Rubbish

For the thirty-seven year old attorney, that was a big deal. Ralph didn’t believe in anything supernatural. Growing up, little Ralph went so far as to call his parents’ bluff about the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause. The boy was a natural naturalist. There wasn’t anything that couldn’t be explained with the use of the sciences, and that sort of thought life took Ralp...

Humour

Oulipo: Revorto

Winner - 1st

Rubbish

1 min read

Write a poem in ‘revorto’ form.

_A revorto poem consists of seven couplets that alternate between one highly poetic line and one very unpoetic line. The form is meant to jar the reader back and forth from a sense of beauty to a sense of something other than beauty. A proper revorto is structured thusly: AABBAACCBBAACC. _

_(Example: _

_The sun drew my desire on the ocean waves and painte...

Poetry

Humour

The Squandered Light

Rubbish

1 min read

“The sun grew weary of seeing men squander its light.”

_Use this sentence in a poem or short story. What themes could you explore with this idea? _...

Found and Lost: and Things In Between

Rubbish

1 min read

There’s a hole in the wall

(not a bar - that may’ve been better)

There’s a hole in the wall

—— I found I’m lost

in the kitchen

by the shelf I built

from whence I found

my rage

and lost my temper

slid the knuckles back

like the old days

the saint laughs

at me from within

and the dead man in his ire

thought to hang

—— a painting there

one he hadn’t yet made

for he found ...

Poetry

It’s Giving Coping

Rubbish

1 min read

“You’ve got nothing to say? I’m leaving you!”

Angela asked with a shocked expression.

Drew only continued laughing, tears rolling down his reddened face.

“You’re a real piece of work, Drew!”

The woman scoffed at the man and shuffled around in her purse to get her keys, “I’m leaving! Don’t you have anything to say? Anything at all?”

Angela glared at the man, who seemed to be miles away. The s...

Romance

Drama

The Method, the Mess and the Messiah

Top 10

Rubbish

2 min read

“We called you in to talk to you about your act. A lot of us are very worried about you,” the assistant director folded his arms and furrowed his single brow.

“You are worried about a great deal of things,” the man replied softly as he tightened his white robe.

“Yeah! Yeah!” Roberto, the chief production manager cried, “You’re taking it too far, Chris!”

“Christ,” Chris interjected.

“Exactly...

Humour

Captives To Dichotomy

Rubbish

4 min read

The tophatted man held his pale hands high above the lustrous, golden podium

—— a signal to quiet the clamoring mass of flesh vessels before the tower.

The sun peaked out from behind dark, jagged clouds as the people paralyzed their tongues to open their hearts.

“Good citizens of Parasio, we are gathered here today to cast our votes! Your decisions today will impact this immaculate land for th...

Horror

Crime

We Headsmen

Top 10

Rubbish

1 min read

TW: Christian theme

The blade shimmered

in the blazing sun

the crowd shimmered more

with what they’d consider joy

as Hope squirmed under

the Headsman’s axe

Faith and Love lay

lifeless in a sorry heap

at the mass of feet

the world roared

with what they’d consider glee

all the while they questioned

why they felt so emptied

and Peace was brought

with fiery chains

to the place where

we go when ...

Poetry

I hear You in the silence

Rubbish

1 min read

TW: Christian ✝️

———

‘I hear You in the silence’

— A vilanelle

I hear You in the silence,

in the stillness of the night.

Your voice, waves to

a moonlit shore,

Your beauty shining more.

I listen for Your whisper,

Lord, I listen for Your light.

I hear You in the gentle rain,

Your Word is soft and sleight.

You speak a calm that I adore,

You cause my eyes to pour.

I hear You in the silence,...

Poetry

A Vile, Villainous Villanelle!

Rubbish

1 min read

Write a villanelle with a horror or thriller theme. A villanelle is a poem with the following structure:

6A(Repeat line 1 - A)

9A (Repeat line 3A)

10A

11B

12A (Repeat line 1A)

13A

14B

15A (Repeat line 3A)

16A

17B

18A (Repeat line 1A)

19A (Repeat line 3A)

Check out ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ by Dylan Thomas for a great example!

...

Poetry

Horror