What did the small blue square do at the festival of the red circles?
Silently move among them, observing, wincing, and mentally remaking the sights, smells, and sounds in its own image, in order to quell the moans of a lacerated inner spirit.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, December 31, 2011
// Monday, November 28, 2011
Pondered a Pumpkin
On a rain-swept night in late September, in a field farthest from the farm, a plump little pumpkin pondered its fate—
This work is part of the Leftover Candy collection, which is a set of works inspired by the 2011 Halloween season.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
The hour draws nigh and I worry,
What will become of me?
Am I to be the pride of someone's porch,
Or smashed to bits on a sidewalk?
Will the punkin chunkers pick me for my perfect shape,
Or will malcontents on Mischief Night turn me into a weapon?
Will I be carved by a master's hand,
Or maimed by greedy little paws?
Perhaps I'll be the featured pie at dessert,
Or the favorite flavor in a seasonal muffin basket.
Oh, to be the figurehead on a Grand Marshal's float, now that would be great! Or the fiery companion of a headless horseman, whose monologue climaxes with:
Yes, what a wonderful moment that would be.
But one thing that I try not to consider, though it's with me always, like a demon that cannot be exorcised, is this: If no one wants me, then what thoughts will consume me as I slowly rot in a muddy field?
What will become of me?
Am I to be the pride of someone's porch,
Or smashed to bits on a sidewalk?
Will the punkin chunkers pick me for my perfect shape,
Or will malcontents on Mischief Night turn me into a weapon?
Will I be carved by a master's hand,
Or maimed by greedy little paws?
Perhaps I'll be the featured pie at dessert,
Or the favorite flavor in a seasonal muffin basket.
Oh, to be the figurehead on a Grand Marshal's float, now that would be great! Or the fiery companion of a headless horseman, whose monologue climaxes with:
"Hear me, costumed fools, the witching hour has begun, and you must answer for your depravity, your reverie, and your mockery of All Hallows' Evening. Know this, my trembling little meat sacks, I shall cleave you with great fanfare and draw your spirits into the groaning abyss of my fleshless body. Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaa!"
Yes, what a wonderful moment that would be.
But one thing that I try not to consider, though it's with me always, like a demon that cannot be exorcised, is this: If no one wants me, then what thoughts will consume me as I slowly rot in a muddy field?
About
This work is part of the Leftover Candy collection, which is a set of works inspired by the 2011 Halloween season.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
// Sunday, November 27, 2011
Tipping Point
While waiting at the end of a long, long line at a popular coffee shop during lunch hour, a masked and costumed avenger grew ever more disgusted with the whiny, self-important patrons complaining that the "service here is horrible," that they have "more important things to do than wait on a line," and that they "only get one lunch hour."
The straw that broke the camel's back was a fat, designer-label flaunting, cell phone earpiece wearing "executive" who raised hell when his extra hot nonfat organic double whipped decaf macchiato with low calorie chocolate syrup drizzle and a light dusting of cinnamon was only moderately hot and heavily dusted (so claimed the snob).
So, the avenger left the line and went to the restroom, where he used his super powers to make himself invisible and weightless, then transported himself to an area right above the baristas, and spent the remainder of the afternoon meting out justice on the insolent, the obnoxious, and the pretentious by changing their sugar to salt, milk to urine, decaf to caf, and whip cream to hemorrhoid cream.
Later that night in the avenger's secret lair, the avenger stood beneath a skylight, gazed into the full Moon, replayed the events at the coffee shop, and concluded, "Sometimes justice leaves a bad taste in your mouth."
The End
Don't we all long to be this costumed avenger? (At least once in our lives.)
This work is part of the Leftover Candy collection, which is a set of works inspired by the 2011 Halloween season.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
The straw that broke the camel's back was a fat, designer-label flaunting, cell phone earpiece wearing "executive" who raised hell when his extra hot nonfat organic double whipped decaf macchiato with low calorie chocolate syrup drizzle and a light dusting of cinnamon was only moderately hot and heavily dusted (so claimed the snob).
So, the avenger left the line and went to the restroom, where he used his super powers to make himself invisible and weightless, then transported himself to an area right above the baristas, and spent the remainder of the afternoon meting out justice on the insolent, the obnoxious, and the pretentious by changing their sugar to salt, milk to urine, decaf to caf, and whip cream to hemorrhoid cream.
Later that night in the avenger's secret lair, the avenger stood beneath a skylight, gazed into the full Moon, replayed the events at the coffee shop, and concluded, "Sometimes justice leaves a bad taste in your mouth."
