The Street Musician

I won the Exceptional Writing Award for this poem


A writing exercise from http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com

Let this image inspire your creativity today.
Perhaps...
A poem about music. A story about why she is playing there. A rant about street muscians.




With no song to sing
nor prose to tell,
no poetry to utter
or cries to yell,
no words to describe her current state
of lingering in cracks between love and hate,
she goes on with life and a quiet sigh
and hopes to inspire the passersby...


Cynthia Smallwood
July 31, 2009

Have you heard?

You know Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Bob Iger, Rockefeller, Rothschild, J.P. Morgan, etc etc, right? They're some of the richest men in the country because they own the biggest corporations and you can look up to them and hear about them and even buy their products, but you will still never be as good as them. We can agree on this, right? That status is pretty much held only for those men and their children who take over for them...

Well, there's one man named Gary who is richer and more powerful than all of them and to this man, they are equal to us! That's how awesome Gary is!! Now, the government has been keeping this man a secret because they don't want you to find out about him.. and they tell you stories through the media about Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to distract you from what's really going on...

How'd I find out, you ask? Well, this other guy by the name of Johnny Castel works for Gary and he was sent out to tell people about his corporation. Now, Gary's corporation is so huge that it sells everything you could ever want or need but, on top of that, if you work for him no matter what age, race, or financial background you come from, when you retire, he'll give you $100,000,000,000 dollars. This is no joke. He believes in equality and that everyone should be able to be rich.. but if everybody is rich, nobody would be so you have to prove that you are a good part of his corporation. It really isn't hard. All you have to do is buy his products instead of those other guys, and they're actually better products because they work forever! If something does happen to break, even if it's entirely your fault, all you have to do is bring it in, tell them what happened, and they'll give you a brand new one absolutely free for as long as you work for him.

But back to this Johnny Castel guy.. he's basically the owner's son and was traveling all over America to tell people about this corporation, but those other rich guys didn't like that... they knew they'd be out of business. They told him to stop, but he didn't want to disappoint his father and he knew how important it is that we find out about this corporation so he didn't. Well, they got a hold of him and they tortured him. He still refused to stop.. so they killed him.

What?? Of course it happened! Why haven't you heard about any of this before, you ask? Well, it happened before you were born and those bad guys are good at keeping secrets from the common people, especially about something they know they made a mistake on... but there's a book about him that you can read and you can still work for Gary and get your $100,000,000,000 when you retire! How can he pay for that? Well, he's tax exempt of course!!

You only have to work for him one day a week and use his products. That's all! If you really want to get in good with him, you can sign over 10% of your paycheck to go towards spreading the word of his company to the rest of the world so that they can be part of this as well! Oh, and be sure to tell your kids about Gary and teach them the skills they'll need to work for Him from the day they're born!

No, you can't meet Him or see Him, not till you retire.. but He's watching you work and live on His surveillance cameras to be sure you're not betraying Him... and you can talk to your local Manager who can talk to Gary through the telephone for you, but trust me, He exists. There's all this proof!!

I trust in Gary. Do you?

An artist's rendering of Gary... See? he exists!

Haikus of June

All pictures and prompts are from http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/



Prompt: A Little Luck - It brought with it a bit of luck ...



Harbinger of Luck,
land on tired hands and get
me out of this rut!


Cynthia Smallwood
June 1, 2009




Prompt: The Crane - Offer a poem for a crane ...


Crane's Roost is flooded
Fly away and bring back news
Of happier days...


Cynthia Smallwood
June 2, 2009




Prompt: The Gathering - They waited for ...



The Gathering birds
They waited for their breakfast
In wet soil below


Cynthia Smallwood
June 3, 2009




Prompt: The Line Up - Use this wonderful photograph in any creative way you are inspired for today's writing ...



Can you see inside?
Are they opening the store?
I want my SIMS 3!!


Cynthia Smallwood
June 4, 2009




Prompt: Pretty in Pink - A poem for a flower ...


Baby pink ball
bouncing joyful in the wind.
Ah, the smell of Spring!


Cynthia Smallwood
June 5, 2009




Prompt: Canal - Standing at the edge of the canal I was where I belonged ...





The greatest artist
could never paint the way that
this place makes me feel





Cynthia Smallwood
June 6, 2009




Prompt: Summer Rain - Include this line anywhere in your writing ... 'and the rain fell gently ...'


Earth felt cold and dry
She cried, 'Summer come soon!' and
the rain fell gently...


Cynthia Smallwood
June 7, 2009




Prompt: Golden - Use the beautiful image to inspire your writing today ...


Beauty from Defeat
Harmony from Destruction
Balance is Golden


Cynthia Smallwood
June 8, 2009




Prompt: Shimmering Prayers - Write poetically using this image ...



Where desire flickers
Like the flame of a candle
Love and lust are one

Cynthia Smallwood
June 9, 2009




Prompt: Sweet - Write a poem with a chocolate theme ...



Rich, creamy, smooth, sweet,
So many ways to describe
what I call yummy!


Cynthia Smallwood
June 10, 2009




Prompt: Gone Fishin' - Write about going fishing ...



My Big Fish Story:
Went fishing and caught a fish.
It was big. The end.


