Complete the Story 1

 

 

In the above book that I recently purchased one is given 200 opportunities to write a one-page story, but with each begun with a few sentences penned by some other author. I chose the one below at random, and my text follows the words "Every word-". The original title of this post was "Am I the Cheater?" because I'm essentially building on someone else's work, despite it not being all my own, yet not actually being cheating because that's what they want from me, for me to complete the story. And so my final answer to the question of "Am I the Cheater" is: Eh. Nah. It's only a mite of concern in the grand scheme of things, after all. *tsk* Conscience, man...

  I think I'll try some more of these from time to time, though this one was a bit hard to craft within such narrow limitations, but I did it. Hope you enjoy!

 

Juan Carlos brought a book for his weekly hour of leisure at his favorite local coffee shop. As he sipped his coffee on the overstuffed couch, he suddenly realized that he was reading and hearing the dialogue at the same time. He wasn't imagining those voices. No, they were coming from the couple at the table beside him. Every word-filled him with a feeling of awe as he listened to what they said. "Excuse me," he interrupted, "but I could not help overhearing, but--did you say you have found God and have found proof of His existence?" The couple, an attractive man and a woman both appearing to Juan Carlos to be in their mid-fifties yet appearing at least ten years younger, smiled brightly at him. "Why, yes, we have," the man replied. Juan Carlos clutched the cross-shaped indentation inside his button front Hawaiian shirt. "Tell me," he said excitedly, "is it the Holy Virgin? The Baby Jesu, or--" The woman chuckled and raised a halting hand. "Of course not, sir," she replied calmly, then glanced over to the man, who continued, "Simply put, sir, we see God in everything and everywhere--good, bad and ugly." "Could use a bit less of the ugly, though," the woman added as she bit into a biscochito cookie. Juan Carlos' face suddenly turned crimson with rage. "No! No! You are wrong!" he shouted as he stood up and moved quickly to the front door, then turned to the couple, thrust an accusing finger in their direction and a with final bellowing "WRONG!", jolting the shop patrons, crossed himself and slipped out into the torrid New Mexico heat.

     "Different strokes," the man said with a shrug, the woman chuckling again as she nibbled another biscochito.

 

 

DB/5.2026 

 

 

She Hides Her Face in the Blue Fan (Part 2)

 

  

"As I am a gentleman and your swain,

And have accompanied you thus far,

Lady Bellabella, I shall do so still, and most willingly." 

 

He bows, she smiles and curtseys.

"I am most grateful to you, my friend!

There is much more we may see tonight, 

  

So as much as I adore viewing these lovely Sybarite ruins 

We ought to continue our journey up and east 

If you are so inclined." She takes his hand,

 

He bows slightly. "The pleasure is all mine, " he says.

"But if I might be so inclined, would you share with me

your 'Carminatif' so that your precious little bunghole 

 

Shall not be our only means of transport--

So that we may rise higher and travel faster?" 

"No, not as yet, dear Florodon, but I thank you.

 

Now, let us fly on. Are you ready?" 

Florodon nods, and as Bellabella sips some more

'Carminatif' they grasp on to each other again.

 

Soon aloft, they wend their way due east across northern 

Hellas, floating onwards towards the silent, impressive

Mount Olympus, when a brusque, unseen force flings them

 

Far north, to the outskirts of Thessaloniki 

And as they dive rapidly to the earth

Bellabella quickly uncovers her bosom, and

 

Florodon's member thrusts violently

Into the soil of a rocky beach,

Jolting them both and hurtling them apart.

 

Upon their reunion, where they lovingly 

Affirm their welfare to each other, they both 

Jolt to see a woman's miles-long,

 

Alabaster-white arm reaching down to the Aegean

From an aperture in a dense cloud bank,

Her hand open, still and...awaiting.

 

From out of the roiling, frothing waters of the 

Aegean a man's sinewy arm jets up to grasp

The woman's hand, and as she pulls him up

 

Into the clouds water sluices off of the 

Bearded visage and the massive, naked frame 

Of the great god Poseidon,

 

His cock engorged as he is hoisted

Up into the clouds and is met

By feminine sighs of approbation

 

And masculine grunts of disdain.

