, still not really working…

The Captain probably saw it as proof that it wasn’t just frail physical health that ailed her.


“Getting There”


As she said goodbye to Captain Tinker and debarked the Gold Nugget she wondered where she should go; was she expected, did she have family here? Well of course she didn’t; did Serendipity?

She got her answer almost immediately, “Miss Pennyroyal? Over here!” she turned and saw a man she didn’t recognize but who obviously knew her waving feverishly at her.

It appeared he’d already gathered her baggage and loaded it onto a carriage.

She’d kept her personal bag with her toothbrush, meds, and both journals; call it a quirk but she wasn’t about to be separated from that bag.

She approached the man and he bowed slightly, “Oh Miss, they are awaiting you quite eagerly,” he opened the door and handed her in.

After a short drive they came to a stop in front of an Italianate Victorian house; she saw a strawberry patch in the side yard and grinned.

Then she saw the sign, “The Alphabet School” and giggled quietly to herself.

This should be interesting, going from history professor to school teacher.

solosater

Those last five stories were from Think Write IV but the word list is now five stories old; I'm going to continue it here using the previous lists.

solosater

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=40818

solosater

http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=40909

“The School”


“As I walked in the door I realized this was no ordinary school, but one for orphans; they all live here & were all lined up to meet Miss Pennyroyal. There are 15 ranging from 4 to 16: I’ve no idea what they know, what we’re to teach them or their histories.

“As I think of it I feel profound panic and I start humming again…

“One of the smallest children, you’ll like her, piped up in a melancholy little voice and said, ‘Mith Penaroll, what thong are you thinging? I‘d thurely like to know it; my mama uthed to thing thongs all the time.’

“Then an evil dwarf said, “Shut up STHTUUUPID, your mama ain’t here & she ain’t comin’ back & no one cares about her singin’ to you.” His anger was palpable; it’s just an adverse consequence of his upset over being orphaned.

“ ‘Miss,’ I said ‘I’ll be happy to teach you, it’s The Alphabet Song. Do you know your alphabet?’

“She told me she didn’t but would ‘thurely like to.’ She looked at me as if I were magical and said, ‘Mith, thith ith The Alphabet Thchool, you know a thong about our school?’

“One of the older children spoke up, ‘Jillie, the school is named after the lettering system we use to read and write, it’s called the alphabet. Mack, Jill is not stupid, she has a lisp; she‘ll grow out of it’

“ill looked up and said, ‘Jameth, do you know the thong?’

‘No,’ he said, ‘but I do know the alphabet.’

“I’d guess by his excellent speech and demeanor that he’ll be a great help to us while we’re here.

“I told them we’d start with the song first thing after I’d settled in and I asked if James would show me to my room and help me with my bags, he obliged.

“He led me up to the first floor to a room in the back, explaining along the way that it had been cleaned and prepared for me by the housekeeper & cook, Miss grey, but that she was out right now getting food for the supper.

“When I walked through the door I noticed the beautiful floral pattern stenciled on the walls and an octagonal window made up of smaller triangle shaped stained glass panes. I could smell the beeswax that had been lovingly used on the gorgeous oak bedroom suite.

“I found it strange that this beautiful home had been built as a school for orphans so I asked James about it.

‘Well Miss Pennyroyal, when my parents were killed in a carriage accident last year my guardian and I decided to keep it as a school for orphans since that is what I am and I have planned to train as a teacher for some years.’

“I was astonished and quite speechless; he seemed to understand and said he’d leave me to settle in backed out of the room and closed the door…

“Must settle in, SP.”

solosater

“The Decision”


“It’s day three in this “jump” and I’ve just barely started to feel like I know what’s happening.

“I mean to say I feel almost normal here, like I belong; it’s a little weird because I KNOW I don’t.

“I‘m also not sure at what time I may jump so I’m going to give you the most information I can and hope for the best.

“I’ve decided to confide in James. I’m sure this is somewhat irresponsible but at the same time you or someone after you may be from the third century or may not speak English; I think these kids deserve some stability not random personalities every four days.

“He seems like he’ll take it in stride. I hope he doesn’t think I’m crazy but one way or the other he’ll notice when you don’t recognize him or the other children. He’s terribly smart; henceforth he’ll be the beacon, the guiding light if you will for the future Misses Serendipity Pennyroyal at The Alphabet School. SP”

She went down to the small office behind the library and asked the maid, Miss Spear, who was dusting the balusters on the main stair case to hunt up James for her.

