Oct. 23 Prompts: Music of the Night

I am so glad you are still on these challenges with me. This last week, I started writing full flashes, and cutting more surprising cuts for my photographs. And I finished my pocket quilt in its first rendition. So much creative energy heading toward Halloween.

OctPoWriMo 2023:Facing Our Fears

A few weeks ago I read Muriel Rukeyser’s Ballad of Orange and Grape (link to audio), and I fell in love. So I put all of the books that my library system had by Muriel Rukeyser on hold, and picked them up last week. For today’s prompt I want to share her poem, “Night-Music,” from The Collected Poems of Muriel Rukeyser _{(amazon assoc. link)} edited by Janet E. Kaufman & Anne F. Herzog, for inspiration.

NIGHT-MUSIC

When those who can never again forgive themselves
finish their dinner, rear up from the chair,
turning to movies are caught in demonstrations
sweeping the avenues—Meet them there.

Watch how their faces change like traffic-light
bold blood gone green as horses pound the street,
as plates of sweated muscle push
them squarely back into retreat.

Notice their tremulous late overthrow
caught irresponsible : as the first rank presses
up at the brown animal breast of law
defying government by horses.

And after the quick night-flurry, the few jailed,
the march stampeded, the meeting stopped, go down
night-streets to unique rooms where horror ends,
strike-songs are sung and the old songs remain.

Vaguely Ilonka draws her violin
along to Bach, greatest of trees, whereunder
earth is again familiar, grandmother,
and very god-music branches overhead.

Changeable spirit! build a newer music
rich enough to feed starvation on.
Course down the night, past scenes of horror, among
children awake, lands ruined, begging men.

Rebel against torment,
boats gone, night-battles, the sleepers up and shaking,
fear in the streets
cruelty on awaking.

Make music out of night will change the night.

Prompt: For today’s poem think about the people, places, and things that make up your night music, and in your poem “Meet them there.” Watch, and notice, and describe what (you imagine) each sound is. What are the actions of these sounds, the consequences of these sounds? “Build a newer music.”

Writober 2023

Today’s image prompt is so creepy. How scary would it be if everyone suddenly looked like that?

Halloween Photography Challenge

Please link to your creations in the comments. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.