We girls got our kicks from ghosts
hormone hiked, edgy adventurers
stole churchyard flowers to summon souls
white-knuckled games with ouija board
something shot the glass across
someone took possession
Shirley sent seemingly senseless
homeward bound from boarding school
the sanest strategy – clever move!
Written for De’s 44 word Quadrille challenge: Kick
So much gorgeous sibilance in this. Your use of alliteration is divine. And I can see this story unfolding. Wonderful.
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Got such a kick from your comment – and the prompt – thank you De
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That will work.
We played a bit with quija, and the ghosts. Growing up with a graveyard in the backyard will do that.
I dont think I could have survived boarding school, so I may have resulted in these hijinx.
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Teens playing with fire…
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I wonder if that was Shirley’s way to get out of boarding school.
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You got the point!
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I love this line: “hormone hiked, edgy adventurers”
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Thank you Maggie -not easy to describe adolescence succinctly
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The games kids play (tut…tut). Well penned.
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Glad you liked it
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🙂
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Well written quadrille.
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Very nice Arcadia – thanks
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Not sure if it’s meant to be scary, but it gave me the creeps somehow. Nicely done!
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Appreciate that as was bit of a struggle
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No boarding school, but a closely related Catholic Parochial School. Although curious about such things, my friends were not inclined, and I wasn’t brave enough (back then) to go it alone, lol…
Elizabeth
https://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2017/11/06/stray-thought-6/
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Probably best path
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Oooh–one encounter with the Ouija board cured me of that kind of game.But fun glimpse into girls teens and the things we did.
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Days recalled sooooo long ago
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A lovely verse – I like how the poem sharpens its focus as we go along – from the general ‘we girls’ to ‘Shirley’ senseless – great fun.
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Thank you Peter for following the poem’s progression
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Fabulous Laura! I didn’t got to boarding school but we got up to similar things at our girls school., one of which was right next door to a graveyard. I love the language you’ve used, the alliteration in ‘hormone hiked’ and the sibilance in ‘summon souls’.
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Before entering the real world so many adolescents tinker with the unearthly! Alliteration and sibilantce helps me along in place of rhyme and tends to be my MO so thank you for your appreciation Kim
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Loved the sounds in this….especially reading it aloud. I’ve always wanted a ouija board, or at least to try one. You’ve renewed that interest! 🙂
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be careful what you wish for
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I can clearly see a coming of age thing here.. the sibilance is splendid building tension on that board…
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sibilant seance
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Devilish dabblings for the bored/board…I’m with Shirley!
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play on words Lynn
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This is a fun one to read aloud. Clever Shirley and clever you!
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I think reading aloud is the important bit so glad you tried – thank you
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