Thursday, August 18, 2011

She reads aloud.

North Star,
Star of the sea


I wish for a ship
Named after me


To sail for a day
Alone and free


With someone nice
For company
.”


With her little brother giggling,
she launches the paper boats
across the pond,
fire blooming from their center
until they disappear
around the willow branches.

--------------------------

Growing up, there were many oriental traditional that came to be my own. I always give a new bride a bell to hang in her kitchen (so she can ring it when she's lonely and know that her family hears her, still). I always eat the fortune from my cookie so it will come true. And, I used to always launch wish boats on the Willamette River on the eve of Chinese New Year.


The poem that's quoted here is from The Maggie B by Irene Haas. 


I first read this as a small girl, when reading was my escape from a rough and tumble world. I often long for the simplicity of those times, the long hours spent alone with only my thoughts and Moby Dick or Watership Down for company.

This Flash Fiction, as most of the good ones, leans heavily on my own story. G-Man would love it if you'd play along by writing a story in exactly 55 words. The Noir, the merrier...

18 comments:

Monkey Man said...

Said Tim as he picked up an axe.
;-)
You have some pretty fun traditions.

Brian Miller said...

that is a pretty cool tradition on the fiery paper boats...thanks for the peek behind the screen

G-Man said...

Just like dozens of Mini Viking Burials...
Loved your Traditional 55 PG
Thanks for coming out of Semi-Retirement to play today, You Rock
Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End

The Bipolar Diva said...

VERY cool!

Doctor FTSE said...

A lovely 55. Thank you.

TALON said...

You ate the fortune, Pheromone Girl? That soooo explains why mine have never come true.

You brought back some happy memories of times spent nose-in-a-book, carefree and free to roam right into the pages.

Daydreamertoo said...

What a lovely read and a wonderful story behind the 55.

Alice Audrey said...

I've always wanted to do this, but somehow never get around to it. Maybe because I forget when Chinese New Years is, and in January the river is frozen.

Olivia said...

Awesome tale told- I loved the paper boat image.. xoxo

Akelamalu said...

Love you contributions today PG :)

hope said...

Yeah, what do brothers know? :)

Nice one!

Lydia said...

Charming 55! And I am excited to know you send out those little boats into the Willamette on Chinese New Year. Have you visited the Chinese Gardens in downtown Portland? It's a lovely place, which reminds me that my husband and I should go there again...it's been years.

Eat the fortune, huh? Never heard of that one!

moondustwriter said...

I love your traditions and how you share them with others

I felt carried back in your 55 - thanks

Maxwell Mead Williams Robinson Barry said...

that is super beautiful 55.

love the art work.
cheers.

Claudya Martinez said...

The ringing bell tradition is so beautiful and sad at the same time.

Sandra said...

Eating the fortune so it will come true. I'm totally trying that next time!

Katherine Krige said...

I really liked this post. Simple, yet so heart-felt in the writing of it. Thank you for painting such a pretty picture, despite the dark corners that you let us see. but not glance into. Peace to you.

Belinda said...

I love these traditions you've described here. I've seen the paper boats bearing lights launched at night once and it is stunning. I love the idea of giving a bell to a new bride, but it saddens me that she has to ring a bell in order to be heard.

Beautiful post!