Dreamer – chapter 8

Chapter 8

The engine moaned loudly as the air brakes screeched on the coal cars, keeping the train at a safe speed.

“You know Henry, if you just use the air breaks, they will burn up before you reach the bottom.” Sometimes you must trust the power in your hands.”

Purrlin sat down in his seat to rest. Simmi jumped up onto his lap and began purring loudly. Henry smiled feeling the wind blowing against his face as he leaned out the window. It seemed the trees were more colorful than ever.

“You can let the engine run on the last half mile,” Purrlin said. “She will roll back to normal when you reach the Broad River… the river… the river…”

The trees were glowing red, orange, and florescent green. Purrlin and Simmi were gone!

“Henry, time get up! You will be late for school.

~The End~

Paintings: Dwight L. Roth

Spin-off story from Monday’s d’Verse prosery prompt.

https://dversepoets.com

I have compiled all the stories into a book of 12 pages with illustrations. If you would like a pdf: copy, give me your email address and I wills end you the file to print.

dwru27@aol.com

Dreamer – chapter 6

Chapter 6

The train climbed through the mountain. Rounding a sweeping curve, Henry looked out the window and saw his engine was pulling a long line of coal cars. Purrlin told Henry they would stop at the water tower along the track ahead.

Henry was living out his dream to be the engineer of a steam train. Simmi put his paws up on the edge of the window and watched the trees as they rolled along. Pulling the rope for the whistle, he listened happily as the sound echoed from ridge to ridge and back again.

“What happens when we get to the top of the mountain?” asked Henry. He recalled an old song he had heard about the wreck of the Old 97.

“As long as we keep a good head of steam, our air breaks should hold fine.” said Purrlin.

Henry wasn’t so sure.

Paintings: Dwight L. Roth

Spin-off from the prompt Dreamer on d’Verse Poets Pub… https://dversepoets.com

Dreamer – chapter 5

Chapter 5

Suddenly everything turned dark. Night surrounded them as the train kept rolling down the track. It made Henry uneasy, but as he looked around young Purrlin was still shoveling coal into the firebox and Simmi had now crawled up on his lap for comfort!

Purrlin’s voice seemed clear above the noise of the train. Don’t let the dark night bother you. It only lasts for a short time and soon you will see the light again.”

Henry looked out the window at the full moon peaking above the clouds. He knew as long as the train stayed on the tracks he would be fine. The train’s black smoke billowed back across the engine, and blended into the night sky!

The dark got even darker as the train charged into the mountain tunnel.

At the far end, Henry saw the morning light welcoming him.

;Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Spin-off from Monday’s d’Verse prompt dreamer: https://dversepoets.com

Dreamer – chapter 4

Chapter 4

Henry took and deep breath and looked into the green aura behind the burning red flame of the candle. Simmi rubbed around his ankles purring. His mind was a little fuzzy now, and seemed to be floating in another dimension. In the background he could hear Purrlin’s calm voice.

“Let your self go boy. Your dream is waiting to be fulfilled!”

Everything faded in a blanket of fog. The green aura of the candle became the green fields on both sides of him as he found himself in the engineer’s seat of a puffing locomotive. Across from him was a young man who looked very much like Purrlin. And there was Simmi the cat curled up at his feet.

Amazing, thought Henry to himself, as he reached up and pulled the rope that brought a shrill whistle piercing the clear mountain air.

Paintings: Dwight L. Roth

Dreams – chapter 2

Henry only paused a few seconds. When he heard the voice saying, “If you are a dreamer, come in.” he could not resist. He always had a vivid imagination and loved the mystery of ‘what comes next?’ in the books he devoured.

As Henry stepped from the bright stoop into the dark hallway, it took a minute for his eyes to adjust. “Come in my child, it has been such a long time since I had visitors other than Simmi! As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw a stooped old man holding Simmi on his lap. There was nothing fearful about him as Henry anticipated.

“My name is Purrlin. I can make dreams come true. Do sit down and tell me your dreams.”

Henry moved to the rickety old chair by the table. Should he tell the old man about his dream?

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

D’Verse Prosery prompt: “If you are a dreamer, come in” from Shel Silverstein’s poem Invitation…

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Dreamer

Henry followed the big yellow cat down the block, wishing to pick her up and hear her purr. He continued across the street to the next block. She showed up before on the door step of his old brownstone buildings.

His mother told him not to wander off, but the cat seemed to want him to follow. Henry’s mother’s words faded away. He would only go a block or two.

