This week’s writing prompt is:
FIREWORKS
As it’s almost Bonfire Night, I thought I’d set this as my theme this week. Though, you can choose to interpret fireworks any way you like. You could write a story about fireworks in a relationship, or you could write a poem about how the autumnal colours are like the oranges and yellows of a firework. It’s up to you.
You don’t have to share your work, but I always enjoy seeing what you come up with if the prompt gives you inspiration. Here is the work you shared on last week’s prompt HALLOWEEN. You produced some scary pieces.
On a windy storm
some angels lost their wings
too much warm turned into brown leaves
falling into feathers
from trees during Halloween
“Hey, Howie, there is an awesome pumpkin patch over on Route 47. You should go see it at night. It is not made for daylight at all. I was amazed the background of trees is lit by an eerie red light and the pumpkin patch in front has an eerie ghostly presence. It scared Beth and Bobby so much they refused to go back. I think the whole thing feels like there is a ghostly presence, and I loved it. What do you think? Will you go with me tonight to check it out? Tell me what you think.”
“Ah, Harry, I am afraid of that stuff. I hate to admit it. Why don’t you ask Carlson? I know he is afraid, but he won’t admit it. He’d probably go with you.”
“I can’t believe you are such a chicken, Howie. It is spooky, but that is what Halloween is all about. Whoever decorated this place sure knew how to put the spirit of Halloween into it. Listen, it scared me enough that I don’t want to go alone; that is why I am asking you for company.”
“Sorry, man, no way. Find someone else to go with you.”
Howie left Harry, not turning to look behind him. He needs to drum up more business for his pumpkin patch. The customers haven’t been too frequent. Howie thought it was a great idea he had come up with, and he knew it was scary because both Beth and Bobby ran off screaming and swearing they wouldn’t go back. What could he do to drum up customers? He walked off, still grumbling to himself.
Working on costumes back in the day
Every child wanted a certain way
To be funny or scare someone
Imagination soaring getting them done
Would they be happy to be a boxed tv
A monster, or some sports guy they had seen
Or a princess with a flowing dress
Sewing, cutting, making a mess
I remember my girl as Elizabeth the Queen
Remaking my prom frock so she would reign supreme
Memories of these times are not scary at all
Its nostalgia with my children and into it we fall.
Halloween in the Southern Hemisphere?
It’s getting sunnier in the global south. Spring is in the air. Are there spooky ghosts frolicking in the daffodils or their equivalent… The shadows are lifting. Witches must be wearing smart floral dresses… Vampires? No fruit bats. Werewolves. Or Tasmanian devils. Even dragons are different, wise and peaceful. But there are places that celebrate the day of the dead. So the question is how spooky is the South?
Double the worms to make it wriggle
Double the worms to make it jiggle
Toil to create the perfect Halloween pie
And a delicious dip of beetles and a fly
Trouble is the oven’s been playing up
Fire in the chimney the cooking disrupts
Burn the crust and Count Sugular will grumble
And Baby Howler will complain and rumble
Cauldron on the stove suddenly boils over
Bubble mixture pops from air exposure
By lifting the pot, Witch Honey the punch saves
The alcoholic fruit bats inside still misbehave
Pricking visible fingers with horny wings
Of these bats no witch praise ever sings
“My goodness,” she cries, giving one a smack
“Thumbs would make a much better snack
Something needs to be done right away
Wicked creatures do not make my day
This on top of cooking, will be my death
Way things are going, I’ll end up like MacBeth
Comes someone my way? Quick, put on a smile.”
Severus snape – Harry Potter character.
I don’t know what it is with this character – well actually I do: his devilishly good looks but that husky voice of his that when he speaks each word is spoken very careful and and slowly.
I feel he’s a very underestimated character; he always comes across as a supporting character to not only Harry and his other two friends i.e. Ron and Hermione but also to Dumbledore although Dumbledore does appear to hold him in the highest regard.
The only thing I would change would be his relationship with Harry. I think they should have revealed him to be his father – it’s already been established that Snape had deep feelings for Harry’s mum, Lily, but then Harry’s father entered the equation and they married. But given Snape raced to Lily’s aid before Voldemort killed her and cuddled her in his arms when she died and he subsequently broke his heart, I felt they missed the chance to make him Harry’s dad.
That would have been quite the twist, wouldn’t it? And I wonder how that would have been received by both the characters and fans alike. Interestingly, in their later years, the trio had married, Ron and Hermione, and Harry and Ginny, and had their own children and Harry and Ginny gave their son the middle name of Severus…
I’ll just leave that one there…
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Esther Chilton 
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