While she waited she thought about that rascal Mack and his toothache, she’d asked the housekeeper if she had anything for it. She didn’t want to give him the aspirin she’d brought; she knew it wasn’t good for kids but she couldn’t remember why. She’d make a note of it for Serendipity in the journal incase it got worse.

solosater

“James”


James walked in and asked’ “Miss Pennyroyal, you wanted to see me?”

“Yes James, I’ve something very important to discuss with you. Come in and close the door, please.”

He stood there looking aloof or perhaps as if he were lost in the past as he looked out at the white toad lilies growing in the window box. “My mother loved those lilies.”

“They are quite beautiful, who keeps them up now?”

“I do”

“James, sit down with me please”

“Is there a problem Miss Pennyroyal?”

“No, James but there are going to be some changes very soon and I need your help to make sure everything keep running well. I have noticed how very capable you are and that you seem to be very much on top of everything that happens here in the school.”

“Of course,” he said, “it’s mine.”

“Yes, I know that and that is why I need you to know about what’s happening. James, I’m on a journey, and I’ll be moving on…”

James jumped up out of his seat and said vehemently, “You can’t go, we’ve been waiting for months for a teacher to come, I do my best but I can’t keep up with the younger ones and the older ones don’t think I’m good enough because I’m to young. Miss Pennyroyal you can’t go!” By this time he was crying and I felt just awful that I’d not chosen a better way to start this.

“James, calm down, Miss Pennyroyal will be here, or at least I think so. You see James, I am not Miss Pennyroyal, I’m a traveler that got caught up in her life.”

He was looking at her now as if she’d been speaking Greek, for all she knew he spoke Greek. He was so clever, she knew one day he was going to be a great teacher.

“James, sometime in the next day a different Miss Pennyroyal will be taking my place. I believe she will look like me, and as far as I know she’ll be like me, on a journey. I believe four days later she will be replaced as well, then another and another.

“I’m keeping a journal for her and I’ve asked her to do the same for the next after her. I don’t know how long she’ll have been at this but this is my first time. I can’t tell you very much about it; I don‘t know very much about it.”

“James I know you are a young man and shouldn’t have this kind of responsibility but with your help no one will suspect and you’ll be able to keep your teacher and your school and have some help I’d think, at least most of the time.”

“I’m telling you because I’m not sure if all of the women; in fact now I think about it there could be men as well,” oh God, what if there were men? Trying not to hum…

“Well, you see that’s something you may need to help with, if a man shows up you keep him hidden or make up a good reason for him to be here and make Miss Pennyroyal’s excuses if anyone asks.

“James I know this is a lot to take in, I really do, four days ago I was in the year 2009.”

Now he looked as if she’d declared she was a dolphin and would like to be returned to the sea.

“I know I sound like a mad woman, James, I’m not, I’m from the future and next I may be going to the future or the past I just don’t know.”

“Miss Pennyroyal, are you sure you’re alright? I could ask Miss Grey to give you some headache powders,” he asked, really looking worried now.

“James, listen if you think I haven’t changed in two days then we’ll talk about it again but I think you’ll notice when it happens.

“When it does, will you please make sure she gets the journal I’ve left in the bedside table and offer her any assistance she may need?

“Alright, Miss Pennyroyal, if you aren’t yourself I’ll give you your journal.”

He sounded a little mocking, but she’d take it; she knew he’d do as she asked when he realized she’d gone.

“James in about a decade there’s going to be a couple of authors you should read, H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, in my time they are thought of as the fathers of science fiction and after you’ve dealt with this, I think you may really enjoy their stories.”

“James, you cannot tell anyone, there’s something called a paradox and my telling you could change the future but I think if you just don’t tell anyone else EVER it should be alright.

“And James, think of it, these Misses Pennyroyal will merely be figure heads, really what could they do in four days. This is your school, you’ll have the respect of the students and as far as everyone will know it will be Miss Pennyroyal if anyone screws up terribly.”

“Screws up?” he asked.

“Oh, James don’t say that, it’s something said in the future, it means making a mistake, as in ’Miss Pennyroyal screwed up when she used a word from the future well in the past.’ you see?”

