Triumpant

by
Michelle Dennis Evans

Fearlessly flying




Freedom flourishing



Boasting and cheering



It’s done, complete



The winner you meet



It’s all because of defeat



The high mountain



The ridge sharp



Balance required



The prize of great worth



Taken



Triumphant

Wisdom Filled

by
Michelle Dennis Evans

Shimmering in the winter sun




Silver haired



Wise and frail



Able to move fingers still



Sewing precious treasures



Cross stitch, running stitch



Sweet embroidered beauties



Ready to mark the pages



Of books still yet to read



Faces familiar



Friendly family



The joyful life



Know soon



The end is near



A memory



Left for all



Enchanted



Endearing

2nd place winner for June's Pic 1 K....

...is Michelle Dennis Evans with her story BUILDING.

Besides the picture, what was the inspiration for the story?

Wow, there were so many things that inspired this story. One was that my husband and I just annulled a business agreement with a partner. Another piece of inspiration was that my brother has taken over a family business but still has our father and uncle working with him. So I have been thinking about businesses that work and businesses that fail and all the businesses in between.

How long did it take you to write?

I wrote it over two sessions. I wasn’t happy with the flow so I had to leave it for a few days and re-write parts. It would have taken around one to one and a half hours all up.


What's your favorite food?

Chocolate!


Where can Soft Whispers readers find you on the internet?

 (site, Twitter, etc.) Ah haaa free promotion – Love it! Readers can find me on Twitter @MichelleDEvans , Facebook @ Michelle Dennis Evans and my blog is http://michelledevans.blogspot.com



Where else have you been published?

So far I’ve been published in, 12 Days of Christmas Anthology, Eclectic Flash and Write Online. I’m soon to be published in, The best of Friday Flash 2009 Anthology and Daily Flash: 365 Days of Flash Fiction.



What's your favorite song?

I listen to a lot of music and I love love love heaps of songs but can’t think of one that stands out as a favourite.


What are you plans for 2010?
 
In January I declared that this was the year of getting published. Now that I have been published, I hope to get paid for what I love to do. Outside of my writing my husband and I are just setting up our new Real Estate business ‘Finesse’ Of course we expect nothing but success for the rest of the year.
 
How about a little teaser of the story?
 
Des, do you remember when we were in the building phase?' Joe asked. 'And we thought nothing would come in our way, and we were as tall in chest as anyone had ever seen.'



'Sure, I remember,' said Des, 'some 40 years ago now.'

Read the rest of Michelle's winning story in the FREE Issue Six of Soft Whispers - check it out!

Rested

by
Michelle Dennis Evans

Ready to go




No weary no lack



Energy to burn



Exhilarating adventure



Willing to launch



Focus renewed



Freedom found



Soul



Mind



Body



Filled and refuelled



Ready to run



Rested in Him



Rested and ready

Plain

by
Michelle Dennis Evans

Simple


Soft

Supple

Belittled

Unknown

Lacking lustre

Lack of beauty

Lack of charisma

Lacking in love

Neat but dull

Empty and closed

No sparkle

No smile

No shine

Plain

The Beauty of a Rainbow

by Michelle Dennis Evans Have you ever stopped to ponder? On the beauty of a rainbow Have you ever found your way? On the he path to that rainbow When you arrived, was it there? The mysterious pot of gold Was it shining and sparkling It’s in those fairytales? Or when you got there Was there nothing to be seen? Or was it the colours Of the rainbow - and You Have you ever stopped to ponder? On the light show of a rainbow What if you could make a rainbow? Imagine if when you became extremely excited The colours of a rainbow flowed from you And at the end of the rainbow was success- your pot of gold Would you chase that rainbow? Would you climb what others may not be able to see? Then if you reached the top the hard work would be over Then you could slide down the other side And it would be yours, Your pot of gold Your success. Imagination wild and vivid I stop and ponder reality The truth, the promise All the beauty of a rainbow So much beauty Delivered from God A promise – a gift

