I love this photo prompt by fellow Fictioneer, Susan Wenzel. It brought back memories of when I used to go to the beach as a little girl. I’d find a shell and hold it to my ear . . . listen to what the sea said to me.
Please visit Madison Woods’ website for links to read other stories by the Friday Fictioneers. Click here.
Photo by Susan Wenzel
Shell Phone
The sea is calling me.
In my world of
cell phones I can’t escape,
too many emails to answer,
the blah, blah, blah of
a million different voices,
always, always
there’s a private room in my mind
called “memory.”
Filled with sand, salty breezes and seashells,
where seagulls cry above me,
and whispering waves kiss my toes.
The sea is calling me.
I pick up a shell,
hold it to my ear,
and listen to what the ocean tells me.
Shhhhhhhh.
Jan Morrill Writes 
I feel the spray of the salt air on my skin reading your poem. Nice job.
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Thank you, silentlyheardonce. Just thinking of the ocean takes me back. 🙂 And thank you for following my blog!
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Kim, if you see this, just wanted to let you know your link on Madison’s page isn’t working. That happened to me once.
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Dear Jan,
That was lovely. You captured the magic of the the shell held to the ear and the power of memories. A very sweet entry into this weeks clambake.
Aloha,
Doug
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Thanks, Doug. It’s been a long time since I held a shell to my ear, but the memory of its whisperings is still vivid.
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Beautiful poem, Jan. One question to the waves whisper, kiss my toes – or do the whispering waves kiss my toes? I think you should enter this in a contest. It’s a winner.
http://russellgayer.blogspot.com/
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Thank you, Russell! I agree completely — I made the change and it flows so much better now. Off to visit you now. 🙂
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I particularly liked the repetition towards the end. Nice one
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Thank you, Sandra. I really liked your Venus story, too.
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I can relate to the million different voices. Feeling that this week. I wish I could relate to your ocean memories as well. They sound lovely to this desert-reared girl.
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Thanks, Keli. A million might have been a slight exaggeration, but it’s close. 🙂 I love the desert, too, but for me, nothing compares to the ocean.
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Jan, this is one of my all-time favorites of yours! JUST BEAUTIFUL. I, too, thought contest-worthy before I read Russell’s comment. I hate to even try this prompt now. Love, love, love this. I feel more calm now. My favorite line: “…whispering waves kiss my toes…” Sigh. I need a beach fix.
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Thank you, Beth! That’s two votes for a contest, so I’ll have to find one I can enter. I hope you get your beach fix soon. Then I can envy the waves kissing your toes. 🙂
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Okay, I’m on the board now! http://banterwithbeth.blogspot.com/
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I read it and loved it. Very clever, Beth!
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Great stuff, from the play on words to the play on the old shell-listening ritual. I particularly liked when you started rattling off beach memories – that whole bit had a nice rhythm to it. Great job!
Brian (http://pinionpost.com/2012/08/10/the-reunion/)
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I like how the sound of the shell soothes and the cell phone drives the narrator to distraction. Never thought of it that way!
Here’s mine:
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Absolutely beautiful…I love to go to the beach here and listen to and think about absolutely nothing. (PS – thank you for the wonderful comment about my picture!)
~Susan
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Lovely. I will remember to pick up a shell and listen during my next trip to Atlantic City. Tks for visiting mine.
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I am unable to understand why people allow themselves to be invaded by mobile and landline telephones. All you have to do is turn them off. My telephones are there for MY convenience. Not for everyone else’s. The pestering from people trying to sell me something has become so bad that I keep my landline telephone off all the time, unless I need to use it to call a professional for assistance with a problem, or if I am expecting a call. My mobile telephone is only there for emergencies. I take it with me when I leave the house, but it is only switched on if I need to use it. Telephones are very useful tools, but they are our servants. We are not theirs. Once we turn them off, we are able to enjoy uninterrupted strolls on beaches, for example, and listen to what shells are saying. This is a lovely story.
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We get so trapped in ‘civilization’ sometimes! Loved this!
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Such a beautiful poem, Jan! You had me from the title “Shell Phone” …now that’s a class act. My favorite times revolve around water, and specifically the ocean. Thanks for your comments on mine.
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Great contrast–the invasive cell phone and the insular “shell phone”–very clever.
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Very, very pretty poem. Sometimes I think the entire world needs to be reminded that they need to slow down and catch their breath once in a while. Nice job!
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Lovely! I like both the thoughts and the feelings, the memories. I think most people have to make more of a conscious effort to disconnect themselves from being constantly connected. As Lady Marilyn says, technology is there for us to use, not to use us. But it’s easy to get sucked into dependence on the various pieces of technology. We need to take time to be either with other people(and by that I mean without our phones or whatever on the table with us!!) or alone with our thoughts and feelings.
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That was the perfect reminder of why I need my upcoming holiday .. too many emails, too many phone calls … just too many people. Thank you so much it was brilliant 🙂
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I love this Jan! I love the transition from the modern world to the timeless peaceful breaking of the ocean. Nice!
Sorry it took me so long to get over here! I was out for most of the weekend!
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