
The city dreams, respiring slowly—the outbreath no longer poison, but blossom-perfume. I sniff the reveries, and they’re heady. My head swims, and lips curl in a smile.
From window to window we call and birds swoop from among the towers carrying our cry like pollen. Buds break on spires and pinnacles. Basements put out roots and taste the earth.
Newness is being born.
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
I like ‘carrying our cry like pollen’
Excellent and positive take on our current situation
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Thanks so much
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Great use of language Neil. I could smell and feel the season change.
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Thanks so much, Tannille
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And hopefully our leaders will learn the lesson this time – though I doubt it.
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What matters is what the people learn
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Dear Neil,
Descriptive and atmospheric piece. A feast for the eyes.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle
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Beautifully descriptive and poetic, Neil.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks so much, Susan
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An inspiring take for spring, which is finally starting to appear and lift a fraction of the gloom at the moment.
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Thanks so much, Iain
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Nice Spring vignette. Well done.
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Thanks, Joshua. I’d intended it to be metaphorically more than a Spring vignette.
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Spring plus Covid19 lockdown have both contributed to our planet’s well-being for the time-being.
May we be responsible and ensure more fragrance and not fumes of pollution!
Stay safe.
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Thanks so much, Anita
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What a wonderful magical realist vision. The whole world springing into new life. Beautifully described. Well done Neil
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Thanks so much, Lynn
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My pleasure
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This is a poetic and beautiful little snippet of today, and I love the encouragement. Made me take a moment to glance out my living room window and appreciate a clear blue sky and soft spring sunlight 🙂
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Thanks so much, Linda
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lovely optimism–in contrast to my … not so much optimism 😉
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Thanks so much, Tina
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This such lovely prose, Neil. I loved “The city dreams, respiring slowly…”
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Thanks so much, Dale
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Nice poetic flow. I think we’re all looking for that rebirth about now.
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Thanks so much
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The contrast to all the darkness we read… the sky is brighter than ever.
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Yes it is
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One day, before it’s too late — or even if it is. Wonderful storytelling that is a breath of fresh air.
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Thanks so much, Jade
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You are very welcome.
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I love the description in this one Neil. 😊
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Thanks so much, Cathryn
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It’s true that cities are always growing.
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Thanks for reading
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You are welcome
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Poetic and descriptive and a doing its own little dipping through the air of breath and sound. Well done!
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Thanks so much
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a positive vibe in this time of the pandemic. well done.
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Thanks so much
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Hopefully the environment is experiencing a rebirth, after this period of respite. Nicely done.
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Thanks so much, Sandra. Perhaps we are too and will take care of each other and our environment better after this is over
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Evocative and literate. Well done, sir.
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Thanks so much, Doug
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Thank you for the positive note!
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You’re most welcome
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I love the picture you paint here.
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Thanks so much, Liz
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“From window to window we call and birds swoop from among the towers carrying our cry like pollen.” I particularly like this sentence as a description of the way people have been communicating at a distance, with clapping for carers, with dancing in the gardens, with singing from windows.
It’s a lovely, optimistic piece that looks ahead to a time when we abuse our planet less, and appreciate its delights more. BTW you’ve given it the title ‘Dreaming Spires’. Does that have any particular significance? – it’s usually applied to Oxford, of course
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Thanks so much, Penny. I did have the Oxford resonance in mind
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Beautiful. I await this stage with baited breathe. Picturing the bloom of escape. It will be like Spring I hope!
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Thanks, Laurie. Yes, it will be like Spring, even if it comes in Winter
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Agreed!
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Lovely piece. Wouldn’t it be nice if people liked this newness so much that lessons were quickly learned?
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Thanks so much
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Amazingly written, Neil. I could feel the whole thing — crisp and poetic. YES!
Five out of five red cardinals!
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Thanks so much, William
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“the outbreath no longer poison, but blossom-perfume” For some reason this made me think of one of the last scenes in the futuristic movie “Logan’s Run” when the two protagonists come to what is obviously Washington D.C., but nearly buried in centuries of neglect and forest re-growth. The people in your city are gone, their pollution is gone. But newness is being born! I enjoyed this very much.
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Thanks so much, Eugenia
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I love your story,bubbling with energy. Perfect last line.
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Thanks so much
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Nature reclaiming the world. I liked the positive tone in this, well done Neil
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Thanks so much, Michael
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The world springs to life again. Beautifully done.
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Thanks so much
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