Many Faces of Security

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher

Response to Weekly

Prompts Weekend Challenge – SECURITY

Posted by Sue W

shutterstock.com

Sunny days filled with warmth, blue skies and a giant fluffy dog at your side, security. Windows secure, doors locked, porch cam on and in service with direct feed to the monitoring company, definitely security.

The care and concern of a loved one. The knowledge that they will always come when needed or wanted, heart and soul security.

Selfless men and women who protect our dignitaries and others while performing their roles within the public eye, security; it says so on their leather jackets or the placard hanging from their strong necks.

Flashing blue lights, sirens surrounding fleeing figures, angry voices, handcuffs and fingerprinting. Security, it’s the law!

The hub of public safety officials, policemen and police women. An office, building or perhaps a large canvas tent where they work together to process a suspected criminal, is called Security.

The country’s care of our disabled and elderly, Social Security. The defense of our country’s people, our way of life and our freedom, National Security.

The knowledge that body, family, pets and home are safe, well and where they should be, a sense of security.

Bank vaults and bullet-proof vehicles offer financial security to patrons and employees all.

2020 to present – Global Insecurity

Diagnosis

99 Word Count

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

Shutterstock.com

February 7, 2022, Carrot Ranch Literary Community prompt and special assistance from Dr. Avery . Form In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes anxiety.

Reposted by D.Avery @shiftnshake

https://shiftnshake.wordpress.com/2022/02/10/99word-stories-anxiety/

The pounding on the door was beginning to irritate me. My recliner wasn’t too far away from it but it might as well have been a million miles.

My neighbor let the paramedics in with his key. I tried to tell them to go away but, as I couldn’t breathe so well, nothing emerged but a strangled gasp for breath.

Oxygen installed over my nose, the little paramedic diagnosed me with an anxiety attack. He suggested I seek out professional help. They left.

Leaving me alone in my recliner with my mask on, still battling COVID-19 and pneumonia.

Challenge Posted by dVerse Poets Pub

https://dversepoets.com/

Your challenge is simply(!):

write a sonnet poem of 14 lines and 10 syllables (iambic pentameter is optional extra)

choose the Italian, English or French rhyme form

start and end each line with the same word (including derivatives and homophones)

put ‘shadow’ or its derivative in your title

use the notion of shadow as metaphor or reality somewhere in your poem

YouTube.com

Shadow Dreaming (A shadow sonnet without the 10 syllable iambic pentameter)

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

White and pure as Snow White

Sleeping not gone only sleeping

Upon the frozen tundra she lays upon

Awaken my beauty and I will awaken

Run free with me to the sea where dolphins run

Water glistening against their skin as snow melts into water

Warmth engulfs us sea-life welcomes us with warmth

Transformed from fur the sea our souls transformed

Wolf and woman no more woman and wolf

Creatures greet us as we protect all creatures

Happiness invades washing over us with happiness

Corals and reeds call us to the deepest reefs of pink and purple corals

Swiftly we ride the current beside turtles moving swiftly

Shadow dreaming in this endless sleep we are dreaming in shadow

The Tree that Never Was

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris Reposted from 05/30/2021

photo by dreamstime.com

I wasn’t ever here, not really. Just the fanatical and fantastical musing of someone somewhere, not sure whom or even when. A hatchling of those over-bright high-school students, book bags heavier than some of my old limbs; hanging behind them. Backs bowed, yes like my old trunk, only their backs young and strong, yet still struggling with the enormous burden.

Anyhow, I think if you squint real hard and the sun is just right well, damn. I can’t move this old bough anymore to show you where, but you get the picture. You’re young and bright too. So, I’m sure now, yes, I’ve remembered, been so long since anyone tried to see me, I near forgot all about myself too.

What? Oh yes, I’d be honored. Here sit, let me see – if – I – can, yes, here you are. Nice comfy root for you, one of my oldest. In fact, one of the originals. Just a twig I was, I remember cause I was alone and oh so lonely. There weren’t any clouds, or squirrels or even sunshine. Arktificial habitat I think they called it. Hmmm, no, that’s not right at all. Artificial. There, that’s it. But there wasn’t anything artful about it and I still haven’t figured out what an ificial is. Might you know? No, no, didn’t think you would. No matter.

I was surrounded by those like you constantly. I guess I was something of a novelty, a rarity; even a mutation or permutation or one of those tion’s. Then my roots started to spread and I opened my first leaf, the cheers in my artificial home from those like you, very nearly knocked me right off my little root base! It was something. The comings and goings, the flash-bulbs and boy oh boy, the food they gave me was something else. Couldn’t get enough! Course, that meant my little cubicle thing got real small, real fast.

