Fran took
the Grind Café Writers’ Group “Free-write Challenge” at this year’s Summer
Dreams Literary Arts Festival at Trout Lake, Vancouver. The brave drew random
prompts then took a break from the fest to go sit under a tree, and let it rip
for 10 minutes without stopping in a free-write—and see what emerged. Braver
yet, they agreed to let us post their raw version. So remember, this is unedited,
unfinished output. Thanks to all participants.
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Prompt: Can you think of one area of your
life that you’d be willing to change by 10pm tonight? Write about that—what,
how and why that.
By
ten o’clock tonight I am willing to change. Tell me what you want me to change?
You don’t know me well enough. So your list would be small. Based on first
impressions. Perhaps you wish I was black and would sing Etta James out of this
park? Perhaps you would change me into the lover you just lost. The one you
never took to your secret places where you give yourself away—that you regret
now. You regret not being an open book. Perhaps you wish I would change my
attitude. Was I too cryptic—too wordy, too dark, too thin, too fat? Did I block
the sun or stand too deep in the shadows? Did I blurt out the truth, that I
miss you? That loneliness is my new best friend. That I let the moon travel
into my bedroom and touch my clothing and wear my face.
By
ten o’clock tonight I am willing to change even if you don’t. I will sing “At
Last” to the black president. I will move out of the shadows and give you
another chance—draw the curtain closed and listen for your coming up the
stairs.
©2013 Fran Bourassa
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