But anon there is a din unheard of before

By Bellabella or Florodon, and even as

 

They seclude themselves in the lee

Of a rocky outcrop a nascent storm

Disturbs the once-placid night skies, 

 

And from amongst the prolonged grunts, 

Moans, barks, and howls cast from above,

With sweat, cum and blood raining into the sea

 

Along with a tumult of windy, stentorian farts,

It becomes violent enough so that Florodon and Bellabella 

Decide to quit Greece and fly elsewhere. 

 

So again the 'Carminatif', again the flight,

But soon they are blindly caught in the maelstrom

Of the Pleasure of the Gods

 

And whisked violently northwards, 

Nearly separating high up into the smoky clouds

That Florodon futilely attempts to clear away,

 

And in the attempt bats his hand against 

And with Bellabella grips onto a long, thin solid object.

He unexpectedly feels folds of flesh...and hears a woman's scream

 

Yawp over the winds...then a horrible cackle.

"Oohh! Do that again, boy!" a reedy voice demands. "Push up!"

"Or I shall drop ye and your schatze into the sea!

 

"Also I may suffer ye to take your chances with 

The violent Gottenorgie o'er us! But why should

The verdammten hochen Hellenes have all the fun!

 

"So do it, boy! Push up your hand beneath me!

Into me! Now!"  A frightened Florodon obeys, 

Eliciting mad sighs of pleasure as Bellabella

 

Hangs on next to him, feeling something akin

To jealousy, as they depart the aerial maelstrom

And in full view of clear, radiant moonlight

 

Both are shocked to be clinging to the

Broomshaft of a beautiful skyclad witch,

her wet skin glistening, dirty black hair whipping 

 

Behind her head as they fly northwards.

"Thank you, m'lad!" she shouts gleefully.

"That did me a welt of good! 

 

"For your reward I shall slow up 

And you may climb up behind me 

As we travel the rest of the way back home." 

 

"Home?" Florodon asked, wiping his hand. "My home!"

The witch exclaims. "North to the Brocken!

North to the Harz! North to Germania! North! North! NORTH!!"

  

To be continued...

 

DB/c.10.2025-3.2026 

 

Music: "...And the Gods Made Love" by Jimi Hendrix

 

 

 

American Girl from the North Country: A Sonnet

 

                                                           💖

 

"It's very strange for me now," he would say. "I'll be talking to someone and I'll overhear people saying, 'He was married to Mary Pickford.' And then someone else will say, 'Who was Mary Pickford?'

   "And that hurts me."

 

                                -Charles "Buddy" Rogers, actor and husband/

                                widow of actress Mary Pickford (from "Mary Pickford:                                    America's Sweetheart" by Scott Eyman (1990))

 

She was sunshine flooding from celluloid,

  Sometimes sisterly, daughterly or maternal,

She cavorted through the bichrome overjoyed,

  Nell in the flesh, Pollyanna eternal. 

A Darling in a Cocksure Age,

  From childhood she soon took a bow,

When with shears she broke her girlish cage-

  Cut!-and declared "I am a woman now!" 

As a nation gasped in disarray,

  She took more pay in hand, 

United the artists, then faded away,

  And the sun shone less upon the land.

But we can, from a cold silver and blue disc trove,

Find her again--laugh--cry--smile--and love.

 

DB/2.2026 

 

Music: "Mary Pickford" by Katie Melua 

Happy Valentine's Day, all you Stupid Cupids and Psycho Psyches!!😊💓

   

 

                         

                        

 

Tokens (Also Synonymous With Presents and Gifts)

 

 

 

        Candy Cane Hard and Snowfall Soft Holiday Mix, Vol.7 (Spotify)

 

1. White Winter Hymnal-Fleet Foxes

2. Wassail Song (Traditional)-The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble

3. All I Really Want for Christmas (from "Family Guy")-The Cast of "Family Guy"

4. The Twelve Days of Christmas (Live)-Straight No Chaser

5. Midwinter's Waltz-Nancy Lippincott

6. Hardrock, Coco, and Joe-Stuart Hamblen, Bill Lindsay

7. O Festivus-Paul Westbrook

8. The Chanukah Song Part 3 (feat. The Drei-Dels)-Adam Sandler, The Drei-Dels-Eight Crazy Nights (Original Movie Soundtrack)

