Ready for some fall fun? Fall is my favorite season and writing's my "jam" so participating in the second year of the #FallWritingFrenzy is right down my alley or...my road to fall.
The goal for this contest hosted by Lydia Lukidis and Kaitlyn Sanchez is to create connections in the kidlit community and challenge oneself to grow by writing something new. Plus we win prizes, critiques by industry professionals. YAY. Thanks to Lydia, Kaitlyn, judges, and those donating critiques. Good luck to all who enter, too. You can find other entries here.
The rules instruct participants to write to a visual prompt (see mine above), 200 or less words, and audience age PreK on up. The piece can be a poem, mood piece, happy, scary, beautiful, grotesque, whatever suits the season and the chosen visual prompt.
WC:123
The Road to Fall
by Kathy Halsey
The road to fall runs wild
with pops of pumpkin orange.
It lead to murky mists
settling in the hollows.
What's there?
The road to fall hints of hidden haunts
with dappled leaves shadow-dancing,
hovering overhead.
What lies beyond?
The road to fall rolls down shrouded paths
where the chitter-chatter of chipmunks
is swallowed by
sudden stillness.
What looms large?
The road to fall—
floats
somewhere between real
and make-believe.
Step-by-step we creep closer
What's behind brambles and bushes?
The road to fall reveals steep stone steps
up-up until a cold metal gate stops us,
prevents our climb
inside a squire's castle.
The road to fall...
It's on our minds—
murky mists,
hidden haunts
between real and make-believe.
What wildness might we unlock?
Kathy,
ReplyDeleteSo many great questions asked and inspired by your writing. I love the alliteration and images. Good luck!
Thank you, Colleen. I appreciate you reading and commenting.
DeleteLove it Kathy! Such a glimpse of the season, and I love the whole feel of your piece. ❤️
ReplyDeleteBless you,Beth. I was going for tone. Can't wait to read yours.
DeleteSuch wonderful imagery! Good luck :)
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks Maria.
DeleteLove the line between real and make believe. Lovely language ❤️
ReplyDeleteAnd you helped, my CP. I love all of ours.
DeleteLove your lyrical style and language Kathy. You capture those fall thoughts and add mystery as I travel down that unknown road! Well done lady. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks, cheerleader and CP, Charlotte. Hugs.
DeleteI love the idea of unlocking wildness - it is a great prompt to end on! Great job and good luck!
ReplyDeleteAlicia, ty for reading.
DeleteVery nice. I love the ending stanza.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, I appreciate your feedback. Ty.
DeleteLove your mysterious imagery and word choice. Rolls right off the tongue. Great entry!
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks, Tracy. It brought back being a kid and actually finding this castle in the woods.
DeleteLovely language and imagery!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kelly. Happy Fall.
DeleteBeautiful work! I loved the journey of reading the work and the journey in the work!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading.
DeleteLovely imagery and beautiful writing. Good luck in the contest!
ReplyDeleteAww, I appreciate your support, Patricia. Miss you.
DeleteLOVE THIS, Kathy! It needs amazing illustrations and expressive read-alouds.
ReplyDeleteYes, maybe I need to make this a PB. Thanks, Caren.:)
DeleteThis was so cute! The real and the make believe:) Colleen Dougherty
ReplyDeleteYup, that's my fave line, too.TY, Colleen.
DeleteKathy, you entice us down that road to Fall by way of your delightfully evocative and imaginative descriptions and sensory details, which gorgeously evoke the real and the make-believe. I enjoyed so much of your wildly wonderful wordplay, but my favorite phrases were "pops of pumpkin orange," "murky mists/settling in the hollows," "dappled leaves shadow-dancing," and "the chitter-chatter of chipmunks." Thanks for taking us on aa a fabulous journey and reminding us to stay curious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for such a careful reading! I do love to write w/lyrical language. Happy Fall to you, Anne. :)
DeleteKathy, So much fun to read! My favorite line--somewhere between real
ReplyDeleteand make-believe. I love that you wrote about a childhood experience, CP.
This prompt fits your blog theme perfectly, Kathy! My favorite stanza is "The road to fall--/floats/somewhere between real/and make-believe." That's my favorite part of fall too. Great job!
ReplyDeleteCandice, fall give us a chance to hover between seasons and use our imaginations. Ty for reading and commenting!
DeleteThis describes the season perfectly!
ReplyDeleteRebekah, thnak you for stopping by ot read and comment. Happy Fall.
DeleteKathy, the imagery is so beautiful! And the chitter-chatter of chipmunks made me smile :)
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley, I hear them in my backyard all the time. Keep smiling. :) Thanks for commenting.
DeleteLovely poem! The road to fall leads to my closet of cozy sweaters and jeans that still (just barely) fit.
ReplyDeleteHa, I "get" that Lauri. I love to slip on a fave sweater and I cross my fingers ot see if the jeans and I are still a match! LOL
DeleteThanks for sharing your great descriptive piece with us for the Fall Writing Frenzy!
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Kaitlyn Sanchez
Kaitlyn, thank you and Lydia for giving us a chance to write and for the effort and time this takes from your writing.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I absolutely LOVE THIS! You're such an amazingly talented (and busy!) woman! Are you participating in the PBCritiqueFest from pbspotlight.com? If you are, I'll see you there!
ReplyDeleteHi Caren,noI am taking a bit of a contest break. Ty ofr reading and commenting. You know what it means to a writer.
ReplyDelete