The End
About
Don't we all long to be this costumed avenger? (At least once in our lives.)
This work is part of the Leftover Candy collection, which is a set of works inspired by the 2011 Halloween season.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
Tendrils 14: Tendrils, Flash Fiction, and Other Orbits
Basking in the orange glow of thirteen identical Jack-o-Lanterns, a tabby cat fantasized about being the dreaded black cat of a wicked witch, living in a dilapidated, bug infested, and moss laced cabin secluded deep within an alligator laden swamp, instead of being owned by superficial yuppies and sprawled out on their designer couch in an overpriced penthouse in a noisy metropolis.
Georgina, the friendly, free-spirited ghost, was so excited that Halloween had finally arrived, that she danced a happy little dance for all to see.
Every ghoul loved it, except for Victor, because he was an amorphous ectoplasmic blob with no sense of rhythm.
How can you turn as "white as a ghost" when your heart is as "black as night"?
When the leaves change and begin to fall, so do the spirits of many.
And only the green of spring can rescue them from their funk.
M.O.N.S.T.E.R. — Malevolent. Odorous. Nasty. Sinister. Tempestuous. Evil. Rude.
What do you call a young, attractive female ghost that only dates rich, old male ghosts?
Ghoul-diggers!
What do ghosts wear as camouflage?
Drapes!
How do you tell the difference between a boy pumpkin and a girl pumpkin?
The boy pumpkin is the one with the stem!
A mixed bag of text: Two flash fiction pieces, two reflections, a backronym, and a few jokes (including one a bit blue).
This work is part of the Leftover Candy collection, which is a set of works inspired by the 2011 Halloween season.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Georgina, the friendly, free-spirited ghost, was so excited that Halloween had finally arrived, that she danced a happy little dance for all to see.
Every ghoul loved it, except for Victor, because he was an amorphous ectoplasmic blob with no sense of rhythm.
How can you turn as "white as a ghost" when your heart is as "black as night"?
When the leaves change and begin to fall, so do the spirits of many.
And only the green of spring can rescue them from their funk.
M.O.N.S.T.E.R. — Malevolent. Odorous. Nasty. Sinister. Tempestuous. Evil. Rude.
What do you call a young, attractive female ghost that only dates rich, old male ghosts?
Ghoul-diggers!
What do ghosts wear as camouflage?
Drapes!
How do you tell the difference between a boy pumpkin and a girl pumpkin?
The boy pumpkin is the one with the stem!
About
A mixed bag of text: Two flash fiction pieces, two reflections, a backronym, and a few jokes (including one a bit blue).
This work is part of the Leftover Candy collection, which is a set of works inspired by the 2011 Halloween season.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
// Thursday, November 24, 2011
Just for Fun 3: Awaken to the Possibilities
One need not say "yes" in order to know what is possible, nor say "no" to express what is unacceptable.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Friday, November 11, 2011
// Thursday, October 27, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| Dealing with the complexities and nuances of "life choices" is like being at the center of an angry swarm of bees — the noise is overwhelming and disorienting, and the odds are good (very good) that you'll be stung repeatedly, and without mercy. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| Q: What is the science of society? A: Structured civility, until crisis, catastrophe, or imminent threat becomes all consuming. Then, the science of society is that of chaos, barbarism, and human hives. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Monday, October 24, 2011
2 Abstract "Sunset..." Images
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Thursday, October 20, 2011
Repine
It was an unusually warm and dry Fall, and the scarecrow in the cornfield was sweating up a storm.
"What I wouldn't give for a little rain, or a cool breeze, or even a cold rolling fog," said the scarecrow in a sad, soft voice.
"My straw is baked and brittle, my colorful patches are cracked and dull, and my hat is covered with stalagmites of crow pooh.
"Rain, oh, rain, why have you forsaken me? WHY???"
A heartbeat later, the clear blue sky turned a deep green-gray, angry anvil clouds appeared out of thin air, and a bellowing twister, as black as coal with tendrils of lightning, touched down...right on top of the scarecrow.
After a few moments of swirling fury, the storm streaked into the horizon, and disappeared.
As tranquil blue reclaimed the sky, a murder of crows surveyed the cornfield for damage.
To their surprise, the only damage that could be seen was a small, bare patch of earth where the scarecrow had been staked.
The End
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
"What I wouldn't give for a little rain, or a cool breeze, or even a cold rolling fog," said the scarecrow in a sad, soft voice.
"My straw is baked and brittle, my colorful patches are cracked and dull, and my hat is covered with stalagmites of crow pooh.
"Rain, oh, rain, why have you forsaken me? WHY???"