9. A Christmas Carol-Tom Lehrer

10. A Japanese Christmas (Arr. K. Yamada)-Traditional, Rapid City Central High School Chamber Orchestra, Bruce Knowles

11. Joy To Your World-Drew Baldridge, Mickey Guyton

12. Christmas Eve/Oiche Nollag/High Road to Lincoln (Reels)-Eileen Ivers

13. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton

14. New Snow-Flim & The BBs

15. You Can't Spell Christmas Without Us-Bob's Burgers, et al.

16. Sleigh Ride (fireplace)-Ludwig Bern

17. Wizards in Winter (Instrumental)-Trans-Siberian Orchestra

18. Hymne des Fraternises: I'm dreaming of home-Philippe Rombi, Natalie Dessay, London Symphony Orchestra-Joyeux Noel (Original Soundtrack)

19. The Coldest Night of the Year-She & Him

20. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Lee Ritenour

21. The Holly and The Ivy-George Winston

22. I Believe in Father Christmas-The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Crouch End Festival Chorus

23. The Christmas Tree-C. Day Lewis

24. Song for a Winter's Night-Ingrid Michaelson

25. Gingerbread Man-Tommy James & The Shondells

26. We're Going Caroling-Dick Van Dyke, Jane Lynch

27. Bring On The Cheer-Jules Larson

28. Stille Nacht (Silent Night)-Mannheim Steamroller

29. Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah-Michael W. Smith

30. Boxing Day-blink-182

31. Auld Lang Syne (The New Year's Anthem)-Mariah Carey

 

DB/12.2025 

 

The Happiest of Holidays to all of you! Have fun, stay safe, be cool, and I'll see you next year!🎄🎅🤶🎁⛄🍗🍷🎆💖

 

 

Schmerz in Himmel und an Erde (Pain in Heaven and on Earth): Thirteen for Halloween 2025 (Spotify)

 

 

                                         

1. Mingle Game Song 'Round and Round'-Special One (Squid Game) - Syed Hassan Samin

2. Boots (Inspired by "28 Years Later" trailer) - Cold Archives (read by Taylor Holmes (1915))

3. Remains- Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet On The Western Front - Soundtrack from the Netflix film)

4. Requiem: II. Kyrie. Molto espressivo - Gyorgi Ligeti, et al. (from the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack)

5. Mad Ole Titus - Elliot Goldenthal - Titus (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

6. Mars, the Bringer of War (The Planets, Op.32) - Gustav Holst, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

7. Trinity - Ludwig Goransson - Oppenheimer (Orig. Motion Picture Sdtrk.)

8. The Banshee - Henry Cowell

9. Getting the Evil of Nicolas - Alex Heffes - The Last King of Scotland (Orig.  Motion Picture Sdtrk.)

10. Pruitt Igoe - Philip Glass - Koyaanisqatsi (Complete Original Soundtrack) 

11. The Unanswered Question - Charles Ives, Cincinnati Philharmonia Orchestra, Gerhard Samuel

12. Dies Irae - Giuseppe Verdi - St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, et al.

13. Baby Shark - Pinkfong

 

DB/10.2025

 

Hey everyone! I made this year's list briefer and a bit more darkly reflective of the current zeitgeist, but I hope to find more new Halloween-y music for next year. 

Happy Halloween, all you Masters and Margaritas!💀😈👻💖(Yeah, I'm currently reading that. Great book, btw!)

 

 

She Hides Her Face in the Blue Fan (Part I)

 

 

                                   That balcony should be higher.

She hides her face in the blue fan--

Her suitor spies on her blanc balcon,

Neck nearly broken from gaping up,

And he nearly dies.

(But lo! a cock will soon rise).

It's the same old story.

 

He sees her, but she not him.

He claws at the castle walls,

Curtainless of strong ivies.

 

He dares to whisper her nom!

Dares it! "Bellabella! Bellabella!"

She hears, she smiles.

 

"Florodon!" she whispers back. "Come!"

A perfect bare breast (O!), a loud rendering of fabric,

And (O!) he vaults, alights next to her on the blanc balcon.

 

The breast hidden, it shrinks,

And so he commences his suitor shtick--

Professions of Love and a ballad with accompanying 

 

Chaste shadow puppets in the moonlight--

But she laughs and stays him.

"Let us go on a journey," she says. 

"A journey?" he asks. "Where?"

She giggles behind the fan. 

"I know not where, but I do know how.

 

First, we must slough our garments.

Bide here a while." 

She glides into her boudoir

 

And in time returns carrying two shifts

A knife and a lightly glowing glass phial labelled 

'Carminatif'. "Disrobe, Florodon!" she commands.

