Write On Wednesdays Exercise 19 – Sunshine in a cup. Write the words of Emily Dickinson: “Bring me sunshine in a cup” at the top of your page. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Write the first words that come into your head after the prompt. Don’t take you pen off the page (or fingers off the keyboard). Stop only when the buzzer rings! Do this exercise over and over if you wish. Write beyond 5 minutes if you like, you can link it up as an extra post.
Bring me sunshine in a cup
I sat nervously, threading my fingers in my lap and staring at a smudged stain on the ground. The carpet underneath the stain looked tortured; somebody had gone to work on it with soda water. Gave the impression of being fairly recent too but the Persian pattern hid the damage unless you scrutinised it closely, like I was. I heard movement from the closed door in front of me and shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I’d never had my cup read before and I was feeling weird about it. The cup reader emerged from the room with a smiling face behind her. They exchanged pleasantries and the smiling face left. I stared up at the cup reader, a large Turkish woman with an honest face and wavy dark hair coiling down her back and got up from my plastic chair, following her into the room, watching as she prepared my coffee. I drank slowly and I willed the cup, bring me sunshine.
Thanks again Ink Papen Pen. I’m returning to Write on Wednesdays after a small and undeliberate hiatus.
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Great piece. I was sorry when it ended as I wanted to know what the cup said. Well done.
Thanks Melissa, what a wonderful compliment!
I really like the last line. I’m with Melissa…I wanted to know more 🙂 Well done!
Thanks Lillie!
Yes, I too wondered what the cup would say!
Great use of the prompt and I love that last line too 🙂
Interesting take on this prompt! Very well written and I too wanted to know more about the story. Great job! 🙂
Such an awesome use of the prompt – I love the whole idea of this and the way you weaved the prompt into your words. Great job!
What happens next?? Tell meee. Hehe, good job – judging from the comments, it looks as though you drew us all in.
You know what? Even I want to know what happens next! Thanks for your lovely comment Jayne.
Good twist on the prompt. The last line works well as it leaves you lingering. Using the carpet stain as an introduction created a sense of mystery, perhaps danger…
Thank you, I felt the same way about the carpet stain. Stains in general tend to have that effect on people I think.
What’s next what’s next? I need to know about this story! Nice job compelling us all! =)
Yes, what did the cup say? I love how the readers hair coiled down her back – beautiful words!
The details are great in this piece.
Tiny and finely wrought!
Good work. x
Thank you! Love it when the story seems to come from nowhere and end up working out.
The last line was superb – strong and full of meaning. Perhaps you can continue with this next week? I think you really took the prompt to a clever place. Well done!
Thanks Gill, I appreciate your comments. I think I will continue with this thread next week.
[…] have decided to follow on with the story I started in last week’s prompt. Write on […]
It’s a nice post.