Here and Now

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NEW PROMPT:
Write your story or poem, starting every sentence with the word: here.

This time, I am going to put a limit: for poets: 20 lines maximum
for story writers: 250 words maximum.
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Here he stood, dripping sword held upright in shaking hand. Here amidst the strewn corpses, he had fought until his arm could swing the blade no more. Here, for what seemed a lifetime to him, he watched his friends and comrades die. Here some were quickly slaughtered from an enemy’s blow that mercifully severed the head from the body. Here others lingered in excruciating pain while their blood slowly seeped into the muddy ground.

Here on this battlefield so long ago, he did what so many young men would do in future years. Here he wept tears at the cruelty and futility of war until his sorrow made him drop his bloody sword in shame. Here this once peaceful man had killed strangers, in the process losing his innocent belief in the goodness of all men.

Here, finally, he swore to work toward bringing peace to his land in any way he could. Here, suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his back, then only blackness. Here this soldier fell, dead before he hit the ground. Here another young man had taken his life, not even knowing what the fight was about.

Here on a bloody battlefield centuries ago, young men died while old men safe in far away cities sent them to their death. Here and now, wars are still fought by young people because of orders from more old men miles away from the bloody battlefields.

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Microsoft Word count = 242

"The Writer's Cramp - Poetry Week!"  daily entry for 05/11/12
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