Cynthia Smallwood
June 11, 2009




Prompt: Laughter - Use this expressive image in any creative way you are inspired to write today ...


Old world black and white
You have been brought to new life
with childrens' laughter


Cynthia Smallwood
June 12, 2009




Prompt: Outside - Outside waited his/her destiny ...



Sighing, chin in palm,
Wistfully daydreaming of
coming destiny...

Cynthia Smallwood
June 13, 2009




Prompt: Stony Conversations - Share a story that includes their dialog ...



If statues could speak
Would they say anything that
differs from our words?

Cynthia Smallwood
June 14, 2009




Prompt: Two Faces - Use this intriguing image to inspire your writing today ...







Do not judge by looks,
for behind every stone face
there's a wild spirit





Cynthia Smallwood
June 15, 2009




Prompt: Holding Safe - Offer a poem for this image ...






A world in peril
Sleep safe, babe of peace, it will
all be over soon




Cynthia Smallwood
June 16, 2009




Prompt: Duck - Give her a name and give her a story or poem. Jemima Puddleduck?






Coming this summer...
Jemima Puddleduck is...
Kate Pond - Secret Spy!




Cynthia Smallwood
June 17, 2009




Prompt: Letter - Dear ____, I wanted to write you this letter to explain ...



Dearest Mom and Dad,
I can explain everything...
Love, your daughter, Jan


Cynthia Smallwood
June 18, 2009




Prompt: Behind the Door - There is a story behind that door... write it ...






A picture is worth
one thousand words, but a door
is worth a million






Cynthia Smallwood
June 19, 2009




Prompt: School Days - Write creatively using a memory from your elementary school days ...



Helicopter leaves
dance past descending inch worms
as buses line up


(I was a walker in Elementary school, but this was my favorite thing about second recess at the end of the day in Kindergarden!)

Cynthia Smallwood
June 20, 2009

Perspectives of Hope

A writing exercise from http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/

Use this inspiring image to write of hope today.



When it first happened, we made sure to keep track of the days. We still celebrated Christmas, Halloween, and especially our birthdays. Another year surviving, that was something to celebrate.

I can't remember how old I am now. I don't know what day of the week it is. Hell, I don't even know what season it's supposed to be. It's been dark and cold for so long. We've grown accustomed to it now. This is the norm; not having anything to look forward to. No family vacations, no summer barbecues, no crooked snow men and Christmas carols.

The only thing that keeps me going is my daughter, Ana. The hope she has inside her little heart is enough for both of us. The hope that her mother will come back in some form and restore happiness to our lives.

But until a miracle happens, I'll have to continue my 7 day work schedule, and Ana will have to get herself to school, and I'll have to keep trudging through a life in which circumstance has trapped me. 

I miss my wife. I loved the future that played in my head when she was here. I hate cancer.


Cynthia Smallwood
May 13th, 2009

In Moments Before Death

The Square

a writing exercise from http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/
and how I feel right now...



I stood in the square alone. The other people passed by. Other people with their dreams, their fears, their memories. I felt so separated. I had dreams, and fears and memories, but they seemed surreal to me at that moment. I felt as if I was on the brim of waking from a long and confusing dream. All the tension left me. All the thoughts floated from my mind. Nothing was left but a grin on my face. I could do anything I wanted at that moment. I felt that I had wings. I could walk through walls. I could breathe under water. I could fly. I walked myself straight out of the square and saw the glow of light on the horizon. Too late for sunset, and too early for sunrise, I wondered only briefly what it was. I steadied my pace, my hands in my pockets, my smile just as large. I could smile like this forever, and forever I would. Suddenly, I stopped and looked up. The world spun and the lights became lines that swirled around me. The sky became darker. I could hear footsteps and voices, but they seemed far away. As far away as my cares. You could say I fell asleep, but for me, it was as if I had woken up.


Cynthia Smallwood
April 25th, 2009

After the Funeral...

Johnny stepped from the tattoo shop and knew...

a writing exercise from http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/





Johnny stepped from the tattoo shop
and knew what she would think.
The most important woman in his life
on his arm in permanent ink.

He sighed and sat on his bike,
the pain fresh in his mind.
The rose which he gave her that morning
now on his body to remind.

The night wind gently blew his hair
as he put his helmet on.
He'd have to ride towards a different life
but he'd never forget his MOM.


Cynthia Smallwood
April 11th, 2009

Abandoned...

A writing exercise from http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/ 

 

Glistening cheeks cradle 
eyes of red 
A young woman out of 
tears to shed 
Blankly stare at the key 
turn the knob 
Dehydrated and starved 
break down, sob 

He called when he clocked in 
one more week 
Until Wedding, Honeymoon 
on the beach 
Made some coffee; drink, sit, 
plan the day 
She turned on the tv and 
saw the plane 

Grabbing her shoes, forgot 
her hot drink 
Didn't know where to go, 
what to think 
Stepping inside now to 
see this morn 
Sunrise so hopeful, but 
sunset torn 

Never ever forget 
why he died 
Why you are now alone 
not a Bride 
Because war needs a push, 
not a win, 
Till the Federal Reserve's 
profits come in... 



Cynthia Smallwood 
April 8th, 2009