You were among the first I played that particular game with. We threw out the rule book handed to us by stern faced women in black robes and sought to prove how much we knew about the world, even though the category of indoor sports and leisure was a complete mystery to us both. Arguing over claiming a crucial slice of pie became too much, and we went on to other games. Years later, we showed off cars filled with pegs, happier for having traveled on our own roads. All the rancor of the parting was left behind on the highway; afternoons spent with you made me a better driver in the end. It's for the best it was temporary, but it never was trivial.
Pressed flowers won't bloom
again. Lovely in their time,
they are memories
sharing lessons to impart
wisdom with passage of time.
This poem was created for the prompt (created by me) at Imaginary Gardens With Real Toads:
It's All Fun and Games The games I worked with were Trivial Pursuit and Life.
Some friendships have such an intensity.... like falling in love I think...
ReplyDeleteIt's for the best it was temporary, but it never was trivial.
Things always feel very intense when one is young.
Delete"Pressed flowers won't bloom again" -- a melancholic truth indeed.
ReplyDeleteI was very happy with that line.
DeleteInteresting. Moods and tones
ReplyDeleteMuch🌼love
Thanks Gillena
DeleteAh yes! My sister used to love " Trivial Pursuit" and we would play for hours on end.
ReplyDeleteI was pretty good at that game, though like the protagonist in this piece, I was severely lacking knowledge in the sports category. :D
Deleteafternoons spent with you made me
ReplyDeletea better driver in the end. It's
for the best it was temporary
but it never was trivial
Isn't it great Rommy, to reminisce on the wonderful moments of old which turned out to be useful later in life!
Hank
Yes it is :)
DeleteSome memories stay with us forever and lessons learned as well. A thought provoking write :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks LC
DeleteI love the pie slice and the cars full of pegs. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, I was tickled by those particular bits of imagery too
DeleteMaking up your own rules is a way many games start for the young ones. Nice write for the prompt, Rommy. I always like to see how the prompter handles his or her own.
ReplyDelete..
To tell the truth, I had 0 idea what I was going to do with this prompt. It's been a hectic week dealing with kid stuff, especially college decision time for my son. I might have skipped it entirely, but I got an idea the morning of the prompt and fiddled with it until I came up with this.
DeleteLove this.Temporary...but never trivial.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it
DeleteGreat working towards that title - and the "pressed flowers" line is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI really liked that line too
DeleteThis is just incredibly well done, Rommy!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteSo beautiful, Rommy! Iconic in its evocative imagery, and so searing in its nostalgia!
ReplyDeleteThanks Frank!
DeleteLovely to have a friend to play all the good (if forbidden) games with.
ReplyDeleteI imagine so!
DeleteThe tanka is a jewel of a lesson. And the prose makes the former shine the brightest. I like that there is a bit of melancholy and nostalgia kissing what is no more, but... what promises to follow is so much better, and what was learned is pure treasure.
ReplyDeleteI love this.
I think there are lots of phases in life we can look back at and see how strongly the figured in the making of who we are now, and they are precious because of that, but they are also are so incongruous with the people we have become they look much nicer as memories.
Delete"Pressed flowers won't bloom again"
ReplyDelete- So true...may be they rebirth in some other form (I hope so) !
Well, I guess it all depends on the particular bloom.
DeleteI love the stanza about the pressed flowers!
ReplyDeleteI liked it too. :)
DeleteThis was great fun and I thought this was about Trivial Pursuit as you cleverly wove the clues....fabulous poem!
ReplyDeleteYay! Glad you enjoyed it
Delete" it was temporary, but it never was trivial." there is a love song here with that tremendous chorus
ReplyDelete"Pressed flowers won't bloom again. "
That is high praise. Thank you.
DeleteBrilliant
ReplyDeleteThanks Julian
DeleteThanks, a lovely reading.
ReplyDeleteZQ
Glad you liked it
DeleteI love the pressed flowers.
ReplyDeleteThat was a fun bit to come up with.
DeleteThis is wonderful writing. The backwards glance - that the pen allows us to take - from the perspective of eyes that are older and wiser ... that is the stuff of brilliant writing, when it is expressed as well as this. Your tanka captures that brilliantly.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I was able to express that feeling
DeleteLooking back in time at a wonderful friendship. I wonder if they still make them like this? A lovely write.
ReplyDeleteThanks Vivian
DeleteYes, good things may never repeat, but it's nice to remember them fondly.
ReplyDeleteIt is.
Deleteit was temporary, but it never was trivial.. oh I love that.. so much that happens that I struggle to describe..these are the perfect words!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Thotpurge!
DeleteWho has not broken somebody's heart only to break another themselves; well I must admit I have. I have tried to forget but now you remind me again and I weep.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of folly mixed in with the fun of youth.
DeleteI love the line about the pressed flowers!
ReplyDeleteThanks Toni!
DeleteThe games references were so perfect for the theme 😀
ReplyDeleteThanks C.
DeleteLoved this so much - I'm in a melancholy reverie thinking about the young man I left back in 1983 - he was a goddamned mess, but he had lots of love and no one to take it.
ReplyDeleteAh, I dated a few like that too.
Delete