Once again I was compelled to write something for Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo Prompt when I should be editing. I suppose this is the good kind of procrastination, right? You can check out her prompt and rules HERE and maybe try it out one of these weeks 🙂
Isolated
I have walked the moors for millennia, watched the flight of the merlin with the pearling of dawn, voles and hares hiding beneath the wintergreen. Every year the bell heather blooms, and once I made brooms of ling to sweep my cottage floor. Then the war swept us away too.
Purple fades to gray and jet as the days die. My heart resides in this windy wilderness, blood bound to the land, an imprint as indelible as stone. I will tread the soft moors forever, but my soul, my soul belongs to this wide and mutable sky.
Myths of the Mirror 
Beautiful, and I especially liked the last line.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for reading 🙂 I like the photo prompts – always fun. Have a wonderful week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, and you as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a perfect last line. The words melt exactly into the image and the mood.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I like doing these quick flash fiction pieces. A good photo prompt gets the old brain moving. Have a wonderful week 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful picture, and your prose matches! Thank you for sharing these, Diana. So inspiring! (which I need about now cuz I haven’t touched my WIP in a few days 😀 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Julie. Yes, we heard from your muse that you’ve been a bit busy! It’s all good – the family has to come first (most of the time). Happy Writing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful images, both photographic and verbal.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I love doing these flash pieces from visual prompts – they’re very evocative to me. Your photos would make beautiful prompts too 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh thank you! I am not gifted with a writer talent, but very often a story comes first, and then I compose a picture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I seem to recall some beautiful writing on your blog ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
A few sentences may be, solely inspired by somebody talented 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful picture and lovely response. I love the melancholy feel, the timeless quality of life seeping out ever so slowly across the moors drawn away with the light at the close of day. You always draw such lovely word pictures. Thanks, Diana! Jo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, thank you, Joanne. That’s what I was hoping for. Have a lovely day, my friend 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am glad you procrastinated. This was great. I could see Heathcliff coming across the moors. Thanks for posting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the lovely comment, Bernadette. One of my favorite books and authors too. My pleasure to participate whenever I can. It’s fun 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely beautiful. Worth procrastinating for. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ali. I hoped it would work for all of you across the ocean who actually walk the moors. Someday I’ll get there too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great! Let me know when you do! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
An excellent kind of procrastination! So beautiful 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Antonia. I like these flash fiction forays. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Happy Writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great Post, Diana. What a wonderful connection to the photo and a very different response. KL ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading. I love Sue’s prompts. I’ll be heading over soon to read the other submissions. The variations are always fun and inspiring 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] Diana at Myths of the Mirror […]
LikeLiked by 1 person
A worthy respite from editing Diana. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Debby. I enjoy those little forays – a nice break from the slog 🙂 Hope the rest of your week is wonderful ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Diana. Wishing you the same. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am one who likes to imagine another period of time, like my “old soul” lived during another time, Diana.
I like the way you included “pearling of dawn,” which is such a soft, muted beginning of the day. I like plants and animals added to this natural setting, as well as your affinity for the “mutable sky.” All such lovely details to dwell upon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like to do that too, Robin. And I sometimes feel the ghosts, or energies of the land’s history. Thanks for the kind comment. I’m glad you enjoyed it 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Touching and emotional poem. I read this and if I close my eyes I can imagine my soul in the sky. Beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for reading and for the lovely comment 🙂 I couldn’t decide whether to write it as a poem or prose. I think it could go either way. Happy travels!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Kate McClelland and commented:
lovely
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Kate. I so appreciate the reblog. Have a wonderful day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for the visit and comment. And the follow. I’ll be over in a moment. Happy Writing!
LikeLike
Lol… that’s why I try to stay away from these types of distractions. 🙂 It’s very beautiful btw. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, very distracting. But then it also counts as a post! So I get distracted but with a side benefit 🙂 Glad you liked it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
beautiful prose. touches the heart. sky is something that speaks to me too. i love it in the morning when it turns from the dark black to hazy gray and then to pale orange as the distant sun washes it over with its morning rays. the colors and the forms it take ~ breathtaking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s one of the few things we have little control over, Nitin, which I think makes it especially mesmerizing. Thanks for the visit and Happy Writing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was my pleasure reading it. Have a great day ahead. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow.
My entry would’ve been “Purty sunset!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hardly. I’m sure you would have something adventurous in that old castle, Mike 😀 Just imagine the spiders, mice, and dust!
