I came to Prose to write.

I stay for

the community

I have found,

dare I say,

the friends,

for the writers

who move me

to laughter

and tears,

who inspire me,

make me think,

and feel,

who,

through their

words,

their characters,

the worlds

they imagine

and the

world they inhabit,

let me

SEE them.

I stay

to bear witness

to the tales woven by

gifted storytellers

like

@Huckleberry_Hoo,

@rlove327

and

@SamWebster

whose every next

story

I await with bated breath;

to wordsmiths like

@Mazzmyrrheyes

whose masterpieces

of lyrical poetry

should be mandatory reading,

her work is a treasure,

with every poem

a gem;

I am thankful to have

the ever witty poetry of

@EstherFlowers1

to keep me laughing

or crying

always thinking;

so too,

the rhythmic rhyming

of @fudo who

also tells a great story

(but keeps deleting them);

I stay for the stories

essays

poems

of @BonnieBoo,

@TW, and @finder,

the gutwrenching

pieces

of @undermeyou;

@anarosewoood and

@sandflea68's

poetic flair;

for

@WhiteWolfe32,

a talented storyteller

whose poetry

makes me bleed,

and the prolific

and kind

@Mnezz.

And for

all those

I haven't named

but who have

enriched my life

by sharing

a little of

themselves

here....

It was a

very lucky day

the day

I found

Prose.

dear prosers, proseters, prosettes, proseteronõs and prose-gentlemen and prose-ladies, boys and girls and other animals. i have lately not taken part in much that was going on in this glorious , creative, fruitful and supportive assortment of brilliant artists and wordsmiths that have graced the scroll of this wonderous yet quirky website. SHAME ON ME!!!

i neglected much of what went on here, and allowed so much of the remarkable work that was created here to slip by my awarness. it is certainly not because it did not matter! so much of what is written here is enthralling, enriching, edifying and empowering. it is a shame of insurmountable magnitude that i was not able to keep up with all that was written here, poem essay or prose.. i know that i need make no explanations, and shall never make excuses (never to friends) , but feel that i must, as that i received so much encouragement from you , my friends and feel that i gave so little in return. truly this is a real mark of deep friendship and love; an unquestioning , unwavering support, while anticipating none in return. such are my friends here. and i am such an ALIEN, to only think of this in these terms and not enough in terms of the creative splendor shown in this website. perhaps the problem with being in such proximity and overlap between personal need for exchange and the greater need to simply appreciate the marvel of the work here is such that a period of absence has driven me to such distress. i hope it will pass and that i shall once again regain my objectivity and enjoy enough spare time to involve myself in this fantastic group of people and appreciate their work.

but lets get mushy, shall we? i intended to name this article 'lumps of sugar', were i referance something that @estherflowers1 wrote.

the lumps of sugar were suposed to represent outstanding writers that i know and enjoy in this website. it's a crude metaphor and a terrible way to express my appreciation and admiration to my fellow Theprosedotcomniks who are truly great writers. this falls apart though, because how could i name some as lumps of sugar. what would it make the rest?

perhaps strategically placed honey? or jam? (yes! jam in tea! try it!!) . maybe pastries?

enough! we don't need this dribble! everyone here, even the occasional robots that comment randomly, is amazing.

here are artists that are commendable . i want to point out that in no way are they alone . i just happen to know and love their work , in this magnificent league of giants.

@estherflowers1 is one of the very first prosepeople whom i have had the audacity and temerity to share articles with here. i admire her poems greatly. her style can be zany at times, but it never wants for depth, joy, wit, brilliance and innovation. she occasionally tries writing longer texts, and they are fantastic and if you manage to get an argument with her you are in for a treat. i will never agree with her attraction to star trek or Dr. Who, but it is the best sparring one could ever get. (i am hopeful she will start an an argument after reading this..). of course few people are as encouraging of works published here. i have a suspicion that she enjoyes writing words of encouragment as another way to tease her vast expressive range.

@finder has been guiding people here on prose for as long as i have been here. she has periods of remarkable productivity, where she writes amazing stories or poems, and other times she is less present. i think these phases indicate great transitions in her life and fuel her writing with powerful , very emotional experiences. moreover i think finder is one of the most supportive of new members of this site. her encouragement is something i always appreciate and cherish.

@huckleberry_hoo is so funny and i enjoy reading both his stories and essays. his intellect is fierce and its amazing to see how he picks apart ideas and carries them on.

it's just fun to read his opinions and his participation in the philosophy prompts is cruicial to the success of our inquiry.

i wonder how he'll react to the whole lump -of-sugar thing...