A heartbeat later, the clear blue sky turned a deep green-gray, angry anvil clouds appeared out of thin air, and a bellowing twister, as black as coal with tendrils of lightning, touched down...right on top of the scarecrow.
After a few moments of swirling fury, the storm streaked into the horizon, and disappeared.
As tranquil blue reclaimed the sky, a murder of crows surveyed the cornfield for damage.
To their surprise, the only damage that could be seen was a small, bare patch of earth where the scarecrow had been staked.
The End
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
Today's Tendril...
| Drowning integrity with one hand and holding a noose with the other. |
Alternate Version A
You're drowning integrity with one hand, while reaching for a life preserver with the other.
Alternate Version B
You're so committed to drowning integrity that you don't even know that it's you gasping for air.
About
Perhaps this is a subconscious response to the news being awash with profit mongers, two-faced politicians, and "debate" segments that are nothing more than inflammatory talking heads.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Sunday, October 16, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| A good myth transcends the motives of the myth makers. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Just for Fun 2
I really enjoy silly jokes, dumb jokes, corny jokes, and kids' jokes, which, collectively, come under the general heading of "bad" jokes.
So, I wasn't surprised to receive a kid-friendly Halloween joke from a family member.
The joke took the form of a question and my response, while good (IMHO), wasn't the actual punch line.
So rather than waste my punch line, I came up with a joke to go with it.
Before I knew it, I had a handful of bad Halloween and Autumn jokes.
And here they are, in all their gory. 8^)
Q: What is a demon's favorite dish?
A: Fillet of soul.
Q: What do zombies on a diet eat?
A: Vegetarians.
A: What is a scarecrow's favorite candy?
Q: Candy corn (of course!)
Q: What is a werewolf's favorite dessert?
A: Moon pie!
Q: What is a vampire's favorite game?
A: Follow the bleeder.
Q: Why do mummies go to psychiatrists?
A: Because they're wound too tight.
Q: What do little monsters eat on Halloween?
A: Ghoul-bers
Alternate answers:
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
So, I wasn't surprised to receive a kid-friendly Halloween joke from a family member.
The joke took the form of a question and my response, while good (IMHO), wasn't the actual punch line.
So rather than waste my punch line, I came up with a joke to go with it.
Before I knew it, I had a handful of bad Halloween and Autumn jokes.
And here they are, in all their gory. 8^)
Q: What is a demon's favorite dish?
A: Fillet of soul.
Q: What do zombies on a diet eat?
A: Vegetarians.
A: What is a scarecrow's favorite candy?
Q: Candy corn (of course!)
Q: What is a werewolf's favorite dessert?
A: Moon pie!
Q: What is a vampire's favorite game?
A: Follow the bleeder.
Q: Why do mummies go to psychiatrists?
A: Because they're wound too tight.
Q: What do little monsters eat on Halloween?
A: Ghoul-bers
Alternate answers:
- Boo berries and banana slugs
- Spider-doodles
- Bat nuggets
- Tombstone flavored taffy
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Wednesday, October 05, 2011
// Saturday, October 01, 2011
The Emissary
About
A feeling, a fleeting moment, and a frame (of mind, spirit, and sight).
This is one of my favorite works.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, September 17, 2011
Said the...Demon
After a long day of tempting and mischief, two tiny, plump demons are winding down with excessive amounts of libation and a frank discussion.
We join their conversation, already in progress.
"What is it with people and their obsession with transcendence?" slurred one demon to his inebriated cohort.
"I mean, they're always looking to transcend something—in art, in spirit, in effort—that they completely ignore the real and precious gift that is the here and now.
"But I guess that's actually good for us, right? I mean, it definitely makes our jobs easier, assuming they don't actually find anything. Hmmm..."
And after a long and thoughtful pause, the demon added, "A toast, then, to those in search of transcendence — may it be the golden carrot that's always just out of reach. CHEERS!"
The End
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
We join their conversation, already in progress.
"What is it with people and their obsession with transcendence?" slurred one demon to his inebriated cohort.
"I mean, they're always looking to transcend something—in art, in spirit, in effort—that they completely ignore the real and precious gift that is the here and now.
"But I guess that's actually good for us, right? I mean, it definitely makes our jobs easier, assuming they don't actually find anything. Hmmm..."
And after a long and thoughtful pause, the demon added, "A toast, then, to those in search of transcendence — may it be the golden carrot that's always just out of reach. CHEERS!"
The End
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
A Fortune in Lies
About
Chinese takeout one night came with a handful of fortune cookies. This is what mine contained (sans the keyboard).
