I misinterpreted most things by choice at seventeen; I couldn’t define good riddance; I chose not to know the difference between stay and go, but played the victim like a champion. You should know we’re fine, and you should know things got worse. In my college essay I wrote about accepting loneliness, leaving out what …
Write a poem about a tomato
I found a tomato In a salad On the 4th of July, And what a wonder that is For no other reason than Tomatoes make me cry. Normally I’d suppress my tears, Make like our forefathers And spit on my fears, But for tomatoes I make an exception. They're simply far too evil For …
Write a letter from the point of view of a drug addict
Bear - I'm writing to let you know that I forgive you. The bruise on my forehead healed and I had a doctor friend look at the cuts on my arm you were always so worried about. It was nice having someone around to worry about me, but I'm beginning to understand why you left. …
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My Grandfather’s Girlfriend
My grandfather’s got this girlfriend and I’m happy for him. Yeah, I’m happy for him...But, well, I just want to know - Did he get butterflies when he first saw her? Did he blush when she smiled back at him? Or is love different for them? Love. No that can’t be it. Lust. I meant …
Describe Heaven
Heaven. It starts on a mountain. 42 degrees and not a cloud in sight. I’m strapped into my snowboard and Poppy is there to greet me - the first person I knew to die. “Welcome to Heaven.” I follow him down the mountain. It’s perfectly groomed. Perfectly challenging. I get myself into an invincible rhythm …
An Unexpected Gift
Amy tugs on the back of Dad’s shirt. When he turns around, she reaches her hands up and squeezes her fingers open and shut. “Not now, sweetheart. I’m tired.” Amy disobeys and continues tugging on the back of Dad’s shirt. “What did Daddy just say?!” Mom says this without missing a beat between chopping vegetables …
The car your father drove
The bus. Dad drove a bus. No. It was not a real bus. It was not gray or yellow nor was it filled with rows of seating. Actually, it was a Dodge Van 350 but in the eyes of a small girl and her two older brothers, it was a bus. He used that van …
Tenth Anniversary
The whole family shows up. The daughter with the curls, the son in the sweatpants, the wife with the thin hair and tired eyes, and his sister because she’s in town. They’re all there. The room smells like coffee and the air is thick and warm with a kind of love only those in the …
What you’ve kept
I kept the Ithaca College snapback you let me borrow. I asked if you wanted it back but you said no, I can have it. So I still have it. I’ve kept the poster of Jim Morrison. I’ve kept the shower ring we stole that I wore as a bracelet. I've kept the boxes and …
Describe your mother
If I were to describe my mom, I would probably say she is the best. And I wish I could give you a better description but that’s really all there is to it. She’s the best hugger, the best cuddler, the best chef, and the best inspiration. She has the best smile, the best laugh, …
642 Things to Write About 