Stunnnnnnnnnnnning. Wow. I know not this ring, but you’ve captured her soul and made her message of love and time universal. Incredible, heart-mining work Julie!
I had exactly that experience with mine. Under 400 words, I stared and stared at it, it shook its head and so I accepted that this was it. Very clear. What an experience.
I adore this! Also, I can’t believe the kinship of our prompts and different ways we nested them in stories. (We both chose a fair bit of poetry for the nesting material.) You’ll see …
The form of story-stanzas, the gentle language at the end, the phrases that let many stages of life go by in a whirl (the aisles…) … all just right. How do you say *bellissima* in Finnish?
Many thanks, Tara! Don’t get me started on the Finnish language. Nobody in the world can even begin to understand or learn it except native speakers. 🙃
Haha! The once-popular magazine writer Bret Harte said that about German. ;-) I love it when writers say "Enough!" to languages. Take English, for example.... Gesundheit!
I’m emailing you some pages from Jared Diamond’s book, “Upheaval,” from the chapter about Finland’s centuries of beef with Russia. Some wild facts about the language that you’ll appreciate. Then I’m gonna read your story!
I read yours, too! Very nice. In yours I like the drift of the different storylines and different times and different points of view. This was just a great experience overall. Thanks to @benwakeman for organizing it.
Oh my! That’s so kind of you! I actually have and wear a ring of my grandmother’s (not her wedding ring, but it could’ve been). She was very much on my mind with this.
Jesus, Julie, this is sublime. What an interpretation. I love the style you chose, the myriad literary choices you made including, my favourite, the repetition. Brava.
Dear Chloe, I'm delighted that this touched you and grateful that you dropped in to say so. I love Ben's project as a chance to experiment and try new things - like this form that nudged me in the early hours one day to come and play. 💚
This is so beautiful, Julie. I traveled with my heart from the beginning to the end. I have worn my grandmother's ring and brother's ring for many years now, through the ups and downs and all arounds. This really sang to me. Also, I love the connection between these two versus.
Stunnnnnnnnnnnning. Wow. I know not this ring, but you’ve captured her soul and made her message of love and time universal. Incredible, heart-mining work Julie!
Thanks so much, Kimberly. I felt guided by my own grandmother’s ring. 💕
Beautifully poignant. "everything slips. And drifts.
And settles."
Thanks, Leah. It was an exercise in minimalism. A departure for me and I learned something.
My favorite lines as well!
Thanks, Stephanie. 😊
Well done, Julie. Beautifully handled. 👏👏👏 I love this stanza particularly:
We viewed fields of purple iris
before a lake outing to seek serenity,
to rest in reverie,
soft slap of water on old wood
creak of oars in rusty fittings.
Thanks so much, Eleanor. I was surprised that the story insisted on this form - but I decided just to trust and go with it.
I had exactly that experience with mine. Under 400 words, I stared and stared at it, it shook its head and so I accepted that this was it. Very clear. What an experience.
Right?!
I had a one of those poetic "startles" when I read "creak of oars in rusty fittings."
Ditto
I adore this! Also, I can’t believe the kinship of our prompts and different ways we nested them in stories. (We both chose a fair bit of poetry for the nesting material.) You’ll see …
The form of story-stanzas, the gentle language at the end, the phrases that let many stages of life go by in a whirl (the aisles…) … all just right. How do you say *bellissima* in Finnish?
Many thanks, Tara! Don’t get me started on the Finnish language. Nobody in the world can even begin to understand or learn it except native speakers. 🙃
Haha! The once-popular magazine writer Bret Harte said that about German. ;-) I love it when writers say "Enough!" to languages. Take English, for example.... Gesundheit!
I’m emailing you some pages from Jared Diamond’s book, “Upheaval,” from the chapter about Finland’s centuries of beef with Russia. Some wild facts about the language that you’ll appreciate. Then I’m gonna read your story!
Ooo, sounds good!
Just sent
I read yours, too! Very nice. In yours I like the drift of the different storylines and different times and different points of view. This was just a great experience overall. Thanks to @benwakeman for organizing it.
Thank you, Karen. These lost rings are terribly moving to me. I agree about the great experience!
Thank you for this. It’s beautiful and touching. And it does the ring justice.
💙 I’m relieved. It’s quite unlike anything I’ve written before. 🙏
I really love that you cast it in a poetic direction. My grandma loved to write herself and she would have found this a fitting end to the story.
Oh my! That’s so kind of you! I actually have and wear a ring of my grandmother’s (not her wedding ring, but it could’ve been). She was very much on my mind with this.
Jesus, Julie, this is sublime. What an interpretation. I love the style you chose, the myriad literary choices you made including, my favourite, the repetition. Brava.
Ahhh, thank you buckets, Jo. This means a lot coming from you. I was inspired to try the repetition by an Ada Limón poem.
I love the poetry form of this life story entwined in a ring Julie.
I love the story, especially this “My hand trails in cool water.
Eager water, thief and liberator.” And these last lines… “The ring, the stars and the pearls all say:
everything slips. And drifts.And settles.” Beautiful writing and not what I was expecting at all… heart work I feel.
Thank you for this lovely comment, Susie. It wasn’t at all what I expected and not my usual story craft, for sure. It was an exercise in trust.
Sometimes the flow takes us to places we don’t expect, this worked so well!
"And settles." Yes.
Lovely. Took us through a life, with such a light and sensitive hand.
Thanks, Stephanie. It seemed to require that sort of treatment.
A very moving story, love the poetic form. 💕
Thank you! It was quite a departure for me. 🙏
A challenge you rose to perfectly! 🌼
Criminy. All I got. Just fabulous. Plus, Aalto 💕
Thanks, Sarah! Glad it resonated. Aalto was amazing! Post coming Thursday. (Now to write it . . .)
You really shone here, Julie. This was a wonderful journey.
Thanks, Rebecca! I appreciate your encouragement
Lovely. Personal, universal, earth held.
Thanks for reading, Rob, and for this lovely comment.
I love, love (LOVE) what you did here. This is genius. So poignant, and with such an economy of words. Genius.
Dear Chloe, I'm delighted that this touched you and grateful that you dropped in to say so. I love Ben's project as a chance to experiment and try new things - like this form that nudged me in the early hours one day to come and play. 💚
This is so beautiful, Julie. I traveled with my heart from the beginning to the end. I have worn my grandmother's ring and brother's ring for many years now, through the ups and downs and all arounds. This really sang to me. Also, I love the connection between these two versus.
‘You are loved.
‘You will find your place.
‘Believe me.’
everything slips. And drifts.
And settles
Awwww, Lisa! Many thanks, dear friend. Thanks for seeing a connection between those verses. It’s a delight to see how this resonates.
This is my husband's ring! I am so happy you made so much gorgeous meaning out of my loss.
"My hand trails in cool water.
Eager water, thief and liberator."
Gosh, it's beautiful, thank you.
Wow, Kara. This brings me such joy. Many thanks. 🙏
So lovely. So much life fit so completely into so few words. I loved it!
Thanks so much, Hannah! I’m glad it resonated. 💚