@fudo is ahead of his time. his ideas and humor are inspiring and he is so very supportive of other writers . it's hard to keep up with this guy; we get a fleeting glimpse of articles and stories he writes. the way my work with the cannibals is, i get reading in stolen moments between my lessons. i do not know why he deletes his work and it is sad, because i must have missed so much. please do not delete....

i think all will agree with me that @uschibear makes amazing challenges and posts. she is remarkable in her writing and is so supportive of other members.

I shall not dare forgetting @whitewolfe32, @danceinsilence , @handsoffire @sharondabriggs, @mnezz @bonnieboo @tooldtocare @rlove372 @dctezcan @ramonlcamino @jimlamb @valiantraptor47 @ceh4255 @eugenpetrascu @thewolfeden @bogdan_dragos @undermeyou @tw @lexicon and @sandflea68

so to all who are joining i just want to sttngthen your hands. you came to the right place if you want to improve your writing, get positive criticism , and read the phenomenal work done by this varied group. participate in challenges as you see fit, or create your own posts in freedom. you will find much encouragment and growth here.

I feel I have done this before, but it somehow seems necessary. I will try to do it a bit differently.

I am Chuck, a long-time Proser (I am here because my wife liked my writing and encouraged me to find a way to share). I have included links to some seemingly ancient posts that tell about my introduction to theProse site. The first link was written soon after my initiation to Prose. The next was on why I decided to stay at Prose rather than continuing to write on some other sites I was also experimenting with at the time. The last one is years later, and is a fun description of how I felt mentally after trying to answer at least one ”Prose Challenge” a day over a prolonged period of time (my writing brain was in a wrung-out place). You may find the links interesting, you may skip them altogether, or you may even go watch television instead of reading any of this - no matter - lucky it is for you that I exist here entirely for your whim.

https://theprose.com/post/252367/prose

After three years I still feel very similarly to how I felt when I wrote that. Three years? The time stamp on the post states, “January 19, 2019.” I feel like it was longer ago than that? Surely I have been around longer than that? Could it be that I edited it on 1/19/’19 (back when you could still do that? Jeez, how I wish you still could… edit, that is.)? It must be that, but regardless…

My friend, mentor, and Prose conscience, dctezcan was kind enough to hit “like” on that long ago post. I don’t believe that anyone else who did so is still around? Or at least active. Good writer’s gone, they. Or if they are still around I don’t see their posts as often as I would like, and I miss them for it. That is what Prose seems to be to me now; comings and goings, which is unfortunate for me, as mine is an old soul that craves stability. This particular “Challenge” (or “Vehicle”) that was scatter-shotted out as an e-mail has proven effective at drawing back some familiar names and voices. I like that. Do it some more, Prose! Perhaps some of them will read a few lines for nostalgia’s sake and decide to stick around, maybe even post a poem or two? Once a writer, always a writer! But as with any business it is the relationships that keep people coming back, so go ahead and reach out. No need to break shy on us now.

https://theprose.com/post/254778/an-old-prose

I have been around far too long to list all the writer’s I enjoy on the site. It would only water them down to try. Besides, I have not kept record and would surely leave off some wonderful people and writers, but I will do this, as recognition can be motivational and inspirational when applied sparingly, and when given for a specific behavior, so I will offer a short list in hopes of retaining some talent to my third home (family, work, Prose):

I was drawn into Prose by Mazzmyrrheyes, Undermeyou and tornesornerob. They transported me to different places and feelings with their words. Theses writers baited the hooks that pulled me into the boat. I thank them for that, even as it may cause some to revile them ;).

I love the relationship dctezcan and I have built over the years. “The lovely-talented-kind-and intelligent” dctezcan. A friend who is single-handedly showing the Prose world that admirable adjectives in front of a name beat-tar out of pronouns.

I have remained here in large part for Posey’s poetry, and EstherFlower’s rhymes. The two of them generally invoke differing emotions, one dark, one light, but they always invoke something.

I look forward to stories by rlove327, Mfrobs, and SamWebster... they who understand that if you care about what you write, you must care about how you write it.

Prose would not be the same without Mnezz, Thereisnospoon, Finder and fudo. What a presence they add to the site.

I am glad that excellent writers like TW, KMCassidy, and that long gone girl whose username I can’t remember, but who changed her profile picture weekly to feature a new bikini… yikes! Those of you who have been around awhile will likely remember the one I mean. Anyways, we do not always align ideologically, but I truly appreciate their talented writings (Prose can always use more of that) that force me to reconsider my mule-headed positions.

https://theprose.com/post/366881/hidden-gems

I miss the Prose Challenges of the week and month, but I can do without all the serial killer themes (I greatly enjoyed the Fantasy challenge, as it left tons of room to wander around in creatively, so more like that please). For me, prize money is unnecessary. The opportunity to get the attention of other talented writer’s is plenty payment enough.

