by Naomi L. | January 3, 2014 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
The hour draws near. Everyone gathers round as the clock hands inch toward the twelve. Almost midnight. Time to head to the beach.
We walk down the path to the shore, surrounded by people heading the same way. We’re all excited for the show that happens every year. We rarely miss the chance to see it on this special night.
The sandy shore is crowded with people ready to start anew. We gather close to the water and pull out the glass bottle and cups. Five minutes now.
The waves roll calmly up the beach. Singing and shouting fills the night. Each of us takes a cup as Dad pours the champagne. We don’t care to join in the loud festivities. We’re content just to be with each other.
Someone starts to count. Ten, nine… We all gather closer as everyone joins in. Eight, seven, six… We think back on all the memories of the past year. Five, four… We hope for even greater times ahead. Three, two, one…
Bright explosions of light and sound fill the sky. Everyone cheers as midnight arrives, bringing the famous fireworks and the beginning of a promising new time. We all share in a toast and exchange hugs and kisses, looking forward to starting a brand new year together. It’s going to be the best yet!
Colors in the sky
Start off Year Twenty-Fourteen
Have a great new year!
by Naomi L. | December 27, 2013 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
As I think about
The year gone by,
I smile at the memories
Of 2013,
For I realize
There’s much to celebrate.
But what should I
Celebrate most?
Is it the blog I’ve started?
It’s a big step
Toward my dream.
I’m free to write about
My thoughts and feelings,
And I’m happy to know
Readers enjoy my words.
Is it the stories I’ve written?
I’m very proud
Of the tales I tell.
They’ve opened up
New doors for me,
And they show my voice
To the world.
Is it the people I’ve met?
They’ve been so supportive
Of my writing.
I’ve made some good friends
In the blogosphere,
And I’m glad we can share
In the journey of storytelling.
No, what I should celebrate most
Is the love I’ve always had in my life.
The people I love
Visit my blog,
Read my stories,
Support my writing,
And always make me
Feel special.
I’ll always celebrate
The people I love most,
Because they make
Every year wonderful.
So here’s to the end
Of a great 2013,
And may 2014
Be just as awesome!
Happy New Year!
by Naomi L. | December 20, 2013 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Short Stories |
Sawyer sat on the edge of the shelf, staring at the mysterious box with narrowed hazel eyes. Soon, he thought, the time would come again. Every time the spinning stick pointed straight up, his enemy would appear. And every time, she got the best of him. But not this time. No, this time, victory would go to him. He would make sure of that.
The sound of ticking was the only noise filling the air. Sawyer’s tail flicked for the umpteenth time, and his whiskers twitched. The tension was almost palpable. Just a little more, he thought, flexing his legs and digging his claws into the wood. The stick was nearly vertical now. Just a tiny bit left, and at last he would catch her…
Sawyer and his enemy had been at war for a year. He knew this because she had entered his life the last time his owners had set up the lighted tree in the living room, the same way they did every year, the same way they had last week. The year before, one of the boxes under the tree contained this strangely shaped object, with two spinning sticks and a little flap behind which lived…
The cat shuddered. He didn’t even like to think about it. Oh, how he loathed her. She was awful! From the moment they’d met, all she ever did was annoy him. And what was worse, she did it all day, every day! No, it wasn’t enough to make irritating noises just once in a while; she had to pop out and mock him from her high perch every time the larger spinning stick made a full turn. Why every time? Didn’t she ever get tired? Didn’t she have anything better to do than wait for the stick to spin all the way around yet again? Sawyer couldn’t imagine she did… but it didn’t matter. Soon he would catch her, and his family would surely thank him for ridding them of this terrible nuisance. That was, after all, why they had recently built the shelf right next to her, right? Right? Yes, he’d be treated like a hero, but in all honesty, he would just be glad she was gone.
A loud chime suddenly rang through the room. That was the signal. In the blink of an eye, Sawyer screeched and pounced at the box the exact moment he knew the flap would open. Yes, there she was! Halfway through the air, he could already hear her horrible high-pitched tweet.
“Cuckoo!”
The feline unsheathed his claws, a split second from the box now. He was so close, he could already taste victory. But wait, what was she doing? She was already retreating? No, he couldn’t have miscalculated! Yet by the time he was close enough to swipe at the bird, she was halfway back into her nest. Unbelievable, he missed her by an inch!
Sawyer cried out in frustration, flailing his paws wildly in a flash of orange fur. He wasn’t about to admit defeat. He could still catch her; there were a few chimes left before she settled into her nest for another hour. His claws still unsheathed, he just managed to grab the swinging weight under the box before he fell to the floor. This wasn’t over yet.
The cat pressed his back paws against the wall to steady himself. Startled by a loud splintering noise, he looked up at the flap to see the bird emerging again.
“Cuckoo!” she cried a second time. Surely she was laughing at him. Infuriated, Sawyer cried out again and swiped his free paw up at his enemy… but before he could touch her, the wooden box collapsed from his weight, and the next thing they knew, cat and bird were plummeting to the hard floor together.
CRASH!
A dazed Sawyer scrambled to his feet and looked around. Strewn about the ground were dozens of pieces of wood and metal. Lying amid the shattered remains of the box was the little brown bird, finally off her perch and, more importantly, silent.
