Greetings, awe-inspiring poet friends. This is Victoria, returning to my favorite poetry community to guest host today’s Prosery prompt.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite poets.
Jane Kenyon was born in 1947 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She grew up in the Midwest of the United States but eventually lived out the remainder of her life in New Hampshire, married to fellow poet Donald Hall. Her poetry is immersed in her environments and in the small or not-so-small realities of daily life. It has been described as simple, spare and emotionally resonant. Jane succumbed all too young to Leukemia in 1995. She was 47 and, at the time, Poet Laureate of New Hampshire.
For those of you new to Prosery, the task is to write a flash fiction story in PROSE of 144 words or less. Ramp it up a bit, if you like, and make it exactly 144 words. The additional challenge is that you must include the following phrase from Kenyon’s poem, “Taking Down the Tree.” I am not including the entire poem as it may influence your own creative take on the lines I have chosen. The great reveal:
If it’s darkness
we’re having, let it be extravagant.
To participate, write your flash fiction, post it on your blog and link it using Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post. Return to the pub to read your fellow poets and to comment on their stories. Community and creativity are what it’s all about. Thank you for joining in.
Photo: V. Slotto
dVerse 
Welcome to the pub, fellow poets. This is Victoria, happy to be guest hosting the Prosery prompt for the first time. I hope you enjoy the line I am offering and maybe you will want to explore Jane Kenyon’s work. I look forward to what you will bring to us for this week-long prose adventure.
Good evening Victoria and dVerse poets. Thank you for introducing me to Jane Kenyon and her poetry, Victoria, and for hosting Prosery this week. I’ll be back later to read and comment.
Thank you, Kim. I hope you enjoy her work.
Hello Victoria- Thanks for the introduction to Jane Kenyon, and for hosting today. I hope everyone has a wonderful week. It’s lovely here in AZ this time of year.
Enjoy your weather and Jane Kenyon. Reno weather is all over the place. Today is perfect for gardening, cleaning up before it’s too late.
Yes, you get snow there, right?
Yes, most years. Reno is in the foothills below Tahoe, at about 45-47,000 feet.
Fabulous quote! Put a few more logs on the fire, Victoria, it’s freezing here. I want something warming and spicy, please.
Mulled cider with brandy, perhaps? It’s below freezing here at night then nice during the day. Confusing.
The cider sounds perfect!
I will certainly look up Jane Kenyon but today I offer a tale with a little surprise in the end…. of course it is noir.
And, of course, I expected noir from you–as is mine. Good to “see” you, Bjorn.
Hello Victoria and All. Late start day for me. Snowstorms are predicted for this afternoon but no signs of them yet. I’ll have one of those mulled cider with brandy if you’re still pouring, please! The prompt is a good one and am wondering where it will lead me this time.
Enjoy the snow and the cider. A good time for prosery. Write on, Lisa!
Thank you, Victoria. Just finished my story. Cheers!
I don’t understand flash fiction or “prosery”. Is it supposed to be written in prose form or in the form of a free form poem?
It is supposed to be prose.
hello all. i wrote a prose, but also a poem. not sure which works better, one was certainly more comfortable to write
in Fanwood NJ was a huge old oak tree, and Basking Ridge too, both of which are no longer standing. it is said they predated the revolution, and it was certainly believable. In Belvedere, and Chester are two trees that are hard by the roadside, and they still stand, though occasionally they get nicked or slammed by passing cars…
I’ve used some of my short stories to create poetry before and vice versa, some poetry has inspired prose–I like to work in both genres. As word-artists, I think it’s good to stretch our boundaries, our comfort levels and maybe end up surprised. I think the best prose is poetic in its own way.
thanks victoria, it may well be. I also see now that i went off on the wrong track there. the phrase in question is intriguing, i’ll see what comes out after i chew on it a bit.
ok, i put up another pair, keeping to the prompt.
Looking forward to reading it.
OOOOOPs. I used the wrong line! Apparently I used the title of the poem instead of the line: If it’s darkness
we’re having, let it be extravagant.
You can delete it off the site if you like. I may attempt another write!
Sorry, I will need to read more carefully!
Oh, but I love the story. Another person made the same mistake and wrote a similar story. I kept them both but would love it if you can come up with another using the line.
I have reposted with a second version of the same story using the correct line!
It’s getting dark here now, so I will be shutting down my end of the pub for the evening and turning off the lights. I look forward to seeing what extravagance tomorrow has to offer.
Great choice of poet and words. Thanks Victoria. (K)
You’re welcome!
This is the first time I’ve tried to respond to the prosery prompt. I probably won’t post mine because it’s kind of dumb, but I think it’s good to get out of my comfort zone sometimes, so thank you!
Awww. Come on. I want to read it!
Thanks for introducing me to a new poet. And for choosing great lines. They immediately set my mind thinking of a special place. So I wrote about that.
Off to read now.