Writing Contest #18 - Entries

[Jud]

I probably would have named it Silly Jud anyway MTM.

[B J]

Thanks for the kind comments folks.
Nobody has claimed 'Sickle cell' yet, so I'm guessing that it's one of David's and that he's still away.

[Kath]

Sounds like him. I'm What a Mess. Erm, my story is What a Mess.

[R.M.F.]

I got zero votes, not that I'm bitter or anything, or sitting at the computer gnashing my teeth! :)

[R.M.F.]

Gingerlily - Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish. wrote: "What about the unquestioned answers?"

If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound if nobody hears it? He he he! :)

[R.M.F.]

Jud (Disney Diva) wrote: "And the unquestioned questions?"

There's a law of physics that answers that! There has to be.

[Lexie]

Thanks for lots of fun writing and reading! Well done BJ!

[David]

B J wrote: "I've got lots of unanswered questions about 'Only the sickle survives the harvest'. I think it's stunning. Own up and stand by to take questions."

That was mine BJ. Thanks, you've liked my entries before. Feel free to ask away :D

Edited to say, congrats on the win BJ

[B J]

Well, firstly it had the feel of a piece that has been worked on for some time - that taut, intense feel that only comes with a lot of thought and effort. So I was wondering if it was something you'd been working on for a while and this comp provided a chance to give it an airing.

[David]

You're partly correct, BJ. It was written some time ago, and this comp gave an opportunity to use it. At the time of writing though, I didn't work on it quite as much as it may appear.

[Kath]

He cheated! He actually thought about it! :)

[David]

I had to cheat by using an old piece as I had so little time to write something new :~)

PS: it did me no good in the end though; thinking is so over-rated.

[Kath]

I'll stop then. Oh, I did - when I retired! ;)

[B J]

It's powerful stuff with lines that really stick in the mind. At first reading I assumed it was about a mosquito emerging from 'a green and stagnant pool', but sickle cell is a genetic condition rather than something transmitted - but what the hell use is artistic licence if you can't put it to good use like imagery involving sickles, deadly harvests and blood. Loved it.

[David]

I read some time ago of the theory that sickle cell is so prevalent in certain races because sufferers of sickle cell are immune to malaria, therein it became a form of natural selection where mosquitos carry the parasite. Consequently, by delivering the malaria parasite, the mosquito bred the sickle blood.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...

[David]

Glad it spoke to you BJ. No bigger compliment that someone wanting to comment on one's work :D

[B J]

David wrote: "Glad it spoke to you BJ. No bigger compliment that someone wanting to comment on one's work :D"

Fascinating, David. Thanks for the link. If you have any more like that tucked away, let's have them.

[David]

I'm a mine of information, BJ, unfortunately most of it has been in there so long it takes a lot of digging out.

[B J]

I expressed myself poorly - not for the first time. What I was actually asking about was any other poems, rather than any more links to interesting science topics.

[David]

Ah, the one or two poems I do have aren't actually that good. I actually find them quite tough to write, and so don't write that many. Maybe I should practice more :~)