He laughed

“You know James, by the time you’re ready to go to university to study to be a teacher you may have quite an eclectic education under your belt”

midnightpoet

I am totally sucked into this story!

solosater

And I can't stop!!!!

I think it might turn into a novel...

I want to write instead of sleep; 7am here, still up researching the next "jump"

solosater

“The Jump”


She felt it coming. She grabbed her bag and ran down the stairs calling for James.

He met her halfway from the stairs to the kitchen.

“James, it’s coming, I can feel it, I’m going to jump.” she said, “Do you remember what to do?”

He smiled at her and said , “I still think you are a little mad, but yes, I remember your instructions.”

“James, I’ll never forget you. I’ve had such a nice time getting to know you. James, you can do this; keep this school going and when the time comes you’ll go to university and be the best teacher ever. You’ll do fine, I know it.

He seemed to realize she was serious, and stopped smiling, “I hope your travels take you to your home again and that you are safe until then. Please be careful, the past has been a very bad place for women at times and who knows what the future holds?”

“Thank you.” she said, “James promise me one more thing, that you’ll take an afternoon off here and there and be a young man and have some fun. Please promise me you’ll do that.

“I will, of course I will,” he said, “I promise Miss Pennyroyal.”

“Who?”

“Miss Pennyroyal?” he said, then he realized she didn’t have her bag any more.

“Miss, please follow me, I’ve a message for you.” he said and offering his arm he escorted her to ‘Miss Pennyroyal’s’ room, “There’s a journal in the bedside table for you; my name is James and I’ll help you adjust as best I can. You are our teacher, Miss Serendipity Pennyroyal, just newly arrived from the east. If you need anything the housekeeper is Miss Grey and the maid is Miss Spear. If you need me, I’ll be in the garden behind the kitchen.” he walked out of the room and quietly shut the door.

He took a deep breath and said to himself, “Yes, I’ll go to the garden and take the afternoon off.”

Qsilv

(sneaking in... reading... reading again... smiling slowly... "yesssss!")

solosater

"The Other Side" is on its way but I'm half asleep and it's almost 10 am here so I guess I need to take a little sleep before I finish it; sometime later today I'm sure.

midnightpoet

looking forward to it!

matthew

Doodles based on scribbles next?

solosater

“The Other Side”


She was out in an open field, she could see tents and cloth pavilions in the distance, and she couldn’t get a breath for anything.

She looked down at herself and realized why, she was strapped into a Renaissance style corset top tied so tight she really couldn’t breath. Then she remembered what the girl at the faire said when she tried on one of these at the Renaissance Faire last year, breath with your belly. That kinda’ helped but still, looking down she saw her normally slight bust line bursting forth and she didn’t think she’d grown larger breasts.

Oh boy, she really hoped this was a 21st century Ren Fest and not the real thing. She started walking toward the crowd; no, this certainly didn‘t feel like a living history kinda place the people here were actually dirty and there were way fewer teeth than there should have been in the smiles she saw directed at her. She ran her tongue around her teeth, yep all there.

So she’d landed in a feudal society in an unknown century. By the accents she was hearing she guessed Scotland or England, perhaps even Ireland: people traveled quite far for tourneys of this sort.

Serendipity was not with her, she giggled, then frowned, she wondered how things where in San Francisco, were James and Jill and Mack and the rest ok? Poor James, she hoped he wasn’t to shocked, she’d been telling the truth.

She wondered what year she’d landed in and hoped it wasn’t one that would get her killed.

At least she was dressed as a peasant, no one would even notice her.

“Neassa!” she heard behind her in an Irish accent; she somehow knew that was her name, she turned to see an older man limping toward her.

“Neassa, have ye any sense at all, lass? You need a minder.”

“Em….” as she hadn’t a clue who she was let alone who this man was to whoever she was she really didn’t know how to proceed.

C'mere, lass, you look a bit peckish, shall we find a sweet to eat?”

He took off limping toward the vendors.

“Em…aye.” Humming now, she thought she was really going to have to remember some of those Marian Keyes novels she’d read, that woman could make you speak Irish without half trying.

“Are ye barmy, lass?” he said, looking back at her, then turning to limp away again mumbling, “Right, now she’s humming. I’ll have to lock her up; folks are thinking she’s mad already, now she’s humming.”

Oh boy, this was gonna be fun….