If you made it through to the end, thank you. If not… yea, I can see why, but regardless… I hope to see you around!

Where to start? Where to end.

There are so many great writers here and I have had the pleasure of working with many of them over the last two years on collaborative novels.

sandflea68: She was the first person to ever comment on my work. Already an accomplished author, she writes with such immense magnitude, you find yourself unable to pull away.

anarosewood: Highly evocative writing that pulls you into her corner of the universe. Prose or story, her work pulls you in, where you don't want to leave.

Clarity: How one so young can write like a seasoned professional and has such a unique way of delivering her characters and scenes that draw you in from start to finish.

SharondaBriggs: Such a big heart she has, and her openness and honesty reflect in her words.

WhiteWolfe32: Young, talented and every bit as prolific a writer as I am. His style can be seen as eclectic and transformative in style.

EstherFlowers1: She is a humorist with a serious attitude. Oxymoron perhaps? She takes on a challenge and gives everything she has.

CalebPinnow: With an inventive mind and energy to spare, he writes in such a fashion you believe his words to be fact and draws you in.

Chacko_Stephen: A young man that has a friendliness toward anyone he comes across and this shows in his words. His wit as well as his serious side shines like the sun never setting.

Roses311Sublime: A religious man with a dark side ... LOL. He loves to try new things from doing voiceovers, to poetry to short stories. He does this I believe to challenge himself with the idiom, "I think I can. I think I can." And when he has, he ends with, "I knew I could."

Samina: Three years ago, or thereabouts, she was a somewhat shy girl getting her feet wet here. Since then, she has gone into graphic design work, creating a group called Inertia Teens for teens who need to talk about issues that are important, and she has her own YouTube channel, but it was Prose, and the support she received here that gave her the courage to expand herself and her writing.

Harry_Situation: He keeps us informed on new films, creates all sorts of challenges throughout the year. In doing so, he helps writers by raising the bar.

Undermeyou: Evocative are her words and they speak truth and a deep-rooted emotion.

Mnezz: Another young, talented writer with a heart of gold. I have found her to always being the first one to make a comment on someone's post.

slnmten: Another accomplished author of poetry who writes deeply and causes you to question what is going around not just in your life but the world as well.

There are others as well that need at least a mention: batmaninwuhan, rlove327, Uschibear, fudo, and HandsOnFire. Each in their own right, write to entertain and at times, have us question our own motives.

And this is where I end. but they do not. They will continue to write, to entertain, to grab the heartstrings of our being.

Prose ... count your blessings you have people like these here.

I close this with something I posted last September.

When The Right Write Is Writ

Ramble I will with words far and near,

setting the tone, page by page,

stopping long enough

to enjoy a glass of beer.

Late into the night,

phalanges do fly,

clacking away at letters,

getting each word right.

Add-delete-add-add-add ...

delete-delete-delete,

a never-ending process,

until finished, it looks like a mess.

Hour upon hour,

day after day,

a paragraph here,

a chapter there.

Days, weeks, even months

travel past my thoughts,

until that singular moment rises up,

and the write has been writ.

No one else may know but you,

that giddy feeling that crawls through your being,

knowing you have reached deep down

and pulled from your soul ... perfection as you see it.

800,000 words.

5,000 ideas.

300 people.

They now sit on a shelf awaiting you to read.

I think another beer is in order.

A writer new to me has held me captive most recently with a spillage of ugly truths from the shadow side of humanity. His words are hard to swallow the possibility of, which is the hook that sunk me. A great writer delves into the human psyche to dig up and reveal bits of ourselves so that we can see our Reality. However twisted it may be, if it strikes a chord, the author has fulfilled his purpose. To connect. So often, words are careful, subjects avoided, or only vaguely referred to. Not with this writer. He is brave. No, courageous. Bogdan Dragos. Check him out.

I am not going to tip toe around this. BonnieBoo's titles have to be some of the most ordinary, clichéd, and familiar phrases around. They grab your taste buds like chicken noodle soup, a hot dog, or a banana. Most people crave them at least some of the time. Inside the prose though, you get a lifetime supply of gourmet meals of your choice. BonnieBoo draws me in and fools me every time.

Hello my pen name is FreshwaterFish

I am not a dish

But I can tell you this

Prose ain’t no swish swish b#%?!

I am not a daily visitor of Prose

That said these are the names that I chose

Finder and Misplaced_Pen

In Finder you will definitely find something

That gives you a zing

The eyes don’t see it but

The brain keeps going ding ding ding

Well in Misplaced_Pen

Welcome to the lions’ den

You don’t know what you will find

A bar ,a rhyme or just grime

So readers viewers whomever you are

I am FreshwaterFish

And my pen is my shooting star.

