Greetings, writers—
Today’s prompt is inspired by a poem called “Good Bones,” by Maggie Smith. It begins as follows:
Life is short, though I keep this from my children.
Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine
in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,
a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways
I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least
fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative
estimate, though I keep this from my children.
It goes downhill from there, friends; it’s not a happy poem. But the prompt need not send you in downer directions. It is simply this:
Write a scene in which your character very purposefully does not share certain information with someone else in order to protect them.
The scene should take place in a clearly described location, and it should begin in one emotional register and end in another.
If you would like, include one or two of the following:
a garden or gardener, an eavesdropper, a disruptive child, a confession, a broken promise
Happy writing—
Emily
P.S. As my 12-year-old, reading over my shoulder just now, notes: “Everyone says that life is short, but it’s the longest thing you’ll ever experience.” Good point, kid.