He Heard Our Whispers


Prayer Circle

Can it be this easy

To see stress leave

Or am I just lucky

That no one has grieved.

Is knowing that help

Is on its way

To save the damsel

And the man who does sway.

Not one tear has escaped

As we sat down and talked

We both know there is help

So he can continue to walk.

Two extra hands can only be good

To help with all things that we do

I pray that she shows and isn’t too late

As I knock on each piece of  wood.

I thank each of you

For the prayers that you gave

You know that my quest

Was asked not by one but by twos.

I do not know what tomorrow will bring

But I thank God for this wonderful  day

Giving strength and some peace for each of us

It brings joy to my heart, and now it does sing.

Terry Shepherd

09/09/2012

Classroom Crisis


this was written for Plinkey!

Thorne’s Marketplace – Northampton MA

The worst classroom experience that happened to me was twice. The first time, was in elementary school, and I had come back from gym class, and had forgotten to put on my slip under my dress. The gym teacher found it and returned it to my class, and the teacher asked all of us girls who it belonged to. I was not going to admit it was mine, and so no one answered. At conference time, the teacher asked my mother if it belonged to me and my mom told me later she about died, when she had to admit it was and that it had been hanging in the school closet for weeks. all this over a slip!!!

The next time was in seventh grade, and back then we wore hosiery stockings that hooked on to garters. I went to set down, and one of the hooks came unhooked on the back side of my leg. I twisted and turned and tried to casually hook it back up, but the teacher noticed, and called on me asking what I was doing. I did not answer, and he made me go to the front of the class and tell everyone what I had been doing. My face turned oh so red. I hated those darn hooks!!!

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Continuing Story Part 17


After school was over the next day, Dahlia went to Drakes classroom and knocked on the

Dahlia "Dahlstar Sunset Pink"

door. He announced come in without looking up to see who it was. She entered the room and made her way to a desk and sat down quietly, not saying a word.

When Drake finished what he was reading he looked up and instantly smiled at her. She could not see this, but she did feel the warmth of the room, knowing he was near her. He asked her if she was ready to start grading papers for him and she barely got the word yes out of her mouth as she was so shy, knowing she and he were the only ones in this room.

He carried some papers and a braille paper with the correct answers on it, and placed it in front of her on the desk. He took her hands and guided them over the papers, telling her how he wanted it done and what would be easiest for her. He asked her if she had any questions, and when she answered with a simple no, he let her be, and walked back over to his desk, silently watching her. He noticed the long slender neck that held a head full of beautiful, soft hair. Her nose was so straight and slender, it made him want to walk over and giver her a kiss on the tip of it. The dress that she wore today, showed  that her body was a perfect delight to look at. Long legs that held firm thighs. She was so beautiful in his eyes. He just wanted to grab her and hold her forever and kiss her neck and find those pouty lips.

He found it difficult to pull his eyes a way from her, but he had to get the work done or he would get behind for class tomorrow. She continued to work, and didn’t even stop for a small break. When she was finished, she walked over to his desk, and laid all of the papers down  for his inspection and said she had finished the job. Was there anything else that he needed help with?

His answer was no but to hang on for a few more minutes and they would walk home from school together. She felt her way back to her seat, and sat down, patiently waiting. She wanted to actually run her fingers over his whole face, drinking in the shape of his eyes, and cheeks, his nose and chin. She knew he was a beautiful man already, but she wanted to get to know him better. She could tell by the distance of his voice when he spoke to her, that he was probably about a foot taller than her. She knew that his lips were soft and yet firm, from the kiss he had stolen from her yesterday. She allowed herself to dream about that moment while waiting for him to announce he was ready to go.

The voice came sooner than expected and the two of them gathered up their bags and headed through the school doors out into the world to walk home. They made their way to almost the house and suddenly Drake grabbed her hands and gently pulled her behind a big oak tree. She could hear her own breathing, and he could see desire in her eyes. He cupped his fingers around the frame of her face and gently, but slowly drank of her lips.

She reached her arms up to his face and ever so gently traced the outline of his jaw, his nose and his eyes. He was just as she had imagined, she thought, as she returned his kiss back to him. They let go of each other, and neither saying a word, they finished their walk home and went through the front doors.

Supper was being placed on the table and Ralph told each of them to go get freshened up for supper, that it was almost time for grace. Each escaped from the kitchen and took their belonging and their feelings back to their rooms. Dahlia feeling her hair to make sure it was smooth and in place, she walked to her bathroom and wet a wash cloth and wiped her face off, not touching the spot where Drake had once touched.

The two of them appeared in the door way, and all sat down and gave thanks to this meal and began to enjoy each others company.  Table was cleared and all headed toward the favorite spot of the porch, but for tonight, Dahlia knew she could not concentrate on anything but her kiss, so she excused herself and said that she had home work to do.

She found herself outside in the back yard, practicing more dance steps the teacher had been teaching this week. Ralph had taken to see saws and had sanded down a long pole, so that she would get no splinters, and had placed a practice bar for her to lean on and do her steps.

This helped her advance more quickly in her class, giving her legs better chances of becoming strong.  She could feel the strength in her legs as she was now able to stand much longer on her tip toes, balancing herself, without sometimes having to hang on the bar.