Get Me Out Of Here

by Michelle Dennis Evans The music pounding in my head This place too wretched to find a friend I’ll never ever find a place I’ll never ever show my face I’ll let this music blow my mind It’s loud and fierce to steal the time I know and want too much now I won’t find it in this town Just let me head south Words stuck in my mouth I want to scream I scream in my dreams I want to yell at you Don’t tell me what to do How could you misplace me? I tell you and you don’t see I’ll show you I can I’ll go live with my friend I’ll rule my own life I’ll keep out of strife Play this music I feel so sick I’m hiding my emotion I don’t want your attention Get me out of here Never leaving is my fear To you I have nothing to give I want out, I want to live

To Give

by Michelle Dennis Evans I want to give An unknown love For love to me Is foreign and distant But one day soon I want to learn How to love The normal way So in time I hope I’ll be able to give Secure reality Unknown feelings Abandoning insecurity

The Drift

by Michelle Dennis Evans

There is that point in time. While you lay down to sleep. When you stop thinking. Its before dreaming but after wakefulness. It’s when amazing things happen. It’s … the drift.

It’s when your mind thinks nothing. It’s when you allow the Holy Spirit to minister to your soul. It’s when God reminds you that what He has done is good. The drift is the time that you hear the voice of the spirit saying ‘It was all for you.’ ‘You have been washed clean.’ And there you are, drifting, somewhere in time between being awake and asleep.

The Giants are Coming

by Michelle Dennis Evans The giants are coming Bashing down the door Getting into my head Pounding at my brain The giants are coming Smashing down the houses Tearing apart the streets Destruction all around The giants are coming Run for cover Guard yourself Flee for your life

And the winner for March 2010 Pic 1 k is. . .

Michelle Dennis Evans!

Her story titled SULLEN has been declared March's winner. And now Michelle took a few minutes to talk to me:

What was the inspiration for the story (besides the picture)?

A couple of days before I wrote this, a friend found a girl collapsed in the toilets at a shopping centre, my friend alerted paramedics and security just in time. Girls and women who are suffering are often on my mind. I love to see women move from life of despair and depression to a life of joy and happiness. It’s one of the reasons why I’m doing the ‘Live Free’ 5 km walk for Teen Challenge, to raise money to build a home for young women recovering from life changing circumstances. I’d love more sponsors … there’s a donation box on my blog http://michelledevans.blogspot.com/2010/03/live-free-walk-please-sponsor.html

How long did it take to write the story?

15 minutes max!

Did you know the story would be so short or did it just happen?

After I wrote the first 3 sentences story wrote it self and I was a little shocked that it ended so quickly and had so much mystery. Truth is I really don’t know what had happened to this woman – I just felt her pain.

Do you have anything else published?

After 6 years of studying and fine tuning my craft I declared 2010 as my year of getting published. My story ‘9 Ladies Dancing’ was published in 12 Days plus my regular poetry spot here on Soft Whispers. I have 2 stories about to be published, ‘River Storm’ in The Best of 2009 FridayFlash Anthology, and ‘DIVE!’ in the April edition of Eclectic Flash.

What are your plans for 2010?

I have so many plans! I hope to finish editing my 2009 NaNoWriMo novel and submit it. I’m anticipating acceptance letters arriving soon, writing, lots of writing, while I balance study, home educating 4 children, family, church commitments and hubby.

Sullen

by Michelle Dennis Evans What’s happened? What’s going on? I can’t move. ‘Hello! Is anyone upstairs?’ ‘Hello! Can anyone hear me through this grill?’ Nothing is working but my voice. Oh no I’m going to be sick. She vomited and lay there, pulling her face back from the mess she’d spewed out. Calling out over and over. Hearing silence in return. Removing herself from all feeling, all emotion she wept. And then – she slept.

Farewell

by Michelle Dennis Evans In the passing of a life A lifetime of joy A lifetime of happiness A lifetime of family A Nanna A Mother A sister A friend Cups of tea Roast on Sunday ‘Sit down love, I’ll fix that for you’ Arms wide to hold Heart large to envelop Soul safe with God A life well lived

She is Beautiful

by Michelle Dennis Evans Signs of beauty ringing loudly Hair, make-up, hand bag and shoes Signs of beauty as she breathes A thought, a concept, an attitude Signs of beauty illuminates Every step she takes, she smiles Signs of beauty rule her life Sounding loudly in her eyes Signs of beauty through all she does Hands and feet, worked and worn Signs of beauty in her heart Emanate radiance since she was born Signs of beauty bare and barren Yearning, disheartened, abandoned Signs of beauty in her soul Rich, prosperous, passionate friend

