‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #20 NEW Image Prompt! Join in the fun! #IARTG #WritingCommunity #FlashFiction #ASMSG #WritingPrompts

Published on by Jan Sikes

Author Suzanne Burke posts a new writing prompt in the form of an image each week and the responses are absolutely amazing!

 Each week she features an image and invites you to write a Flash Fiction or Non-Fiction piece inspired by that image in any format and genre of your choosing.  Maximum word count: 750 words.

This is my contribution. I want to give you a little background on this poem. When my late husband was dealing with such a difficult physical decline, during one of the many hospital stays, he developed pneumonia and I feared he might not live until morning. I held vigil throughout that long night and this poem came to me. I remember searching for pen and paper to get it down, and I remember the tears that fell as I scribbled it. I felt that I had to give him permission to let go and I did it through this poem. He lived for a few more weeks after this incident and did recover from the pneumonia.

I cannot tell you the reason this image invoked this memory, but it did, so I am sharing.

Surrender

There is no shame in surrender when it is time

Like General Lee, you’ve known when to lay low

and when to climb

I’ve watched you suffer for so many years

Your life seemed destined to one of pain and of tears

Yet you fought on – the valiant soldier in fierce battle

You sang your song, rode tall in the saddle

You’ve now come down to the last battle call

You’ll hang up your sword, tired and weary you’ll fall

But know that you’ve left many good marks behind

While you learned how to love and how to be kind

Taught lessons to all who shared your many paths

That will be remembered long after you have passed

There is no shame in surrender when it is time

Excerpt from ‘TIL DEATH DO US PART

I hope you enjoyed this and that you’ll check out Soooz’s blog and participate in the prompts as you can.

Thank you!

31 thoughts on “‘Fiction In A Flash Challenge’ Week #20 NEW Image Prompt! Join in the fun! #IARTG #WritingCommunity #FlashFiction #ASMSG #WritingPrompts”

  6. Jan, this beautiful poem had me in tears, my friend. The love you both shared was everlasting. Thank you so much for sharing this memory with us today. I have just posted it on the site. ❤

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  12. I remember that scene and poem from ‘Til Death Do Us Part. It was such an emotional moment. Reading this and knowing what you were feeling and experiencing at the time makes this so utterly moving. It’s beautiful writing, Jan, and it speaks of your soulful love for Rick. Sending you hugs, my friend!

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    1. Thank you, Mae. That was one of the hardest scenes to write in ‘Til Death Do Us Part, but it was also cleansing and therapeutic. It’s funny what will trigger a memory. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  13. Thank you, Jan, for sharing that difficult but poignant moment about your family journey, a poem even more about you than your husband. Were I young, I might see in that image ambition, confidence, a horse to spare, maybe for another unfound soul; but now having been through it myself too many times, I see returning home with the empty saddle of a loved one lost. I think sometimes I am still leading the riderless horse everywhere I go. Maybe you, too?

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    1. I had to think about it for a minute, Stephen, but yes, I am still leading that riderless horse everywhere I go. I think in modern-day language, we call it baggage. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

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