Category: poetry

Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet12 Comments

Letting Go

Melinda Kucsera

Letting Go Five years ago… He faced the window, Mount Eredren’s lord, author of all Sarn’s pain, eyes on distant sights, his back to the shadowed nook where bored death waited in a teen hands. The instant the Lord’s guards left, Sarn crept ‘cross star shined floors, shadow-silent, knife shaking, poised to pierce that last barrier. Full-circle once more, victim becomes the killer; shock pierces anger, knocks him back a step, makes him think. Killing the Mount’s Lord won’t unwound his soul, unbreak his bones, undo abuse. Sarn shrinks, he’s no killer; he’s an innocent soul. “Why didn’t you strike me down?” the mount’s lord moaned. “Because it … Continue reading Letting Go

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet8 Comments

Working Thanksgiving in

Melinda Kucsera

Working Thanksgivng in Darkness choked the magicked forest; a light kindled here and there to trick to travelers but not the patrolling Rangers whose sight ignored the forest’s enchanted feelers. Sarn shoved away an inquisitive branch, looked about for evidence of distress. Another boring watch with not a branch out of place and still more hours in this press. “Why’re we out here? There’s nothing happening,” he complained batting a thin bough aside. “You want to hear Thanksgiving’s beginning?” Nolo asked; he sped up to walk beside making conversation possible ‘gain. The trees leaned to listen to talk of men. ~ ~ ~ Sarn nodded, stepped o’er a recoiling … Continue reading Working Thanksgiving in

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet2 Comments

Staircase to Nowhere

Melinda Kucsera

Staircase to Nowhere A stone staircase curved as it ascended in the Enchanted Forest miles away from anything. Into air it wended. Sarn approached and a hush fell..Run away, his sixth sense screamed. A strange light burned silver above where the stair plucked from a mountain stronghold ended in nothing. Shivers disturbed the branches’ weave above, often signifying nothing, but winds passing. A malevolence settled like night’s chill on that dislocated stair focusing. Sarn circled it, his sixth sense’s warning shrill. Ascend and see what happens or go back, return to the search for the lost boy’s track? ~ ~ ~ Sarn stood there ’till a hand grasped … Continue reading Staircase to Nowhere

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet2 Comments

Pour Some Sugar on my Pie

Melinda Kucsera

Pie Making (Now published in Stars & Angels Sing along with the rest of the holiday story.) Inari surveyed her kitchen  and smiled. Lumir glowed red in its grate for baking, stone counters gleamed and a four year old child sat in silence arranging rocks, making patterns on the stone floor. Miren had gone to school, so also had her son Nerule. Nolo and Sarn both worked nights; sleep had drawn them in that morn. Waking Sarn would be cruel, so off to market she went, a withdrawn child in tow. Quiet he stayed, no ‘whys’trailed her through the aisles, his curiosity blunted but by what? … Continue reading Pour Some Sugar on my Pie

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sonnet13 Comments

Wedding Bird Blues

Melinda Kucsera

Wedding Bird Blues Why didn’t they send Phaedrina to do this? She can turn into a spider and hide when the guests file in, but no miss, they sent me disguised as a bird. My hide’s at risk, not my bro’s who’s shoving dishes at my beak demanding poison sniffing precision that’s possible in wishes but not when a beak’s doing the sniffing. Either this bird’s nose is broken or some other beast should’ve been selected, a blood hound maybe. “Did you find poison? More crumbs?” hazarded my vexed twin. I pecked, drew blood. He backed off, hands raised to check … Continue reading Wedding Bird Blues

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet18 Comments

Whispers in Stone

Melinda Kucsera

Whispers in Stone Thirteen years ago… Sarn chased sparkles dancing in tides washing the shore. He lifted rocks seeking their shine. Rocks rubbed his soles, sun warmed him, water sloshed his breeches, his numb fingers caught that shine. A spark blossomed in the smoky stone heart. it winks, changes to blazing lips that speak. Sarn shrugged, pressed the rock to his ear in part, copying the kids with shells. The rock speaks words that tumble like pebbles down a hill. Its cadence soothed him; he discerned one word out of the tumult which bounced ’round until it fired his magic and out burst that word: “Lumir,” he said, naming, giving a shape to potential, allowing light … Continue reading Whispers in Stone

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet10 Comments

Thankful Son

Melinda Kucsera

Thankful Son Ran listened; his uncle argued trouble but Papa ignored that; he’d decided. Papa’s words formed a warm, happy bubble. He was thankful for Ran, who sat beside. Ran hopped from table onto Papa’s lap. “I’m thankful for you too,” he said through tears. He recalled his mom, who left like a slap– leaving a sting that still caused tears and fears for Papa who had a dangerous job. Papa talked in his sleep and Ran listened. “You’ve still got me. I’ll won’t leave you, don’t sob. It’s okay to miss her,” Papa tightened the hug squeezing out a smile, not tears. Papa’s assurance chased … Continue reading Thankful Son

poem, poetry, Sonnet6 Comments

Deadpan – Photo Fiction #13

Melinda Kucsera

Deadpan She’d come to this crossroad after a long journey that had caused her to circle back to the broken town; it’s where she belongs. Why’d she think she could leave it and backpack to a better future? Not for those glittering streets paved in gold, diamond strewn skies left behind in this smokeless ruin whose siren called her back. With this gun she’s hewn from bric-a-brac, she’s stalking streets she knows, counting the cracks ’til she finds one oozing a clown. She fires at it taking it down. It flops into a puddle; its losing ground. She stuffs its remains … Continue reading Deadpan – Photo Fiction #13

