Writing Prompts – OLD SCRATCH PRESS

The Value of Pen and Paper in a Digital Age

Published on November 1, 2026November 1, 2026 by Nadja Maril3 Comments

By Nadja Maril, a founding member of Old Scratch Press Short Form and Poetry Collective

Even before our worries that the postal system has been intentionally slowed—handicapped by poor leadership and management—there’s been a cultural divide about paper communication. For the past twenty years we have shifted to using computers and smart phones for emails and messaging. We have been told to stop using paper. Stop printing. Save a tree by using less paper. Store documents on the cloud, thus preserving valuable space and resources. Corporations have saved millions of dollars by training employees and clients to communicate digitally and to stop using paper. This has eliminated the need to mail out hard copies of bills, documents and reports.

Now citizens are concerned over the cost of energy and all the energy used by data centers. Maybe pen and paper isn’t such a bad thing.

A hand-written letter is a beautiful way to communicate. The choice of paper, the shape and placement of the words, the color of the ink, are all qualities that cannot be reproduced by a text or email. Just as we wouldn’t want to replace the sound of a person’s voice with a generated computer message, it would be sad to lose the ability to send someone a letter or card through the mail.

BOOK SALES STRONG

The crusade against paper and ink spread to the world of publishing. For several years I heard dire reports that it was only a matter of time before people stopped purchasing traditional books. It was predicted consumers would read only on digital devices or they’d listen to books on tape. Books would soon become extinct.

It’s entertaining to listen to a book read to me while I fold laundry or drive. Convenient to read stories on an electronic tablet. But nothing can replace the heft and weight of paper and the thrill of physically turning pages. Printed books still have their fans. In 2026 book sales are holding their own, hovering at approximately 762 million to over 3 billion total units across a combination of backlist and frontlist categories.

A phone call, a video chat, messaging and email help keep us connected, but a letter is something physical to hold and touch. If you haven’t sent a card or a letter in a while to someone you miss, maybe it’s time to give it a try. I keep a collection of cards inside my desk, along with a roll of stamps. I challenge myself to write something good when I press my pen down on the thick card paper.

WRITING ON PAPER

It’s tempting to always use a keyboard. If you don’t like the initial word choices you can easily erase them. But if you are writing creatively, it can be freeing not to edit, just to keep moving forward. Sometimes you discover things about yourself when you let your thoughts flow first and edit later.

Many writers complain about “Writer’s Block.” They become obsessed with perfection. Frozen by the need to edit each word they write nothing. Think of your initial sentences as warm-up exercises. Ultimately you may decide to delete them but the process of writing them down on paper helps you get to where you need to go.

Keep a notebook and use it. Expect that everything inside that notebook is a rough draft. Your words. Own them.

WRITING PROMPT

Photo by Luca Volpe Productions on Pexels.com

CHOOSE AN OBJECT IN THE ROOM. Write a story about that object, the very first thing that comes into your mind. The apple in the bowl is in love with the pear next to it. The story of how your favorite mug got its chip on the inside of the handle. USE PEN AND PAPER. After you write your initial draft then you can revise. Delete the words and sentences you wish. Focus on surprise, suspense, and description. Discard adverbs. Maybe you have created something good.

You have one week left to submit a piece of prose or poem under 500 words to Instant Noodles Literary Magazine https://instantnoodleslitmag.com/submission-guidelines/. For other submission opportunities, check out https://duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/opportunities/

Sign up to follow Old Scratch Press each time we post and follow us on Facebook. Don’t forget to buy those pads of paper, a spiral bound notebook works best, and thank you for reading!

P. S. It doesn’t matter whether you lean to the left or the right, reliable mail delivery is important. This election cycle, the mid-terms, more than 19 million Americans have returned mail ballots. More Americans than ever this year have taken advantage of Early Voting. If you are a U.S. Citizen , don’t forget to vote. The official voting day is November 3^rd. In my state of Maryland you can even use a paper ballot and mark it with a black pen!

Join the Masquerade! Writing Persona Poetry

Published on September 18, 2026September 17, 2026 by Beatriz F.Leave a comment

If you’ve never written a poem in any voice but your own, you might want to try writing a persona poem—it may lead you down unexplored paths of creativity!

