Category: Sarn

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet33 Comments

graffiti

Melinda Kucsera

graffiti Words scrawled on the wall erode by magic, as it eats away at the paint, renders the writer’s message in tragic lines that blur, but don’t fade as the number of viewers rises to include a young man, illiterate, who sees only lines, takes away no meaning nor does his young son who’s tugging his hand, pulling out of line, not interested at this time in words written by adults on stone walls, left for people who don’t have adventures; forwards, he wants to go where there’s just canvas for life to paint fantastic landscapes, simple pleasures or destinies without ripples.  ~ ~ ~ Inspired … Continue reading graffiti

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet23 Comments

Beloved and The Trouble with Magical Security

Melinda Kucsera

(this piece references events that take place in Shopping with Mages) Beloved Inari brushed her long hair, her thoughts winged to Mount Eredren, to her beloved but her eyes rested on her son who hanged on what Sarn said; he, a substitute thread in the tapestry of her family. Nerule no longer competed for time her beloved spent not with family but with the rangers, working overtime. No, her son’d found a naive substitute, one used to playing the role, and always glad to include her son in his pursuits. Her family was eroding away. She was on a family trip sent by her … Continue reading Beloved and The Trouble with Magical Security

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet41 Comments

Shopping with Mages

Melinda Kucsera

Shopping with Mages (and why you shouldn’t EVER take a mage shopping…) [Picks up where Button Holed left off] Water swirled past, sails lay slack and gathered, rowers plied their oars moving the trireme down the River Nirthal. Winter withered what autumn left behind, a color scheme spare and dark where naked trees stood sleeping the winter’s sleep, dreaming of greening spring days. What the hell was he doing here standing ’round staring as trees slide by in a daze? Roped into a shopping trip despite doubts about the holiday they went to shop– “Do you know what this Christmas day’s about?” “No school that day,” … Continue reading Shopping with Mages

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet21 Comments

A Fool for Christmas

Melinda Kucsera

A Fool for Christmas (Picks up where Light the Tree left off) Nolo prayed, “O Lord, listen to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds…” More he said, things ’bout visits and affairs of grace, the rest washed o’er Sarn and couldn’t find a home, so its meaning got lost somewhere between man, prayer and ignorant darkness. Nolo’s wife added a brilliant rose stone to the advent wreath, but e’en that brightness couldn’t enlighten a darkness all his own. So Sarn stood there, as he’d done two Sundays prior, wondering what wreath, tree and waiting time betokened, what would Christmas day require? Some understanding would surely come, … Continue reading A Fool for Christmas

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

The Nutcracker

Melinda Kucsera

The Nutcracker (Picks up where The Rusted King and the Drum left off) Three fairies perched on sainted heads; halos ringed their whispered conference; while below drum beats ceased as drummer boy and son, made slow progress to the doors, while echoes still hum. ‘Twas clear to the fairies that the duo had no a clue ’bout the season’s reason for celebration; they can’t let that go. Ignorance is a war that must be won! So off they floated after the drummer and his son through quiet halls of fortress, hiding in mosaic glow, their dimmer fairy light, they’d an … Continue reading The Nutcracker

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet31 Comments

Seconds

Melinda Kucsera

Seconds (Picks up where The Nutcracker left off) Nolo paused, caught half in, half out; a spy arrested by a scar, he’d come seconds too late to prevent; he’d saved the Kid’s eye, but not his face, too late by mere seconds. Yet just in time to save Sarn’s life, just so he could wreck it at sixteen by getting a girl with child. ‘Till that tree’s just so, that child is constantly rearranging. He was at it now though he’d enlisted help with the high branches and there they stood, young father and son, as the tree listed. A ball dropped, knocked … Continue reading Seconds

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet17 Comments

Button Holed

Melinda Kucsera

Button Holed (Picks up where Second Thoughts left off) “Between the shadow and the soul, I love you like a dark thing in secret,” she sang as flies buzzed around her head, while above, a boy sat making button hearts to hang. Sarn crouched down to see what his son had made. “For the tree,” Ran held a button heart strung with thread; Sarn took it and with a hug paid for its creation; hearing what was sung, and not liking its lyrics, he took his son into the suite and back to homey things suited to a child’s ears, only to run straight into … Continue reading Button Holed

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, prompt, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet38 Comments

The Rusted King and the Drum

Melinda Kucsera

The Rusted King and the Drum (Picks up where Between Dreams and Boats left off) Rusted nails twisted into a diadem. Three blood stones set in place of precious jewels. On a scrap heap he sprawled with a ripped hem. The King of Nimbledon, liege-lord of fools, price of thieves and bully boys–pay him heed all you creatures of the night, pickpockets, lock breakers, streetwalkers. Orphans bend knee to this tyrant, who reigns with a socket wrench for a scepter that calls all to order. His court of thugs, cheats and scruffy children wait to see who’ll be nailed to the girder. … Continue reading The Rusted King and the Drum