After reading it to my wife, she quipped, "That still doesn't mean you can climb to the top of a mountain, jump off its peak and expect to fly. Plummet, yes. Fly, no." (We had a good laugh.)
Translated: You still need to know your limits, even while pushing them; otherwise, you may push yourself beyond the point of no return.
Since this fortune didn't come with an attribution (truth be told, I've only seen one that has, and it was a quote from Confucius (I kid you not)), I searched for the text (i.e., Googled it) and found that it's attributed to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a deceased French philosopher and Jesuit priest.
Who would have thought that one fortune cookie and Google could lead to so much?
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Immersed in Reflection
Why do we put pen to paper?
Why do we work and rework,
edit and revise,
strikethrough and scrap?
Why do we even bother
with the written word at all,
when we're immersed in the Great Internet Age?
Where smartphones and e-readers,
and texting and tweets,
and tablets galore (some, a gore),
and social media (all a "like"),
are here, there, and everywhere,
and are all the buzz and the rage.
(But will they have grace with age?)
Because a world without paper and pen,
without the written word,
and without its poems, prose, and stories,
that glide across a paper page,
like a cool breeze that rustles leaves,
and nudges clouds across a dreamer's mind,
is no world for me,
and may as well be
the tenth circle of Hell...
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Why do we work and rework,
edit and revise,
strikethrough and scrap?
Why do we even bother
with the written word at all,
when we're immersed in the Great Internet Age?
Where smartphones and e-readers,
and texting and tweets,
and tablets galore (some, a gore),
and social media (all a "like"),
are here, there, and everywhere,
and are all the buzz and the rage.
(But will they have grace with age?)
Because a world without paper and pen,
without the written word,
and without its poems, prose, and stories,
that glide across a paper page,
like a cool breeze that rustles leaves,
and nudges clouds across a dreamer's mind,
is no world for me,
and may as well be
the tenth circle of Hell...
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Redemption
About
Redemption had a sign, a counter, and prizes.
Who knew?
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, September 10, 2011
Today's Tendril...
To drive and be driven,
Is what I've been given.
But to lead or be led?
Asks the Voice in my head.
Time is but a lie,
Yet a master still.
The equation of man,
Bends to my will.
Is what I've been given.
But to lead or be led?
Asks the Voice in my head.
Time is but a lie,
Yet a master still.
The equation of man,
Bends to my will.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Friday, September 09, 2011
Today's Tendril...
![Today's Tendril... [20110909] (c) Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved. insilentpassage.com](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KxP1innr9YZMa6T7AtQrLXlqxxQQpOGThCCGYgHCEcuqZ-jQpWRntPHQ6sX5Q58Ss161tpsIaxmbXZ5kgeuxPHCV6PFyiJB4cXatX1kZlbFBPNPWZTncWn4KdBlH2ockOVzsvWLPA8sz/s1600/cderobertis.todaystendril-20110909.png "Today's Tendril... [20110909] (c) Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved. insilentpassage.com")
Dedicated to Monk, because he is an original (and very much so).
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Strength Everlasting
Today's Tendril...
To live and be free,
Despite any threat.
United we stand —
We'll never forget.
Despite any threat.
United we stand —
We'll never forget.
About
Alternate idea for the SE banner text: Wings, talons, and strength everlasting.
P.S. The font used for the SE banner text is Bleeding Cowboys. I believe this is a right-fit use of this font.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Monday, September 05, 2011
// Friday, August 26, 2011
Never Surrender (2011)
About
* Original version: Late September 2001; posted September 27, 2001.
* 2011 version: August 2011; posted August 26, 2011.
Years ago I promised myself that I'd revisit and revise my "Never Surrender" image (and its associated commentary) that I created in the weeks following the September 11, 2011, terrorist attacks on the United States of America.
I didn't forget.
And I never will.
The original (and lengthy) commentary suited the moment.
And now, nearly a decade later, all I want to say is this—
– Never forget the images or the pain.
– Never forgive the terrorists (or those that harbor them).
– Never become like the enemy.
– Never give in to fear for the sake of comfort or ease.
– Never be lulled into a false sense of security.
– Never surrender to terror.
– Honor all those that have sacrificed so much (and sometimes everything) in order to preserve the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
– Vigilance, resolve, and liberty remain.
– DON'T TREAD ON ME
– Never forgive the terrorists (or those that harbor them).
– Never become like the enemy.
– Never give in to fear for the sake of comfort or ease.
– Never be lulled into a false sense of security.
– Never surrender to terror.
