Lit GC'10 : Creative writing

The first Literature competition of the year 2010. Creative writing.

Problem Statement: Write a story or a poem in 200-1000 words.


Conditions: The piece should make sense when read from the first line to the last.

It should also make sense when you start reading from the beginning of the last paragraph onwards, i.e. a circular story.

e.g.

1. Mary had a tiger.

2. The doctor was shocked.

3. This was something he hadn’t seen his whole life.

4. The doctor advised Mary to eat healthy to address her problem.

In the above example, treat every line as a paragraph. The second story begins from the last para, and goes in the order 4, 1, 2, 3. The catch here was the use of “had” instead of “eat” in the second story. You are obviously expected to do better.

A paragraph is defined as a minimum of 8 lines (verse) or 12 sentences (prose).

Use of flash-forwards and flashbacks is not allowed.



Topics:

1. Double Entendre

2. The visitor

3. A half-remembered dream

4. The prophecy

5. The first _______

6. Checkmate

7. The affair

Word Limit: 200-1000 words

Time: 6.30 p.m – 10.30 p.m

I chose to write a poem [to save ink and time!] on 'The First _____' for the obvious amount of liberty in the blank!

The First Re-curS(i)onnet

Eyes open to a just another ‘Monday-ne’ morning,

The tube allows one last squeeze. (1)

And, since ‘with a Great shower, comes Great responsibilities’,

I rush to work like the monsoon breeze. (2)

Forever unknown to the office space,

I seat myself for my daily bread and cheese. (3)

Killing time between files and spreadsheets,

I eagerly await the clock to strike 6, please. (4)

But, it was to be a new evening I reckoned,

When my eyes locked another pair. (5)

Imagining the smiling lips sipping coffee,

I neared her skipping the last stair. (6)

Inviting her to hold me tight,

We sped through the traffic free of care. (7)

Near a café to her place,

We stopped by to grab a cup of coffee. (8)

And, while ‘a lot can happen over coffee’,

I started to re-iterate my lonely story. (9)

She too involves herself with such innocence, that

I’d like a “time-freeze”; temporary. (10)

- - - - - x - - - - -

We reached a point of silence,

Which broke with the blink her eyes make. (11)

I confessed how much I’d love to love her,

But only in my thoughts, for Christ’s sake! (12)

I waved at her as she walked away,

And thought of my happiness so fake. (13)

I knew she only needed a lift back home, and

I’d drop dead on bed with heartache. (14)

- - - - - x - - - - -

The Piano