Category: writing prompts

So many books!

Chris Hall53 Comments

books, so many books
how many have I read
I wonder
just say, lots

long ones, short ones
mostly fiction
but many different genres
and also lovely poetry

I look on my shelves
I look in my kindle
so many unread books

there is no way
I will read all of them
before I am gone

~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Priscilla Du Preez @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a stack of books the spine and title of the books are hidden from view. The books are arranged in order of size. The smallest is at the top.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #292 photo prompt.

What do you see # 292

He has tall tales

Chris Hall48 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

He smiles and jokes and explains tall tales. He’s in his element.
From morning to evening, and even later, he’s busy.

Many people look up, staring and taking photos.

He’s a real live wire.
Sometimes there will be a pigeon on his head, but he doesn’t mind.

But we can’t hear him.
Not a word.

But he continues and he seems to be happy.

And if it’s really dark, and no one’s around, he’ll drop down.
There’s a park bench and it’s a great place to sleep.
But he’s back in his usual place before anyone else is around.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

(99 words)

Sea Turtle

Chris Hall51 Comments

she just arrived
on this beautiful bay
azure on the water
creamy white sands
and up in the sky
little billowing clouds

she began to walk
slowly but surely
it will take all day

and then the sun will go down
she’ll lay her eggs
then later she’ll return
back into the ocean
and looking up to the moon

~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Adam Azim @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a sea turtle emerging from the sea and traveling on the sand. Behind it, you can blue sea and a sky dotted with small white clouds.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #291 photo prompt.

What do you see # 291- 2June, 2025

A bus?

Chris Hall26 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘A bendy bus?’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Look, here’s a picture on that magazine.’
‘What do you think about that?’
‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those.’
‘What does it say?’
They both peer at it.

‘Oh, it says it’s an electric bus.’
‘An electric bus?’
They looked to each other.
‘My word!’
They continued to look at it.

‘It says that the bendy buses are very clean and quiet.’
‘Hmm, how nice.’
‘It says they almost purr.’ ‘Ha, like a cat, perhaps?’
‘Maybe so.’
They both grinned.

‘I’m pretty sure we will never see one of those here.’
‘Indeed not.’
‘Well, not to worry, we don’t really like buses, do we?’
‘No, certainly not.’
‘We like our cars much better.’
‘You have your posh lorry, and I’ve my big bakkie.’
‘And look, both of them are ready – and both of them have all new tyres now.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

(150 words)

Time to climb

Chris Hall41 Comments

I haven’t climbed this one
it looks doable
shall I try it?

easy to start with
going well
but now it’s getting harder
but that’s the point

slowly does it
and cling on
whoa, that was scary

I’m almost there
and yes… that vista!

~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Dennis Yu @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this is a photo-shopped image (time-lapse image) of a man climbing a rock. The photographer has captured different stages of his climb and it looks like many people are climbing the rock. The last stage of his climb is when he is triumphantly sitting on the top of the rock.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #290 photo prompt.

What do you see # 290- 26 May, 2025

Wine, lovely wine

Chris Hall33 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘Gosh, lovely wine, and only around the corner. So nice to be in the wine area. There are several vineyards right here. And really, really close. I mean just 10 mins away.’

‘Did you know that you could get an old, but refurbish wine-press, and not too far from here?’

‘Nice idea, although we don’t have very many vines in our yard.’

‘Maybe buy some more in the garden centre?’

‘Or just buy a load of grapes… some of those great big boxes in the supermarket.’

‘Hmm, that’s easier, and already grown.’

‘So back to the question, should we find a wine-press?’

‘I am sure it could be brought here, and we could use the old shed, since there are no hens anymore.’

(a little sigh for a moment)

‘So what do you think?’

‘Hmm, we don’t have to worry about this just yet…’

‘True, not until the spring… you know, around September, I think.’

‘Oh well, you know what time it is now?’

‘Ah, so it is!’

‘Okay, you get the glasses, and I’ll get the bottle.’

