Saturday 16 February 2013

Expectations

For my first fictional post on "Collateral Damn-Edge" I am submitting an entry for the Weekend Trifecta Writing Challenge - "Trifecxtra."

This week's challenge is to write a 33 word entry that uses a hyperbole.



Photo Credit: HR123.com
Since the diagnosis all we've done is fight.

Today I was ready.

One look and I knew there would be no fighting today.

“He’s gone", she whispered.

You could hear my heart break.




Respectfully, from the Edge.


 

18 comments:

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    1. every fiction has a little fact ...

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    2. Dear Sam Edge, I wonder about your pen name (pseudonym or "nom de plume")?!! I learned last week how Mark Twain chose his pen name in February, 1863. Samuel Clemens was a Steamboat Captain. When the Civil War arrived, the mighty Mississippi River was shut-down to public access. Sam was out of a job. He road the coat tails of his older brother to Nevada (an assignment President Abraham Lincoln gave to Sam's older brother.) "He maintained that his primary pen name came from his years working on Mississippi riverboats, where two fathoms, a depth indicating 'safe water' for the boat to float over, was measured on the sounding line. A fathom is a maritime unit of depth, equivalent to two yards (1.8 m); 'twain' is an archaic term for 'two'. The river boatman's cry was 'mark twain' or, more fully, 'by the mark twain', meaning 'according to the mark [on the line], [the depth is] two [fathoms]', that is, 'there are 12 feet (3.7 m) of water under the boat and it is safe to pass'."

      However, "mark twain" is actually the "edge" of water depth safety...the river could go either way. Eager to be on their way, riverboat captains went with that edge of safety, I guess.

      SAM EDGE: Samuel Clemens lived on this edge of life...with many tragedies buried in his heart, much like yours has, I imagine. Samuel left this world as sickly as he had arrived (as a premature infant, whose mother believed that Halley's Comet, appearing on his birth date meant a good omen of greatness for her fragile born son.) Ironically, the great Mark Twain was honored in death by that same Halley's Comet, appearing again on the night of his very sickly death. This marvelous writer died from many crushing blows that a long life can only harbor. Hiding cleverly behind masks of humor, Mark Twain survived life's varying river depths...through humor. Humor has that comforting way of lifting our sadness.Suicide seems the cowardly option...so humor is the best way to live on life's edge with any amount of peace & sanity. I wonder about your pen name, Sam Edge!! My pseudonym or "nom de plume" is Trusty Belle.

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    3. Umm Wow! that was awesome. First off, Samuel Clemens is one of my all time favourite authors and I knew most of what you wrote - except that part about Haley's Comet! My Mother actually read the entire collected works of Mark twain between the ages of 9 to 11 and it had quite an impact on me.

      My nom de plum "Sam Edge" is based on my real name. My birth certificate reads Jason Samuel Edge. I was later adopted and lost the name Edge. When I started writing I had thought that a certain amount of anonymity would free me up to write my story unedited. There are things I would like to write about my life that would not make polite dinner conversation. As it turns out Sam Edge has become my Biographer and not just a play on words. "The Edge" has become both "who" and "how" I am.

      Now "Trusty Belle" sounds like real a Mark Twain character! I must say Trusty you have made life on the Edge a better place and your comments have been greatly appreciated. I definitely sense a certain edginess to you and look forward to your insights in the future.

      Thanks for Being part of the Edgosphere Trusty.

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  2. This is terribly sad, but well-written to evoke such strong emotions.

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    1. Thanks Draug the subject matter is very emotional indeed.

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  3. I can't imagine anything worse than the loss of a child. Stark and beautifully written. I'm sorry if this happened to you.

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    1. all my childeren are alive and healthy lumdog - however I do draw on personal loss in other areas for my writing. Thank you.

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  4. A touching piece & am so glad that it is just fiction:-)

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    1. Yes the subject matter is somewhat disturbing and edgy by design.

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  5. It's interesting for me, because of the subject matter of the piece the hyperbole in it didn't feel like hyperbole, even thought it was.

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    1. It all about context I guess. Can there really be exaggeration in a case like this?

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  6. Hard for me to comment, Sam, because I have felt my heart break. I did not hear it break, though. So hyperbole. Yes.
    Anyway, ouch.

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    1. I'm so sorry kymm. I've have been exposed to great loss in my life and it is the inspiration for much of my writing. I have never had to face the the loss of a child. I can only imagine. My heart goes out to you.

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  7. Although your post is hyperbole, I have felt my heart break and heard my nieces heart break. Painful and I never want to repeat. Well done. Heart wrenching and close to home.

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    1. Debbie I have lost a father, a cousin, 3 of 4 grandparents, a sister in-law and countless friends. I too have heard my heart break. These comments are very touching.

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  8. That is incredibly sad :(

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