This is week 78 of the Saturday Wordzzle challenge. Anyone new to the process can refer back here to find out how it works. Whew! Tried a poem again this week. By the time I realized I was over my head, it was too late, so it is what it is. My brain is tired. I look forward to reading what everyone has come up with.
The words for this week's ten word challenge were: records, impulsive, really cool, bread crumbs, angels, Sponge Bob, magical moment, back and forth, suffering, good fences make good neighbors For the mini challenge: side effects are generally mild, clingy, rooster, samples, curiosity
My mini:
Side effects are generally mild, my foot, Carla muttered groggily pounding on the snooze button of the hideous alarm clock next to her bed. At least they were free samples and I didn't waste a fortune on this crap, she murmured wanting very much to go back to sleep. I should have know Ben was a loser when he bought this stupid clock. What kind of psycho buys an alarm clock that crows like a rooster? A lying, cheating bastard, that's who. A curiosity, he called it. That should have been a tip off too... Who talks like that? Think maybe I'll send this as a wedding gift to that bitch in a clingy dress he's marrying next week. Having made that decision, she felt suddenly energized and enthusiastic. She had to get cracking. Her appointment with the real estate agent was an hour from now and she didn't want to be late.
My 10-word:
It was not a magical moment, nope... not at all. Carla knew instantly that this was going to be a situation of "good fences make good neighbors." The guy looked like Sponge Bob's pointy-headed pink friend. And he seemed as manic as a cartoon character as well. He was running back and forth dropping what looked to her like bread crumbs (turned out it was grass seed... what did she know? She had been a city girl her whole life until now) and singing loudly something that sounded like an off-key rendition of "Angels from the Realms of Glory," one of her favorite ever hymns. What had she done! she muttered to herself. She had purchased this house in an impulsive moment, caught up in the excitement of the idea. She had thought the change of scene and the adventure of a home of her own would distract her from her suffering and loss, and now here was this weird buffoon cavorting around like a crazed cartoon right outside her door. Oh, God... he's spotted me she muttered to herself as he came bounding over. "Welcome neighbor," he sang out with a great booming laugh. I'm Michael Merriman. So nice to see that beautiful old house get some love and care. We're a good community here. I think you'll be very happy. I've got plenty of grass seed here. If you'd like, and if you can stand my singing, I'll do your yard too. Won't take me but 20 minutes and I enjoy the work." Up close he looked a lot less crazy. Instead he had the most beautiful kind blue eyes and a big smile that seemed to spread happiness. It was one for the record books she guessed as she felt her heart open for the first time in the two years since she had found her ex husband Jon (aka The Dirty Dog Bastard) in bed with her best friend. The realtor had told her the neighbor was a widower. Maybe her heart wasn't dead and there was hope for life and love still to come. Trying to play it really cool, though, she smiled back. "Nice to meet you Michael. What a wonderful welcome to my new home. I'm Carla Singer."
And the maxi:
Side effects are generally mild
How sweet it is to have a child
Tiny, clingy, sweet and new
It's really cool that he loves you
Angel sleeping in his crib
Jam and bread crumbs on his bib
How fast those magic moments fly
As weeks and months go zipping by
And newborn's curiosity
Succumbs to Sponge Bob on TV
Then just as quick another leap
To interrupt a mother's sleep
Back and forth he runs amok
Escaping death by sheer dumb luck
Impulsive, daring and enchanting
A boy the toddler starts supplanting
New adventures now he samples
Not meaning to, your heart he tramplesThe kindly folks who live next door
Are not so kindly any more
The broken window they got past
That was a grudge that didn't last
But trampled flowers in their garden
Were more than they saw fit to pardon
Now bloody battles with light sabres
They say,"Good fences make good neighbors"
But still you haven't seen the worst
The next phase makes you think you're cursed
As teen years enter in like thunder
What happened to my child you wonder
Half strutting rooster and half boy
Insanely rude, then shy and coy
Who is this crazed, erratic loon?
And please, dear God, can he leave soon
He loved me once.... remember when?
Will he ever be my son again
Not suffering my love with sighs
Or worse yet sneers and rolling eyes
You pull you hair in deep despair
Then for a flash your boy is there
And the sweet young babe held in your arms
Your cracking bleeding heart recharms
The last phase is the worst and best
The mother's final, dreadful test
Strong and grown, his sails unfurled
The child now man takes on the world
Your job is well and truly done
He's now a man, your baby son
But mother's heart still sees them all
Babe, toddler, teen her eyes recall
Sweetness and pain both wrapped in joy
The man who is her baby boy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next Week's Ten Word Challenge will be: Spam, perpetual motion, sprinkle, telephone pole, stains, alphabetical, surgery, flattery, liberty, preservation
For the mini challenge: shadows, singularity, Florida, caterpillars, copy
Thanks for playing. For those who are new, here are some guidelines to make the process more fun.
Enjoy! See you next week.
DON'T FORGET TO ADD YOUR NAME TO MR. LINKY!!!!!