‘Chin-chin!’

‘Bottoms up!’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

(180 words)

A guy and a cat

Chris Hall43 Comments

He is an old guy
and rather downtrodden.
He stares in the distance
and thinking not too much.

Meanwhile the cat
sits pretty and pleased;
she’s the clever one.

is it his?
that cat?
now let’s see.

The guy turns to the cat
and the cat looks to him
but of course we are together,
now let’s go to eat something.

~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Maksym Mazur @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows an old man sitting on a bench with a black plastic bag at his feet. A small black and white cat is sitting next to him under the bench. The man is shabbily dressed and looking toward the right with a forlorn look.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #289 photo prompt.

What do you see # 289- 19th May, 2025

Craft Market

Chris Hall41 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

‘Another trophy,’ grinned Joey as he moved around the small museum, ‘and what a nice little find.’ He walked from one side to another, deciding where that best location would be.

He had been to the craft market at the start of the day, all the best bargains could go any time. He’d been poking around the various stalls, all kinds of bric-a-brac and stuff, and he almost couldn’t find anything appropriate. But then he saw it. Just a small wooden statue with a long face and a round tummy. Rather pleasing.

He’d haggled a bit, pushing down the price, even though he knew it was much more expensive – or at least he thought so. But of course he would do that, he couldn’t help himself. Always a dealer, as he winked, and then he hurried across the town, to open the museum.

But he couldn’t decide where to put this lovely piece.

He was sure it was very old, and also it must have come from somewhere in West Africa. Maybe Gambia or Sierra Leone? Why did he think about that? He should have to send an email to a few friends around the world. But meanwhile he would put the little piece on the desk at the front, next to his laptop.

He picked it up again.
Then he closed his eyes.

‘You must have been in a large ship, and dangerous. From Africa to North Carolina, USA, but in between you went to Liverpool – is that right?’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

(250 words)

Just a few flowers

Chris Hall35 Comments

just a few flowers
on the edge of the landscape
it’s so grey
there’s no mauve, jasmine or pearl
so smoggy in that city

but close by, the colours are vibrant
there’s dahlias and daisies
so vivid

but it’s blurring now
such a shame

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Brooke Balentine @Unsplash

For the visually challenged reader, this image shows a few flowers lying on the parapet of a high-rise building. In the blurred background, the tall buildings of a cityscape can be seen.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #288 photo prompt.

What do you see # 288- 12 May, 2025

It’s the Ferry

Chris Hall45 Comments

© Ayr/Gray

Great Aunt Margot was having a leisurely breakfast on the ferry. She continued to read as she sipped her fresh orange juice.

Meanwhile the two boys had been running all around the ferry. But they stopped for a bit, they were almost out of breath.
‘It’s so big, isn’t it.’
‘And several decks as well.’
‘It’s lovely day too.’
‘And calm, fortunately.’ ‘Come on, let’s run around again.’
So off they went, again.

Great Aunt Margot had finished her breakfast, but still she was reading her e-book. It was a detective novel, and it was pretty good, and she had no idea who had done the murder… yet.

A moment later, the two boys rushed past. Then they stopped and turned back.
‘Are we still okay to walk around,’ one of them said.

Great Aunt Margot looked up, holding her e-book carefully, ‘I thought your walking was rather more like running, hmm? But no problem, as long as you’re not in the way.’ She grinned now.

‘Actually, we have several things we have found around the decks. Look at these!’ The two boys smiled happily, as they removed their various pockets and put them on the table.

Great Aunt Margot looked at all of those things. ‘Quite a catch, you have,’ she remarked.
But then, several people appeared, and each of them said: ‘that’s mine’ and ‘that’s yours’ and ‘is it his?’… etc.

The two boys looked rather upset, although not for long. ‘Look, the ferry will be docking soon.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted for The Unicorn Challenge, a magical challenge hosted by Jenne Gray and C E Ayr, where they provide a photo and we, in turn, provide up to 250 words.

(250 words)