Passing
Behind her the world rushes past; a cacophony of metallic laughter and electric eyes.
In the silent light, the night shadows the clock tower and erases the seconds between her first breath and last.
She sees the endless, frantic, breathless, slow wisps of humanity touch under painted, frozen, still, wicked sky.
Her elbows cut the balance of the precipice. She hangs over a small, rolling, beautiful, dangerous ocean, slivered between gigantic, precious, elusive, sneering, frowning, resounding time.
Beneath her the world rushes past; a short story collection written in life. A writer marks a comma, crosses it out, and writes again. Women cross the street swinging black bags. The clasps come undone, and their dreams spill out, scatter behind them unnoticed.
Sweet taste of winter-frosted peach and daylily. The world rushes within her. Ears adapted; cacophony becomes symphony.
Inspired by Mindlovemiserysmenagerie’s Photo Challenge #373
Want access to exclusive writing? Become a patron!
Dominic Alapat
Beautiful poem! The images the lines evoke are so wide-ranging! Your creativity almost seems endless here! From urban scenes to nature; including the concept of time, writing, women and much more! Excellent piece Jaya!
barbaraleaver
First line draws you in – beautiful piece
BrittnyLee
“Metallic laughter and electric eyes” 👀 😲 😳 wow that’s awesome . Beautiful
Shreya Sharma
Thus is beautiful
Corinne
What a beautiful piece, so much imagery packed in this, I could spend ages unpacking it all.
Corinne x
Jaya Avendel
Wow, thank you so much, Corinne!
Artist/Poet_JayMoraShihadeh
ecstatic!
Sara James
The essence of self-discovery creates wonders sometimes; your writings are the reminder of that:)
Jaya Avendel
Love what you took away from this, Sara! <3
Kelly Diane
Such beautiful words. Its given me goosebumps and has left me thinking of all thats been left unsaid.
A.R. Minhas
Beautiful and dripping with imagery. loved it!
Jaya Avendel
Thank you so much!
Raji (@journeyintofantasy)
Thanks for sharing Jaya! I love reading your longer pieces and this was beautifully written!
barbaraleaver
Great piece and starts with a bang – metallic laughter and electric eyes!
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
“The clasps come undone, and their dreams spill out.”
This is what could make this one a better world.
And the cacophony of laughter would be the perfect soundtrack.
Thank You so much Jaya, your words give me hope in dard days.
Jaya Avendel
Delighted I am, Claudia, to inspire you!
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
<3
Markie Doczi
Absolute poetry! I’m looking forward to following your store for more 🙂
Ruth| Ruthiee loves Glamour
This was fab as always. This line – Sweet taste of winter-frosted peach and daylily. The world rushes within her. Ears adapted; cacophony becomes symphony. had such an effect on me. Beautifully written!
Jaya Avendel
Thanks, Ruth! I love the ending of this piece too.
Della Driscoll
I love this so much!! I always feel all the emotions when I read your work xx
Diana
Gorgeous and gentle. Loving this fiction side of your writing! Stay blessed❤️❤️
Richie
Hi Jaya,
I loved this. The word cacophony always reminds me of the time when my sister and I were growing up and would each go to our bedrooms and play our (very different in style) choice of music at high volume until my dad shouted at us from downstairs, imploring us to reduce the volume, and invariably inserted the word ‘cacophony’ into his ranting. Other times, when we’d obviously pushed him too far, he just told us to ‘stop that bloody racket’! 😉 Happy days …
And I love the concept of dreams spilling out of a container. What a fantastic image.
Jaya Avendel
😂😂 Love the happy memories this brought back for you and the evocative nature of your reminiscencece. Thanks so much for sharing!
Ingrid
This is a dizzyingly beautiful poetic prose Jaya!
Jaya Avendel
Thank you, Ingrid! Love that you enjoyed its scintillating effect.
Michele Lee
Oh wow, Jaya, your poetic story is sensory and cerebral, hopeful and unresolved, delicate and dangerous, visual and mysterious, and and and… all gorgeous! 💖
Jaya Avendel
Michele, your words, as always, make my day. Thank you!
Lucy
I feel like I just took a hallucinogen with such vibrant, chaotic, innovative, and beautiful imagery here. <3 <3 I feel like this could represent the in-between of life and death, and it's reminding me a tad of this book my aunt sent me called "The Midnight Library."
I love each verse here, I just can't pick a favorite. I love how it delves into missed opportunities and how others slip their dreams behind before they even begin to realize it (at least, that's how I interpret this gem of a prose-poem). Such brilliant, evocative writing, Jaya!
Jaya Avendel
I am so, so honored to hear that Passing reminded you of The Midnight Library! I truly intended it to be that moment in between life and death and love the way you interpreted it. Thank you for sharing!
Jeff Flesch
Ah, I love this piece, which explores the chaos and discord, and harmony and accord of life within and without. Beautiful, Jaya.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you kindly Jeff, for experience the layers of this piece!
Jeff Flesch
Always my pleasure, Jaya!
A Sustainably Simple Life
This took me on an unexpected journey! Loved it! It made me wonder if you wrote short stories as well as poetry? I really enjoyed this free verse format 🙂
Jaya Avendel
I do write short stories, though often not as often as I pen poems. I love longer pieces, especially prose, and am delighted this short fiction transported you!
eob2
Jaya, once again such a deep look at everything in this world has to offer. I particularly love these lines,
Women cross the street swinging black bags. The clasps come undone, and their dreams spill out, scatter behind them unnoticed.
Just wonderful! 😊💙🌻
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing your favorite words! Those lines I love too. <3
eob2
Always my pleasure. 😊
Chronosfer2.wordpress.com
a hallucinating photograph and a text that softens the interior, renewing time in those phrases that only the heart is capable of feeling.
Jaya Avendel
Wow! A beautiful perception of Passing.
Thank you!
paeansunplugged
The opening and the concluding lines are just fantastic and so is everything in between! City life painted so artfully by your words.
Jaya Avendel
Being a country girl myself, love that you loved this taste of city life. 🙂