A narrow staircase leads us to a second-floor studio. We squeeze ourselves into the back as the instructor begins the warm-up.

I sway with the night air as it hangs in the few spaces between us. Our collective movements are clunky. High on excitement and nerves, I eagerly follow the steps. We form a circle. The instructor partners us up with a stranger.

"Welcome to Salsa Speed Dating!!" she shouts over the hum of forced greetings.

Boyfriend shoots me a look, "WHAT?! We're at a speed dating salsa class?!"

Bemused and shocked, I smile and say, "I guess so!"

A personality prone to tantrums, and a disorder that causes his hands and feet to sweat profusely, especially under stress, are culprits of the boyfriend's disproportionate reaction. Displeased with the unexpected plot twist, he and his clammy hands spitefully drift away from me as the music picks up.

I giggle at the hilarity of this rom-com-worthy moment. On-screen, it's predictable; a woman attends a dance class with a crotchety boyfriend, and the dance class turns into a salsa speed dating whirlwind. A few partners in, she finds true love's spark in someone else.

Not my luck.

With my comfort zone gone and awkward small talk in its place, I give myself to the moment. The circle undulates. We switch partners every two minutes. The boyfriend's head is on a swivel, throwing dirty looks my way; I'm sorry for his partner.

I return to the task at hand; I will have to summarize this experience for my summer college course. I know the strangers becoming intimate dance partners will take it to the next level.

Boyfriend takes himself out of the rotation. I stay put.

I'm many poor choices away from my rom-com moment.

Hey friends! I’m fairly new to this community and I have to say that I’m digging the whole sort of secludedness of it. I really haven’t browsed too much yet but have read some stuff from @uschibear that I’ve really liked so far! To be honest I’ve been so out of practice with making any sort of art lately, I’m really hoping to just ignite my spark again and be me. I like To write mainly poetry but also short fiction as well.

So wish me luck and see you on the other side.

Xo

There’s a story in the New Testament Jesus tells of the prodigal son. It’s about a man who after squandering an inheritance and wasting a portion of his life returns home to his father and is forgiven.

In short it’s about a man who leaves home to search for home, only to find in his experience the stuff of whale bellies and darkness, before finally returning where he belongs.

***

I used to write here on Prose pretty regularly under the username of Mfrobs. Why I’m back with a new name I don’t truly understand myself. I wanted a fresh start, or a clean slate for some reason although I cannot fully identify that reason.

I haven’t written anything going on two years now. I tried to put out my stories into the world of pristine literary magazines and it turned out to be a waters so deep whales swallowed me whole. I’ve learned I am not the writer I’ve always believed myself to be. This acceptance of information initially gave me an awful Blues from which I thought I’d never recover.

I am hoping that my return home means I’ll write again. I’m excited to write again for the first time in a long time. I remember that same stroke of electricity when I first came to Prose a couple of years ago before I left for deep waters I reckoned were greener pastures.

I believe Prose to be a home for the record of my prose, like a catalog of stories. Like a one man literary magazine of sorts.

It’s an act of joy, an act of creation and should be treated as such. I don’t have to make a living from it as I always dreamed it, I just have to do it so long as I’m living.

So I am back as the writer formerly known Mfrobs. Now as LeotieReview.

There are some writers on here who in my year-and-a-half or-so of absence never escaped my mind.

***

Rlove327 is a professional. Plain and simple. When you read his work, you can tell he’s polished and published. You can trust him as a reader, meaning wherever the narrative goes, no matter what, there’s a great reward. It’s a simple concept and rare quality.

What’s maybe more than this is his determination for encouragement.

He was the first to comment on one of my stories.

The first time Southern Icon of a writer Barry Hannah read Flannery O’Connor, he was immersed in her abilities to deliver grotesque imagery with such power and grace.

I felt the exact same when I delved into the stories of BonnieBoo. She can do it all. From highly technical prose to the trashiest of narrators, she always swings for the heart and always lands.

It’s a cliche but has never been truer than when speaking of Huckleberry_Hoo that he is the last of a dying breed. He writes with a Mississippi mud and gritty punch that I strive often to do myself and fail just as often. He makes it look easy.

KMCassidy is a common soul, like a long lost sister. I always look forward to her posts because they stir the soul and expand the mind. She is unafraid to speak her truth and always does it with grace. She inspires any who read her.

There are many more writers on here I know that I’m missing and I could delve deeper in describing each of the ones I’ve mentioned, but it is enough for now to honor those who I’d say are the reason I could not stay away forever.

Wherever I stray I reckon my home will always be here at Prose. It gives me that fantastic energy so necessary or vital for a writer, that you can write anything, that anything is possible, if only ever-so-briefly, in that moment of the act of writing, that feeling of the world being released from the weight of your shoulders and being slid down into the weight of your palm.