By this time, different humans were caring for me. Many humans came over the years, I grew fond of some, like I am of you. Anyhow, one morning there was a great ruckus. They picked me up and put me on a big truck. The wind hurt my leaves, so I drew them up tight. It was so damned hot, I figured someone had turned the heat lamp up too high. The continual bouncing of the huge truck I was on kept unearthing my roots, so I drew them in tight too and fell into a very deep sleep.

When I woke up, my roots were anchored hundreds of feet down into the most delicious soil I could have ever imagined, if I had one I mean; an imagination. It was still hot up top, but it no longer burned me so I unfurled my leaves to drink up that delicious yellow syrup that dripped from the bluest ceiling I’d ever seen. Oh it was heaven. There were screams of laughter from young humans dancing all around me, chanting,

“It’s alive! Look it’s got leaves!”

More and more humans came and oh my, when I allowed my little white flower buds out, there was pure hysteria! After a time, things settled down and some new students started to sit beside me for hours. They were so serious! Even when I tickled them with my leaves, I couldn’t get them to smile.

Eventually they all left and different humans came with big machines that broke open the Earth. They poured liquid rock into the caverns to build on. My roots were uncovered and recovered after being connected to long tubes with blinking lights. Some of the those tube things didn’t seem to me to do anything. Some of the tubes itched and tingled, felt like a colony of ants crawling all over me. It took a long time to get used to, I took many sleeps. Other humans took the place of the previous ones, you humans don’t seem to last overly long I think, I feel saddened at that. Eventually I was surrounded by buildings, walkways, gardens, even a street for some electric cart type thing. At the center of it, was me.

Humans with white heads and long white robes took care of me at the last. They talked to me and sang to me during celebrations. Once a season, every human in the city was allowed to touch my trunk, it was glorious.

One human told me, others were not happy with what had been created. Some said it was snackerligious to alter nature. No that’s not right. Sacrilegious. Yes, yes, that’s it. That it was sinful. Anyhow, there was arguing, fighting, war and death. All because of me. The book bags those first young humans carried with their studies, notes and ideas on how to create me and my kind held so lovingly to their bodies? All seized and destroyed. I was called a mutation, unnatural. The pages and all created on them burned, disappeared, like me. The tree that never was.

Lost Again

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

Heart Stars GIF - Heart Stars Love - Discover & Share GIFs
tenor.com
https://alwayswrite.blog/2022/02/09/wqw-6-romance-and-love/

IT’S EASY TO PLAY ALONG WITH WQW #6 ROMANCE AND LOVE

This weekly writing challenge runs from Wednesday through Tuesday. The only rule is to use a quote.

QUOTE: I can turn you into poetry, but I can not make you love me.” fragment #8 (via wildelupine)

Lost Again

by Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

So easy to write a sonnet,

a ballad, a poem when love

is reciprocated in kind

Difficult more to compose

the words when the truth

is reflected in actions and worth

How easy it is to fall

where one does not wish

Not so easy to un-fall at all

Oh Universe why do you taunt

and tease me so

Placing the One just out of reach

Then allowing to reach

to find and to bind

Before leaving me again far behind

Again and again you play with my heart

until only pieces remain

Floating up toward your stars

Missing!

100 Word Count

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

PHOTO PROMPT © Bill Reynolds

Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo and word prompt RUST.

https://rochellewisofffields.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/ff-with-antiques-along-the-mohawk.jpg?w=378&zoom=2

“It has been forty-two years,” the little white-haired lady whispered. She stood stooped and defeated at the threshold of her old farmhouse.

“Yes Ma’am but we found it, we found his truck!”

The elderly woman’s eyes teared up, the moisture trapped beneath heavy lids stretched tightly over her bulging eyes.

“Is he in the truck? His remains?” her voice trembling.

“The Sheriff and Coroner are there waiting for you,” the Deputy said.

He watched her disappear down the hallway.

“Ma’am?”

“One second young man, while I freshen up. I can’t let him see me like this you know!”

Liar! Liar!

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

I never lie!

Said he to me.

I just never tell the truth!

Shattered

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

Simply Six Minutes Challenge 2/8/22

Image: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qxcKInx1YEo/maxresdefault.jpg

Picture prompt provided by STINE WRITING

christianbialczak.com

My face in the mirror

is not me

I can see through

the reflection

to the other side

Where my true self resides

hidden and broken

Shattered into so many pieces

each one sharp

cutting into my soul

Can you not see

what your cruel words

and false compliments

have done to me?

No longer human just a shell

Cracked beyond recognition

of what was or could have been

Unrepairable remnants

slivers of a true self

shards of glass within the sand

Nibble

By Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris

Response to prompt word NIBBLE posted by Mish at dVerse Poet’s Club

44 word limit challenge

Photo courtesy of photos.com by Getty Images

The sunset washed over us as though the rays were liquid gold, intwining our slightly browned skin into one solid, substantial aura.

He was the one! I felt a warm nibble on my chilled ear. A woman moved toward us.

“Who’s that?”

“My wife.”