Merlin

~ Kelvin M. Knight's blog

Photo prompt © Jan Wisoff-Fields

MERLIN

by

Kelvin M. Knight

There is a calmness here I cannot find anywhere else. When those behind me are losing their heads, leaves cover mine. Fronds cover my body, too: peaceful patterns of crimson and gold stroking me as I welcome this mulch’s maternal embrace.

I feel tree roots beneath me, still as stone. I feel worms squirming around them, boldness without bones. I sense birds above me, robins, their red breasts singing, their tiny wings pinging, from branch to branch.

These trees, yawning and stretching for hibernation, inside of me.

I am

will be

forever

the bark

and flesh

slumbering

within this magic.

(100 words)

Thank you to everyone for joining in this week (25/08/17), and reading each other’s stories. You don’t have to be a Friday Fictioneer to read our stories so please don’t be shy, there is a mix of styles and storylines all inspired by the same photo.

Thanks, as ever, to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers so congenially.

Published by Kelvin M. Knight's blog

I am a reader, a listener, a writer. I love helping people. I love storytelling... story showing. I love cycling, too.

46 thoughts on “Merlin”

  5. “peaceful patterns of crimson and gold stroking me as I welcome this mulch’s maternal embrace.” Gorgeous rhythm in this line. The entire piece has a calmness that makes me want to go out in my yard, which is surrounded by trees and ferns, lie down in the mulch, listen to the birds and sleep.

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  7. This is the first time that I knew who it was without looking at the title (which I usually only do at the end). Halfway through, I thought, this is magical, almost like Merlin banned underground by Nimue. And there you go… magical writing. I didn’t know about the beheading either, and much prefer the other legend.

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  8. Dear Kelvin,

    There’s a sweet peace about this piece. I knew nothing of Merlin’s beheading until I read the comments. At any rate, I enjoyed the writing…lyrical as others have said. Poetic.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Thanks, Lynn. I was certainly at peace when I wrote it. I don’t know where it came from. The tent reminded me of tents, the fairy lights magic… where Merlin came from… I was just feeling incredibly peaceful this morning when the words flowed. 😌

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  13. That’s really good, Kelvin. It’s a beautiful evocation of what Merlin’s enchantment might have felt like. I love the nod in your second sentence in the direction of another tradition about Merlin’s end, that he angers Arthur to the point where Arthur has him beheaded.

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