Tag: keepitalive

Accident Report

Chris Hall82 Comments
The image shows three orange traffic cones placed on the road. There is ice on the road surface and foot prints can be seen on the ice.

Snow melt started the previous day.
Soft rain fell all afternoon.
Black ice formed overnight.
Treacherous.
Transparent.
Deadly.

The driver took the corner badly.
Wheels spun, slewed on the ice.
Vehicle out of control.
Screech.
Impact.
Silence.

In the distance
a siren wails.

~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Oleksii S @ Unsplash
The image shows three orange traffic cones placed on the road. There is ice on the road surface and foot prints can be seen on the ice.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #128 photo prompt

No future

Chris Hall84 Comments
The images shows an earthenware jug filled with red tulips. The jug is sitting on old stone steps.

Returning to the steps where first they met,
 he sits awhile, alone, bereft.
Crimson petals like blood red tears
 scatter on cold, hard stone.
His heart bleeds for her, his loss,
 a future that will never be.

~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Yana Hurskaya @ Unsplash
The image shows an earthenware jug filled with red tulips. The jug is sitting on old stone steps.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #127 photo prompt

These our demons

Chris Hall74 Comments
The image shows a black coloured full face mask held in both hands of a person, not shown in the frame.

Your face a mask
pale against the pillow,
eyes watching
aren’t they?

Your head twitches
you turn towards the wall,
not speaking
are you?

I watch and wait
listen to your breathing,
still awake
aren’t you?

Then, the tirade
hateful words tumble out,
awareness
is total.

Lips turn upwards
this, your mischievous smile,
acting up
…aren’t you??

~~~~~~~~

Image credit: John Noonan @ Unsplash
The image shows a black coloured full face mask held in both hands of a person, not shown in the frame.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #126 photo prompt

Like Snow on Stony Ground

Chris Hall74 Comments
The image shows a rough track leading to a cottage in the woods. The track is bound on both sides with a wooden fence. There is a layer of snow on the ground.

you melted my heart
that chill winter’s day
when you lured me
into the woods

by the flickering fire
clothed in candlelight
I rapidly fell
for your charms

night after night
smouldering bright
my whole body
liquified

but by Dawn’s harsh light
my love for you
fell like snow on
stony ground

~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Sean Boyd @ Unsplash
The image shows a rough track leading to a cottage in the woods. The track is bound on both sides with a wooden fence. There is a layer of snow on the ground.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #125 photo prompt

Escape

Chris Hall78 Comments
The image shows a girl carrying an oversized geometry set in her arms, looking directly at the camera.

snatching up the tools of her trade
gathering together
her books, her notes
small remnants of her life

eyes wide with fear
her flatmate clutches
their little dog
to her chest

travelling by train, on foot
they finally reach the border
her skills, at least
are portable

~~~~~~~~

inspired by an article from yesterday’s SA Sunday Times in which three SA final year students escaped from Ukraine to Slovakia (their little dog, Mowgli, made it out too)

Image credit: Houcine Ncib @ Unsplash
The image shows a girl carrying an oversized geometry set in her arms, looking directly at the camera.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #124 photo prompt

Outsiders

Chris Hall68 Comments
The image shows a red neon sign that reads “Vacancy” over a black background.

Trudging through dark, rain-drenched streets, sodden feet sliding over cobbles, hope ebbs away, like rivulets flowing over muddy gutters. The storm rages beyond the border, and wave upon wave of the cowed and the cowering flee; families struggling, dragging straggling old folk and hungry, wailing kids. Doors open, women beckon, many are taken in. But not us.

midnight approaches
and now the streets are empty
will we ever find refuge?

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

Image credit: Carter Saunders @ Unsplash
The image shows a red neon sign that reads “Vacancy” over a black background.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #123 photo prompt

Flatline

Chris Hall110 Comments
The image shows two skeleton’s hands reaching towards a digital device enveloped in purple-pink haze.

fingers slipping
joints clicking
every moment counts
digits creaking
thoughts fading
time is running out
no more posting
no more scrolling
you can’t WhatsApp me now
battery’s dying
signal’s failing
.
.
.

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

Image credit: 8machine@ Unsplash
The image shows two skeleton’s hands reaching towards a digital device enveloped in purple-pink haze.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #122 photo prompt

A picture of a tin of spam

A Cry for Help!

Yep, my little spam problem is back *sigh*
If you see I’ve just popped a like in your post, please check your spam. Very likely you’ll find me there fuming. Please fish me out🎣

Unrequited

Chris Hall87 Comments
The image shows a couple dining. The man has a glass of wine in his hand and he is looking at his companion. The woman is staring the other way, holding a few long stem flowers.

He eyes her through the filter of his almost untouched wine glass, while she stares absently through sparkling windows at manicured gardens. Stiff as the starched collar of his borrowed shirt, he rehearses the lines he wants to say. He takes another taste of wine, the unfamiliar liquid rolls across his tongue. She sweeps from the table without a glance, leaving long-stemmed roses scattered in her wake.

seizing the moment
clutching a crimson flower
he strides after her
but she’s already dancing
in the arms of another.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Olga Solodilova @ Unsplash
The image shows a couple dining. The man has a glass of wine in his hand and he is looking at his companion. The woman is staring the other way, holding a few long stem flowers.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #121 photo prompt

List Maker’s Lament

Chris Hall96 Comments
The image shows a chalk board with a caption, “Before I die” on the top. Below are slots where people can write their opinions.

She’d always been a great Maker of Lists:
(her memory was awful)
to do lists,
shopping lists,
books to read,
movies to see,
places to go,
even lists of lists!

She’d always said:
‘if I put it on the list, it will happen’.
And usually it did.

But now, on this, her birthday,
another milestone passed (largely unmarked),
it dawned on her.

Perhaps now, not everything on her great List of Lists
could be achieved (especially the books).

Future plans might have to be
a little less ambitious.

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

Image credit: Google images
The image shows a chalk board with a caption, “Before I die” on the top. Below are slots where people can write their opinions.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #120 photo prompt

Like catching falling leaves

Chris Hall87 Comments
The image shows three young men standing by the roadside and laughing at a shared joke.

Oh, did we savour
time’s sweetest moments?
Fleeting memories
of shared jokes
of youthful conquests
of time gleefully misspent.

We should’ve savoured
life’s honeyed passage.
Fading recollections
of vows exchanged
of time well-spent
of dreams almost fulfilled.

Oh, we should relish
our happy golden years!
Savouring remembrances
like catching falling leaves
precious memorials
to time now past.

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

Image credit: Jed Villigo @ Unsplash
The image shows three young men standing by the roadside and laughing at a shared joke.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #119 photo prompt