Grass is Green

by Michelle Dennis Evans Trees sway with wind Sun is high Clouds far away Perfect days A beautiful country Time to enjoy Outside to explore Brain filled with pain Can’t see clear Filled with clouds Blue skies distant Searching for light Hidden meaning near Hint of a breeze Maybe a beautiful day

THE WILTED

by Michelle Dennis Evans Features forlorn Fright frantic Places unseen Promises unmet Dormant dreams Diagnosis unheard Image unmet Fret Flee Squirm Quiver Blink blurred Hazy horizon Humid heaven Blended behind Horrid holds Plucked Poked Pointed Pinned Deflated Emptied Over the rating Under the radar Burnt to a crisp Weathered and wilted.

Tears

by Michelle Dennis Evans Tears on our cheeks Breath held short Babe grown whole No beat on earth Skipped this world Whole and perfect Sitting at the feet But here and now Flooding with pain Hope never lost Truth bringing comfort Peace hovers near Love surrounds Strength overshadows

Daddy Date

by Michelle Dennis Evans

Her wings clung to her back, flapping but getting her no where. Little Lucy wanted to fly like a butterfly and flutter through the garden. Daddy, said he’d take me out, she pouted Daddy never takes me anywhere. The voice in her head pounded loudly, out weighing her mother calling her in. ‘Lucy,’ Lucy didn’t hear. ‘Lucy!’ still Lucy flapped her wings and looked to the sky. ‘Lucy, Lucy, can you not hear me?’ All Lucy could hear were her own thoughts. If Daddy would only take me out, I know I would be like a butterfly, I could fly and flutter about. ‘Lucy,’ this time her mum grabbed her arm. Lucy jumped. ‘Lucy, please come in a take a bath so you are ready for when Daddy comes home.’ Lucy smiled and thought silently, you mean he’s really going to take me out tonight? She skipped inside, carefully placing her wings on the table and proceeded to the bathroom. Bubbles nearly escaped the bath and when she sat down only her head could be seen. ‘You look like a bubbly butterfly,’ her mum laughed. ‘Really?’ Lucy asked excitedly ‘Like a real butterfly?’ ‘Yes! Now be quick, Daddy will be home soon.’ Lucy washed herself, partly dried herself and skipped back to her wings. ‘Slow down, you need to dry off some more of those drips and get dressed before those wings go back on.’ Obediently Lucy rubbed herself dry, found her prettiest dress and within minutes her wings were back on. Before her mother came back into the room, Lucy was outside dreaming of flying again. ‘Hi honey, what’s for dinner?’ ‘You are taking Lucy out remember?’ ‘No, not tonight, there’s a game on TV.’ ‘But you promised her.’ ‘Nah, not tonight, I’m too tired.’ ‘Look at her Jack,’ Lucy’s mother looked out the window, ‘She’s dressed and ready. You can’t just cancel on her now.’ ‘She’ll be fine; you’ll tell her for me won’t you?’ ‘No.’ ‘She’ll be too tired to go out now, it’s getting late.’ ‘Jack,’ Lucy’s mum said slowly, ‘Look at her.’ Together they looked through the window at their daughter. She was examining the garden, watching closely, there seemed to be a moody sadness over her. ‘You do this all the time,’ Lucy’s mum was near tears, ‘You promise to take her out when you leave for work and than you change your mind.’ Lucy’s mother turned back to the window blinking away her anger. ‘You are right, she is just delightful,’ he said. ‘I didn’t realize it was that important. What daddy wouldn’t want to take his princess out?’ ‘Thank you,’ Lucy’s mum smiled. ‘Are you ready to go Lucy?’ Jack opened the door. Lucy ran and flew into his arms, just as a butterfly would.

Like a bubble

by Michelle Dennis Evans Like a bubble Popping with laughter Like a rainbow In your doorway Happiness Trickles and shines Joy Flickers and glows Peace Enters and resonates Love Overshadows Our life

Broken Bodies

by Michelle Dennis Evans

Screaming tires Chugging engine Smell of oil Fumes engulf Flowing blood Broken bodies Hope shattered Death obvious Eternity near Faith overshadows