“Hate comes from a dark place inside yourself.”
Alux.com
15 Things You Should Know about Your Haters
Once there was Darkness
Chapter 29
Kol stood on Kessa’s balcony looking over his great city. It was a beautiful sight.
Beth interrupted his thoughts; “she is asleep my king. Would you like for me to wake her?”
“No. Thank you.”
She bowed her head and left.
Kol found her asleep. She was his angel. How she looked the part at this very moment. He was lost in thought and didn’t notice that she was awake.
“What brings you my way?” Her eyes were sparkling with a mischievous twinkle.
“Will I ever be able to surprise you?”
“You surprise me all the time.” She sat up in bed; “but I’m guessing not in the ways you wish to.”
He sat at her feet on the bed. Those feet that jumped, climbed, and ran looked so sweet. “I should have done this a long time ago.” He caressed her foot.
Did he have any idea just how good that felt? Kessa could have bit a hole in her lip. She really wanted to know what he ‘should have done a long time ago’ but was enjoying this moment to much to ask. He produced a gold chain from his pocket and put it on her ankle. He took her breath away when he leaned down and kissed the top of her foot. “Kessa, will you be my queen?” He kissed her. Did he kiss her? And she kissed him back. It felt amazing. She was amazing.
He woke screaming. His hands were shaking. Frego ran into the room, “dad are you okay?”
He gasped for breath, “no.”
“Dad,” he asked softly.
Night Sky
Sky so dark; full of star light.
If I pour out my heart, will you hear me tonight?
Should I whisper? Should I scream?
Will your answer come in a dream?
I’ve been praying in ernest. God hears my call.
Do I need a new court? Try a different ball?
I shall keep praying.
To the moon and stars, I will keep braying.
Screaming into the night; should the moon loose it’s light?
I always wanted – thought I always needed.
Almost to a point- pleaded.
Maybe that is the wrong band?
Maybe God has another plan?
Last day of poetry month
What makes a poet?
I once read a story where the author said, “if you want to be a writer, write.”
If you are like me, you can come up with a million and one reasons why you are not a writer. My grammar is deplorable. My command of the English language is second rate. Things make sense to me but other people have said, ‘I just don’t understand you.’ Or ‘they broke the mold when they made you.’ Whoever ‘they’ might be?
Poetry is for losers. Poetry makes my head hurt. Spoken word crap. But not one of these people that say these things live a life devoid of music. I did a search for music that started out as poetry and I got ‘10 most powerful songs with poetic lyrics’: Killing Me Softly, A Change is Gonna Come, I’ll Stand By You, The Power of Love for example. readpoetry.com.
The Bible is filled with poems and songs. Especially the Old Testament: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Solomon. The most noted poet in the Bible is King David.
Not all poetry is ‘coupled rhyme’. Which seems to be my preferred style.
There will always be people telling you that you are not good enough. Talented enough. Your dreams are stupid, selfish, or unreachable. Should you listen?
I just have two pieces of advice; pray and try. Don’t break the bank or quit your day job. Writing has always been an outlet for me. I can say things on paper that I could never say face to face. And yes, I got wrapped up in the ‘you’re not good enough’ for years. I’m so glad I listened to that still small voice that said ‘try’.
Birthday Signs
As promised, here is the diy for my birthday signs as referenced in my continuing work: Waste not. Want not. https://byjolenerice.wordpress.com/2023/04/26/waste-not-want-not-birthday/
https://youtube.com/shorts/z5DTtm-HSOQ?feature=share Happy Birthday Tom
My bestie came up with the idea of trying. So I tried. Granted they are not as big or professional as the ones I could have ordered; they were great fun to make. And, I was able to personalize them to each persons likes.
All of my letters are free-hand. You can try to use a box cutter/utility knife to cut the letters out but scissors worked best for me.
Yes, that cute little car sitting in the background is mine. Photo-bomb!
It took (on average) two coats of paint for each letter.
Sticking the letters in the ground wasn’t always an option. It was 6 degrees on her birthday and the wind was blowing like crazy. Hence the abbreviation of birthday to B-Day.
Because I mailed this one, I wrote on the back where to glue the skewers.
It was raining and windy on this day and I forgot my twine at home. These were not difficult to make. It just took time so the paint could dry.
Old friend
Stick by me old friend,
until the end.
My companion until this is over.
My one true soldier.
By my side day and night.
You are not the fright.
You will not catch me when I fall.