– Honor all those that have sacrificed so much (and sometimes everything) in order to preserve the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
– Vigilance, resolve, and liberty remain.
– DON'T TREAD ON ME
Soundtrack: "When the Eagle Cries," Iced Earth, from their album, The Glorious Burden. (I consider TGB one of the finest Metal albums of all time.)
P.S. The core of the original image remains: a photo of Old Glory that I snapped one morning, several days after the attacks. The flag looked so beautiful and I found comfort in its stars and stripes. I still do.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Monday, August 22, 2011
Today's Tendril...
To be awake,
and aware.
To be "alive,"
and "all there."
To be stirred,
by a thought.
These tendrils,
I know,
aren't for naught.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
and aware.
To be "alive,"
and "all there."
To be stirred,
by a thought.
These tendrils,
I know,
aren't for naught.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Sunday, August 14, 2011
Overheard
Overheard in passing...
- "Stupid smartphone." (And the user had nothing to do with it.)
- "Right in the center of the middle." (I want to be there.)
- "...is all holier-than-thou, yet she's the one having an affair. But you didn't hear that from me." (Actually, I just did.)
- [Teenager] "Being green, is like, so important and stuff." (Well that cleared that up. Who says the youth of America is ill-informed?)
- "...it's been itchy for a week and nothing seems to help it." (Ewww. What have you touched?!?)
- "Listen, I'll have to call you later, because people are staring at me. <directed to those around her> HAVEN'T YOU ALL EVER HEARD OF PRIVACY?" (Umm, this is a public place, so if you choose to talk in public, then you forfeit your 'privacy.' By the way, have YOU ever heard of courtesy? Do you think we like—or care—about the drama in your life?)
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
// Saturday, July 16, 2011
Remnants of Winter (A Prayer, of Sorts)
May/July 2010 - Original versions of poem. July 2011 - Revised and final versions of poem and image.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Thursday, July 14, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| Even angels sweat when reflecting on the heat, humidity, and scorching hate of the human heart. |
Alternate Version (Original Version)
Even angels sweat. (Reflecting on the heat, humidity, and lack of shade.)
Original version originally made available (2011.07.12) via my now defunct @tagsandtendrils Twitter account.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, July 09, 2011
A Cross to Bear
A cross to bear.
"Aggravation."
A cross to bear.
"Tension."
A cross to bear.
"Expectation."
A cross to bear.
"Oh, where do I find the strength,
To face another day,
In the life of me?"
A cross to bare.
About
This piece is dedicated to those who insist on "sharing" in public places, via cell phones, their daily dramas.
Your lack of compunction is inspiring.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Monday, July 04, 2011
Tendrils 13: Variations on a Grey Theme
These variations on a theme,
Are bits and pieces of a dream.
And in between the written lines,
Are shades of grey,
With prickly spines...
It's hard to be grey in a rainbow world.
It's hard to be the only grey cloud in a sea of blue sky and overwhelming sunshine.
Calm need not mean grey,
And sad need not mean blue.
Scared isn't yellow,
And green doesn't envy you.
Said the Mirror to the Self, "You're so different today, that even your shadow is a different shade of grey."
What is G.R.A.Y.? Glum. Reclusive. Apathetic. You.
When skies turn grey, don't run away.
But when they're green, swirls may be seen.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Are bits and pieces of a dream.
And in between the written lines,
Are shades of grey,
With prickly spines...
It's hard to be grey in a rainbow world.
It's hard to be the only grey cloud in a sea of blue sky and overwhelming sunshine.
Calm need not mean grey,
And sad need not mean blue.
Scared isn't yellow,
And green doesn't envy you.
Said the Mirror to the Self, "You're so different today, that even your shadow is a different shade of grey."
What is G.R.A.Y.? Glum. Reclusive. Apathetic. You.
When skies turn grey, don't run away.
But when they're green, swirls may be seen.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Images in the Clouds
The following were seen in the clouds above and around Lake George, New York.
Sadly (for me), I didn't have a camera to capture them.
I was on a "pen and paper" only expedition.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Sadly (for me), I didn't have a camera to capture them.
I was on a "pen and paper" only expedition.
