Hiding in Darkness

Backing away from life
Hiding in trembling fright
In fear of meeting any strife
Hiding in darkness, afraid of the light
Once she was curios and free
Convinced of her dreams might
Now she’s brought to her knees
Hiding in darkness, afraid of the light
Beaten until she sought the dark
Hiding her bruises from sight
Convinced she’s forever marked
Hiding in darkness, afraid of the light
Feeling like she’ll never be able to cope
Like life will always be a fight
Search in vain for that speck of hope
Hiding in darkness, afraid of the light
To conquer a life lived in fear
She needs to a new way write
Allowing the flow of liberating tears
Leaving the darkness, going towards the light
Will you meet her with friendly hands and face
Guiding eyes dimmed with perpetual night
Lending her some of your steadfast grace
As she’s
Leaving the darkness, going towards the light
©RedCat

Written for every abused person in the world. To show there is possible to go from darkness to light. To leave abuse and have another free life.

Inspired by the photo prompt at The Sunday Muse.

Photo by **Suzy Hazelwood** from **Pexels**

Sunday 28 February, 2021 5

Pure Kitsch – Flash Fiction

*Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

You can’t base it on the number sixty nine, that’s pure kitsch.
You are a raging bitch for trying to bewitch with a piece rich with sexuality.

I laugh so hard I get a stitch. Then say.
I’m a witch, my words, your dreams and fantasies enrich.
Strange, weird and twisted my niche.

Your choice is which you prefer? Campy fun, or gray squares?
I wonder what you’ll ditch.

©RedCat

*Creator/Contributor: Dielman, F. (Frederick), 1847-1935 (artist); L. Prang & Co. (publisher), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

Written for Sammi Cox’s weekend writing prompt. And inspired by the Swedish tryouts for the Eurovision Song Contest, called The Melody Festival. And that’s not ONE competition, but for the last two decades a season of six competitions.

Which is as kitsch as it gets!

*Maria Innocentia Hummel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

Sunday 28 February, 2021 1

The Rose Garden

Waiting for sleep. For dreams. The only place I still see my love. Young and happy, as we once were. Not ravaged by age and disease. Like the day you drew your last breath.

In the rose garden we laugh and kiss. Hug and touch. Making love on soft grass beneath fragrant blossoms. I cry as we cuddle, knowing the dreams are ending. Knowing I’ll wake in a cold and lonely bed.

In the morning I find the rose garden covered in sparkling snow. Like the tears and sorrow of my dreams have fallen outside. Grief translated to shimmering ice.

©RedCat

Written for Friday Fictioneers.

Werewolf Dreams – A Sonett

The full moon rises clear and night-day bright
Distracting him from wife and child
Shining beacon to the shapeshifter’s sight
A clarion call to break free and run wild
Follow the call of the silvery moon
Run swiftly through the woods on soft paws
Howl and sing loudly to her dancing tune
Hold warm blood and hard bones in his jaws
Feel the cool night wind caressing his back
Drink his fill in the sweet burbling stream
Tumble and play with his werewolf pack
Freedom a chained human can’t even dream
Such is the power when you feel other
Accept yourself, says our wise witch mother
©RedCat

This poem is dedicated to my oldest child. Who asked me today as I took pictures of the moon if I ever wrote about the moon and werewolves. I told him I’ve written plenty about the full moon and some pieces about wolves. But so far nothing about werewolves.

Mind still on yesterday’s turning prompt. I ended up with another Sonnet.

Shared to earthweal open link weekend #58 and to Writers’ Pantry #59: Love and Loss.

Saturday 27 February, 2021 13

Longing Dream – A Sonnet

Photo by **Engin Akyurt** from **Pexels**

Eyes meet for the first time, not behind screen
The busy central station fades away
Butterflies like an ingenue of eighteen
Your smile and look a hint of foreplay
Hands touch for the first time, skin on skin
Light dawns, hope rise, connection is real
Nervous faces melts into happy grins
Maybe there’s another who share how I feel
Lips meet for the first time, tender kisses
Breath catches, heart races, love and care flow
Each knowing what the other most misses
What’s needed for that radiant glow
The alarm clock abruptly rips the dream
A longing lonely soul sorrow screams
©RedCat

Written for MTB: Middles & Turns at dVerse.

I’ve written a few Sonnets before, Fall Maiden and Carrot.

But this is the first time I managed to incorporate a real volta, or turn in the last couplet.

Photo by **Akshar Dave** from **Pexels**

Thursday 25 February, 2021 11

Bad day (2019 Re-post)

Bad day
You know it by the thousand mile stare
The one I get caught in when not actively concentration on anything
Alone, looking at the world through glass
Days that quantum physics assert the worlds just an illusion
Nothing really reaches me
Yet, I feel perpetual sorrow
Aching loneliness

Bad night
You know it by the introvert behavior
The one I show when feeling unsafe, unconnected, unloved
Seemingly at ease, but constant vigilant
Nights when the dark is comforting and hiding creeping menace
Nothing really catches my attention
Diversions only a source of stress
I walk to and fro without aim or results
© RedCat

Re-post comment:
Plagued by the black dog of depression. I nearly convinced myself to skip Wandering the Archives Wednesday.
Until I realized that’s how it always goes. I tell myself really unkind things. And go further into darkness.

So here’s a poem about just how bad such days are.

If you’re suffering. Know you’re not alone. That there is no shame!

Everyone is worthy of LOVE!!! ❤️

Black Dog of Depression

Wednesday 24 February, 2021 3

What a Whirlwind Romance

“I am thy fool in the morning, thou art my slave in the night.”
– Paul Dunbar, The Paradox

Every morning I purr and prance
Pets and scratches our romance
Each day my presence let you know
Together our life paths go
One of us a sensual dancer
The other a hopeless romancer
Together we’re an odd pair
One in fur, one in underwear
As night falls on the land
We’re both waiting for that caressing hand
Closeness is what we both crave
I’m so delighted you choose to be my slave
Your radiant beauty enchants
My sensuous touch leads to trance
What a whirlwind romance
©RedCat

Written for Poetics: Beyond Meaning or The Resolution of Opposites over at dVerse.
And inspired by the photo prompt at The Sunday Muse.

Tuesday 23 February, 2021 20

I Wanna Go – A Quadrille

Photo by **Evgeny Tchebotarev** from **Pexels**

I wanna go over the rainbow
Fly the heavens where soul stars glow
Visit fairy where dreams grow
I wanna dance the mambo
Sparkle and shimmer in disco
Twirl and spin in tango
I wanna go where music flow
Where happy faces shine aglow
©RedCat

Today it’s Quadrille Monday over at dVerse. In which we write poems of precisely 44 words, including one word we’re provided. Today’s word is GO.

For some time all my mind could come up with “Wake me up before you go-go”.
Then “I want to go home”. I have a head full of lyrics from a life singing. After playing both songs I tried to share my (and everyone else) longing for life to yet again contain those things we did so easily before the pandemic.

I have truly fallen for this dVerse creation. I find myself writing Quadrilles any odd time.
Read some of them here.