The Academy of American Poets defines a persona poem thus:

“A persona poem is a poem in which the poet speaks through an assumed voice….Also known as a dramatic monologue, this poetic form shares many characteristics with a theatrical monologue: an audience is implied; there is no dialogue; and the poet takes on the voice of a character, a fictional identity, or a persona.”

The voice you adopt when you write a persona poem can be a fictional, imaginary or historical character, an animal, an inanimate object, a collective such as a country, or even an omniscient god-like voice. This is when the fun begins!

In “Richard the Lionheart’s Mummified Heart Examined,” a poem inspired by a true story and reprinted in my latest collection, Stone & Star: Poems in Voices Across Time, I alternately adopt the voice of the King’s Minstrel, the Royal surgeon, Richard I, his wife Berengaria of Navarre, the heart itself, and the forensic scientists who examined the heart in modern times. Needless to say, this was a fun poem to write and the voices seemed to meld seamlessly to tell the story.

In psychological terms, Jung described persona as a social mask that conceals “the true nature of the individual.” The term originates from the theater in ancient Greece where actual masks were worn by actors on stage to represent different points of view.

However, I find that writing persona poetry rather than concealing, frees the writer to reveal their subjective truths to the reader without the constraints of their own personality.

Writing persona poetry is the closest I will ever come to acting, and I find it incredibly liberating. I first found my own voice via persona poetry and it is still my favorite poetical form to use.

When writing as a historical character, I do some research and try to read letters written by that person if they are available, to pick up some of their personal vocabulary. The way they address and sign their letters, their general tone, their “voice” is usually apparent and I use that to guide my own writing of the poem.

Recently, my poem “Lafayette Gingerbread” was published in an anthology, Poets Respond to the American Revolution: The US250 Persona Poem Project by Highland Park Poetry, which was devoted entirely to persona poetry about U.S. history from 1765-1800, leading up the American Revolution.

We were asked to write from the point of view of fictional or historical persons, animals or objects: one poet wrote from the perspective of Brown Beauty, the horse Paul Revere rode, some wrote from the perspective of symbols such as the Tree of Liberty or the Liberty Bell.

When writing as a fictional character, I try to stay within the confines of the work they appeared in, and use vocabulary suited to the time period of the novel. I have fun imagining what some fictional characters would say, given a chance, especially when in the original work they were not given much dialogue. In this spirit, I’ve given voice to Weena, the Time Traveler’s mostly mute companion in H.G. Well’s The Time Machine, and Nova, the beautiful mute heroine in the original 1968 Planet of the Apes film.

I find most of the persona poems I write are emotional in nature, speaking from the heart in a more direct and universal way than I could write from my own limited experience. Some writers may feel uncomfortable putting words into another’s mouth, so to speak. Unlike novelists or playwrights, who regularly write dialogue for fictional and in some cases historical characters, poets are used to thinking of their writing as highly personal and not open to other’s voices. But isn’t most poetry persona poetry, in a way? Because whenever we write, we almost unconsciously adopt a persona, a writing voice, that is not our everyday voice, but which nonetheless reflects our authentic and true nature.

Beatriz F. Fernandez is a poet and short fiction writer. Join me for my November 1^st reading (along with Miguel Mitchell) as part of the Speculative Sunday Reading series! Presented and moderated by Akua Lezlie Hope. Readings are live on Zoom and tickets are free via the Eventbrite link.

Thank you for reading and please follow us here and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OLDSCRATCHPRESS/

Old Scratch Press’s latest publications: Old Scratch Press Catalog

Beguile

Published on August 8, 2026July 31, 2026 by diannePLeave a comment

beguile, verb, as in to fascinate.

to attract or delight as if by magic…

What have you been beguiled by?

The Struggle of Choosing the Perfect Title

Published on August 1, 2026July 28, 2026 by Nadja MarilLeave a comment

By Nadja Maril

A founding member of Old Scratch Press

A few years ago a short creative nonfiction essay of mine, titled “Lipstick” was published in Hare’s Paw Literary Journal. It took many attempts to find a home for this particular essay. On reflection, part of the difficulty was in deciding on an appropriate title.

In contemplating “writer’s notes” about this particular piece of writing, I remember thinking about how titles set up certain epectations.