After she exhausted herself from this she went back inside, and up to her room, where she studied her books and lessons from today. There came a knock at the door, and she said to come in, and it was her friend Sue. Sue made her way to the bed, and said she just wanted to see how Dahlia was doing. She asked question after question, trying to get out of Dahlia information about her and Drake.

At first, Dahlia made up excuses as to why she could not talk right now, that she had home work to finish up, but Sue would not let it go, and in no time at all the excitement rose in the room, and Dahlia found herself closing her books and walking over to where Sue sat and telling her about the old oak tree.

Sue gasped and reached over and hugged her new friend, exclaiming how happy she was for the two of them, and hoping that soon she, herself would find a nice man like Drake. The two girls talked until a knock came at the door announcing it was lights out time. Sue and Dahlia gave each other a big hug and then each went their separate ways for the evening. Dahlia changed her day clothes into night-clothes, and after finishing brushing her hair and her teeth, she laid down to dream about Drake.

 

Continuing Story Part 16

Continuing Story Part 15

Continuing Story Part 14

Picture It & Write It September 09,2012


Today, I am writing for Ermilia, at http://ermiliablog.wordpress.com

She had been held captive for so long by her dead husband, and now she was expressing to the world who she really was. She had lived for seventeen years with a controlling husband. She had done all he had said, followed all of the rules, but it was never enough.

He got satisfaction of seeing the terror in her eyes each time he came after her with a broom handle, or a fire poker. When he said jump, she automatically asked how high. If his meal was not prepared the way he wanted it, he would take the plate and shove the meal in her face, break the plate over her head, and demand that she start over and fix it right.

Inside she screamed tears, hating him, loving him at the same time. She had married young. She had dreams of for ever after, but soon after the vows were said out loud, and the papers signed, she became his property.

She could always remember the night before their wedding, as they lie in each others arms, hearing him profess his love for her, promising to take care of her for the rest of her life. This was the last night she ever remembered  smiles and love flowing from  her heart.

The animal that had been hiding for so many years, had shown itself, the insecurities of this man, called her husband. He was afraid that she would leave him, as his own mother left his father. He was determined that this would not happen in his own marriage, so he started the abuse of holding her hostage, never letting her go.

If she received a phone call, and he was home from work, he would sit so close to her, so he could listen to every word that was said, waiting to see if she was trying to make plans to be with another man. When they went to bed for the evening, instead of holding her in his hands, he was picking out her clothes for the next day, making sure she was not going to be able to draw attention to herself.

Bill paying and getting simple things like groceries, she could always guarantee, that her shadow would be next to her. She could not even take her own bath, as he was always found sitting near by, reading his paper.

Who she thought she was had been ripped apart and now it was hiding in the background of her mind, never knowing if she would ever reappear again.

The one friend she had for so many years, would sneak over to her house by foot, and enter through the back door, so no neighbors would see her. Her husband had met all the neighbors and had warned them that if they ever saw someone drive in to their drive way, or saw her outside, to please call him, because as he explained, his dear wife had suffered an emotional break down and was in a fragile situation. With his smiling face and sparkling teeth, they had no reason to question him, and so helped him to keep an eye on his house for him.

As the best friend observed more black eyes and bruises the two would plot on how to get her out of the house unharmed, but never being able to quite pull it off. The phone would ring, her husband calling to check up on her, scaring the girlfriend enough to go home.

One evening, he did not come straight home from work, and when he did unlock the front door he was drunk. There had been a birthday party for the boss, and after work the bunch of them ended up at the local bar celebrating. Although he was drunk, he was not so much that he ignored her and what she was doing.

She was found to be sitting by the window where she had been watching head lights go by, wondering what he was doing and where he was. He immediately asked her who she was waiting for, and when she replied that he was who she had been waiting for he became enraged.

He raced towards her and grabbed her and threw her on the couch. He grabbed her hair and with his other hand started slapping her over and over in the face, bouncing her head back and forth. She reached out and grabbed his hands and bit him. He was not prepared for this attack from her and he jumped back in pain, inspecting his bite marks.

This gave her time enough to run to her bedroom and slam the door locking it behind her.
She jerked open her night stand drawer, and there lying hidden in the shadows at the back of the drawer, was the revolver that her best friend had given her only a few days a go. Her friend said use it, please use it when he hurts you. Please don’t let him kill you.

She quietly took the revolver out and cocked it and aimed it at the bedroom door, as her friend had taught and instructed her. She could feel her breathing choking her lungs, and sweat was pouring from her brow as the fear rose inside of her.

She wanted to live, and she was going to live. She had enough of this so-called love. The door knob was being rattled as she heard words being yelled at from the other side. Let me in. I know you have someone in there. Let me in you untrustworthy bitch!

She stood still aiming the gun as he thrust his body against the door until it came slamming opened. She didn’t hesitate and shots could be heard, echoing from within the walls of the house. He fell to the ground, and silence bursted from the room. She dropped the gun, and went and called 911.

The cops came and arrested her for the murder of her husband.  A trial was placed and with the help of her girlfriends testimony, she was let go and found to be innocent against the crazy man.

A few years later, she was holding her brush,  teaching her class of students, showing them how to tilt the brush and to gently let it glide down the paper, to make the vines from the rose. With the right pressure being held, students were being taught how to express themselves. The topic for this art class was called love.