Satisfied to finally see his enemy immobilized, the orange feline was brought abruptly back to his senses when a group of humans came rushing into the room. Looking up at his family, Sawyer took a seat beside the fallen bird and started to purr with pride. The job was done; all he had to do now was wait for the praise…
“SAWYER!”
The woman at the head of the group started toward the cat. Sawyer had seen that look in her eyes enough times to know he didn’t like what was coming. Quick as a flash, the confused feline turned and fled from the humans hurrying to see the remains of the shattered box. Leaping up the couch to the top of the armoire, he looked down and watched his family pick up the scattered pieces of wood.
The girl kneeling by the box lifted the fallen bird and showed it to her mother, who shook her head at the sight of it. Sawyer tilted his head. How odd… Weren’t they glad to be rid of that pest? Of course; they were just surprised. Yes, that must have been it. After all, they probably thought they’d be stuck with her forever. Lucky for them, they had a hero in the family.
The people set about cleaning up the mess, while the cat looked on from his perch. The sight of his enemy being swept into a dustpan with the rest of her broken nest filled him with immense satisfaction. Come to think of it, destroying the box wasn’t part of the plan. He knew how much his humans liked it. Why else would they hang it on the wall if they knew what lived inside it? But if that was the price to pay for getting rid of the noisy bird, it was worth it.
Purring softly, Sawyer curled up and closed his eyes, ready for the nap he had earned. There would be plenty of time for praise later. For now, all he really wanted was to enjoy the peace and quiet.
by Naomi L. | December 13, 2013 | Flash Fiction, J.C. Wolfe's Writing |
A few years ago, I received a gift from a friend: a box of chocolates. I was excited about it for the brief time I had it, but I never got to enjoy it, because the same week, you took it away claiming you needed a gift for a friend of your own. Because you promised to replace it, I agreed to let you take it. But you never kept that promise. Of course, I’m partly to blame; since I didn’t want you to think I was petty and annoying, I didn’t insist. At the end of that story, my life was exactly the same as it was in the beginning.
Over a year later, an honest mistake left me without my gift of chocolate again. However, this time I decided to try something different: instead of sitting back and trusting you to replace it like you said you would, I was going to risk sounding petty and insist you keep your promise. I reminded you several times about the gift I had lost, and I kept asking when you would be going to the store so I’d know when you could get me the chocolate you promised. And you know what happened? I got chocolate!
So you want to know what I learned from all this? I learned that when you want something from someone, you have to insist. You have to keep asking when they plan to keep their promises, regardless of whether they’ll think you sound petty. And I know you think I sound petty. But honestly, I’m OK with that, because between these two endings – you thinking I’m a big person or me having chocolate to enjoy at the end of a trying day – I’d rather have the chocolate.
by Naomi L. | December 6, 2013 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
A movie is like a painting.
A vision of art for the eyes,
The artist projects it for the world
So that viewers may gaze
Upon its beauty.
Its colors and shapes are a landscape,
With a range of depth and movement
As envisioned by its creator.
Like a painting,
A movie evokes emotion.
It stirs the mind
And touches the heart.
It gives a glimpse of another world.
Like the classic still paintings
Hanging in many a museum,
So is the movie
A work of art.
A book is like a door.
Dull and common it appears
As it stands still and untouched,
Waiting to fulfill its only function.
No beauty arises from a still frame;
Its beauty lies in its purpose.
Like a door,
A book does nothing when untouched.
But when opened,
It becomes a gateway into another world.
In a change of scenery
Lie the colors and shapes,
The depth and movement,
The beauty one seeks
In a vision of art for the mind.
Like many simple doors
Standing innocently in their frames,
So is the book
A portal for art.
A movie can only take you so far.
It has its twists and turns,
Its sights and sounds.
But at the end of the ride,
You find yourself right back where you started.
Because to take you somewhere new,
A movie relies
On someone else’s imagination.
A book can take you anywhere.
Its paths can be straight or crooked,
Colored or grayed.
At the end of the ride,
You find yourself in a different world.
Because to take you somewhere new,
A book relies
On your imagination.
Please, keep your paintings.
I’ll show myself the door.
by Naomi L. | November 29, 2013 | J.C. Wolfe's Writing, Poetry |
I’m thankful for my family,
Whose love has kept me strong.
I’m thankful for the friends I’ve made
To keep my whole life long.
I’m thankful for the books I read
That take me far away.
They show me distant worlds that I
Can visit any day.
I’m thankful for the gift I have
Of telling stories too.
To build worlds out of only words
Is such a dream come true.
I’m thankful for the readers who
Have put their faith in me
To turn out first-rate stories they
Can all enjoy for free.
I’m thankful for the writers who
I’ve met through blogs their own.
Their strong support has shown me that
I’m really not alone.
But most of all, I’m thankful for
The love I’ve found in art
For readers, writers, books and words
That truly touch my heart.
So on this day of giving thanks,
I’d simply like to say:
I’m thankful for each one of you!
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends, including you fellow readers and writers! I’m grateful to have you in my life. God bless you all!
Recent Comments