During that lull, after I’ve sent out my work and for several months while waiting for a response, always there is self-doubt. Is the essay too short, too long. Did I mess up the tenses again. Is is too negative? Will readers find it disturbing? Will editors opposed to any type of make-up be turned off? Yes, a lot of weird thoughts were whirling around in my mind, and several of them centered on the title I’d chosen. I’d started to question my choice . Did I give I it the right title?

I felt I’d written something good. I’d workshopped it with some colleagues and received some positive feedback from editors who ”couldn’t find space for this particular piece in our upcoming issue, but please send us more work…” so I sensed I’d written something powerful, but had I chosen the right title?

Titles are hard. At least they are hard for me. I know they are important. As a former journalist, I know it is the headlines ie titles that people read first and maybe the only thing they read. Maybe if they see the title “lipstick,” I thought, they will literally think it is an essay about lipstick. Maybe I should have chosen a title that indicated it was about a fraught relationship between a mother and a daughter.

If a piece has been submitted to a magazine and it’s anonymously sitting in the slush pile, a reader/editor might barely read the work, if they decide they don’t like the title. After all, they’ve got a whole bunch of other stories waiting to be read. Maybe they shouldn’t even bother. Perhaps they are asking themselves, will this particular story interest me?

As a writer, not as an editor, I want my title to be appropriate. When I put on my editor’s hat, I’m thinking I want a title that will draw readers in and how does one do that?

As a writer, I try to draw on advice from other writers, who suggest choosing a poignant line from your piece and taking that line as your title, or as an alternative approach, selecting a moment that will evoke surprise as your title. For surprise I could have chosen, What I did when I Found Her on the Floor. For an evocative line I could have chosen, “The silence grows longer and longer.”

Often I start writing and I do not know what I’m truly writing about until my journey is coming to a close. Selecting a title can help me clarify what are the most important aspects ot the story.

I’m wondering whether this desire of mine to find the perfect title could be turned into a writing prompt. As the hot summer days seem longer forcing us to spend more time indoors and fellow writers are all looking for fresh approaches, here is an idea. Try writing your title first and specifically focus on a scene in the story that will create tension.

WRITING PROMPT: Think of a scene from your past, full of tension and conflict. Maybe it was the moment your boss handed you a pink slip or you were standing in the cafeteria line and realized you’d forgotten your voucher or wallet. What made this situation tense? How did you feel at the time? What were you thinking about? What were your physical responses?

You can do this with fictional characters and situations as well. The title, “The Moment My Boss Handed Me a Pink Slip” is obvious or maybe not. Perhaps the title will change depending on the actions that ensue. But it’s a beginning.

Picture the scene in your mind. Select a few important details that stand out. Try writing the same scene again for ten minutes with a different variation. Did you learn anything?

Thank you for reading and for your feedback. If you have a favorite technique for titling your work, please share. We’d love to post it.

Submissions are scurrently open for the final 2026 issue of Instant Noodles Literary Magazine. Check it out.https://duotrope.com/duosuma/submit/instant-noodles-O0jFm

What’s in a Title? Naming Your Poems Like It Matters

Published on July 18, 2026July 18, 2026 by Beatriz F.Leave a comment

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

~ Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, spoken by Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2

Today I am writing about a subject dear to my heart—choosing titles for poems.

The opportunity to name something you created should not be wasted. You’d think people would give this more attention than they actually do.

Back in the 80s, there was a best-selling book called The Name Game and its main premise was that your name was your destiny. If you wanted your child to be popular, excel in school and marry well, you had to be very careful what you named that little baby in the bassinet.

It would seem to follow that naming your poem merits some consideration as well!

To be clear, I’m no expert and I’m not denigrating any method you may be in the habit of using to choose your titles (or name your children!). But I have a keen interest in this subject and it seems to be a somewhat neglected area of discussion in poetry.

Just to see if maybe something on this subject was buried in books about writing poetry, I checked out a few classic poetry craft books: Ted Kooser’s The Poetry Home Repair Manual and Robert Pinsky’s Singing School. Kooser devotes a few pages to the subject. Pinsky mentions nothing about titles but does provide lots of examples of classic poem titles to peruse.