The cat paused in front of a long winding stair case, then scampered up and through a large open door at the top. Henry thought perhaps he could meet the cat’s owner, so he slowly climbed to the top. As he peered into the dark opening, Henry heard an old man’s voice, “If you are a dreamer, come in my child.” He froze, uncertain whether to go in or run back down the steps.

Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Lillian is challenging us with a prosery prompt. Prosery is a flash fiction piece, of exactly 144 words, that includes a line from a poem given by the host. The line is from Shel Silverstein’s poem, Invitation, as published in his wonderful book, Where the Sidewalk Ends. The line is, “If you are a dreamer, come in“.

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Bald Focus

Bald Focus

Woe, the sad reality of present nights

Washing a shiny bald head with only traces of down

A slick global arc that would make a women turn away

Happily these hairless days are short lived

But memory now fades, of those obnoxious hair grease jingles

Rattling in my brain out of tune

*

Today at d’Verse, Lisa asked us to write an Opposites Poem, where we take a poem and write the opposite of it! I chose to do one of my own poems, that I called Hair Daze. The original poem is shown below.

You can join us at: https://dversepoets.com

*

Hair Daze

Oh, the glorious memories of past days

Combing long flowing hair with swept back duck-tails

Smooth waves that would make a surfer gaze

Sadly the glory days leave only tales

But, I do remember the TV ad…

”Brylcreem… A little dab will do ya!”

1965

Cherry Blossoms

Cherry blossoms lead the Spring parade. Along with flowering pear, and redbuds they provide a glorious silhouette against the deep blue sky. I took this photo in my neighborhood this morning. Cherry blossoms are a great symbol of new life and light as we lead into Easter this coming weekend.

Cherry blossoms shine

Painting warm soft spring snowflakes

Soon wrapped in deep green

At d’Verse, Frank asked us to write our Monday Haibun on the theme of cherry blossoms. I waited to post till today so I could show you the beautiful cherry blossoms I see as I pass in and out of my neighborhood.

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Second Childhood

As a child he loved to watch cartoons

Scooby Doo, the Flintstones, and Bugs Bunny too

All of their antics were such a delight

He laughed and he giggled… oh, what a sight

*

This little boy grew up to be a man

A famous architect who could draw up a plan

His buildings were famous all over world

And his love for designs that were brazen and bold

*

He raised a family and had five children

Loved them dearly and wished for a dozen

As time went on he became a proud grandpa

To twelve little munchkins who loved their Pa Pa

*

From time to time he became forgetful

Couldn’t remember names always regretful

It soon became apparent it was his dementia

But the grandchildren didn’t care about Pa Pa’s absencia

*

Time finally came when he reverted back to childhood

With stories and tales of once being Robin Hood

But on Saturday morning with kids in the room

Now as a child he loves watching cartoons

Today at d’Verse Peter, asked us to write a circle poem that begins where it ends and ends where it begins. Last week I commented to my wife that when I grow old I am going to enjoy watching cartoons again! This led me to the poem I wrote today. All of us are affected in some way by people who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia. It often takes away present memories, leaving only memories of past days or childhood. So, as you see we come full circle in our life at times.

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth – Taken on Rootle – PBS TV

The Painter Without a Brush

All of nature

is painted without a brush

filled with glorious hues

splashed on the canvas

Flowers and butterflies,

bullfrogs and dragonflies

A gallery of starry nights

Silver moon glows bright

Sunrise/Sunsets filled

with a kaleidoscope of color

Continuously changing

before our very eyes

Landscapes of mountains

deserts and plains

oceans rivers

lakes and streams

With red trees of green

thousands of years old

Towering strong…

feet covered

with a needles

And then there is us

painted only for a season

Ephemeral beauty all

short lived full of Spirit

The canvas always changes

when Master Painter makes the call

Today at d’Verse we are writing Ekphratic poems picking one of the five Painting titles give to us by Laura. We are to write our poems painting word pictures describing what that might mean. They we have the option of writing an ekphratic poem from the actual painting itself. I chose The Painter Without a Brush (abstract iii). (Painting below)

Above Photo: Dwight L. Roth

The original painting: Gerhard Richter – ABSTRAKTES BILD, 1987
https://www.sothebys.com/en/videos/gerhard-richter-the-painter-without-a-brush

Chaos of nature

Splashes of color perfect

Brushless painter’s joy

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