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

Second Thoughts

Melinda Kucsera

Second Thoughts (Picks up where Sparring left off) An open door framed the Christmas tree from where Sarn sat on the edge of his bed, his son’s head pillowed on his thigh, but from that angle what was visible instead, was not the silver fringe unraveled. The tree spoke of things unknown, begged questions with every hanging ornament and bell. Evergreen sprigs and wreaths–decorations that changed the familiar terrain leaving him confused at night, wond’ring where currents of this season would take him next, wond’ring if flight might’ve been best ‘fore his son learnt of this ‘Christmas’. The boy knew it existed, too late to file it away … Continue reading Second Thoughts

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

Reflections

Melinda Kucsera

Reflections Concentric rings disrupted the image reflected in the pool; drips from fingers dropped onto that watery assemblage where a pair of glowing green eyes linger. Sarn turned his back on the water’s mirror and the stalactite’s slow weeping to pace. His son continued making rings appear and glowing stones’ reflections dance in place. “Why you sad?” Ran asked, eyes on his canvas. “Not sad just–” Sarn broke off, magic crested, he breathed in deep, and fought it down en mass. It strained ‘gainst mental chains, then rested. Deep breath, water plinks, a touch to his leg, a hug, but he feels like a powder keg. ~ ~ ~ He’s walking, … Continue reading Reflections

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet49 Comments

The Bloodcrow

Melinda Kucsera

The Bloodcrow Through an aperture, he saw the Bloodcrow sift through the bodies scattered on the track. Dread hammered nails in his apathy, sowed a frantic beat in his veins, magic jacked… “Papa, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.” Small hands patted Sarn’s face, empyreal radiance cut ‘cross the scene in green beams. His magic threw the dream, reached for the real. Ran pancaked into a relieved embrace. Sarn blinked away that dream but its presence lingered like a whalebone in a back brace– still pressing its unwanted influence. “Why you not have good dreams?” Ran still held tight. “‘Cause fanatics did bad things in … Continue reading The Bloodcrow

Advent, Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Holiday, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet17 Comments

Sparing

Melinda Kucsera

Sparing (Continues where The Perfect Stone left off) Sarn spat blood, ignored the bright motes floating in the red stain, as he rose for round four. “Come on, stop defending. Start offending,” said his teacher for this match, a man four decades past caring and two past Sarn’s age. “Come on, Kid, hit me. No more defense try some offense now. I could hit at your age.” In a glance, Sarn saw the practice stave by the wall; he’d lost it in the last exchange. A flurry of blows kept him moving back, dodging, blocking but allowing no change to tactics criticized in this attack. A halt … Continue reading Sparing

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

The Perfect Stone

Melinda Kucsera

The Perfect Stone (Picks up where Light the Wreath left off) Seeking the perfect one, Ran touched the stones. “Make them glow,” he said; Sarn touched them; they lit, ’til he moved his hand away. “Pick one stone.” Ran piled the stones up and smiled for his bit. A voice cried out, “make a way for the Lord.” Again he cried, “make straight a path for God.” A ragged man passed, eyes afire for this ‘Lord’ with zealous light as he shouted for his God. Sarn shook his head, “I can’t afford that pile.” “Make more money,” Ran shrugged, the answer clear. Sarn shook his head; time to leave ‘fore the mild crowds, with the man … Continue reading The Perfect Stone

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

Decide: Dread, Fury or the Guilt that Haunts

Melinda Kucsera

Decide Five years ago… Blood dripped into his eyes, blinding him; pain hammered his body. Bones poked through his skin. One arm and one leg bent the wrong way. Pain throbbed in his head, darkening within ’till without faded, awareness dwindled down to a woman’s voice. “You must decide to live or die.” She squeezed his hand, kindled a flicker of will whose blaze had once pried him from death; it would now  if he allowed. “The Kid’s strong; I can’t help if he objects,” said the healer. “His magic won’t allow.” “Sarn,” said his brother, “don’t you dare object.” Decide now: life … Continue reading Decide: Dread, Fury or the Guilt that Haunts

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari10 Comments

Contrivance – One Word Photo Challenge

Melinda Kucsera

Contrivance In chrome it gleams; at the bottom of pots, it waits. In my fridge it chills, though it still beckons. More insistent than dark chocolate, it baits me with visions of green valleys; dead-on in my sights, an Enchanted Forest spreads. Dragons ride the thermals and cats foretell, offering beach blanket fliers not bread, but bowls of soup to sup upon while spell Cat winds with words both old and kind of times when heroes rode, a Child of Magic strode and sword made whole when right healed the old crime which drove a line of men onto shame’s road. Reflected in glass on my appliance, is … Continue reading Contrivance – One Word Photo Challenge