SUKI’S TREE
Her tree sways. The ocean thrums. Suki sits, cradled.
She feels her tree’s voice best with closed eyes.
Her tree frets. Suki strokes smooth bark.
Poor tree. What’s wrong?
At dusk she returns with her blanket. Suki’s parents laughed that her talking tree needed her. They let her come back.
Suki walks the dune path. Moonlight glitters the ocean.
Her tree calms only when Suki is tucked high among strong arms.
She awakens to dark thunder. Her tree shudders when the water slams. She clings then struggles higher.
In the morning, rice fields, dunes and village have been scraped away.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
HOT PIE
“More,” shouts Megan. She waves a purple hand.
Their arms burn with scratches. Their buckets are full. The air smells like hot pie.
Oliver follows his big sister.
Bees rise from the dry ground.
Oliver waves.
Megan shrieks. “Go away.”
They run for home, buckets forgotten.
“Baking soda,” mom says.
She dabs paste on each sting, then walks to fetch the buckets.
When they awaken, the kitchen smells of hot pie.
“Her fault,” says Oliver. “Our buckets were full.”
“His fault,” says Megan. “He flapped at the bees.”
“Good pie,” says Mom.
“Very good pie,” agrees Dad. “I’ll have more.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
MARIGOLDS AND POPPIES
Emma keeps a catalog page under her mattress. The scarf she wants has marigolds and orange poppies. It reminds Emma of her mother’s garden back home.
Emma’s dreams of romance and city excitement have turned gray. There’s nothing left after twelve hour days, bus fare and rent. She carries a sandwich in her purse to work.
She folds the picture away and runs for the early bus. It will be dark when she returns tonight.
At last the scarf arrives. Inside the package are her marigolds and poppies.
In the morning, she ties on her scarf and leaves for work.
I loved the first one. I had written a few versions of a story about a boy and a tree, you inspired me to polish it up. The 2nd put a big smile on my face and I am going to warm myself some browny (since I have no pie at home!)
Thank you for these lovely stories
Thanks for your lovely encouragement. I am fueled to keep writing by this. My best friend was a tree for many years during childhood. It broke my heart to come home during college find it had been cut down.
I love these little gems you are writing! Each one captures my attention immediately and hold it . Te first is my favorite. I, too, talk to trees( and flowers and bugs and toads……..you get the picture.)
Thanks so much. Your reading and comments means the world to me. I like it that the stories catch and hold your attention. This is good to know.
Rocks. I also talk to rocks.
Alice
Oh, I’ve done something like this, but I haven’t posted them anywhere. I think I made them into a series. Traveling spouse had to wake early today…so I posted some more ‘moon’ Elfje that you might enjoy (three that were written on that box top…) here:
http://julesgemstonepages.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/mindful-28-just-waxing/
Jules,
I posted another set of three MICRO-fiction today.
http://alicekeysmd.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/micro-fiction-5-each-story-exactly-one-hundred-words/
I don’t intend them to be grouped in any way other than I wrote them one after another. The first has the “Wolf moon” I’ve read about in so many posts this week. I was up watching it from my balcony on the 26th here. It was lovely.
I’ll check back on your blog for your other elfje. I like short poem forms.
Thanks. And keep writing.
Alice
Thanks for the link – I hope to investigate it when I’m not watching my grandson. There is a page on my site that explains the Elfje form, as well as two types of American Japanese style haiku called Lunes.
Cheers.