Saturday, May 28, 2011

The best dang story (a poem)

It's a Short Story Slam over at Bluebell Books blog today, and I'm participating, just for the fun of it!

The prompt is this photo of John Wayne and the invitation is to write a short story or poem based on the prompt.

Here's my contribution. To read more -- ride on over to Bluebell Books and enjoy the Short Story Slam (week 2)!



The best dang story

They called him
Gun
Slinger
was his ride
He sat tall
and proud
eyes squintin'
into the distance
where she carried him
ore the plains
through many a stormy
night
sky
strewn
with pistol shot
stars
falling
through
whip
lashed winds
blowin'
tumbleweed
brambles
tangled up
in places where
the 'twain never
did meet
'em
on the wide open
prairie
of his dreams
blowin'
in the wind.

Gun
and
Slinger

Man
and
Beast

Ridin'
through a long
tall
dusty prairie
grass
tale
of the best dang
wild west
story
ever told.

12 comments:

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

Gun and Slinger,
..

your words linger, you seem knowing the subject quite well.

Thrilled to have you.
cheers.

love your entry, enjoy a lovely time.

Louise Gallagher said...

Hi Jingle -- it's so lovely to have the luxury of a Saturday morning in bed where I can let the creative juices flow, inspired by places like Bluebell!

And yes, I live on the prairies, have ridden many a mile into the horizon where tomorrow never comes.

Love the west! Wildness and all.

mindsinger said...

Great write on this prompt! Your words and style evoke the essence of the prairie. Thanks

CZBZ said...

Cowboys?? If I had a free day, a story would come rolling out. I love cowboys. Cowboys love me. It never works out.

ha!!

You've referred to several story/poem sites, Louise. Such a cool idea! When my many projects have been finished, I'd love to try some creative writing!

Loved "pistol shot stars falling through whip lashed winds..."

Love,
CZ

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your comment, this was a very nice ride/read too :)

MISH said...

I felt a sense of openness and freedom , like I could almost feel the prairie winds blowing through my hair ...
I think the use of free verse helped to create this atmosphere !
Really enjoyed it !!

Anonymous said...

yeeeeeha! i really enjoyed this one, little missy :-)

Anonymous said...

Some terrific word use...a great poem...best dang one in the wild west!!

Sandra Heska King said...

Love. Love. Love.

I grew up on all those old TV westerns, and my husband used to serenade me with theme songs. :)

I just read some interesting history on John Wayne. Now if I could only remember what and where. I think my memory rode off into the sunset.

Well done!

Anonymous said...

The wide open prairie in a poem :) lovely.

Anonymous said...

Great poem! Your really captured the feel of the wild west and the old movies my stepdad watches every night.

Michael Dodaro said...

Nice! I lived the first twelve years of my life on the plains of northern Montana. Your poem makes me homesick.