William over at a1000mistakes was talking about ‘The Triffids’ today, who are an old, but still iconic Australian band and ‘Wide Open Road’ is, for some of us, something of a national anthem.
Kate also told me of a sad event in her life (and I thank her for entrusting that to me) and somehow it seemed like a good time to play the anthem again. Tap the link if you wish.
And make of it what you will.
I keep doing this. Why? Do I enjoy failure that much?
The nature of this cruel competition is listed above.
Anyway …. here’s what popped out.
Waiting to be Saved
(Lovers sail away from their lives only to become marooned on a tiny island to contemplate the meaning of rescue.)
********
The wind had blown with a gentle warmth from the east during the day but now, as the sun began melting into the ocean, it had shifted to the south and soon it would become a freezing gale.
She moved closer to him such that the bare skin of their shoulders touched, and they shared their warmth whilst looking out from the clifftop at the rising seas.
There would be no rescue tonight.
Out on the edge of the reef the splintered ruins of the hull were occasionally visible between passing swells, but the mast stood defiant above the waves as a monument to foolish love.
From the wreck they had salvaged only a single blanket, food and water, the ship’s telescope and an emergency flare. At night they shared the blanket beneath a thousand miles of sky.
“It is over,” she whispered to him. “Either we will be saved, and I will be forced back to my marriage … or … we will die together clinging to this rock.”
***
During the morning watch, as she slept, he looked through the telescope again, searching the horizon for passing ships to signal. It had been a week, so far, and he had seen nothing. But he could not rely on such good fortune to continue.
He stood atop the cliff and dropped the telescope and the flare. He watched them fall and shatter against the rocks before disappearing into the ocean.
He smiled.
For he was prepared to die.
I began the day with the challenge of writing bad poetry. Now I can’t stop.
Kate writes very sweetly, and all about the purity of true love. So I grab the moral high ground and then desecrate it.
*
Love me. Love me. Love me do.
I’ll love you back. I’ll love you true
By spending every night with you
I’ll love you in the morning too
I’ll treat you special. Treat you nice
At other girls I won’t look twice
I’ll take you shopping. Pay the price.
For you will be my only vice.
Other boys will gawk and stare
I won’t be jealous. I won’t care
I will be with you everywhere
Lurking in your underwear.
Somebody stop me please.
Another challenge. This one from Patricia , who doesn’t actually specify that it should be terrible – but I was on a roll.
Delicious
Them fishes
A sweet salty treat to eat
Tastier than birds
In other words
