Beyond

We were somewhere back of beyond on the road between Rocky Ford and Walsenburg. We stopped the car and walked into the prairie grass. Found a sun-warmed hunk of sandstone flat enough to stretch out on.  It seemed to belong to us and not to the rattlers and rabbits and hawks. We made love with [...]

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Bath

The phone was disconnected. The cable was disconnected. Soon the bank would take the house back.
But there was still electricity. There was still hot water.
Marielle drew a bath and drizzled in some aromatic oil. She eased into the tub. Maybe she could relax, think, decide. She had to decide.
Months of slow disaster atop disaster and [...]

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Bed

Oh, the bed it was soft. Squishy as a sponge. Impossible to sit up and read in its deep, swallowing fluff. But once the body was prone, flat, stretched out—things changed. Now it was a cushion, a cradle. A dream.
Please leave a comment with your first 50 words on the topic “bed.”

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How I spent my weekend

Here’s how I spent my weekend.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Please leave a comment with your first 50 words on the topic “how I spent my weekend,” or on some topic suggested by the photos.

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Gray

Not flashy, was gray.
Pigeon breast soft,
Cloud fluffy.
Gray was gunmetal,
Overcast gray loomed,
Oppressive as heat.
Gray drank scotch,
Flashed briefly red,
Then grew black.
Forever.
Please leave a comment with your first 50 words on the topic “gray.”

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Yellow

Yellow smiled at everyone.
Yellow warmed with an inner glow.
Yellow radiated growth.
People misunderstood yellow.
Her quiet approach felt shy,
Cowardly even.
Yellow hired a PR consultant.
Now she has a popular blog
And a Twitter following.
Yellow tweeted today.
She said, “You are beautiful.”
She said, “Spread joy.”
Please leave a comment with your first 50 words on the topic “yellow.”

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Mars

That red speck
Hanging off the tip
Of the moon
That red speck
Is Mars.
Wanna go there?
It’s a trip
You could forgo
For an asteroid.
Please leave a comment with your first 50 words on the topic “Mars.”

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Canyon

July 20, 1969. Nancy Jo and I are on a lark, driving up the Big Thompson Canyon from Loveland to Estes Park. Nancy Jo is at the wheel of her little red Fiat. The Fiat’s top is down, the wind is clean, the river runs wild beside us, the canyon walls rise above us.
The news [...]

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Tan Lines

My publisher nabbed me an invitation to a party full of celebrities.  Before I went, I was excited about it. After it was over, I thought it was a big yawn. What a bunch of self-involved and shallow people.
There was one woman, however, who made a good impression on me. An Olympic swimmer. I won’t [...]

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Don’t explain

The mechanic slouched against the fender. “Well, there, ma’am, seems like you need a new carborator. See this here thing? Well, it is supposed to . . .”
“Don’t explain,” Sally said. “Just make it work.” She smiled in an attempt to be charming to the horrible man. “Fix it fast,” she said.
He looked at her [...]

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