Introduction Post- 31 Days Challenge 2017

Hello readers! I am Srivalli Rekha and I am from India. I am a writer, blogger, you-tuber. 

This is my first year doing the 31 days challenge and I am totally excited. After going through a good number of previous years' blogs, I was confused as to what topic to choose. This led me to search for ideas and then I found WritersWrite on twitter. 

As luck would have it, they shared a link to their site Writers Write which took me to the  October prompts where an image had prompts for all 31 days! Also they post prompts for each day separately. Its a double bonus and I could use either. Yay! :) 

Now the first step was taken, then what next? Do I write poems or musings or stories? As I went through the list, short fiction felt like a good idea. 

So for the next 31 days, I'd be writing or trying to write a short story using the day's prompt in 700 words or less. We'll just have to wait see how many I can get done by the end of the month. Fingers crossed. ;) 

Find below the links for each day of my 31 days challenge. I decided to name it, "31 Days of Prompts & Fiction." 

Good luck to all the others who are participating. :) 

Day 1: Technical Terms

Day 2: Elementary

Day 3: Bicep

Day 4: Kinds of People

Day 5: Intruder

Day 6: Favorite Chair

Day 7: Protagonist Avoids Limelight

Day 8: Train Ride Gone Bad

Day 9: Random Acts of Kindness

Day 10: Strange Handshake

Day 11: Thunderstorm

Day 12: Favorite Word

Day 13: Master Plan

Day 14: Missing a Person

Day 15: BREAK

Day 16: Visit to a Zoo

Day 17: Favorite Age (Forgot to publish the post, sigh!)

Day 18: Diwali Break

Day 19: Happy Diwali (Festival break)

Day 20: Being Followed

Day 21: About President 

Day 22: Antagonist

Day 23: Three View Points

Day 24: Friends Meet

Day 25: Couldn't Write

Day 26: Couldn't Write

Day 27: Couldn't Write

Day 28: Couldn't Write

Day 29: Couldn't Write

Day 30: Couldn't Write

Day 31: My Experience

Met you next year! 

Fragrant Star

The moon rose full,
not white but yellow!
against the sky so dark,
the blues were closer to black.

Tiny stars twinkled,
more delicate than ever,
their perfume a mild drug,
as they danced in the wind.

How beautiful they blinked,
a shapeless pattern of dots,
that winked and smiled at me,
urging me to trace a form.

Mesmerized, I drew along,
the fragrance my silent lullaby,
I hummed along as my finger outlined.
a giggle escaped my lips; the stars were night jasmine.


Painting Credit: Mrs Ratna Pochiraju

Drip.. Drop.. Drip..

Drip... Drip... Drip...
The raindrops tickled me;
soft as a feather,
light as a bubble,
reminding me to smile.

Drip... Drip... Drip...
Red umbrella came to my rescue,
when the rain-wrapped around,
not letting me go, as I stood
in the middle of nowhere.

Drip... Drip... Drip...
With grass green shirt,
sky blue skirt and
earthy brown boots,
I felt a part of nature.

Drip... Drip... Drip...
New music surrounded me;
rain drumming on the umbrella,
boots splashing the puddle,
laughter bubbling from my heart.

Drip... Drop... Drip...
Pitter... Patter... Pitter...
Splish... Splash... Splish...
Giggle... Laugh... Giggle...
The child in me is back again.


Painting by Mrs. Ratna Pochiraju

The Lone Tree

The air blew cold,
the sun took a vacation,
the river began to freeze,
as the raindrops
turned to snowflakes.

The birds flew away,
leaving their nests empty,
insects left for their homes,
as the snowflakes
stuck to the ground.

The flowers began to wither,
grass seemed to turn white,
trees began to stoop,
as the glistening snow
blanketed the earth.

Yet stood a lone tree,
holding the snow on its branches,
its reflection bleak in the thin ice river,
as another lonely bird
came to say goodbye, till they meet again.

Painting  by: Mrs Ratna Pochiraju

The Owl

It was a foggy night,
the moon hid behind the clouds.
From the balcony of my room,
as I stood enjoying the breeze,
a vague form caught my eye.

What could it be! I wondered
when a sudden cry startled me.
The wind blew as I watched,
to reveal a dead tree, on which
sat an owl, staring back at me.

I stared back, unblinking
but the owl won the game.
It smiled at me! I won,
it seemed to say to me.
The white owl on the dead tree.


Painting : Mrs. Ratna Pochiraju

Me or My Shadow!!

I walk around, aimless
thinking about nothing
when a form catches my eye.
And it is mine, my shadow!

I follow it, curious
towards a huge white wall.
The shadow grows larger,
and I stare, fascinated!

The closer I get,
the bigger the shadow gets,
dark and threatening,
it looms over me, frightening!

I lower my eyes, afraid
of my own shadow.
But then, I realize
the shadow begins at my feet!

I walk into light, it darkens,
I walk into dark, it vanishes.
So who's real? I wonder
Me or My Shadow!

Painting Credit: Mrs. Ratna Pochiraju