Fiction and life . . . from the desk of Gwen M. Plano
  • Home
  • Blog Reflections
  • REDEMPTION THRILLER
  • THE CONTRACT Series
  • My Memoir
  • Poetry
  • About

A Visit to the Zoo

5/27/2020

26 Comments

 
One of my favorite authors is the Australian writer Suzanne Burke. Just for fun, she's created a “Fiction in A Flash Challenge!" If you are interested, just click on the Flash Challenge link, and you'll be led to her website, where you'll find the challenge image and the directions for writing the brief Flash Fiction piece. I've entitled my story, A Visit To The Zoo. 

Picture

George … George! Come out here.

            Why would I want to do that! I’m trying to rest.

Ya gotta see this.

            Whatever it is, I’m not interested.

Come on, George. There are strange creatures out here, and they are all staring at me.

            Can we eat them?

No, they’re pretty big. They might eat us, though.

            Good grief! And, you’re still out there?

I think they’re in a cage. I don’t think they can reach us.

            Alright, alright. I’m coming. This better be good.

Look … over there. What do you see?

            I don’t know for sure. They have eyes, and they have hands and feet.

Watch ... watch. When I move, their heads turn to follow me. Did you notice that?

            Yeah, weird for sure.

Hey, look what happens when I just stretch out and show them beautiful me.

            Wow, that got a reaction!

Why don’t you try something?

            Okay. Let’s see what they do if I stand on my hind feet.

Hey, I think they like you more than me.

            Do you think they can talk? They’ve gotta have a mouth, don’t they?

I don’t know. I don’t even see a nose, so maybe they don’t breathe.

            They gotta breathe, they gotta eat. Unless …

Unless what?

            Maybe they’re some kind of alien. What do you think?

Aliens? Why would aliens be interested in us? What do we have that they need?

            Well, for starts a mouth and a nose.

Come on, George. Seriously, what do we have that they don’t?

            Beats me.

George, look at the little alien. He’s tugging on his face, but the big one stops him.

            Woe … I think I know what they want from us.

You do? What is it, George?

            They want to be free like you and me. 
         
26 Comments

Waiting for sunshine

5/12/2020

19 Comments

 
Each week writer/photographer  Keith Channing  offers a photo prompt and encourages a creative response. In his own words, he writes: “Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph."

This is a chilly, rainy day for folks in the Midwestern part of the country. Life has slowed and we wait - for sunshine, for the early summer breeze. We've grown accustomed to the proverbial four walls that enclose us and the windows that offer glimpses of life that used to be. My Haiku attempts to capture that sentiment via Channing's photo.

​Won't it be delightful to someday meet? ​
Picture
19 Comments

Still your heart . . .

5/5/2020

9 Comments

 
Each week writer/photographer  Keith Channing  offers a photo prompt and encourages a creative response. In his own words, he writes: “Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph."

I've chosen to write a Haiku poem. Won't you try a response as well? 

​ 
Picture
9 Comments
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    For blog updates, please subscribe below. 
    * indicates required

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    June 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. ―Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning


Plano Enterprises, LLC
Photos used under Creative Commons from Kevin M. Gill, Joel Bedford, qthomasbower, crosescribe, Juho Holmi, diana_robinson, W Presley & B Kunce Photography......WI. USA, U.S. Geological Survey, Ian Sane, florianric, NikoMC, van Van Es, Yen Chao 趙彥, MissMessie, Yuriy Kuzin, Ben Zvan, Bichuas (E. Carton), Nina Matthews Photography, hehaden, alexdecarvalho, Tim RT, Kurdistan Photo كوردستان, Candida.Performa, peddhapati (Thanks for 1M Views!!!), Jhong Dizon | Photography, Waheed Akhtar Photography, lawmurray, USFWS Pacific, JalilArfaoui, SurFeRGiRL30, Lauren Finkel Photography, maf04, SantaRosa OLD SKOOL, Dakiny, vauvau, Zanastardust, Monica's Dad, timpeartrice, marumeganechan, Rafael Acorsi, seyed mostafa zamani, Jorge Franganillo, Irene Grassi (sun sand & sea), The National Guard, D.Fletcher, nada abdalla, Ted LaBar, alison.mckellar, Infomastern, Elvert Barnes, m01229, theglobalpanorama