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet16 Comments

Thanksgiving Plans

Melinda Kucsera

Thanksgiving Plans “Why do we have to celebrate this year? We didn’t last year,” Miren grumbled, tossing graphite sticks at the paper stack too near a cheerful four year old, who sat browsing. Ran’s ears were pricked for interesting talk. “Why change? Why do you want to celebrate?” “Because things are better,” Sarn broke off. Chalk that up to change. He no longer berate fate or himself for his failings; his son was happy; his bro went to school and that was enough to be thankful for. He’d won some respect and he should celebrate that. “Nolo invited us and we’re going.” Miren glared but he didn’t … Continue reading Thanksgiving Plans

Fantasy, Ironwood, Lake Neverthrall, poem, poetry, Shayari, Sonnet6 Comments

The Seacher: Malenthanren, Dragon of Shayari

Melinda Kucsera

The Searcher: Malentharen A dragon sleeps ‘neath Neverthrall’s waters. Shayari’s great lake, that inland sea, makes a perfect place to search for Ironwood’s daughter. White sparkles collect on the dragon’s snake hide, in a cloud those brilliant motes rise, breach the lake’s surface and like a star shot, streak ‘cross the sky. Over Ironwood Keep to reach the lost daughter of a cursed line whose loss could snap the world in two. Thus he sends his consciousness roaming, past villages who take no fright at his star overhead, flying day or night to eat the mileage. Eventually the country he … Continue reading The Seacher: Malenthanren, Dragon of Shayari

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet13 Comments

Thankful

Melinda Kucsera

Thankful “Do You know what I’m thankful for?” Sarn asked. “No,” Ran said, walking beside, hand fisted in his father’s trouser leg. They walked past many statues as the tunnel twisted, but the question kept his son from straying even though the lad’s fingers itched to trace the stone folded, imitating cloth draping. Quiet wrapped them up and kept the slow pace. “What you thankful for?” Ran asked, when Sarn failed to say. Sarn smiled at his son, “can’t you guess?” Ran’s brow furrowed as the lad tried and failed to work it out. “You tell me, I not guess.” Sarn scooped … Continue reading Thankful

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Sonnet9 Comments

Divided

Melinda Kucsera

Divided If Sarn could split his time ‘tween two places, and two places only, he’d have to choose Mount Eredren as one of his bases to fulfill his indenture’s terms or lose the bargain he’d made for his bro’s schooling. If his indenture allowed a second abode, (which it didn’t), he’d make that grueling trek to Mithranza Provence. It beckoned, its mountain passes whispered of wars won and lost by heroes of old; in the lake- side village, he’d stay for months for her sake, the lovely woman with whom he’d begun a friendship his indenture didn’t allow and something his master couldn’t disavow. ~ ~ ~ Read more about Sarn in … Continue reading Divided

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet9 Comments

Changes

Melinda Kucsera

Changes “Change comes whether you want it to or not.” so Nolo said; Sarn believed him, he wished he knew what to do. His stomach in knots, he watched the day fade; in his heart he fished for answers, found none. He had a magic he couldn’t control and it had lots of triggers; most he couldn’t guess. His life was so tragic and he hated it. One day, he figures that power will kill him. Every seven years it will spike, increase his ability. His son, Ran, approached holding his stuffed bear, reminding him of life’s fragility. The boy had inherited the … Continue reading Changes

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sonnet16 Comments

Steadfast – Writing 101 #15

Melinda Kucsera

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring Steadfast When the road darkens will you stand with me? ‘Neath threatening skies will you run beside? Towards storm clouds hurling lightning, come with me. ‘Cross restless seas, down cresting waves we’ll slide. When trouble threatens my bow’s unlimbered, my arrow’s knocked and my aim’s true; for through it all I’ll stand with you, ‘gainst angry birds or demon hordes, or monsters that chew. When the road darkens will you stand with me? Or will you lose your faith and run away? Will … Continue reading Steadfast – Writing 101 #15

Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Shayari, Sonnet15 Comments

What the Ant Saw

Melinda Kucsera

What the Ant Saw What the ant saw when he stopped on a branch: golden rays slicing through tangled black boughs, falling in curtains of lace that hung off each branch like gossamer threads of gold fairy down. What the ant saw when he paused on a ledge: a city built on shimmering water, bridges arching ‘tween buildings, statues edge each garden terrace; keep feet off water. What the ant saw from the mountain’s bent cone: ice kissed, sun soaked, the crag peak pierces clouds, offers views of a fluffy land rain-sewn, wind-driven, sky-veiling–this puffy shroud. All the ant saw made his antennae twitch, … Continue reading What the Ant Saw