Before Next Spring

You left at dusk.

Perfect timing for a Scarlet O’Hara moment to take place near the garden we’d weeded together. After lying for years, cheating on me, stealing my heart, and killing my faith in humanity, you finally found the courage to say goodbye.

And as the sky caught fire, I found myself kneeling in the dirt, an inch worm on hands and knees, tears watering the withered bed.

Standing, I raised a fist of soil into the air and made a vow:

“I’m not gonna let your callous ways lick me. As God is my witness, I’ll never plant poppies again.” Red was your favorite, so this made perfect sense.

Instead, I’d plant something platonic, like yellow chrysanthemums. I’d like, too, to plant the sweet alyssum that smells like honey and peace if I could find something to believe in before next spring.

dVerse~Poet’s Pub|Prosery: When it comes to Katherine Riegel

144 words using:

“I’d like, too, to plant the sweet alyssum that smells like honey and peace.” from the poem, “What I would like to grow in my Garden.”

34 responses to “Before Next Spring”

Sunra Rainz

A stunning, perfectly potent piece of prose, K.Hartless. Divine.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, Sunra. Such kind words to end my long day.
  
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Tom

Such a powerful bittersweet story that leaves us rooting for your heroine. Beautifully penned, K! 🙂

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Tom. A bit of prosery does me well after a long day. I’m grateful to you for reading it.
  
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sanaarizvi

Oh this is so evocative! The hurt, the betrayal and the tears that follow hit home and bring back so many memories of yesteryear. Yes, yellow chrysanthemums it is, then. Thank you so much for adding your voice to the prompt 💘💘

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1. K.Hartless
  
  My pleasure. I enjoyed this challenge and the idea of finding the meaning in the flowers.
  
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a.h. starlingsson

You used the earth and flowers well, and the movement is vivid…there is a very tiny little undercurrent of thought….of a possibility of a body being there….!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Ain. I like the challenge of 144 words and the chance to enjoy how everyone’s mind makes sense of the shared line. I appreciate your comments so very much.
  
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Susan St.Pierre

Wonderful use of the prompt! You painted such a vivid picture. Well done!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you kindly, Susan. I really enjoy your prosery as well. It’s a great exercise in making the most of each word.
  
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  1. Susan St.Pierre
    
    Poetry and flash fiction are similar just because of that. I hear you. ❤
    
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Nitin Lalit

Wonderful and evocative. Full of raw anguish. This piece moved me a lot.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, Nitin. I really appreciate your kind comments. I found the image first, and it reminded me of the famous scene so much that I had to try my best to blend it together.
  
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Mish

A very vivid scene full of imagery and emotion. I liked the visual of the sky catching fire and “an inch worm on hands and knees, tears watering the withered bed.” Good riddance, red poppies.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, Mish. I think the fall sunsets are the most vivid. Especially once all the flowers have fallen. I am grateful for your feedback.
  
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rothpoetry

Beautifully done. Love the image of you digging in the dirt like an inchworm!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Dwight. I appreciate these comments. We still have pumpkin vines here and a few long-lasting grape tomato vines, but not much else lingers in our little garden bed.
  
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  1. rothpoetry
    
    You are welcome! Mine have succumbed to the heat a month ago.
    
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Jim

This is fine, a little sad. Perhaps partly because we have secretly wanted to do that ourselves? “Scarlet O’Hara moment?” Could that be of the C Gable, “Quite frankly Scarlett, I don’t give a damn” variety?
I saw some pretty yellow flowers in our lane divider going to the library tonight, tomorrow I will take a picture for blogging illustrations and for taking to our friend as she is a Master Gardner. They grew to be over six feet high.
..

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1. K.Hartless
  
  I’ll look forward to seeing those. Yes, of course this whole thing is a bit of a pun on that scene. Iconic. Here’s to more yellow flowerbeds and less dramatic goodbyes. Thanks for these comments.
  
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Priti

Beautifully written so sad but very emotional loved to read it.👌👌

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you. I love the drama of the moments when you’ve got to draw on that inner well. 😁
  
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merrildsmith

Wonderful imagery, K. I love the tone of this and the protagonist’s overwrought but also sort of amusing (except for the last line) declarations. I like this character. This could be part of a longer piece. I would read it!

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Merrild. I liked this character’s sass and wit. She could be fun to explore. I appreciate the positive feedback.
  
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  1. merrildsmith
    
    Sass and wit–exactly! I’m not sure why, but I imagine her (I wasn’t positive of her or partner’s gender) as being the main character in a mystery novel–maybe a detective. 🙂
    
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Helen

Love how Earth literally played this part in your prose …. thinking YOU might have said the first goodbye .. he deserved it.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Many thanks, Helen. It’s a very fictional piece, but this character definitely does better after this low moment. I’m sure of it. 🙂
  
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Björn Rudberg (brudberg)

The language of flowers is a strong one. At least it has come to an end, as the poppies have flown, hope the spring will bring something better than red.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Indeed. Thank you. Sorry for my delay. Do you know when you mean to circle back to something and then it somehow falls off the radar? Well, a bit of that happening around here lately. I appreciate your thoughtful comment, as always.
  
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jazzytower

I can relate!! Well done.

Pat

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Thank you, Pat. I appreciate this comment very much.
  
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msjadeli

Sounds like she has a long row to hoe. I like how you used the colors of flowers to speak to mood.

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1. K.Hartless
  
  Yes, indeed. It’s hard to break off those extra branches, but it seems to help the vine grow stronger. Thanks for this comment, Lisa. Life grabbed me by the ears this week, and I totally forgot to come back around to this post.
  
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  1. msjadeli
    
    Take it easy, K.
    
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