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28 June: A Gogyōka Poem
Day 28. Write a poem celebrating the resilience of nature, even in the face of human challenges. Forest Fire Fire is reigning here aloneTrees in flames of glowing starsAsh, page after page, falling like snowTwo branches fall to earth belowSaplings see a broadening sky Poem form: Gogyōka (Japanese: 五行歌) is a five-line, untitled, Japanese poetic form. Unlike…
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27 June: Flash Fiction – Cherry Pickin’ Crows
Day 27: Imagine you are a character in a wildlife-themed adventure novel. Describe the perilous situation you find yourself in and how you escape. Cherry Pickin’ Crows There’s no writing yourself out of this one. Think. And don’t panic. It doesn’t help. Nor does shouting. Your pipes will go hoarse. I often talk to myself…
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26 June: A Letter to Younger Self
Note: I wrote this to my “younger self”. I’m old – the glass is a bit more than half empty. Day 26. Write a letter to a future self, reflecting on the impact of the challenge on your relationship with nature. To my younger self: preferable mid-20s because I’m apt to think this is from…
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25 June: An Elegy for My Aunt
Thanks For Asking The firewood shifts a little,and I remember thatI miss you. Our video calls.You always cared enough to ask,How are you. Our lettersand humour still flow over me, a soft-lipped smileto touch the earth. Your voiceis still singing –a sparrow’s song in leaves green,tunes pooling in every corner. You shine bright,a moon’s white…
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25 June: Fair Eyed Sunset
Day 25. Describe a magical sunrise or sunset you have witnessed. How did it make you feel? Fair Eyed Sunset A boyand a girl. Flushed byheat. It’s that age of delightment,thoughts their bodies unhouse. They are waitingfor the #100 bus into town.No particular destination in mind. Just west.Just beyond the sunset’s backlights. It’s blazinglike a…
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24 June: Off Beachy Head
Off Beachy Head The sea is glassy and warm as if its skin’s been peeled away, and we stand at the top of a hill overlooking the sea. The winds of the world rock us as if a song is working its way out of our ears, some song that would stop us rocking, stop…
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24 June: A Conversation with a Dog
Day 24: Imagine you could communicate with one animal species. Which species would you choose and what would you ask them? A Conversation with a Dog The dog gives me that questioning look, a tilt of the head, and she says, Youre so quiet what are you quiet about She asks questions without punctuation. Without…
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23 June: A Tree’s Diary Entry
Day 23. Write a diary entry from the perspective of a tree, chronicling its experiences and the changes it witnesses over the course of a year. 23-day-old moon in its fifth cycle: My ancient heart is awake again, young as a morning smile. Condolences to winter and its barren days. I prayed like a whisper…
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22 June: Aimlessly Green #thewildness
Day 22. Describe the most fascinating insect you have encountered during your challenge. Aimlessly Green A white rose leaned,meek as if asleep. Petals folded deep in silence,leaves flung wide in defiance. And there stood a rose chafer,green like jelly, lime flavour. And then upon seeing me,it opened its wings, fleeing with a sharp, short buzz,and…
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22 June: A Thursday Door
Bushboy (Brian Dodd) shares photos of doors, but not just any doors. Spectacular doors from his journeys. Dan’s Thursday Doors opened the door on this. I love doors of all sorts. I’ve trawled through my holiday snaps and found a few to share. A door photo taken in Haworth, Yorkshire, home of the Brontë sisters. This is…