- Lobster
- Seahorse
- The first few seconds of the opening title to The Simpsons television show
- Jellyfish
- A webbed hand from the creature in the 1954 movie, Creature from the Black Lagoon
- Mackerel fish
- Turtle with a loooong neck
- Mountain lion with two large horns, in mid leap
- Spine (human)
- The "Pillars of Creation" from the Eagle Nebula
- Red fox
- Drill bit
- Billowing smoke stacks
- Nerve endings (so many tendrils)
- Onions with shoots
- Ocean waves
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sticks and Strokes [image and short story]
-Place: A cathedral-like atrium in a metropolis
-Players: Two unlikely friends, sitting on a stone bench
-Proximity: An indoor harmony stream
-Time: Lunch hour
-Topic: Same old, same old
-Players: Two unlikely friends, sitting on a stone bench
-Proximity: An indoor harmony stream
-Time: Lunch hour
-Topic: Same old, same old
"Don't be absurd," said the futurist to the calligraphist, in a tone and manner that was as smug as smug could be. "Penmanship, print, and paper are all dead. You're living in the past. You are the past. I've got thousands of books in the palm of my hand; barely a finger tap away. Plus, I can download more whenever I want, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. I'm a library incarnate! Ha and ha! And I don't have to sacrifice precious living space to be that library. There are no dusty, musty smells to deal with. No overpriced first editions or 'special' editions. The way it should be."
With a deep and dramatic sigh, the calligraphist replied to the futurist, "Your bits and bytes are transient at best—cached today, deleted tomorrow. You're living on borrowed time, my data hording friend. Hard drives are nothing more than anchors and arrogance; landfill waiting to happen. Books, however, are individual things of beauty, to be admired and held, and given a place of honor upon the shelves of our hearts, minds, and homes. What you fail to grasp is that a book—a real, physical book—is a commitment, not just to yourself, but to the art of writing, and to the adventure that is reading. Every book has a familiar-yet-distinct form, a wonderful weight, and a strong spine, unlike the apparitions haunting your little virtual world."
"Hmph!" grunted the technologist and returned to the pages of his smartphone.
"Hmph!" grunted the calligraphist and returned to the pages of his book.
And for the remainder of their lunch, neither said a word to the other, nor heard the flow of the harmony stream.
Soundtrack
If the image had a soundtrack, then it would contain the following Steve Vai tracks:
- "Whispering a Prayer," Alive in an Ultra World
- "Brandos Costumes (Gentle Ways)," Alive in an Ultra World
- "The Bodhi Tree," VaiTunes #7
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
Today's Tendril...
| Volunteers: 0% pay - 100% heart. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| "Consistency," yells the coach, "is the key to success and longevity!" "Platitudes," thinks a player, "have no place on the playing field." |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, June 11, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| You cannot swim in despair, but you can drown in it. |
About
Besides the visual that this TT conjures (in my head, anyway), I like the fact that you can substitute the word despair with a variety of other words related to "negative emotions" and not lose the punch of the piece; examples: anger, fear, doubt, pain.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, June 04, 2011
Following a Thread (a Stitch in My Head) 2
The news, the dramas, the always-connected-global mind, and the info saturation, fascination, degradation, and vilification.
Options. Choices. Threads. Tendrils. Paths. Pieces. Puzzles. Clicks. (Cliques.)
Pariahs, piranhas, scarecrows, and red herrings.
Notebooks stacked from floor to ceiling.
Cycles, cynics, and solitude.
Beginnings,
middles,
& ends.
Dedicated to my Notebook Brother.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Options. Choices. Threads. Tendrils. Paths. Pieces. Puzzles. Clicks. (Cliques.)
Pariahs, piranhas, scarecrows, and red herrings.
Notebooks stacked from floor to ceiling.
Cycles, cynics, and solitude.
Beginnings,
middles,
& ends.
Dedicated to my Notebook Brother.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Following a Thread (a Stitch in My Head)
Fraying, fraying, fraying, our nerves are fraying.
Beating, beating, beating, the war drum's beating.
Tipping, tipping, tipping, the balance is tipping.
Ticking, ticking, ticking, the clock is ticking.
Dripping, dripping, dripping, the sweat is dripping.
Breaking, breaking, breaking, my back is breaking.
Crawling, crawling, crawling, my skin is crawling.
Reeling, reeling, reeling, my head is reeling.
Ending? Ending? ENDING?!?
These thoughts,
never ending.
Drowning, drowning, drowning—
in the ever present now...
Dedicated to my Notebook Brother.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Beating, beating, beating, the war drum's beating.
Tipping, tipping, tipping, the balance is tipping.
Ticking, ticking, ticking, the clock is ticking.
Dripping, dripping, dripping, the sweat is dripping.
Breaking, breaking, breaking, my back is breaking.
Crawling, crawling, crawling, my skin is crawling.
Reeling, reeling, reeling, my head is reeling.
Ending? Ending? ENDING?!?
These thoughts,
never ending.