 

"I inside, you out here. 

Don this shift, one my father's,

And use this knife to succor your blessed member!"

 

She exits, he obeys--

His snake now has a window,

But the night feels colder. She returns.

 

"The night feels colder, Bellabella," he says,

"With me in this shift, but--oh!"  

She flows to him like a watery ghost.

 

"That matters not," she declares.

"We shall blaze hot like comets

And burn bright like the stars!" 

 

"But--not really though, right?" 

She giggles again; it sounds like a gentle

Tinkling of glass. "Oh, I have nearly forgotten

 

My traveling mask. I shall need both of my hands,

After all. Tarry one moment longer,

My Florodon" She retreats within, 

 

And flows out with a scarlet red fan 

Tied to her face, revealing only her pert nose,

Sparkling blue eyes and shining white teeth.

 

Florodon, nearly overcome, bows reverently;

Bellabella curtseys, grips his hand,

While with the other, sips from the vial.

 

"Hold me, Florodon, and prepare!"

He grasps her tightly around the waist, and she his.

"Now here--squat down with me!--yes! good!--aand--UP!"

 

Suddenly a thundery gust of air 

From Bellabella's billowing shift 

Propulses them off and away from the blanc balcon.

 

Valleys! Rivers! Mountains! Castles! Vineyards!

Sleeping villages! Brightly illumed cities!--

All bathed in lustrous silvery moonlight.

 

The Languedoc region never looked so lovely

At night, they both agree.--but as they soon soar

Over Italy, Bellabella's backside sputters.

 

"Florodon," she says. "I fear we may rapidly descend 

Unless you--but stay! we are high over Pompeii,

And I of a sudden have a cogitation."

 

She lets slips a drop of the 'Carminatif'

Far down into the volcano's dark silent maw.

Bang! Whoosh! Up shoots a gaseous jet,

 

Thrusting them up higher into the ether.

They speed on a course parallel to the Apennines,

Their direction south to the nation's boot heel.

 

"But Bellabella! We have o'ershot Golden Rome!"

Florodon shouts. "How?-and might not we have tarried?"

Bellabella laughs. "The magic of the carminatif!

 

But let Rome sleep, my dear. There are other paths to trod.

Delightful treasures a-waiting in the soil 

And the waters. Here! we bide for a moment

 

In the Ruins of the Sybarites! But our landing 

Must be soft--so!" With her free hand she pulls

Away part of the shift concealing her bosoms,

 

Upon which seeing them Florodon's magic member

Swiftly pierces through the hole in his shift and 

Digs into the turf just a few feet beneath them, 

 

Vaulting them safely but roughly into some greenery.

Bellabella laughs joyously, "You have saved us! Thank you!--

And-- so have you," thanking his member with a genteel pat 

 

On it's head--only to retract it when she feel metal there.

"Oh!" she exclaims in surprise. Florodon chuckles

And says, "Nothing to fear, milady. It is only a brass

 

Cockthimble I use to protect it when I alight."

"Ah! That is very wise, Florodon!  As for myself,

I must rest my anus before we continue. 

 

Let us remain here in the Ruins of the Sybarites." 

They look around at the jagged stalagmitical ruins 

Standing shimmering and lonesome in the moonlight.

 

"Tell me, Florodon, do you feel the night's cold?"

"Not when I am with you, Bellabella," he answered slyly.

"But wither shall we away from here?"

 

"East!" she declares "East to Hellas

And elsewhere! The night is a mere babe, 

And adventures await! So..will you join me, dear Florodon?" 

 

To be continued...

 

DB/6-9.2025  

 

 

My Own Bluey Theme Song

 

As a Shelving Assistant in a public library I'm always restocking those REALLY popular Bluey books in the kids' section, and I knew there was a Bluey TV show, of which I've now watched bits and pieces, but until then I wasn't sure if they had a theme song, so a year or so ago I made up a rudimentary one in my head as I worked, and over time it became the finished opus below.

Bluey the Dog, Bluey the Dog, 

Bluey the Blue Heeler Dog!

She's not a wallaby, dingo, or a frog,

She's Bluey the Blue Heeler Dog!

She lives all the way in Australia,

Where everything down there can kill ya!

She's Bluey, Bluey, Bluey, Bluey,

Bluey the Blue Heeler Dog! 

 

Now, tell me THAT isn't much better than that silly roll call thing they do!😄

 

 

DB/6.2025