It’s Prosery Monday, and Lillian has given us
a choice of excerpts to include in our 144 word
flash fiction or memoir. I chose “a red moon
rides on the humps of the low river hills” and I
have to say this bit of fiction was 275 fascinating
words before I had to painfully whittle it down!
I had so much more to say about the Ohio!
Submitted to dVerse
July 20, 2020
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Boyhood dreams are sometimes a long time coming. Now, in my sunset years, my boys grown and my wife passed two years ago, I return to this cabin on a ridge above the Ohio, which my grandfather built when he was a young man. He was a riverman who worked the barges, whose love of the river was long and deep. He’d sit in his rocker on the porch and fill my young head with all manner of river lore. Life happened and the boyhood dreams were set aside until now. I’ve sold the city house and returned here to the cabin. A red moon rides on the humps of the low river hills, a sure sign, grandpa said, of fair weather tomorrow. I look forward to all my fair tomorrows right here on the Ohio, a riverman at last.
A blog for the midnight epiphanies and idle thoughts of a hopeless wordaholic.
I like this. Boyhood dreams.....revisited after one's own boys are grown. Ah my guess is many city dwellers dream of a quiet life in the country. I'm reminded of Walden Pond and the meditation and quiet of it. To become a river man, in the midst of nature after one's responsibility of raising children is done. I like the passage of time in this post.
ReplyDeleteInspired by the story of a past governor of my state who retired from the glitz and glamour of politics to a cabin on the Ohio where he spent his last years. The rest of the story is purely fiction.
DeleteA warm full journey for the man, Beverly. What a lovely memoir that has come to life for him.
ReplyDeleteNice, that the moon offers hope
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday. Thanks for dropping by to read mine
Much✏love
This is a beautifully nostalgic story! I love it!
ReplyDeleteA beautifully poignant prose piece. Very visceral and it really comes full circle at the end with returning to the cabin. It's like finding your roots again in a way, especially to recover your spirits. Excellent piece!
ReplyDeleteI love that you have written this in the first person, from the point of view of a man, Bev, and that your character is returning to a place where he can be content. I also love the implied relationship between the boy and his grandfather.
ReplyDeleteso much packed into this beautiful piece of writing Beverly, the return to boyhood dreams and still feeling the passion for his roots
ReplyDeleteHis life sounds so peaceful. I love the way it came full circle--and with contentment. Lovely writing, too!
ReplyDeleteFull of nostalgia! So wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this. He does sound content, doesn't he?
ReplyDeleteSounds like an idyllic retirement.
ReplyDeleteInspired by the story of Edgar Whitcomb, past governor of Indiana, who retired from politics and lived in a cabin on the Ohio his remaining years. The rest of the story of pure fiction.
DeleteLovely story... I hope he lived happily to the end.
ReplyDeleteContentment in retirement. What more could one ask for?
ReplyDeleteHow nice to have achieved a desire of life in the woods. It would be a healthy line of living for a boyhood dream.
ReplyDeleteHank
Ah, the opportunity to realize boyhood dreams at last. Brava!
ReplyDelete