LikeLike
Fine. “Dusty sunset” then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing – it brings to mind “I wandered lonely as a cloud” and most definitely captured the feeling of isolation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading and the lovely comment 🙂 I’ll take a comparison to Wordsworth any day! Ha ha. Have a wonderful peaceful day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You too!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
With writing like this I say procrastinate away! Simply wonderful and you capture the beauty and soul of the moors – I love them so and also feel ‘My heart resides in this windy wilderness’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Annika. Never having been to the moors, that’s a great compliment. I did a bit of research to write this and, of course, the photos I see on blogs are so beautiful. Someday, I’ll see them in person 😀 Happy Writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
How beautiful Diana. Written with description, and so beautifully as always. Isolated but filled with memories …..amazing! Have a great day 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the kind comment, Lynne. That’s exactly what I was going for 🙂 I hope you have a lovely day making memories that will last a millennia!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, and same to you. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
So much history and emotion. I want to know about this person’s melancholy life! Beautifully written take on the photo 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the wonderful comment 🙂 I feel in “real” life that the land holds the histories/memories of all those who lived there. That’s what I was trying to capture. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You sure did succeed! Really beautiful, Diana 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully haunting, D.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Steven. I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
LikeLike
I love that.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Steve. I always feel those old souls when Sue writes about her wanderings. I wanted to capture a bit of that feeling here. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s lovely, Diana. I’m glad you gave yourself (and us) that moment. As a technical editor (for more years than I like to admit!) editing is improved by fairly frequent “looking away.” It keeps us fresh and objective… Mega hugs.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know those breaks are crucial, Teagan. I need a 30 hour day! 😀 I’m racing against a deadline now, so the breaks have to be carefully managed – this one was well worth it! Enjoy the day and Happy Writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have I told you Diana that you are a poet at heart? Yes! that is the first thought that comes to my mind whenever I read your random thoughts or such responses to photo prompts. What an imagery! I loved reading it. 🙂 Thanks for taking this wonderful break from your editing. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Balroop. I went back and forth with this one whether to do it as a poem or prose. I decided on prose. Poetry is a little intimidating to me, so I’m glad you found it poetic! Gives me courage 🙂 Thanks so much for the visit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is exquisite poetry Diana…please keep writing like that! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lovely piece of flash fiction, Diana. poetic. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for reading, Suzanne. I almost wrote it as a poem and then went with prose. Have a great day, my friend 🙂
LikeLike
So gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Lynn. I’m smiling 🙂 Have a wonderful day with the babies. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poignantly beautiful, Diana! I’m glad you took that break!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Dorinda. I do have some deadlines that I need to make, but I enjoyed the break too. These prompts are fun 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome! Deadlines? What’s that? 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
😀 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful writing. Captures the loneliness perfectly.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for reading, Meg. It was a fun prompt. I like the different ways our imaginations fly with these things, from poetry to humor to horror. Happy Writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! Thanks, D!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You are an extraordinary writer Diana. You have hold so much of wisdom to feed us.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the lovely comment. I’m smiling. I don’t know if I have much wisdom; I just love what I do. I think that’s the reason your posts are so compelling too – your enthusiasm shines through 🙂
LikeLike
Ole! Diana. You are a master of words!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ole!? Love it, Noelle. 🙂 Thanks for the kind comment. Have a wonderful day and Happy Writing!
LikeLike
Bravo, Diana! The words have an easy ebb and flow, which make it a pleasure to read. A tough act to follow in this prompt.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sue puts these photo prompts out on Thursdays. I love the variety of stories and poems that come from them. You might give it a try, Mary, when you’re not working on 3 books at once! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful. You evoke such a mood in so very few words. 💘
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Van. I do like these prompts and the shorter pieces are fun for a change. Have a peaceful day, Van, with lots to smile about ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eloquent and elegant, as always.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Richard. I like these photo prompts. I could do them all day and not get any book-writing done at all! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll prod you if you look too engrossed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful… like a prose haiku
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Al. I almost turned it into a poem instead of prose. I wrote it both ways and then opted for prose. It was an interesting exercise. The poetic version ended up changing the prose version.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s very poetic language – the exercise was worth it for me. Whether you could replicate that for a longer piece is another matter!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I don’t think it’s practical for a longer piece. It would take a decade to get one book out!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha! That’s probably why I’ve never finished mine! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My friend who really walks the moors will love this for sure! She’s in UK.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love that! I actually had to do a little research for the post so I’m glad it worked 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get a sense of solitude, isolation and melancholy from this wonderful post, Diana. Like a lonely ghost bound to the pages of its past.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for the comment, Rob. That’s exactly what I wanted to portray – that the land holds the essences or ghosts of those who walked there. 🙂 Have a lovely day, my friend.
LikeLiked by 2 people