Ray Bradbury, in his book Zen in the Art of Writing, (an excellent book by the way) explained that he wrote long lists of nouns "that I simply flung forth on paper, trusting my subconscious to give bread, as it were, to the birds."
Learning while sitting at the feet of the master, I began to do the same, making lists of nouns and turning them into titles. They can be as simple as, The Wall, or more complicated as in The Wall Came Tumbling Down. It's great fun. Today's word is....
"Hi!"
"Cap't, there be whales here!"
My favorite Star Trek movie is The Journey Home. Not only does it have some really funny moments, it's about bringing whales from the past, back to present day earth, which no longer has them. What could be more endearing than that?
Let's make some titles!
Unfortunately Whales on Stilts is already taken, so we'll have to think of something else.
The Bubble Net Whale
Whale You Were Away
What the Heck is Whaling You?
Even Whales Dream of Flying
The Whale and the Walrus
The Whales of Middle Sea
If I Were a Whale I'd Be Big
Whales Don't Live Here Anymore
Say "Whale" Enough Times and it Starts to Sound Funny
Whales and Wales Are Not the Same
How Many Whales Does it Take to Screw in a Light Bulb?
I Whale Always Remember You
A Whale by Any Other Name is Still a Whale
Whalesong
I could go on and on, but I'll stop. Now, pick one of these titles OR make up one of your own and write a little something: a poem, a bit of flash fiction of 100 to 200 words, a short story, a picture book...a novel. I would love it if you shared.
Here's my contribution.
Even Whales Dream of Flying
weightless
across the sky.
When they break through the water's surface
and push their giant bodies
towards the sunlight and the stars
there is a moment
when they feel the pull of gravity.
It tugs against their skin,
tugs against the blood and bone of who
they Are.
They shed the weight of
millions of years,
and sing
as they swim on air currents among
the clouds
or float along
the Milk Way
or siphon stardust
through baleen.
In their dreams
whales dream
that they can fly....
Got a title, bit of flash fiction, or a poem? Do share!