I then checked in the library catalog of a library of 2 million+ volumes, and only ONE book comes up under the LC classification subject heading: Titles of poems, it is a book called The Title to the Poem by Anne Ferry. She explores the subject in depth, asking questions like “Who gives the title? Who has the title? Who “says” the poem? Who “hears” the poem? What genre does the poem belong to? What is the poem “about”?” and considers the deeper aspects of titling poems: “There are complex relationships between what titles purport to tell and what they actually tell, and this is true not only of titles so worded that they demand interpretation, but also of those that appear straightforward.”

A title can anchor a poem in space and time, giving the reader some necessary context with which to begin reading and enjoying it. For example, a recent poem I wrote I entitled:

“Native, Antilles High School, Ft. Buchanan, Puerto Rico”

I could have just named it “Native” but the place and the time were very relevant to understanding the background of this poem, so the title’s subtitle in this case was very important.

Similarly, a poem entitled “An Evening Encounter at the Arecibo Observatory” gives the reader a lot of information, the time, the place, and the sense that this encounter is not going to be an ordinary one, given the nature of the place!

A title can lend specificity and a sense of fun at the same time:
For example, “At the Mayan Monkey Mijas Chocolate Factory” (and yes, this place really exists!)

First of all, how can you visit a place called the Mayan Monkey Mijas Chocolate Factory and NOT write a poem about it and use that name in the title?? However, I later thought I really should have called it “Touring the Mayan Monkey Mijas Chocolate Factory” and that would have conveyed even more relevant information because I was a tourist, not someone who worked there or a local who regularly visited, for example.
This title conveys a specific place (Mijas, Spain), history and culture (Mayan), fun (monkeys!) and sensory detail (the aroma of chocolate) and opens all sorts of questions in the reader’s mind, such as: What does a chocolate factory in Mijas have to do with Mayan monkeys?

Bridget Kriner’s article: Making It Work: Five Jobs for Poem Titles — The Poetry Lab helps you think about how to title your poem by thinking of what you want that title to bring to the poem.

“…titles are hard to get just right and do really important work–namely, a great title shows the reader how to read a poem.

A poem’s title is where the reader is introduced to a poet, an invitation from the poet into the depths of a poem’s magic. This is, essentially, the main job description of a title: to welcome its readers at the doorway of the poem and to draw them inside. However, the specific function titles perform can vary.”

In The Power of Titles: Strategies for Choosing the Right Title for Your Stories & Poetry, Emily Harstone makes a powerful argument against giving poems what she calls “placeholder” titles.

“As a poet, I haven’t always put as much emphasis on titles, but working
as a reader and then an editor for a literary journal really changed that
for me. When I was in that role I had to read about a thousand poems
over the period of two months. This is not an uncommon experience
for editors or readers.
I had to pick around ten poems out of all these poems to share with
others. But after reading so many they all started to merge together in
my mind. It didn’t help that a number of them had the same title.
Sometimes I’d try and remember a poem I liked, but then ended up not
finding it because while I remembered part of the poem I didn’t
remember the title.”

This problem would be exacerbated during the judging of a poetry contest, for example, and could keep your poem from winning an award! Imagine a judge reading dozens of poems called “A Dream” for example and trying to remember which one they liked best!

I think the approach of giving memorable titles to poems helped me when, after winning the 2nd annual Writer’s Digest poetry award with “Respiratory Tech at the Vietnam Memorial, 1989,” (which conveyed the speaker, place and time) I followed it up several years later with “The Menopausal Mermaid Takes Medical Advice” which came in at #36, I think. If you keep in mind that the first contest had ~4200 entries, and was only in its 2nd year, so the entries probably ballooned afterwards to even higher numbers, the importance of a memorable title becomes all the more obvious.

I think the saddest thing I see is “Untitled” as a title. I’m sure there are many brilliant poems by that title (though I can’t think of any off hand), and of course many poets just use the first line of their poem as a title, as per Emily Dickinson (but then again, most of her poems were not meant for publication.) But I feel like not giving your poem a title is a lost opportunity to engage with your reader on a different level.

Rodney Wood gives several techniques to find the right title for your poem: Why poem titles matter more than you might think | Write Out Loud

He does warn that any technique used too often can quickly become monotonous, though.

His final advice should resonate with any poet: “A title doesn’t have to be clever, poetic, or punchy — but it should be deliberate. It’s the invitation, the signpost, the spell. It’s the first poem the reader reads, even before the first line. So give your poems the names they deserve.”

