The photo prompt for this week’s Fictioneers has always been one of my favorites of Madison Woods. It seems appropriate to use as the debut photo on her new website, www.Madison-Woods.com, as it was the banner on the blog where Friday Fictioneers was born.
Her new website is beautiful. Click here to visit and read other flash fiction based on this photo.
I look forward to reading your comments and/or critique. Feel free to leave links to your websites or blogs!
Damsel fly dances
and skips on the water’s edge,
flirting with demise.
Click here for easy links to other stories:





aww lovely haiku….loved it!
http://writersclubkl.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/friday-fictioneers-around-the-bends/
Thank you, Raina!
Reblogged this on Life: Haiku by Haiku and commented:
Madison Woods’ photo for Friday Fictioneers prompted this haiku.
Wow! wow!… oh wow!
http://logo-ligi.com/2012/06/21/a-silent-moment/
I’m glad you liked it, Kwadwo. 🙂
Ah yes, I like. “Flirting with demise”… 🙂 Although doom looms, it still sounds very sweet 🙂
Thanks for reviewing mine: http://niftitalks.com/2012/06/22/fly/
Thanks, Nifti. After I wrote it, I decided it’s kind of a metaphor for the way some-who-shall-remain-nameless live. 🙂
aahh! yes, I see that!
Nicely done, capturing the spirit of the photo perfectly.
Mine is here: http://erinleary.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/flash-friday-fiction-6/#entry
Thank you, erinleary! I thought the same of your poignant piece.
Cute and to the point…Well done!
Find me here:
https://seewilliams.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/farmers-sons-fridayfictioneers/
Thank you, Charles.
A beautiful and apt haiku, and a good take on the prompt. Mine is here and linked too: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/fridayfictioneers-the-omen/
Thank you, Celestine. A haiku seemed appropriate for such a tiny little damsel.
A fun and daring damsel fly, indeed. Loved this. I hope to get back to the FF next week. Writer’s conference starting this afternoon with a booksigning and the ORA conference is all day tomorow. Many talented authors will be there as well as big-time agents. Details at http://banterwithbeth.blogspot.com
Thank you, Beth. I hope you have a great time at the conference. Good luck with your pitches — fingers crossed!
I would have probably said disaster instead of demise (even though it’s sounds very cliche’). When I first saw the prompt all I could think of was ‘damsel in distress’ In both our stories the damsel appears to enjoy flirting with trouble 🙂
http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/
So true, Russell. But your damsel lost her battle. 🙁
Hi Jan,
Nice haiku, the sonic associations are beautiful. Congrats on The Red Kimono being published by the U of A press. My story is here: http://bridgesareforburning.wordpress.com/
Thank you, Ron. It took a long time, but I’m thrilled it’s finally going to be published!
Damn fine haiku, loved that last line.
Thank you, Kathy!
This is really beautifully writen, so short but so sweet and deep. Thank you
http://vsichalwe.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/friday-fictioneers-3/
Thank you, VSichalwe. As noted above, I wrote the haiku for the damsel fly in the photo, but upon reading it later, realized it’s very metaphorical.
Perfect prompt for a haiku, and yours is beautiful as usual. The interplay of the last line with the first two changes the meaning of the entire poem. I love it when something at the end of a piece makes me reread and rethink the whole experience. (It’s late–did that make sense?)
Thank you, Keli. I think that’s why I like haiku, too. In my favorites, the last line kind of has some “umph” and pulls the other two lines together.
Flirting with demise… Don’t think that’s limited to only damselflies… 🙂
Good haiku! I wish I could write them too! Have never tried, would love to someday! 🙂
Parul
http://faitaccompli.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/always-close/
Parul, I think as beautifully as your write this flash fiction, you’d have no trouble writing haiku. Just do it. 🙂
Short and sweet haiku. Exactly 12 words out of 100. I’m #2 on the list.
Thank you, Lora. I enjoyed yours and what a surprise ending!
I love haiku. Beautiful and to the point.
I’m on the list but here’s the link anyway.
http://www.rochelle-wisoff.blogspot.com/2012/06/homework.html
Thanks, Rochelle. Sometimes it’s easier for me to write haiku than 100 words. 🙂
Beautifully done. It flows naturally. I like haiku to do that. My story’s on the list.
Thank you, Lady Marilyn!
A lovely Haiku Jan. Especially liked the image behind fFlirting with demise’
A lovely Haiku Jan. Especially liked the image behind flirting with demise’
Thank you, Mike. The “demise” part always pops into my head when I see a damsel fly skipping along the water.
you might consider changing the second line from “and skips” to “skipping.”
reason being that the next line has “flirting,” a different form from the present “skips.” you need to keep the verbs parallel.
Thank you, Rich. I actually went back and forth on that, but left it “skips” to keep the verb parallel with “dances,” and to create a break between the first two lines and the third. But, I always appreciate critique! 🙂
didn’t notice that, but then all three need to be parallel.
Lovely – sounds like a candidate for Reason2Rhyme, though! hehe
My favorite is the last line, “flirting with demise”. Well done!
Thank you, Karen. I’m going to try to join in with Reason2Rhyme on Monday! Good luck with the debut!
Dear Jan,
Lovely Haiku. They are so much more difficult to write than to read. Thanks for doing the hard part.
Aloha,
Doug
http://ironwoodwind.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/kaleidoscope/
Thank you, Doug. When I’m inspired (as with Madison’s photo,) haiku comes fairly easily–sometimes easier than 100 words.
Very simple as haiku always is and a complete story in itself – it puts me in mind of the ‘baby’s shoes, for sale, never worn’ ……. really nicely done and you’ve made me challenge myself into the bargain 🙂 Here’s mine for others: http://womanontheedgeofreality.com/2012/06/22/friday-fictioneers-gramps-and-me/
Thank you, Linda. That’s what I love about haiku — a story in itself.
I know and all the best adverts use them too … 😉
Your Haiku(s) – what is the plural of that? – are always beautiful and often more meaning than on the initial superficial layer. This one is like that, too. Loved it.
Ha! I often wonder about the plural, too. But, I’m pretty sure it’s just haiku.
I think you got this just right. Well done.
http://thebradleychronicles.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/flash-fiction-friday-shearing-placid/