Of Course, It Isn’t Real

March 29, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

Oprah is smaller in person, and quite unassuming. We’re having tea in her bedroom as she gets ready for the day, and I feel as if we’ve been friends forever. She does most of the talking, and my mind tries to process all the details of her life – most of it contrary to what […]

V.J.'s Weekly Challenge #89: imaginary

March 23, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

Fresh air was the remedy yesterday. From six feet apart, we greeted our neighbours. “How are you keeping?,” I asked a widow. “Well thank goodness for the cat,” she said. “Am missing my husband, but I do talk to him regularly.” And then realizing how that sounded, she added: “His picture, you know.” I get […]

The Way It Is (tanka)

At every turna challenge – prefer scenicforays, encounterrocky climes – ironic twists,stretching this reluctant soul (Image my own)

Doctoring

Doctoring broken hearts –my own legacy a training ground –like an anesthesiologist I keep the patient breathing,asleep – muted by kindness,unconscious and unable to react. Why? Because lulling others is moreeffective than operating on self –faux obligations such a balm Administer lidocaine to the woundsNumbness preferable to open-heartedinvestigation… no sutures strong enoughto remedy internal bleeding […]

Facades

Somehow I knew his mask was porcelain –impossible to hide the soul’s lightreflected in troubled eyes… I played along though,humoured his self-deceptionnodded at assertions of calm Knew that one day the facade would crackthe mask would slip and the rage escape Why I didn’t run; I do not knowMaybe it was recognition –my own countenance […]