Creation

Claudia McGill 22 Comments

Here is another of those two-sentence stories with poetry added. I’m thinking of them as “Minuscule” and quick to read.

Read the first Minuscule, the explanation of why I wrote it and got started on this idea, and search under the category Minuscule for others in the series.

And now – all the Minuscule stories have been made into a print book – each story with a pen and ink illustration. Click to see Minuscule on Amazon.

Creation

I walk and I have my street-scorn attitude going strong – looks to me like vandalism hasn’t missed a day of work here in this section of town, I think, and then I begin to notice the big red hearts: on the side of the railroad underpass, the gate of the old factory building, the grate pulled down over the library’s main window, the wood fence around the body shop, the sign announcing new construction on a vacant lot.

Vandalism, yes, and then again maybe it’s Love tattooed streetside using a can of spray paint: somebody lives here, this is somebody’s place, I think, as I follow the string of small red hearts emblazoned on the cracked sidewalk, and I wish it had been me who’d said so.

the old tree leafs out
hearts come home rest in its shade
a bird builds a nest.

(Haiku 409)
9/10/18

 

 

22 thoughts on “Creation”

    • It’s the every day little details that can make or break a place or a life spent in that place. I live in a nice neighborhood like this one and though it has its pesky annoyances we live in peace together, that is worth everything.

      • You’re lucky to have found your place. I feel we’ve moved too often and we’re realising it’s too late to plant an orchard from saplings and see it turn into big trees, or plant a hedge and see it fully developed. There’s a lot to be said for growing with a place.

        • Yes. Belonging somewhere has been the main focus of my life after having to leave my original childhood home, staying there was not an option, and I feel lucky. We have lived in the same 10 mile radius since 1985. It’s nice to have that backlog of history and rootedness. I understand what you mean about some things it being too late now – we are realizing the same thing, just different topics. And then there is the whole theme of – you realize you have known this person 40+ years now, and I am talking about work acquaintances, not child hood friends…!

        • When you move often, especially in a ‘foreign’ country, you lose touch with everyone you knew in the old place. We’ve always been ‘the odd couple’ and it makes it difficult to make never mind keep friends. Maybe it won’t make any difference if we move again. There’s no one here to get to know anyway. I’d miss the wildlife though.

        • I understand, having left my childhood home to move far away when I was a teenager, and back then, it was if I had moved to the moon for all the connection that endured or could endure, back when it was letters only, and travel too expensive, and I didn’t want to go anyway! But since then I have stayed put and glad of it.

        • Yes. I think it happened because it was my most important life goal and I have made all my decisions in light of the idea of stability. It’s a different equation for each person. I don’t have a lot of tolerance for change or for risk, in my living situations.

  2. I have always found that there is a balance to be found between vandalism and street art. I grew up in a rough area and was surrounded by a wide variety of urban art. Some of it was definitely creative expression and some of it was simply destructive. The best stuff enhances an environment and makes it more vibrant.

    • I agree, there is something vibrant and alive about a lot of it, street art. I recall taking the train to DC and noticing (even out in the country) pretty much every underpass was graffitied and I wished I could have slowed the train down and look better, so many of them looked worth examination.

  3. I enjoyed reading all of the comments…I don’t have much more to add. As always, I enjoy your two sentence writing. Have a happy day in your part of the world.

  4. I too always enjoy the comments.
    My take on your story was that what we see as an outsider is different when we know a place. I hear that all the time in peoples’ comments about New York. If you lived here you would know it’s not a cold place full of strangers. Like any place! the people make it. (K)

    • Yes, that is the kernel of the story to me, what you said, I am glad you saw it. You have to know something well to love it, I have always believed, and once you know it, you accept it, faults and all, and it’s yours in your heart. I think every neighborhood has its detractors and criticizers and outsiders poking at it, but they do not know the truth heart of it.

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