Drowning, drowning, drowning—
in the ever present now...
Dedicated to my Notebook Brother.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Today's Tendril...
| No cloud is ever as dark as the one above your head, and in your heart. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Friday, June 03, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| What would you rather experience: an ocean of indecision or a trickle of inspiration? |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Tuesday, May 31, 2011
My Patience Wanes
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
Today's Tendril...
| I'd rather be a snowflake in Heaven, than a snowball in Hell. |
About
This TT popped into my head while looking at A Snowflake in Heaven (Revised) (blue-ish version).
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, May 28, 2011
A Snowflake in Heaven (Revised)
About
Shortly after publishing the original version on 2011.05.20 (available here), I thought,
"I've got an extra pair of wings perched in my office, looking all sad and lonely, might as well put them to good use. And in the process, I'll stop the scattering of my papers every time they get restless and flap about my head!"
I'm sure this is a problem for many.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
In the Moment (Spring 2011)
Waterfall clouds and dandelion forests.
Immature green blankets the brown.
Billows of bubbles and zippity pests.
Roses with thorns complete Nature's crown.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Immature green blankets the brown.
Billows of bubbles and zippity pests.
Roses with thorns complete Nature's crown.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Today's Tendril...
| In the bag of tricks for "how to get it all done," there's nothing more useful, or more debilitating, than a to-do list. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Sunday, May 22, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| When God asks a question, do you answer? Or, are you like a deer in headlights? |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, May 21, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| Fireworks don't hold a candle to the light show of virgin snow on a moonlit night, fireflies at twilight, starry nights at midnight. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Friday, May 20, 2011
A Snowflake in Heaven
About
I like to believe (wish, hope, dream) that there are snowflakes in Heaven.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Tuesday, May 17, 2011
// Sunday, April 10, 2011
Today's Tendril...
Sin is like rain.
Sometimes it's a slow, steady drizzle.
Sometimes it's a raging downpour.
Sometimes, well, sometimes it's only "cloudy with a chance."
And that's the kind of rain that requires the most vigilance — the kind that looms and threatens.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Sometimes it's a slow, steady drizzle.
Sometimes it's a raging downpour.
Sometimes, well, sometimes it's only "cloudy with a chance."
And that's the kind of rain that requires the most vigilance — the kind that looms and threatens.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, April 09, 2011
Yellow Dot
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
Today's Tendril...
| Faith is about the individual. Religion is about the group. Too often, we confuse, blur, and merge the two. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Sunday, March 06, 2011
A Prayer, of Sorts: Authority
About
Authority is not the result of a vote or an appointment. It can only be earned. And revoked when abused.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, February 26, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| Petrified wood is nature's alchemy. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, February 12, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| A life without balance is a palette of grey. A life of extremes is but a brush of black and white. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Monday, February 07, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| Frustration: You feel like you're yelling at/into/within a tornado — and no one cares; or notices. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Sunday, February 06, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| For as much as the dark side becomes a part of your whole, and imbues you with wickedness, it feasts upon on you—steadily, greedily—and savors (ever so deeply) each and every morsel of your soul. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, January 29, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| How would you rather be remembered: as someone that made a difference when it was necessary, needed, or vital, or someone that made a difference only when prompted, prodded, or instructed? |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Saturday, January 22, 2011
Two Tendrils for Today
Tranquility: A winter's full moon as seen through a row of icicles.
Anticipation and imagination: Watching the rise of a full moon until it reaches the point where the tip of an icicle—the memory of yesterday's sun—pops the moon, like a needle to a balloon, and a confetti of words alight themselves on the paper of my mind.
Tendril 1: A true story.
Tendril 2: Also a true story.
Tendril 2 is dedicated to my Notebook Brother.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Alternate Version
Tranquility (steeped in the moment): Enjoying a full moon through icicle fingers and observable breath.
Anticipation and imagination: Watching the rise of a full moon until it reaches the point where the tip of an icicle—the memory of yesterday's sun—pops the moon, like a needle to a balloon, and a confetti of words alight themselves on the paper of my mind.
About
Tendril 1: A true story.
Tendril 2: Also a true story.
Tendril 2 is dedicated to my Notebook Brother.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Friday, January 21, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| Wisdom grows like stalactites and stalagmites. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Monday, January 17, 2011
Life in a Box (This Pain)
The text forms a slight "smiley" face. 8']
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Today's Tendril...
| A man that doesn't sense fear in himself, or in others, has no sense at all. |
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
// Monday, January 10, 2011
Lines of Symmetry
With all but her mouth draped in silken shadows, she whispered, "Follow the lines of symmetry through your imagination, my love, and along the way you will discover balance, clarity, and purpose."
