Under the Umbrella of Us
It was at Shively Park and the surrounding old-growth forest we once walked hand in hand with stitched art-books in our free. I’d glued a songbird on mine, and you drew the picnic table just like a student of architecture would. I was so impressed.
Walking beneath the trees, a lone conifer quite suddenly pitched all of its pinecones on our heads, causing the hairs on my arms to rise.
A warning.
My 1942, Webster’s collegiate, sandwiches parasol: a light portable sunshade between parasitism and parastichy: an oblique or secondary spiral line joining leaves or scales where the internodes of the axis are short and the members crowded, as in a pine cone.
Parasitic have been the other two women you invited to eat at our table, perhaps imagining how you’d fill the empty one you’d drawn on your book? There were no protective parasols to guard us from the heavy raining of these seeds.
Photo credit: Ferrera/Unsplash
Awesome freewrite! I really liked that line, I could picture these women... and some are definitely parasitic.
As always, Thursdays are my day to help @mariannewest deliver the prompts, so on that note… here I am with my crazy scattered thoughts to deliver Today’s Daily Prompt:Back Pain for the freewrite. Feel free to join us if you have the time and thank you for joining us today! It is such an awesome community to be a part of and now we have a new page with contests, new challenges and even more community: As always, Thursdays are my day to help @mariannewest deliver the prompts, so on that note… here I am with my crazy scattered thoughts to deliver Today’s Daily Prompt:Back Pain for the freewrite. Feel free to join us if you have the time and thank you for joining us today! It is such an awesome community to be a part of and now we have a new page with contests, new challenges and even more community:
Thank you, Byn! Always nice to hear specific lines/images that spoke to other writers.
Also, thanks for reminder on back pain ;) Just wrote and submitted last night.
This was a really creative way to use the prompt! I enjoyed your freewrite. I hate when Things fall on my head from the sky!
Yes, it was quite startling!
I featured you and this post as part of my entry in the Pay It Forward contest: https://steemit.com/payitforward/@sue-stevenson/pay-it-forward-curation-contest-week-6 :)
Wow! Thank you very much :)
@sue-stevenson has featured you in the "Pay It Forward " contest . That is how I came across your post
Cool! Thanks for coming by :)
Love it!! And dictionaries are so useful!! 😉
Thank you! In this case, yes, the dictionary sent me off :)
Wow there's so much to unpack here! I especially loved the image this evoked for me,
I found your post because @sue-stevenson showcased it in the Pay it Forward Curation contest of which I am a judge. You should consider joining us and paying the love forward :)
Thank you for coming to read and that Sue featured me :)
You are most welcome! Your writing really is very unique ;)
Is that what the conifer might have spoken if it would have a human voice?
Parasitic I have been myself ever so often. Fed and stuffed by others with goodies and hours of work in front of the stove. Seating myself for a deserved meal I would lick my lips for and rub my belly. Countless times not caring for the efforts of others. Maybe some cried into the soups or even spit in them... others cut hardheartedly the meat in pieces angrily throwing it into the pan and again those who caressed berries and gently poured melted chocolate into the form with closed eyes while inhaling the scents.
... Remembering looks who accused me of being parasitic ... me, looking down and ashamed for being such an absent guest and eating myself into oblivion like a decadent Roman emperor. Crying inwardly as if someone has robbed me of my innocent pleasures ...
which is why prayers before eating might not be a bad idea and never become an automatic empty ritual.
Thank you - that was a very inspirational free write of yours.
Yes, I think what the conifer way saying :)
I've heard (and at times practiced) it being good to take a few of the best parts of a meal and offering to the "holy's" in the yard before a meal in appreciation. Probably birds or small creatures that eat and a good way to honor before eating.