Category Archives: Poetry

TIM SEVENHUYSEN: One Third of a Hat, and Half a Pair of Shoes

Artistic, Poetry, , , , , , , , , ,

There was a man at the corner with one third of a hat and half a pair of shoes. I offered him my boots. He sold them to a homeless guy for ten bucks and gave the money to a woman at a bus stop.

I really liked those boots…

Alternate Version:
He stood there on the corner, with tattered hat and coat. His backpack overflowed with toys that he was handing out.

His shoes were only halfers: they covered just his heels. I offered mine, but he declined, ungrateful little eel.

He made me feel guilty, and guilt is not genteel.

This story, and the supplementary poem, were inspired by a title suggested by @hexapodium.

I Want To Eat My Flatmate

Amusing, Poetry, , , ,

I want to eat my flatmate
I think he knows it, too
He watches me suspiciously
Whenever we buy food

It’s happening tomorrow
I’m going to boil his head
Wait: is this a man-shaped pan
Hidden beneath his bed?

I want to eat my flatmate
He may eat me instead

This story/poem is based on a title suggested by @big_poppa_G.

J DIANNE WAYE: Unconditionally Yours

Artistic, Poetry, Submissions, , , , ,

You tell me that I’ve changed,
My priorities rearranged.
Did you ever really know me
At all?

It’s been a long time
Since you swept me off my feet.
But I won’t admit defeat.
I have faith enough for both of us.
That’s the one thing that’s never changed
At all.

J Dianne Waye found a link to Fifty-Word Stories on Kelley Armstrong’s writing forum. She isn’t the first to submit a story because of that link, and hopefully she won’t be the last!

JOHN BARNES: It’s Story Time

Odd, Poetry, Submissions, , , ,

I think I will write a story today.

Words to paint glowing meanings in which I’ll revel,

Using verbs and nouns, adjectives as well,

Fiction or truth, a story of many words I’ll tell,

To keep me happy, as hours to days will swell.

Oh, there is no ink! No stories today.

TIM SEVENHUYSEN: Horse-Whale Hoedown

Artistic, Poetry, , , , , , , ,

On Friday nights the walruses fight
They stab and tear and grimace
With merciless glee they redden the sea
The wounds they inflict are grievous

Alliances crumble, allegiances tumble
For walruses love to betray
Their blubbery bellies wriggle like jelly
With laughter, blood-lust, and dismay

On Fridays the walruses play

This story was based on a prompt from @Ad134, who responded to a call for two verbs and an adjective with laugh, betray, and blubbery. (I took a bit of liberty with “laugh,” though.)

TIM SEVENHUYSEN: Tea Party Gone Wrong

Amusing, Poetry, , , , ,

A raccoon, a wolf, and a bighorn sheep sat down for a cup of tea.
The kettle burned out, which made the wolf shout, “Woe, I say, woe unto me!”
Catastrophe brewed: the tea-less wolf stewed. (He was addicted, you see).

The raccoon knew kung-fu. Don’t ask about the sheep.

This story was inspired by a prompt from @Aeric90, who responded to a request for three mammals with wolf, raccoon, and bighorn sheep.

TIM SEVENHUYSEN: ‘Twas the Night

Poetry, ,

‘Twas the night before Christmas
And throughout the ‘net
The blogs and webcomics
Tried not to forget

To mention the season
And wish readers well
As if missing Christmas
Would be their death knell

And this lowly website
To follow the herd
Adhered to the pattern
In just fifty words

TIM SEVENHUYSEN: First Impressions

Amusing, Poetry, , , , ,

This story was based on a call on Twitter for the first five words of a story. @Scithancer provided the words, “While strolling through the forest”.

While strolling through the forest, he saw a spaceship land. The aliens, in shining suits, approached and shook his hand.

They asked him many questions
to test where mankind stood
but since he was a lawyer the outcome was not good.

Despairing, they departed, and left him in the wood.