Thank you for reading and please follow us here and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OLDSCRATCHPRESS/

Beatriz F. Fernandez is a Miami area poet and University Reference librarian. She is the author of three poetry chapbooks, the most recent of which is Simultaneous States (2025) by Bainbridge Island Press. In 2025, she became a member of the Old Scratch Press short form and poetry writing collective.

Her upcoming poetry book, Stone & Star: Poems in Voices Across Time will be published this fall by Old Scratch Press.

READ ONE OF OUR MEMBERS’ LATEST POETRY COLLECTION:

HOWLING INTO THE VOID

BY R. DAVID FULCHER

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How Weather Shapes Our Lives and Stories

Published on July 1, 2026July 1, 2026 by Nadja MarilLeave a comment

By Founding Collective Member Nadja Maril

In polite conversation, unlike politics and religion, the weather is a safe topic. Love that sunshine. Do you think it’s going to snow?

The weather, however, is anything but safe. It’s lack of consistency affects all of us in one way or another. We may think it’s going to be another hot humid summer, but an unexpected chill might ruin a farmer’s crops.

From a practical standpoint, the weather impacts the type of shelter we need, our household budget and our mode of transportation. It’s an indication of our moods. Whether we are suffering through a drought or an artic blast, the weather affects our daily lives.

In polite conversation, unlike politics and religion, the weather is a safe topic. Love that sunshine. Do you think it’s going to snow?

Weather Can Create Conflict and Provide Comfort

Setting, that catch all word for the description of where and when a story takes place, usually includes references to weather. A bright sun, the need for a warmer coat, parched grass are clues a writer might provide to set a scene. The mention of a light rain may seem small, but ultimately the rain in some way will impact at least one of the characters.

Depending on the narrative, a weather event may create the obstacle a character must overcome. Gale winds, high waves and rain cause a small vessel to sink and its passengers to fight for their lives. A tornado destroys someone’s home, causing them to seek shelter with family in another state and changes the trajectory of the protagonist’s future.

Last month I was reading a piece written by a writer friend and I was reminded that something as basic as a winter storm, can become a character. How strongly setting interacts with the various protagonists in a narrative is the writer’s choice. Anything—A animal, vegetable or mineral—can become a component of a well-crafted story.

Examples of the use of Weather in Narrative

A classic story I often think of as an example of weather as a character, is Jack London’s short story, ‘To Build a Fire,”

While many discussions of the story focus on the protagonist’s arrogance and his inability to fully comprehend his limitations, it is the cold weather that serves as his antagonist. The dog understands the situation, but must follow his master’s lead.

A reader unfamiliar with survival in extreme weather may assume the human will have the upper hand. Gradually as the story unfolds, the power of the artic is revealed.

In the twenty-first century, humans are faced with new challenges. Survival on a rapidly warming planet is the subject of climate fiction titles that include Ministry of the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson, and Weather by Jenny Offill. Weather has inspired many best-selling novels.

But maybe as a writer you’d like to start small. A piece of flash fiction, where the weather plays a strong role in the storyline, can make for a compelling read.

Most likely, if you’ve been writing for a while, you already think about setting, tone and mood when you begin writing a scene. I used to participate in theater productions both onstage and backstage. I remember the director choosing different lighting combinations, using colored gels to cover the spotlights, to emphasize the emotional tone of a scene. Yellow and orange were associated with warmth and happiness while the color green denotes nature and serenity. Red might be used to amplify the intensity of a fight scene.

WRITING PROMPT:

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

Imagine a day in someone’s life. What kind of day is it? What color would you associate with this day? Imagine the weather and focus on one part of the day. Perhaps it is the morning of a warm summer’s day, a day that heat and humidity will build in intensity, lightening will flash, thunder will sound and a heavy rain will follow. What role does this thunderstorm play in your story?

Imagine a different kind of day, a brisk but sunny day. Maybe the main character has been too cold to leave their home, but the beauty of the day entices them to step outside.

Or take the concept of “To Build a Fire” but substitute the fire with something else. Maybe the protagonist is trying to set up a tent but the wind is blowing too hard. Or inspired by the summer conditions in europe write about an individual without air-conditioning trying to survive in extreme heat. Create a weather-related challenge and see if the protagonist can solve the problem.

