Tag Archives: The Sunday Whirl

For the Sunday Whirl Wordle 721, Aug 31, 2025

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Lady in Waiting

A rush of faith has roosted somewhere in her heart––
a spot where shame has luckily never had a start.
But now her heart beats wildly, blood rushing to that place
where passion peaked, but oh too soon, was forced to slow its pace.
An orb of moon projects a strip of light across the road 
by which he has departed to search out the Motherlode,
trading riches of the heart in an action bold.
Her ruby lips forsaken in his quest for gold.
Somewhere on the fringe he wanders in his search,
as her faith roosts steadfastly, on its accustomed perch.

 

 

Prompt Words for the Sunday Whirl Wordle are: roosted fringe strip orb ruby rush beat shame faith peaks spot heart

First Flight Jitters, for the Sunday Whirl Wordle 720, Aug 24, 2025

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First Flight Jitters

He lingers on the runway, doing a little dance
as though he has a virus living in his pants.
Bounds right up the plane steps, wishing they were shorter,
reaches in his pocket and tips the stew a quarter.
Rugged he-man that he is, he cannot veil his terror
over the coming takeoff, for he is is no brave wayfarer.
He quavers as he finds his seat, hoping that it’s right.
Notes its number on his ticket , listed just under his flight.
His fear of flying preys on him, his hands and shoulders shaking.
The papers in his suit pocket are rustling with his quaking.
When the plane lifts off the ground, he fears that he is dying.
The next time, he will take a train. No more will he be flying,

 

For The Sunday Whirl Wordle the prompt words are: virus dance name note lingers runway rugged quaver paper prey veil wish

“Life” for The Sunday Whirl Wordle 719, Aug 17, 2025

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Prompt words for The Sunday Whirl are: spiral craft signal draft shallow rule dense send shell sham slapping laugh

“Family Stories” For the Sunday Whirl Wordle 718, Aug 10, 2025

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Ben Dykstra (My dad) age 13.

Family Stories

My father’s stories were not tales of moral principles or prophecy,
but rather reenactments of his roots—
tales of the open endless prairie
and the characters who peopled it.
Mirrors reflecting what seemed to me
to be a distant past:
forays to neighboring town dances
(told in the voice of  Deafie Sterner)
to “See the leetle women.”

Tales of Hank Jarneck, Cousin Louie
and Grandma’s liniment cake.
Accounts of gray wolves, prairie fires,
children lost in winter blizzards
and reenactments of the  voices of the wind
whistling through wall planks
and around the door during a winter blizzard.

In those days of my childhood before travel,
they presented a way to journey through time—
leading me back to my father’s roots—
allowing him to make those memories last
through another generation.
The debris of his life’s past
thus building the foundation
of mine.

For The Sunday Whirl Wordle 718 the words are: voices time story debris present
lead doors roots prophecy last mirror

“Souvenirs” For the Sunday Whirl Wordle 717, Aug 3, 2025

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Souvenirs

Not all souvenirs are ones that we can touch––
statues, postcards, T-shirts, baskets, rings and such.
We buy such things to crack the windows to the past
to try to free those memories that we know won’t last.
Yet memory itself is a siren that can free
remembrance in melodies that we cannot see
except in mental echoes that come wave after wave,
showing us for free what our mind chooses to save.
Whether they prompt nostalgia to excite or soothe or sting,
deep within our minds are souvenirs of everything.

 

 

For the Sunday Whirl Wordle 717, the prompt words are: souvenirs free touch know cracks siren window waves sting show ring give. Image by Bianca Ackerman on Unsplash.

Catching the Ball for the Sunday Whirl Wordle, July 27, 2025

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Catching the Ball

The edge of truth floats shimmering preparing to unveil
behavior we need warnings of that lie beyond the pale.
Strange doings that we should avoid. Actions we should fear.
Dark magic that sparks whispers of dangers far and near.
Beware those creatures of the dark that woo us with their wiles—
shedding their true natures by obscuring them with smiles.
Fortune can be  a swift-paced ball. Best catch it in your mitt
lest you forget to reach for it and, instead, get hit.

For the Sunday Whirl, the words are: ball whispers shimmering unveil hits strange shedding edge creature sparks fear magic  Image by Benjamin Hershey on Unsplash.

“When It Comes to Meeting Dragons,” For Wordle 715

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When It Comes To Meeting Dragons

Inside the skins of dragons churn secrets I know well,
but things I glimpse inside of them are stories I can’t tell.
They cradle dark illusions that when exposed to light
stir emotions that give birth to horror and to fright.
These feelings stage a battle, drawing into the game
flashes of trepidation–and feelings I won’t name.
So when it comes to meeting dragons,please remain on the fringe,
for in close proximity,  you’re sure to get a singe!!!

Word prompts for Wordle 715 are: churn secret battle names glimpse cradle skins dragons stir flash fringe illusion.   Photo by Ravit Sages on Unsplash.

“Missing You” For the Sunday Whirl Wordle #714, July 13, 2025

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Missing You

      The only true space is that one formerly occupied by your laugh, now missing as my world fills in around me–you missing as a piece of it. I send this letter on a mission to find you and bring you back to face the music and explain why you walked out, fists clenched, never to return, firing your former life and loves to leave us all here, disconsolate, our loneliness brewing that weak decoction that lacks you–the most vital element of our world’s infusion.

 

For the Sunday Whirl Wordle #714 the prompt words are: face fire fists walk brewing back only true space piece mission laugh

“Summer Nights” for The Sunday Whirl Wordle June 29, 2025

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Summer Nights

Maneuvered by some radar
through the summer night,
haunted  fluttering creatures
are captured by the light,
soaring over the river,
then swooping down to swing
lower to catch tasty
morsels on the wing.
A thousand tiny little eyes
strung out far below,
draw these winged predators
everywhere they go.
Rattlesnakes lie coiled
beside their shed-off skins
far from the pebbled riverbanks,
safe within their dens
as legendary wing tips
flap quietly higher
ripping through the midnight skies
lit by our camping fire.

 

For The Sunday Whirl Wordle the prompt words are: radar string eyes haunted legends swing rattle river skin tip pebble rips

For The Sunday Whirl 711, June 22, 2025

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                                                           Getty image 

War Games

Peaceful visions stream into space and speed along their way
as our president plays war games, deciding its the day
that he’ll become a soldier, bone spurs a lesser grief––
his soldiering tasks much easier as Commander in Chief
sitting in his desk chair, pushing buttons that
could bring about a world war (wearing his MAGA hat.)

These seeds of war he’s planted grow roots that quickly spread
around a breathing living world so easily turned dead.
Our freedom’s being stifled, the body of our nation
brought down by the curatailment of our health and education.
As this child plays his war games, are his minions listening
for the sounds of bombs in the sunlight swiftly glistening

speeding toward their targets in the good old U.S.A.
perhaps trained on the cities where your children play?
The Bible gives the message of an eye for an eye,
so as you hear the bombs they’ve returned swiftly going by,
will you finally admit that this man that you’ve elected
is one you might more wisely have summarily rejected?

For The Sunday Whirl Wordle #711 the prompt words are: sitting free space go roots body stream breathe listen seeds peace vision. (Getty image)