Roberta Writes – Three in one: Thursday Doors, d’Verse and Esther Chilton’s writing prompt #haibun #Thursdaydoors #d’Verse

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Ocean Freedom – a haibun

The great expanse of water was captivating. It stretched on and on until it melded with the sky in a dark blue line far, far away. To the young girl, the light blue water that rose and fell, transforming into little waves topped with white curls as it neared the shore, looked welcoming and friendly. She had been warned that the water was not placid, it was like a living creature that had moods. There were strong back currents that could wash you right out to sea where you would drown. Sometimes, the happy wavelets turned into huge, towering water mountains that crashed onto the beach in a frenzy of swirling anger.

Despite the warnings, the ocean fascinated her. She watched it for hours, imagining that she was a mermaid swimming beneath its everchanging surface. So much space! So much freedom!

Endless blue expanse

Delights when in a calm mood

Symbol of freedom

Lillian’s d’Verse prompt is By the Beautiful Sea and Esther Chilton’s writing prompt is space. I have worked both prompts in my haibun.

You can join in the d’Verse prompt here: https://dversepoets.com/2024/09/10/by-the-beautiful-sea/

You can read Lillian’s beautiful contribution here: https://lillianthehomepoet.com/2024/09/10/from-our-provincetown-deck/

You can join in Esther Chilton’s writing prompt here: https://estherchilton.co.uk/2024/09/11/writing-prompts-31/

Thursday Doors

This week, I’m sharing a few more photographs from my recent weekend away at Jaci’s Tree Lodge in Madikwe Game Reserve.

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2024/09/12/ohio-river-blvd/

Picture caption: This is the entrance to the underground hide

The door led to a long tunnel to the underground hide. It has a lovely view of the lake. What did we see in that creepy, underground space?

Picture caption: African spoonbill and its reflection
Picture caption: African spoonbill foraging
Picture caption: Grey heron
Picture caption: Grey heron at dawn
Picture caption: Yellow-billed stork

As this post is all water themed, I decided to share an extract from my short story, The Behemoth’s Rage.

May 1488

The sun breached the horizon, spilling brilliant light across the sky and ocean. The water, an expanse of silver satin encrusted with clusters of glittering diamonds, paid homage, gracefully rising and dropping into curtseys.

The light unveiled the dark grey behemoth, seated on the shore. It illuminated her edges, turning them into a froth of lighter grey lace. Shards of brilliance splashed across her sombre mourning dress. The aging face of the immobile matriarch disappeared into thick golden edged clouds, leaving a headless hulk.

The ships inched closer, hugging the greenish brown coastline.

“It’s a titan,” Bartholomew muttered under his breath. “A female titan.” 

As the bright disk moved higher into the pale blue sky, the beauty leached from the bulky figure, leaving it in gloomy shadow.

From the deck of the first ship, Bartholomew watched the glistening water. Inky shadows moved beneath its shining face. He gazed into the depths, face wrinkled with perplexity, as the dark forms slipped through the water. Hundreds of them. Great fish with swirling hair and female bosoms.

“What are they?” he asked the grizzled man standing next to him. António was also staring at the frenzied mass beneath the calm veneer.

“I’ve no idea,” António whispered. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

The water in front of the ships exploded.

WWWWAAAAAAHHHHHH!

One of the men let out a fearful wail.

Creatures, half fish, half women, shot into the air, shards of light reflecting off their gleaming skin and powerful tails. They looped elegantly and disappeared back beneath the waves.

The water seethed and frothed.

A sharp gale sprang up, expelling the gentle zephyr that had accompanied the dawn. It whistled, grasping at the boiling sea, and threw great handfuls into the air. Stinging spray whipped across the decks, slashing the men.

“Holy God,” whispered Bartholomew, “Holy, Holy God.”

The ocean foamed, swirling ferociously. Beyond the jagged rocks and white sand of the shoreline, the monster watched her children perform with vicious glee.  

Female heads bobbed on the churning surface, skin pale and perfect, long hair streaming with salt water.

“Aren’t they beautiful?” António gasped.

Bartholomew, gazing at the spectacle in growing horror, made no reply. The beauty of the creatures made his nerves tingle with anticipation, but they also repulsed him. Their overt sexuality was overwhelmingly desirable, but simultaneously bitterly objectionable.

The Behemoth’s Rage is included in Midnight Roost, compiled and edited by Kaye Lynne Booth. It’s available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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82 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Three in one: Thursday Doors, d’Verse and Esther Chilton’s writing prompt #haibun #Thursdaydoors #d’Verse”

  2. I love how you responded to the prompt, Robbie. And I also loved how you went down to photograph from below. Amazing pictures!

    The excerpt from your book really captured me. 💕🌺🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

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  6. A super response to the two prompts! Wow! You made me feel as if I was right there. Is it okay to add it to my blog for prompt day? I love your photos too. The one for Thursday doors is very creepy.

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  8. Love that you wrote a haibun to the prompt. These words I most especially connect with:
    “it was like a living creature that had moods.” Living beside the ocean for two weeks in Provincetown, I’ve seen the water smooth as glass, reflecting the image of the sailboat sitting “atop it”…..and then seen it roiling with rollicking waves. In the past, we’ve watched out our glass sliding doors as thunder and lightening accompany crashing waves. So your words here are right-on as the saying goes!

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    1. Hi Lillian, thank you for your wonderful comment. When I was a girl we lived near the ocean and I loved it. I still love it but now I see it rarely. The ocean is everchanging and fascinating. Thanks for this terrific prompt.

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  12. An incredible combination of pieces, and I like that you collected them under a water theme. The contrast from the haibun to the excerpt from “The Behemoth’s Rage” made for quite a ride of reading 🙂

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  20. Such a beautiful haibun! I especially love this part; “Despite the warnings, the ocean fascinated her. She watched it for hours, imagining that she was a mermaid swimming beneath its everchanging surface.” 💙💙

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  24. Fantastic post, Roberta! Your haibun is wonderful. It could be creepy being underground, but your pictures at the Madikwe Game Reserve are great!. The extract from your short story is fantastic.

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  26. That’s a great pic of the door because to me, you’ve captured much more than a door. Love it! Your opening poem captured the intrigue and fascination vast waters have on us … and one that stays with us from childhood to the elderly. For me, your short story not only took me back in time, but I also enjoyed the mythological side of it. Well done weaving these 3 components together.

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  27. I enjoyed your three in one, Robbie, and love the haibun and the way ocean freedom began with beautiful description and colour. The simile ‘like a living creature that had moods is so true of the ocean. And I always look forward to your photos!

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  31. Love ya like a sister, but, in the wake of the deserved adulation, fix this- the monster watched her children perform with vicious glee. Who is Vicious Glee? The Little Mermaid’s naughty backup singers?🤣 Just razzin’ but seriously. No inside out sentences must reach the page! Otherwise, lots of nice word paintings!

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  34. LOVE the photos, Robbie!

    I also loved being a mermaid when I was young. Yes, there was a freedom to that pretend, whether at the lake or in the bath tub.

    The excerpt is terrific and ties in beautifully with the Haibun.

    Thank you for the fab post, and have a great week!

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