Sunday, May 29, 2011

Gone But Never Forgotten, A Saturday Centus

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Jenny Matlock


We've arrived at week 56 of Saturday Centus, that madcap literary free-for-all where writers of every ilk convene each Saturday to get the prompt for their weekly writing assignment. 

Hosted by Jenny Matlock at her blog off on my tangent, we are challenged to write a short story or poem using the prompt as given and no more than 100 words not including the prompt.  Sounds really easy, doesn’t it?  But coming up with a story and trying to develop it within the confines of only 100 words is more difficult than you might imagine. 

You reach your word limit before you know it.  (106 words.)

See?  It’s not so easy!  If you want to stretch your brain a bit and give it a go, you are welcome to try it and then post your link to Jenny’s meme post to share it with your fellow Centusians this week.  The only rules are keeping it to the 100 word limit, no vulgarity, no pictures and no altering the prompt.

Give it a go and have some fun with us this week!  In honor of Memorial Day Jenny has given us the prompt, "The legacy of heroes..." from which to base our stories or poems.  I have entitled my contribution this week:


Gone But Never Forgotten


Fred never knew his older brother, Jay, a WWII pilot who was shot down during a mission over Stuttgart, Germany.  

On his 65th birthday he decided to travel to Lorraine Cemetery in France to visit Jay’s grave.

Countless rows of white crosses stretched out before him on that hazy autumn morning. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he made his way through the thousands of graves guided by an unseen hand.

Incredibly, he stopped and fell to his knees before Jay’s grave.

For some, the legacy of heroes was freedom.  For Fred it was a terrible void that would never be filled.


Jenny Matlock


The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example. — Benjamin Disraeli
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16 comments:

  1. ... guided by an unseen hand.

    I like it! Hauntingly sad.

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  2. Unfortunately, Tom, there is a terrible void in so many lives in our country, stemming from a
    war(s) that were carelessly started and funded by our tax dollars. Please see my post.

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  3. I love "guided by an unseen hand". Happy Memorial Day:@)

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  4. "guided by unseen hand" I love that. A very touching short piece.

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  5. If we would allow our lives to be guided by the unforeseen hand more often we might just find what we seek.
    I really liked your story!~Ames

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  6. Outstanding job !

    Never knowing a sibling except by others stories/memories is a true void that can never be filled, no matter how he was taken from a family !

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  7. This is excellent and very powerful, Tom. I really like that he stopped and fell to his knees at Jay's grave.
    Be well.
    xoRobyn

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  8. This one rings true, Tom.

    Thanks.

    =)

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  9. hello..coming by to visit.. have a nice day..

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  10. you created a haunting picture, sad yet beautiful

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  11. Tom, This is so moving. My father did not serve in Europe, but I have visited cemeteries in France ad Belgium. It is overwhelming - the rows and rows of crosses marking graves. You made me feel the grass under Fred's knees. So very powerful.................cj

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  12. Those rows and rows of crosses... What an image. Very beautiful, my friend.

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  13. Tom, I like this different writing voice of yours. Stark. Realistic. These carefully crafted words really stripped it down to the bare emotions for me.

    I am waiting for the "I knew him when" day!

    BTW, I read the quote on that beautifully painted picture you and your wife made for me each and every morning when I first sit at my desk.

    Thank you again and again for that.

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