character studies

OK, this one brings us up to date. We had to pick from a few options. I chose the one where one character was silent but described and the other had dialogue. Here it is:

Mae was a short, round woman, 4’11” tops and 180lbs, that brought to mind images of a cartoon banty hen; all round, wearing an apron and clucking perpetually about everything and nothing while running in endless circles. In sharp contrast James was tall, 5’11”, slightly built and soft spoken. He went through life with Mae trying not to make a ripple in the fabric of their marriage. Mae did not like ripples, and James would never hear the end of it if one arose.

James sat quietly, reading the papers as he did every Sunday, trying to stay out of the way and pretty much out of sight. It never really worked, but he was persistent. Mae flew in the house from the garage, clacking away before she was even through the door “… is the box that has all of the papers about the appliances that I gave you to put away in a safe place so I could find them easily if I had a question about something because you know you aren’t the one that reads directions I am and if I can’t find the box with all of the booklets I am not going to be able to fix anything that has to work in the house to keep us warm and fed and bathed because…” and she was back through another door and fading from earshot before he could even put the paper down to look at her, let alone answer her. He just shook his head from behind his paper and turned the page.

“…if they don’t start thinking about how it affects other people they are never going to make it in that complex because other people aren’t going to put up with it you know they don’t have to because they aren’t family and family is the only one that has to accept what you are anyway so I told them they better start learning how to act like civilized human being cause it isn’t like I didn’t raise them with manners but it’s also not my fault…” James could hear her coming back around from the other end of the house, her volume increasing with proximity.

He shifted in his seat and readied himself for the arrival. “….did you figure out where you think you put that box so I can look through those books I asked you about because I want to get that taken care of this morning to put my mind at ease about it all…” he lowered his paper and got as far as opening his mouth,“…never mind by the time you spit it out I will have found it myself and read them all since I am at least up and looking at this hour who is sitting around still reading the paper anyway…” and she was again through the door to the garage.

James put down the Chronicle, picked up the Times, and smiled to himself through a sip of black coffee. Far be it for him to cause any ripples in the fabric of their marriage.

A Villanelle

We are learning poetry. We're learning the different forms. Our first real poetry assignment was to write a villanelle - this link isn't from class but it explains it well. This was my attempt. The class actually liked it.

A Second Term

My life continues as if on a dragon's flight,
And as my foot slips from the stirrup, cold,
I tumble head first into the darkest night.

Is my fall from the mounting or the fight?
Or is it from the faint words I hear, so bold?
My life continues as if on a dragon's flight.

I struggle through the challenge with all my might.
Straining against the outcome, foretold.
Still I tumble head first into the darkest night.

My soul, feeling the meaning, is frozen with fright
as the mother falters under the red mold.
Yet my life continues as if on a dragon's flight.

Why must the mother endure such a slight?
Where are her champions of old?
I tumble head first into the darkest night.

Have they all converted to the conservative right?
Is there no champion left to remove the blindfold?
My life continues as if on a dragon's flight.
Still, I tumble head first into the darkest night.

Kate Humphrey

from the perspective of a non-human

That was the assignment.

8 Weeks Old


I don't understand. When I'm quiet you're all
concerned, when I'm playing you get angry with me for
making too much noise. You toss all sorts of things at
me that I can't stand, and this makes you happy but
when I find something laying around that makes ME
happy, this makes you angry.

I try to stick close by cause I think you're the boss,
but you keep telling me to GET OUT OF THE WAY, so I go
as far away as I can and you call me back. I come back
over, follow you everywhere, and you step on me
OUCH, OUCH, OUCH, OUCH I scream and you yell WELL GET
OUT OF THE WAY! I slink away and lick my wounded
feelings.I do not understand.

It was so much easier with my mom and siblings. Let's
play meant let's play. A good growl meant get out of
the way. Everything was a toy. It was impossible to
get TOO CLOSE to each other. It was so simple. The
rules were easy to understand.

What is the right signal for play? How do I know when
to stay away? When is the right time to come near?
Which objects are mine? Where is it ok to lay? Why do
you bark so loud? Who is the boss? I want to make you
happy, make you like me, fit in with this new pack,
but can't you see, I don't understand your rules.

Kate Humphrey

writing exercises

OK, as I am going through things I've decided not to post ALL of the assignments because they are simply not interesting if you aren't part of the class. But some can stand alone. In this one we are supposed to describe something in three lines - first line contains an abstraction, plus a verb, plus a place. Second line describes attire, third summarizes an action. I did 2, they seemed to fit together once I started.

Hatred slinks its way into society,
cloaked in its white piety,
suffocating the masses with its single deity.



Tolerance struggles to break the surface.
Narrow chains bind its limbs.
Kicking free, it swallows clean air before sinking.

Been back in class

Well, I have been really bad about posting anything to my blog, and Julie told me today she was about ready to drop me from her list. So, I decided I would just post my homework assignments for my creative writing class.

In the first one we were supposed to start with the words "At home, we" and build from there. Here it is.

At home, we
are safe in the arms of our bed
are warmed from the breath of the fire
are bathed in the glow of its light
are comforted by the sounds of sleep
are soothed by the rhythms of the night
are calmed by the weight of pups
are nourished by love
are replenished, refreshed, restored
end chaos with peace