Writers if you have a story you are working on, read it with a particular thought towards how the environment in your setting helps convey the mood. I close with a link to a story I wrote a few years ago called “Winter Solstice” on page 8 of the pdf. Courtesy of Atlantic Northeast Magazine. I chose the setting of a small cabin on a Maine lake in winter to emphasize the chill and isolation felt by the protagonist who is valiantly trying to buoy his spirits. Weather is a useful tool. Use it wisely.

Thank you for reading and feel free to share your comments and any questions. Don’t forget to follow Old Scratch Press on Facebook. Every few days we post blogs and share writing news. You can learn about all the wonderful little books we’ve published here.

If you enjoyed this post and want to support my writing, consider purchasing my little chapbook filled with short essays and poems, RECIPES FROM MY GARDEN and check out some of my other books. Thanks again.

https://www.amazon.com/Recipes-My-Garden-Memoir-Poetry/dp/1957224347/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Friendly Reminder: This Is Today.

Published on June 13, 2026June 3, 2026 by diannePLeave a comment

I can help you submit! Submit!

You know that story you’ve been meaning to write? The poem sitting in your notebook? The idea you’ve been carrying around for three weeks while telling yourself you’ll get to it “soon”?

Well, this is your official notice. “Soon” is today.

The Instant Noodles Lit Mag Al Dente Writing Workshop with Robert Fleming takes place today at 5 PM Eastern (2 PM Pacific), and we’d love to see you there.

Whether you’re a writer, poet, artist, or creative dabbler who occasionally stares out a window pretending to work, this free online workshop is designed to help spark ideas, answer questions about submissions, and get you thinking about our upcoming Al Dente issue.

No fancy credentials required. No publication history required. No secret literary handshake required.

Just bring yourself, your curiosity, and whatever creative project has been lurking in the back of your mind.

Seats are limited, and once the workshop starts, you’ll have to live with the knowledge that everyone else is talking about writing while you’re reorganizing a drawer or scrolling social media.

We’ll save you a seat:

Join the Free Workshop!

Published on June 11, 2026June 3, 2026 by diannePLeave a comment

Thinking about submitting to the upcoming Instant Noodles Lit Mag issue, Al Dente?

Before you hit “send,” join Editor Robert Fleming for a free online workshop on Saturday, June 13, at 5 PM Eastern (2 PM Pacific).

This informal session is designed for writers, poets, and artists who want to learn more about the theme, explore ideas, and discover what kinds of work might be a good fit for the issue.

Literary magazines can sometimes feel intimidating from the outside. This workshop is an opportunity to ask questions, generate new material, and connect with fellow creatives in a welcoming environment.

Whether you already have a submission in progress or are still waiting for inspiration to strike, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and a better understanding of where your work might fit.

Attendance is free, but seating is limited.

Reserve your spot today and help us make the next issue of Instant Noodles Lit Mag something special.

Got Writer’s Block? Bring It to Robert.

Published on June 4, 2026June 9, 2026 by diannePLeave a comment

Every issue of Instant Noodles Lit Mag starts somewhere.

A line scribbled in a notebook. A strange image that won’t leave you alone. A poem that refuses to behave. A story that exists everywhere except on the page.

If you’ve been looking for a reason to finally sit down and create something, consider this your invitation.

On Saturday, June 13, at 5 PM Eastern (2 PM Pacific), Instant Noodles Lit Mag Editor Robert Fleming will host a free online Al Dente Writing Workshop designed to help writers, poets, and artists generate ideas, get inspired, and learn more about submitting to our upcoming issue, Al Dente.

Whether you’re a seasoned contributor or someone who’s never submitted a piece before, you’re welcome to join us.

The workshop is free, but space is limited.

Bring your imagination. We’ll provide the noodles.

Embracing Nature’s Beauty: A Morning Reflection

Published on April 1, 2026April 29, 2026 by Nadja Maril1 Comment

by Nadja Maril, a founding member of Old Scratch Press Collective

What a sight on a damp misty morning, a robin perched on a street sign preening its feathers. The orange red of its breast feathers contrasting sharply with the bright green and white lettered sign.

