Earlier this week, Kessingland Library Creative Writing Group had its March meeting. I was overwhelmed with eight people coming along, not including myself.
Last month I set two pieces of homework to do with dialogue. One was to fill in a blank cartoon storyboard with text, and the other was to write a scene only using dialogue. Of those who did their homework, only one person managed to do the cartoons. I found it fairly difficult, as did others. I thought it would be a fun and easy activity, but I was wrong. But I guess you never know unless you try.
*****
“Hello?”
“Hi Dad, it’s me.”
“Hi Me. What can I do you for?”
“Nothing. You called me.”
“Did I?”
“Yep, what do you
want?”
“I … I don’t remember.”
“Alzheimer’s much? You didn’t call me; I called you!”
“I knew I wasn’t going
mad.”
“Nope, you’re already
there!”
“So to what do I owe
this pleasure?”
“Oh right, yeah, just
wanted to let you know that I’m going to be home late.”
“Any idea what time
you’ll be home?”
“Nope. My bus is … eeerm … about 10 minutes
late. Traffic is crazy gridlocked. Nothing has moved in ages.”
“Why don’t you walk
home?”
“Walk?! Do you not know me at all?”
“Well if the traffic’s
not moving, you’re not going to get very far.”
“And I could start
walking, and the traffic could start moving, and the bus could drive past me. Ooh, hang on.
The police are here.”
“Can they get through?”
“Not really. Well, they’re on motorbikes, but the cars
can’t move to let them through. Ok, so
now they’re riding up on the pavement.
I’m sure that’s against the law.”
“They’re police. They’re above the law.”
“There’s loads of them
now. Lights flashing. Something must have happened.”
“Can you see anything?”
“Nope, not from here.”
“Has the traffic
started moving?”
“Nope. Urgh!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I just want to get
home. Can you come and get me?”
“If the buses can’t get
through, there’s no chance we’ll be able to.”
“Urgh!”
“Start walking.”
“I don’t wannooooooo.”
“Come on. I’ll keep talking to you. We can play a game.”
“What kind of game are
we going to play on the phone?”
“Are you walking?”
“I s’pose.”
“We could play i-spy.”
“And how will that
work? Anything I spy, you won’t be able
to see.”
“Just guess. I’ll go first.”
“Ok.”
“Ok, I spy with my
little eye, something beginning with T.”
“Table?”
“No.”
“Telephone?”
“No.”
“Erm, teapot?”
“No.”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what you can see.”
“Well you know I’m at
home.”
“Television?”
“No.”
“Gah! I don’t know.”
“Come on, don’t give
up.”
“Tumble-dryer?”
“No. Do you want a clue?”
“Please!”
“I’m not downstairs.”
“Hmm, T, T, T, T,
T. Tuh.
Truh. Toilet?”
“Well done.”
“You’d better not be
talking to me on the toilet.”
“You’ll never know!”
“That. Is.
Disgusting.”
“I’ll have you know
that before you phoned I was painting the skirting board on the landing.”
“Phew.”
“Ok, your turn.”
“Hmm, ok, I spy with my
little eye, something beginning with … erm … U.”
“Umbrella?”
“No.”
“Hmm, I give up.”
“Hang on. Wait, wait wait.”
“What, what what?”
“Erm, U is for ‘You are
not going to believe this’.”
“I’m not going to
believe what?”
“Oh wow, erm, I think I’d
better go. I’ll tell you when I get
home.”
*****
During the session I introduced the group to Japanese Haiku poetry. Some had heard of the haiku, but none of them had written one. So I suggested that we write twelve each; one for every month of the year. We didn't get as far as writing twelve each, but we all managed to write a few.
a winter wind blows
Christmas from my mind as I
wait to get older
twigs claw at grey skies
piercing clouds to free sunlight
from its winter home
pink petals tightly cling
to shivering branches while
bulbs shatter the earth
rain falls through fingers
held open to catch the breeze
which heralds hot days
birdsong wakes mornings
as early sun rises
from shortened slumber
bright summer sun
takes a more permanent place
in the blue heavens
waves caress beaches
with glimmering fingers
which hug naked toes
*****
Homework this month is to write a half-rhyme poem inspired by Exposure by Wilfred Owen.
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 23rd April, 10:30 - 11:30 am, at Kessingland Library.
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