Tag: prose tanka

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

Dying Embers

Chris Hall82 Comments
The image shows a pair of spectacles to which a pair of rose-coloured clip-on attachment is affixed. You can see a view of skyline near a shore through these colored clip-ons.

She sits alone, staring into the crimson flames, a glass of ruby wine in her hand, the half-empty bottle on the wooden floor beside her. Muddy rivers run down her cheeks from red-rimmed eyes. She takes another sip and puts the glass down. Carefully. She rips off the pretty new blouse which he’d failed to notice – his eyes were elsewhere all night – flings it into the fire where the fabric curls like dead leaves; buttons pop in the heat. More wine sloshes in the glass.

betrayal revealed
in long lingering glances
scales drop from her eyes
sorrow seeps into her heart
dying embers fill the grate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image credit: Tathanhtaun @ Pexabay
The image shows a pair of spectacles to which a pair of rose-colored clip-on attachment is affixed. You can see a view of skyline near a shore through these colored clip-ons.

Written in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See #118 photo prompt