The satisfaction of a list

  1. explore ideas, challenges, writing prompts
  2. pick what could work for you, be it one source or several
  3. will you consider skipping a writing prompt or will you take them as they come?
  4. decide on a format of the posts
  5. will you allow digression from the format if the prompt requires it or will you mould the topic to your format?
  6. how often do you want to post and for how long?
  7. do you want to plan your posts or write them on the spot?
  8. are you ready to start?
  9. pick your first topic.

I have just completed the list above.

Source: 365 Days of Writing Prompts, April 15

Who doesn’t love a list? So write one!

Start of a new series I guess. It is more of an exercise for me than anything else. A way to get back to the habit of writing. And let’s be real, I need some help with that!

So yes, I have not only written but also completed the above list.

  • I have picked the 365 Days of Writing Prompts as a source material for inspiration.
  • I will skip the topics I am not happy to write about and I will not follow the chronology either, hence the start with April 15. The prompt just made sense for me as a first post.
  • The format will probably change, depending on the writing prompt, but I will keep the word count to exactly 100 words every time.
  • The plan is to post every Friday and I will most likely prepare and schedule ahead (unless the prompt requires something else). I will post as long as I feel like it or as long as I feel I need the practice.

Postcard / Pohľadnica

Author: Július Lenko

Among the trees sky-blue pond
with racing white ducks
and close by
a green lizard on a tree stump.
What country am I in?
I am sending it to you on a postcard.
Come, come immediately.
Arrive with the first rain,
you'll find me by a heart carved in stone.

Come before
it turns into a scar. 
Pomedzi stromy vidno belasý rybník,
na ňom preteky bielych kačíc
a celkom blízko
peň stromu so zelenou jaštericou.
V akej som krajine?
Posielam ti ju na pohľadnici.
Príď, ihneď príď.
Prileť s prvým dažďom,
nájdeš ma po srdci, vytesanom v kameni.

Príď prv,
kým na jazvu sa premení. 

U to Z_haiku

Mighty universe, 
why are there no unicorns?
I need a rainbow.
Eat your greens says mom -
vegetables on my plate,
...it's a mushy pile. 
pretty garden hides
underground kingdom of worms
they need each other
Plant tissue xylem
bringing water from the roots 
to the plant. Nature... 
Let's restart this year
Let's repeat 2020
'cause something went wrong.
Zebra's angry shouts -
I am not a stripy horse!
Sorry, but you are.
image from: https://www.britannica.com/science/xylem 

No more knocking / Neklop viac

Author: Nata Hosťovecká

Once more, trying to wake up tenderness in me
you are standing at my door, silent,
waiting for borderless desire
- old habit of our old games.

But, something is stuck between us
like a lightning, sharpness of a blade,
winding road, dark pits...
No more knocking on my doors.

The keys rusted into the lock
tarnished by long wait - 
Not each of us likes to share.
You can go. I no longer hold you.

You know, I am a woman, not just
a doormat somewhere by the door
that you only notice missing
when you need to clean your shoes. 
Opäť chceš vo mne budiť nehu,
mlčiaci stojíš pri dverách
a čakáš túžbu bezobrehú
- starý zvyk v našich starých hrách.

Čosi však trčí medzi nami
ako blesk, ostrie čepele,
kľukatá cesta, tmavé jamy...
Neklop viac, neklop na dvere.

V zámke už kľúče zhrdzaveli
zájdené dlhým čakaním -
Nie každý z nás dvoch rád sa delí.
Môžeš ísť. Už ti nebránim.

Vieš, ja som žena a nie iba
rohožka niekde pri dverách,
ktorá ti práve vtedy chýba,
keď z topánok chceš zotrieť prach.

P to T_haiku

Pond brimming with thoughts 
Pondering on life's meaning
Frogs singing sadly 
Waiting on the shore,
quiet, the storm approaches
waves licking my feet.
Pebbles, rocks and stones
play hide and seek with water 
river flows, forgets. 
Man, flake, ball and drift
frozen, scared of the warm sun,
connected by snow.
First, just a rumble 
then, angry growl, loud thunder 
Is it time to eat?

To return / Vrátiť sa

Author: Ondrej Čiliak

Returning back to the blooming flowers,
back to deserted desire, for one day
hiding the warmth of your skin
and lying to my heart: I might forget.
Not even lying will help...

Let's be good.
Let's be good to each other,
even though your eyes are crying as if at a funeral,
even though our fingers missed the meeting point,
even though we are poorer by one look...
We will say love is a coincidence,
like a pleasant autumn in alder crowns.

Is it possible to listen to a play about great search
but finding oneself walking into an empty corner?
I am as you are disappointed
and if there is something bonding us,
it is words: Forgive me.
Opäť sa vrátiť medzi živé kvety,
do opustenej túžby jeden deň,
ukryť si teplo tvojej kože
a klamať srdce: možno zabudnem.
Už ani klamať nepomôže...

Budeme dobrí.
Budeme veľmi dobrí k sebe,
aj keď sa oči rozplačú ako na pohrebe,
aj keď sa prsty nestretnú v jednom bode,
aj keď budeme o pohľad chudobnejší...
Budeme vravieť o láske ako o náhode,
ako o dobrej jeseni v korunách jelší.

Je možné počúvať hru o veľkom hľadaní
a potom kráčať do prázdneho kúta?
Veď ty si mnou a ja som tebou sklamaný,
a keď je čosi, čo nás k sebe púťa,
tak sú to slová: Odpusť mi.

K to O_haiku

I'm in, I eat kale
Hipster healthy bio freak
We all gonna die
Yellow, reds and browns
Path rustling under my steps
Last leaf falling down
Monkey see, monkey
do. Lead by an example.
We are animals.
Dancing northern lights
Crisp wind reddening my cheeks
Soul frozen in awe
Proud and majestic
Sublime colours, shapes and scents
Orchids on display 

Your gifts / Čo si mi dala

Author: Pavel Bunčák

I sang a song for you:
Flower gives out its scent, withers.
I taught you how to get old
sensibly and stealthily,
how to reminisce 
without memories,
how ghosts grow up 
and sweet sighs 
turn into wrinkles.  
Zaspieval som ti pieseň:
Kvet rozvonia sa, zvädne.
Učil som ťa, ako sa starne
múdro a nebadane,
ako sa spomína,
keď nemáš na čo,
ako vyrastajú prízraky
a zo sladkých vzdychov
vrásky.