She smiled.
I reached out to touch her cheek and she became the tendrils of smoke rising from the candle on my desk.
A tear splashed into the candle's pool of shimmering liquid wax — and was no more.
Dedicated to my wife, for her inspiration and for never turning into tendrils of smoke.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
She smiled.
I reached out to touch her cheek and she became the tendrils of smoke rising from the candle on my desk.
A tear splashed into the candle's pool of shimmering liquid wax — and was no more.
Dedicated to my wife, for her inspiration and for never turning into tendrils of smoke.
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
This text composition is a work of fiction. Names, places, institutions, events, incidents, characters, persons, locations, and/or organizations either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Full Creative Writing Disclaimer.
// Sunday, January 09, 2011
Tendrils 12
How many nails must be driven into the coffin before "the end" is declared?
Progress is relative.
Relative to the producers and the consumers,
the observers and the observed,
the waiters and the movers.
"The devil you know," said the vagabond, "is as bad as the devil you don't. After all, one devil is as bad as the next."
Avengers have been wronged and so their passion stems from clarity of justice.
Defenders feel anointed and so their "enthusiasm" is fueled by divine right.
To knowingly and willingly hold a heart hostage is a touch of evil.
Better to prepare for Armageddon, than to laze about in a virtual utopia.
Attics and basements are the cemeteries of yesterday.
Just because an elephant can hold a paintbrush doesn't mean you should let it paint your house.
There's nothing singular about sin.
Glorious determination — the state of an individual that's strong in will and driven to succeed.
Reality is context sensitive.
Tendril 1 - It's not enough to recognize that something is over or finished or done; you have to act to put it rest and move on.
Tendril 2 - It's all about perspective. "Reality is context sensitive." (Tendril 11)
Tendril 3 - Has a relationship to the "devil" Tendril in Tendrils 11. The alternate version is definitely the creepy (horror?) angle.
Tendril 4 - Pondering the motivations of others.
Tendril 5 - Sad, but true.
Tendril 6 - Have to stop watching shows about Armageddon, the Apocalypse, and December 21, 2012.
Tendril 7 - One of my favorite Tendrils.
Tendril 8 - Started out as a tongue-in-cheek homage to fortune cookie words of wisdom, but turned into something serious.
Tendril 9 - What else need be said?
Tendril 10 - State of being; state of mind.
Tendril 11 - It's all about perspective. "Progress is relative." (Tendril 2)
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.
Progress is relative.
Relative to the producers and the consumers,
the observers and the observed,
the waiters and the movers.
"The devil you know," said the vagabond, "is as bad as the devil you don't. After all, one devil is as bad as the next."
Alternate Version
Said the clown to the audience: "The devil you know is as bad as the devil you don't. After all, one devil is as bad as the next."
With that the clown bared his long, pointy yellow teeth, then leapt from the stage into the bowels of the shrieking crowd.
With that the clown bared his long, pointy yellow teeth, then leapt from the stage into the bowels of the shrieking crowd.
Avengers have been wronged and so their passion stems from clarity of justice.
Defenders feel anointed and so their "enthusiasm" is fueled by divine right.
To knowingly and willingly hold a heart hostage is a touch of evil.
Better to prepare for Armageddon, than to laze about in a virtual utopia.
Attics and basements are the cemeteries of yesterday.
Just because an elephant can hold a paintbrush doesn't mean you should let it paint your house.
There's nothing singular about sin.
Glorious determination — the state of an individual that's strong in will and driven to succeed.
Reality is context sensitive.
About
Tendril 1 - It's not enough to recognize that something is over or finished or done; you have to act to put it rest and move on.
Tendril 2 - It's all about perspective. "Reality is context sensitive." (Tendril 11)
Tendril 3 - Has a relationship to the "devil" Tendril in Tendrils 11. The alternate version is definitely the creepy (horror?) angle.
Tendril 4 - Pondering the motivations of others.
Tendril 5 - Sad, but true.
Tendril 6 - Have to stop watching shows about Armageddon, the Apocalypse, and December 21, 2012.
Tendril 7 - One of my favorite Tendrils.
Tendril 8 - Started out as a tongue-in-cheek homage to fortune cookie words of wisdom, but turned into something serious.
Tendril 9 - What else need be said?
Tendril 10 - State of being; state of mind.
Tendril 11 - It's all about perspective. "Progress is relative." (Tendril 2)
© Copyright 2011 Christopher V. DeRobertis. All rights reserved.