My rose this time
Is family ties,
Parents loving as can be.

My thorn today:
I don’t feel okay,
In body or mentally.

My complaints
Know no restraints
Because I’m never in the right

My roses, rare
To be compared
With the thorns of my blight.

Roses and thorns
Suf’rings and scores
May I count them ev’ry day.

Thorns and roses
My body opposes
To simple blessing my way.

“Count again
The roses plain,”
The inner voice suggests.

She was there,
waiting for me,
smiling at me
with open arms.
A gasp of surprise
held back by fear
of losing this dear
sweet sister of mine.

In just a few minutes
we were walking,
chatting, talking,
arms round each other.
She was mine
again;
the pain
vanished.

“You’ve grown!”
I say
and pray
that the size of her feet
aren’t the same
as mine.

They are.

It’s the end of the day, and I need a break.
I can’t possibly learn anything more
With this headache.
Check the tide charts for the state of the shore -
Looks like it’ll be
A negative point nine
In an hour or two. Let’s see -
I’ll whip on some sunblock (the dog starts to whine)
Grab a hat (lost my sunglasses), check my chair
For the keys (he’s barking now).
Snap on a leash. Step outside. Such cool air
I’m not used to on a sunny day. But how
Fresh the wind is, how the walk

Jules tossed and turned for a while before flinging her covers off. She swung her feet down into the soft carpet and sighed, rubbing her forehead. After flicking on her bedside lamp, she reached for the leather-backed book. She began to thumb through its pages before setting it down again. Jules wrapped her flannel robe around her and pattered quietly down the stairs, pausing to sit on the landing. She huddled there in the dark, burying her chin in her knees with her arms wrapped around her legs. A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she almost jumped out of her skin.

Star in the sky,
Lonely and blue,
Farwell to thy
Fading view.
So come tomorrow
Thy smile array,
And all the world’s sorrow
Be wiped far away!
Oh will that day
Come sunrise, or nay?
Oh star in the sky—
My star in the sky,
I bid thee goodbye,
Fair star yonder nigh,
Oh star in the sky—
My star in the sky.

Eiran hadn’t been expecting a visitor so late. Especially not Aquilus.
“Eiran,” the judge Alon grumbled from the entrance of his cell, “Eiran!”
The young priest snapped awake, still groggy with pleasant dreams. He smacked his lips sleepily and turned his attention towards the glowing rectangular shape that was the doorway. He was met with the stern silhouette of one of the Sanhedrin. He gasped and reached out for his tunic and sandals.

Jules and Duncan pulled into the hospital parking garage right at 1:00 in the afternoon. The drive there had been pleasant. It was late March in Texas, and the wild daisies and verbena were already popping up along the freeway. They were speckled with Indian paintbrushes and glimpses of waxy buttercups. Bluebonnets would be making their virgin appearance soon.
Jules slung her purse over her shoulder. She chatted cheerfully with Duncan while they walked towards Margaret's rooms. "Hey Grandad, could we drive to Burnet next month for the Bluebonnet Festival? Please?"

“Eggs! Fresh eggs!”

“Only a shilling!”

“Fruit, fresh from my orchards!”

The sounds of the market filled my ears as I wound my way through the open square. Vendors were everywhere, setting up shop wherever they could find space. Smells of hot tarts and sweet cakes wafted about, watering my mouth. I fingered the coins in my pocket. Temptation was never greater than at the market; but I would never steal. Something always stopped me…a gut feeling, I suppose.

The counsel of lords had adjourned for the noon meal, and we were now downstairs in the court outside the hall. We had briefly seen father. I had looked into his eyes and saw discouragement, frustration, and fear. Discouragement and frustration, I had seen before; sadly, I had becomes used to them. But I had not seen fear in my father’s eyes before that day. It frightened me.

“I expect you to be done with your creative writing assignment by Monday. Make sure to not lose this paper, because it has all the details of this assignment on it.”