Something a little different this week - a creative writing piece - using a photo as a writing prompt.
Sometimes the simplest of photos can be a source of inspiration. Observe the details. How does it make you feel? Use your senses. What is happening in the background? Start writing.
I belong to a writer's group - The South Side Quills. We meet once a month in our town Library. Each month we are set a writing prompt to write from at home for our next meeting. You don't have to stick entirely to the given prompt, as long as it has elements from it. A couple of months ago we were given this prompt -
He caught her eye. They looked at each other from across the space. He, sitting on the top step of the old post office building, a shopping bag beside him. She, standing still watching him as he held his palm open, grain dripping, to the crowd of pigeons at his feet.
The photo at the top of this blog post I took in Granada in Spain several years ago. On our way to dinner we watched this couple doing a Tango in the plaza. It was mesmerising. I combined this image with the writing prompt we were given and below is what I wrote.
I also entered the photo in my photography group monthly topic - "Candid" - and I earned a silver. The judge said what made the photo was the couple watching on the right hand side...... And yes he is right.
The Tango
He catches your eye across the square. He’s
sitting on the edge of the wall surrounding the fountain, a shopping bag beside
him. He stirs his hand around inside a paper bag, and takes out a handful of
grain which he holds out on his open palm. It drips slowly through his fingers
to the crowd of pigeons clustering in a flurry of feathers at his feet. They
know him. He is here every day.
The heat of summer and the aroma of baguettes
and oranges fills the air – intoxicating.
The beat of a Spanish Argentinian Tango filters
across the plaza. A couple are dancing. They feel the music through their
bodies as it echoes around the plaza. She in a low back bright red dress. Camel
coloured heels. A long side split reveals her shapely legs. Silver clips hold
back her shoulder length blond hair.
He in a black suit, ruffled hair, a short
cropped beard and battered shoes. His right arm and hand across her back securely
holds her as they twist and turn their hips and bodies, their legs entwining. He
guides her smoothly across the pavement where a black fedora rests upside down
waiting.
Their dance is exotic, sensual, a dance of intimacy. Their faces at once a look of concentration and passion. Their movement and the music attracts onlookers walking across the plaza.
Nearby a
couple have stopped to watch. Their shopping forgotten as he holds his partner
close to him, in an embrace. They watch, mesmerised. He whispers in her ear.
She smiles. In their hearts they want to be the dancing couple.
And you? You watch them watching the couple
dancing. You watch the man feeding the pigeons. You and he have history. A long
ago slow dance.
Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.
