The Friday Fictioneers is an online group dedicated to crafting flash fiction pieces of a 100 words each week with the inspiration of a photo prompt. This is my second week and this group is so supportive and easy going that you don’t even have to wait for Friday, apparently, because the photo prompt is already up. Thanks to Rochelle Wiseoff-Fields for giving our words a place to go.
From Scott Vanatter with permission-Copyright- Indira
Sharp beaks rip twigs from my canopy to build their home nested in the crook of a shoulder. Winds caress or brutalize my limbs, spreading my seeds which the grays bring back and tuck in my pockets or drop at my feet as they scatter through the mazework of branches when a two-legged one comes. I wonder why they climb, rough soles tearing my bark. Then they press a tender cheek to my ancient skin and worship the sky as I do. A tree cannot defend itself. That is why I spread my arms wide, opening my heart to all.
You can read flash fiction pieces from the rest of the group here
“…they press a tender to cheek to my ancient skin and worship the sky as I do.”…I really liked that line, Kelly. Very nice…if a tree can have conflicting feelings, yours certainly does. Nice one.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I love this. Trees really are wonderful and forgiving and they still have much to teach us.
Very poetic tree. Nice.
Just beautiful!
I agree with Jan. This is “Just beautiful.” Love the last line.
Lovely, enjoyed this.
This is really really lovely. I love the grays tucking the seeds into the tree’s pockets. Wonderful stuff. One of my favourites this week 🙂
really lovely piece of writing. i especially loved the last two lines 🙂
I love the feeling a tree can have. Very nicely and tenderly told.
Very nice. You can imagine from a tree’s perspective how confusing human behaviour must be!
Thanks for the likes and comments everyone. I don’t delve too deep into what I write but I see her as a harassed mother fostering life in what is left of her country and we are to her rough souls (soles), the most dangerous animal. And yet she has care in her heart for us, the most troublesome of all her foster children who really have decimated her land. Something like that is the feeling I get 🙂 So yes her feelings are very much conflicted and she does find us inexplicable most of the time.
Lovely depiction of the interaction of nature (and humans) with the tree–very nice.
First person from tree perspective. So beautifully written. Words sacred and poignant come to mind.
Lovely, particularly the ending!
A poetic work here, and I very much like how you describe the various things the tree experiences. A great way to end it, a kind and loving thought.
Wonderful. Nature in the raw.
Loved it.