You will not comfort me at all.
You will not carry me when I can’t walk.
You will not speak for me when I can’t talk.
You will not laugh with me.
Nor will you cry when I cry. You will let me be.
Beside me always. Watching – waiting;
anticipating.
An end will come. When, how? Only the creator knows.
Until then, I will continue to grow.
Live my life the best that I can.
In this world, I will stand.
I don’t have to look over my shoulder to know where you are.
Though you never speak, I know you are not far.
I am never truly alone. You are always by my side.
You are always along for the ride.
Am I afraid of you? Not really.
It’s the cause that will be a dilly.
But I know you will be holding one hand.
When it’s all over; into your arms, I will command.
My soul you will carry home.
My body; upon this earth, will no more roam.
Once there was Darkness
Chapter 28
Court days were always grueling. At this moment, he would rather be going over military accounts. Since the kingdom was growing, he now had two court days every 30 days. Two! He was working with Frego to take on the second day.
People bickering all the time, usually over petty issues. Kol said a silent prayer thanking God that every day wasn’t a court day. However; this event wasn’t petty or normal. Two women; the biological mother and another woman that Kol was having a difficult time connecting the two of them together, were fighting over a baby. They were screaming. The baby was screaming. Kol’s head was busting. Then like an angel, she walked across the floor. She made not a sound as she seemed to glide toward the bickering women. Normally court was never this unruly. Kol let it go on trying to get to the root of the issue.
His attention was pulled back to his angel. The gown that she wore was glowing a bright white. He knew it was all in his head but she was an angel. His angel. The most beautiful creature in the room. In Mecca, for sure. Perhaps on the planet. She bent over and picked the bundle up that was the screaming child. The women bemoaned its removal. It didn’t take long for the child to stop crying.
Kol was finally able to speak, “the greatest gift God gives us is the ability to be parents. Why are you fighting over this child?”
“It’s mine.” One lady hissed.
“You are?”
“Carol, sire.”
“Your relationship to this child?”
“He is the son of my heart.”
“And you?” His question was directed at the other woman.
“Benthal, sire. I am the child’s mother. I gave birth to him.” She sobbed.
“How do you know Carol?”
“We are neighbors, sire. Nothing more.”
“The child is mine.” Carol screamed. “God gave him to me in a dream.”
Kol’s attention was pulled back to his glowing angel. She giggled as a stream of pee escaped the child. Max rushed over to her, offering his cloak to wrap the baby with. Kol just noticed the coverings the baby had been wrapped in were laying in the floor. Another Bejhar (Kol hadn’t learned his name yet) cleaned up the pee. Max took the bundle the baby had been wrapped in away. Court was silent as he watched her pace by the window humming softly to a cooing baby. After several minutes, the silence was broken by a bone breaking explosion. The two women began wrestling on the floor. Luke, a third Bejhar, ran into the room. His angel nodded her head at him.
“Arrest these two.” Luke instructed the guards.
The two women were dragged out of the court room kicking and screaming.
Kol walked over to the window. “Ever thought about being a mother?” He stroked the babies cheek with his thumb. His voice was soft and full of compassion.
“No my king,” came a sweet reply. “God has never placed that on my heart.”
A few days later, Kessa found Kol in the garden. “My king.” She bowed her head.
“Kes,” he smiled.
“Dad is still working on trying to figure out what kind of explosives were in the babies bundle. Whatever it was, as soon as the baby peed wetting the substance, it would explode.”
The look on Kol’s face was of shock and disgust. “Someone was willing to sacrifice a child for what?”
“The only thing I can think of is to scare or hurt you.”
He sat on a bench and motioned for her to join him. “What made you suspicious?”
“He never stopped screaming. From the time they entered the court room, that child never stopped screaming. It was killing my head. And I knew it was killing yours. My original purpose for picking the child up off the floor was an attempt to calm him down. He was too heavy.”
“What we are dealing with is heavy and reacts to getting wet?”
“Yes.”
“What of the women?”
“Pai was their guard. He was unable to learn anything from their behavior. The birth mother has the child now. Pai goes once a month for a visit to check. The baby is growing well. And the neighbor hasn’t been bothering them.”
Kol rubbed his face with his hands. “First Mordecai now this. Am I the target?”
“You’re always a target because of your position.”
“Thank you.”
“You are welcome as always, my king.”
“Kes.” His voice was a little stern.
“Sorry, Kol.” she blushed.
