The pattern repeats. She puts away the photograph, again, her sigh hanging in the air. Folding up the latest letter, she avoids looking at the familiar, firm signature. She has a notion to stop caring.
How many times has she tried to make this particular customer happy? Trying to reconstruct a pattern in an old photograph, taking care to find period notions and fabrics, she seeks to recreate the signature dress of the famous, fastidious old woman. With a resigned air, she resumes her work.
Weeks later, photographers crowd around, flashes fill the air. Young girls crowd close for the grand lady’s signature, patterning their speech after hers. Caring to thank the many who have supported her, the distinguished actress commends her seamstress. Despite a notion to duck behind a bush, the seamstress beams.
I like how you got all the words into every paragraph :) And it's a neat story, too!
Posted by: DawnP at July 5, 2005 2:01 PMyeah, it's kind of like an informal sestina! :-) I like it.
Posted by: kelly at July 5, 2005 2:08 PMI hope Mike doesn't think I was trying to copy him in a cheater-way (I must have a copy-cat complex) ... Actually, I wanted to use the words with their different meanings ... signature, notions, etc ... I had it just the first two paragraphs, but then realized I always have these 'pointless' vignettes without any resolution, so I decided to add the last paragraph to make it closer to a story ... what do you think, does that add to it? take away from it? is there a place for plot-less vignettes?
Posted by: Kim at July 5, 2005 4:00 PMI like it... and I was thinking the same thing, about an 'informal sestina' - of course with fewer stanzas ;-)
Yes, I like the resolution! You don't *have* to have a resolution, but it's neat to have one :)
Posted by: DawnP at July 5, 2005 4:34 PMsnicker... (1) I'd guess Mike would be honored to be "copied" in this way, (2) I thought one of the points of this writing thing was to practice writing. Which includes using each others ideas/forms in new ways - learning from each other and building on each other, which is NOT copying, (3) I was going to make a REAL sestina but decided I didn't have time.
Echoing Dawn, there's definitely a place for "pointless" vignettes, but finishing them is even better when you can do it well.
Posted by: kelly at July 5, 2005 4:47 PMI LIKE it! I've been trying to come up with something clever this week (maybe still). But Kelly is right....I'm honored.
Posted by: Mike at July 7, 2005 11:28 PM