My cell phone was in my back pocket, but I didn’t snap a photo. I watched the bird fly away and listened to the other birds around me. The neighborhood was just beginning to awake. Down the road I spied a few dog-walkers taking advantage of the early hour temperatures.

A plump brown bunny nibbled on clover. I decided to take his photograph, but he didn’t pose for long and took refuge in a flower bed. My gaze shifted to the colors of all those flowers: purple, pink, yellow, blue and red.

The current “tropical rain forest” weather hovering over our region has been a boon to gardeners. Blossoms are lush. It’s been a boon to weeds too, but it’s too early in the morning for me to think about that.

It’s the first day of April and the start of National Poetry Month. I get inspired by nature: birds, new buds, bunny sightings. Other writers are inspired by the hum of machines or the echo of human voices. Whatever gets your mind engaged in the world around you, write it down.

Focusing on the Moment

I’m focusing on the present moment, a difficult task. My mind tends to jump forwards and backwards. I worry about what I need to do and replay what I might have done wrong. I recall happy memories and then remind myself the past is over and if I stay there too long, I’ll miss what is happening in the present.

This balance between present, past, and future is an interesting dilemma. Particularly because all is open to interpretation. What we remember as the past, is most likely different from our neighbor’s recollection. What we prioritize for the future is usually different too.

Politically, socially, environmentally our planet is at a crossroads. Some of us are just struggling to survive. Others of us want to change things for the better, but it can be a challenge to figure out how.

I read and listen to media reports, and hear different versions of the same event. I’ve heard the term “fake news” repeatedly bandied about. I hear leaders speaking outright lies. I hear people being described in ways designed to incite violence and hatred.

Overwhelmed by all the negativity I tune out.

Change happens slowly, in small incremental ways, I remind myself. Small acts of courage. Small acts of kindness. The arts, the federal funding of which is currently under attack, is a way to share beauty and foster connection. Arts in education provides paths for children to develop alternative learning styles that can deepen comprehension. Whether you volunteer your time, donate money, or support the arts by buying a ticket to a museum or a play; you’re doing something positive.

Writers are witnesses. Documenting the good and the beauty you observe is an important job alongside the documentation of injustice and cruelty. Writing a short fable can be one way to start. Remember Aesop’s Fables?

Aesop is thought to have been a storyteller, and possibly a slave, who lived in Greece between 620 and 564 B.C. Translated from Greek and Latin, and available in versions for adults and children online and in print, I share below one of my favorites.

The Bundle of Sticks

A certain Father had a family of Sons, who were forever quarreling among themselves. No words he could say did the least good, so he cast about in his mind for some very striking example that should make them see that discord would lead them to misfortune.

One day when the quarreling had been much more violent than usual and each of the Sons was moping in a surly manner, he asked one of them to bring him a bundle of sticks. Then handing the bundle to each of his Sons in turn he told them to try to break it. But although each one tried his best, none was able to do so.

The Father then untied the bundle and gave the sticks to his Sons to break one by one. This they did very easily.

“My Sons,” said the Father, “do you not see how certain it is that if you agree with each other and help each other, it will be impossible for your enemies to injure you? But if you are divided among yourselves, you will be no stronger than a single stick in that bundle.”

In unity is strength.

WRITING PROMPT: Can you write your own modern-day fable? Whether you use animals, plants, or people, think of something simple you observed that taught you a lesson. Brief and to the point, maybe your fable is a piece of flash fiction. Set it aside and read it again out loud two days from now. If you think it is good, share it. Maybe sharing means posting it online yourself, printing it out and sending it to friends by “snail mail,” or perhaps sending it to a literary magazine. Check out Instant Noodles Literary Review. Our current theme for submissions is Al Dente. For more information click here.

Thank you for reading.

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Nadja Maril is an award winning writer and poet who has been published in dozens of online and print literary journals and anthologies including: Lunch Ticket, Spry Literary Journal, Invisible City Literary Review, Instant Noodles and The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. She is the author of Recipes From My Garden, published by Old Scratch Press (September 2024), a Midwest Review California Book Watch Reviewer’s Choice. An Anne Arundel County Arts Council Literary Arts Award winner, her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and The Best of the Net. She has an MFA in creative writing from Stonecoast at USM.

Check out Nadja’s chapbook below and here.