Crazy kinda rain
Let me tell you what your crazy friend just did. I have a brand new pair of memory foam flip flops. I leave them at work so I have comfortable shoes to walk in when I can go. On those days when the heat isn’t overpowering nor the humidity oppressive. I wore them out to the car and here came the flood. I didn’t want to get them wet, so I ran from my car to the front door in the pouring rain barefoot. 😂
I will do it again. 😉
Gentle Spring Rain
Does it make you happy?
Or does it make you sad?
Does it remind you of a time long ago?
What feelings are invoked?
Do you want to go jump in a puddle?
Dance?
Scowl cause your hair is going to get matted to your head?
Sleep?
Read?
Watch a romantic movie?
Be romantic?
Cuddle?
Do you get pissed cause you’re going to get wet?
Your mood falls like a led balloon, depressed?
Or smile, rain makes the flowers grow?
Lonely?
Tears from heaven, of love long past?
Silence, calmness to be along with our own thoughts?
Maddening?
How often do you get to watch the rain?
Once there was Darkness
Chapter 27
Kol had walked over to work with General Marcus. It was time to work on treasury accounts for the military again. It was long and boring. Not that he didn’t like his city or his people being protected; seems like all he did was look at sets of numbers.
She was the last person he expected to see.
There were several large journals on General Marcus’s oversized desk. She was slightly bent over filling out information on different pages of each book. At the same time instructing Max on what she was doing and why. Kol stood watching her. She finally spoke. “You are early, my king. I will be out of the way in a moment. If it is okay, Max is going to stay.”
He didn’t answer at first, watching her was much more enjoyable. “You should wear normal garments more often.”
The shelf next to the door where he was leaning was where the large books got put out of the way. As she shelved a book, she couldn’t help but notice that twinkle in his eyes and that grin. It would do her a lot of good if he would put that grin away. It was so distracting.
She smiled and it melted his heart.
“General Marcus will be pleased that you are in such fine spirits this morning, my king.”
“Will he?”
She wrote something down. Max would not look up from the desk as she came over to put another book away. “I spent a boat load of money.”
He wanted to run Max off, push all the stuff off the desk onto the floor and just take her. Could he do it? He was the king after all. Would she put up a fight? He felt that in a true fight she was much stronger than he was. It would be a fight he would greatly enjoy.
“My King.” Her eyes were smiling at him. How did she do that? “How’s Frego today? Excited for his departure.” She put another book away.
“He would like to go to the island before they leave.”
“When is that?”
“Two months.”
As she put up another book, she leaned a little closer to him, whispering, “you smell good.”
He blushed, “you can smell me?”
“Max,” she called. He finally looked up. “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.” He did. “Again.” He did. “What do you smell? Tell me everything, no matter if you can’t define it.”
He took another deep breath, “polish from the desk, ink, dust from old books, floral honey, and sage?” He questioned “and something else I can’t identify.” His eyes were still closed, “no, not sage. But I don’t know what that smell is.”
“That smell is your king.” She brushed past him on her way out of the room; “And you smell good.” She whispered.
He followed her down the hall, “Kes.”
“Yes, my king.”
“Have you forgiven me for hurting your feelings?”
“Should I?” There was a twinkle in her eyes.
“Yes. After all I am your king.”
She whispered in his ear, “this time my king, you must earn it.” She moved to leave, stopped and moved back to whisper in his ear again. “Meet me tonight on the beach.” Ohh, there was that grin.
He did as she asked. The moon reflecting off the calm water was peaceful. “Thank you for humoring me.” Her soft voice filled his ears. They started walking. “I really didn’t think we should talk in the palace. I found the horse that was attached to the wagon Mordecai was in.”
Kol stopped abruptly, “where?”
“The grand duke has it. I know he could have bought it at the market. And honestly know nothing about the matter. I thought it was best to let you know.”
“That’s most upsetting.” He thought, “when you lowered Frego and Iram from the bell tower, what did you learn?”
“That was 10 maybe 12 years ago. Testing my memory, my king?”
“I can’t remember if you told me what happened.”
She thought as they continued to walk. The night was peaceful and the water calm. “Frego was right. Nothing was locked. I don’t think I gave you a report because there was nothing to say. The guard didn’t pay attention to the locks during his rounds. I knew he was lying but I couldn’t prove it. I think we spent a week looking into the matter but couldn’t come up with any thing.”
“Thank you.”
Poetry & More 