Monday, August 31, 2009

Musing on a scene


The world ended at the horizon, a fact drawn in detail on maps that piled high and vexed librarians who had run out of drawer space.
But small ships, lured by curiosity or fate, sailed like lemmings day after day into that unknown. If they ever returned, there is no record. But it's whispered that they must have sailed right into an ocean of clouds, the air-borne sea at earth's end.
Sometimes there were gales, and other days the wind was but a breeze, gently puffing out the sails and ruffling the silvery water with naught but ripples.
Into this pewter realm the mortal seafarers squinted their eyes into the glare and licked salt from their lips, intent only upon the mystery.
This is an eerie photo I took into the sun's glare. If you imagine another tiny tale, share, please!

16 comments:

PJ Hoover said...

It's a way cool photo! I'm impressed on many levels!

Tabitha Bird said...

Ooh love that picture and the writing :)

storyqueen said...

Aye, 'tis a ghost ship, for certain.
Named for a beautiful woman, whose name no one remembers.
Perhaps she is the death ship,
ferrying ocean souls to the other side.

MG Higgins said...

Beautiful, Tricia. Between the gorgeous photo and lovely writing, you sent my mind on a voyage!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

PJ and Tabitha and Mel: Thanks so much. It was fun.

Shelley: Oooo I love the woman whose name no one remembers.

Tess said...

except these are sport sailing boats, not ships...so I'd venture to imagine a wealthy, bored-with-his-wife husband who accidently nudges her into the water. Once the flailing and screaming dies down, he turns his face to the horizon and smiles. Another job well done.

Tess said...

forgot to put " marks around "accidently"

Donna said...

I'll just add my appreciation for Tricia's story, storyqueen's poem, and Tess' tale.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Tess: ooooooo *shocked gasp* A thriller story! I didn't think you did genre.

Donna: Glad you visited!

Yvonne Osborne said...

The air was heavy with moisture and the fog not yet lifted, but the sailboat race had begun. The little ship floundered at the start and seemed off course. From the confort of the dock, I glassed the wooden deck but the crew in their yellow slickers were but erasers in the hands of God and I wondered how such a small ship could make the four hundred mile journey to the straits. Even as I watched, they disappeared into the mist.

Robyn Campbell said...

I love all the tales. Tess's especially made me laugh. I usually don't do anything spontaneously. I ALWAYS have to think about it for at least a day.

But KUDOS to all that did. You got some great stuff, Tricia. Yours is really good. And the pic is awesome. I need to start taking more photos to share. Fun post.

Maybe you could do tiny tale Tuesday. Oops that was Monday. Anyway I'd have all day to ponder the photo so I could get mine in. :)

Yvonne Osborne said...

ughh..."comfort."
sorry.
Beautiful picture, Tricia.
I've added digital camera to my list of "things" to buy.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Yvonne: Thanks for adding your tiny tale--a wonderful eerie send-off. And yes, a digital camera is a must in this blogging life.

Robyn: What a great idea to make tiny tales a feature. I'll have to think about it a bit, but I really like the possibilities.

Unknown said...

Beautiful photo! Wonderful tale...

I am creatively sapped!

Stephanie, PQW said...

They lied. The horizon is not the edge of the world like they want us to believe. It's their way of keeping us here. Controlling our lives. I refuse to be quarantined. I will live my life as I choose.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Suzanne: Thanks, my friend.

Stephanie: Yes! *shakes fist at controllers*