Today’s prompt image – Lioness and her cub.
Pride lionesses hunt, feed, protect and nurture the next generation.
Pride males protect their turf for one purpose – mating rights – even when they help take down buffalo or embark on their periodic hyena-killing.
Maternal Instincts
Superior to Paternal Instincts?
And she sacrificed that which was the most precious…
Animal – Predator, Man – Destroyer?
Vegans, Vegetarian, Meat-Eater, Life, Mercy Killing
More than a point of view, perhaps…
Finally, something inspired by Walt Disney Pictures – The Lion King.
Hope you enjoyed at least one of the above.
I welcome and would love to read your 55-word contributions.
Some guidelines:
1. Your contributions can be in prose or verse.
2. Please do make it count exactly 55 words (excluding the title, if any).
3. Your flash-fiction does not have to include my title > Maternal Instincts > rather, please draw off the Image.
If you can leave your contributions in the Comments below, I shall be happy to post them in a Gallery on 9 April, giving you full credit and with a link back to your blog…
Many thanks 🙂
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Be back with a Haiku on Thursday
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her warm gentle hug
my heart gets tugged
feel the rumble of her purr
emotions inside do stir
a mother’s love
a guide from above
holds on tight
shields from fright
makes everything alright
from day through the night
still there at dawn’s morning light
together we’ll bask in daylight
sleep together under the moonlight
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okay, my first attempt at any of the challenges…I think it was 55
I enjoyed yours Eric, though the second one made me catch my breath from the sadness and loss i felt…
Thank you…this was fun….
Take Care….
)0(
ladyblue
This is so lovely Ladyblue, and thank you for your generous sharing 🙂
I appreciate very much your thoughts about my pieces – yes, the second is sad and is a recurrent event, even now.
All good wishes keep you company,
Eric
Eric:
This one is masterful – it crams so much into one image –love, gentleness, ferocity, masculinity, femininity, hope and innate ferocity, to name a few. I like all your takes, for each stands unique on its own.
I am hard pressed to respond to your challenge:
Her chin rubs softy.
Her cub-love lofty.
Her breath a caress,
Wipes away duress.
He loves her silken fur,
Sucks milk with a purr.
Then, he roars a din.
Gone the bond of lion kin,
For he now has a main,
To everywhere inflict pain.
Wiping clean in one blast
Mother love of the past.
You are right Jane – that image evokes multiple possibilities.
Thank you for your kind words re: my takes.
I love your contribution – with a clear break that separates innocent needs from mature drives.
Cheers,
Eric
P/s Unless I’m missing something, should I tweak “main” with “mane” – 4th line from the bottom.
Oops and yes, Thank you
Bless you,
Did I say that? You evoke only the best!
Cheerio
Jane
Looks like animals and vegetation are more in sync with mother nature than humans who purportedly claim to be of higher calibre. They understand the meaning of protect, sharing, take what is enough. A shame that the majority of humans are destroyers and only a minority believes in conservation.
I enjoy all four postings ending with a dash of humor in Hear Me Roar. You set us thinking with your keen observation as usual.
Hello Jasey,
Thank you for your ready presence and comments. Yes, we can learn much from the flora and fauna that we take for granted.
Hopefully you can contribute – you have about 10 days from today, so take your time.
Cheers, Eric
Well now Peg!
This is so unexpected and marvellous of you.
Thank you so very much dear,
Eric
Very cool! Some interesting takes on the Maternal Instinct!
Thank you Wolfie – cool, yes, that’s your blog theme too 🙂
😀
Hi Eric I love this challenge too I hope I am not too late.
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I love your smell it is the same as mine
I love your tiny paws your little claws with mine entwine.
Trust me and me alone beware the males they are too proud
they can get nasty when in a crowd.
I shall lay down my life for you , why?
Because I gave birth to you.
No you’re not late.
This is great – but if I might suggest a small tweak. It comes in at 56 words (instead of 55) but if you agree to drop the “and” from the 3rd line, you keep it intact without losing anything – to read “Trust me, me alone, beware the males they are too proud”
Obviously, you’re welcome to ignore my suggestion and make any other change to snip off one word.
Peace, Eric
No that’s fine my word count on word press is not that accurate must remember to use office. Can you change it or should I resubmit. Thanks Eric I like the challenge. 😉
No worries I’ll do the change, leave it with me.
Cheers, Eric 🙂
Thank you so much!
I hope you know I meant this is the best prompt–for me, anyway. 🙂
Yup, I gathered that – don’t worry yourself my dear 😀
This is the best one, yet, Eric. Here’s my offering:
Pride and Joy
Another day, you’ll roar and leave,
but for today the rumble of your purr is mine.
What can I do, my son? How prepare you
for that solitary walk into your own pride?
We go through the motions of all that is natural.
Somehow, I hope this love will carry you
when humbling moments come.
Much love,
Peg
Ah, Peg,
I know exactly where you’re coming from, with this heartfelt contribution. Lisa and I feel likewise about all three of our children – children, yes all adults now.
Very touching and I love it, simply love it!
Luv and hugz,
Eric
I have tried Eric, … for the first time so this is my ….Baby?… :-)…
Fate…
“To kill to live
what would I give
to eat nothing at all?”
but the natural order
is in place, you kill or you fall.
The hunter and the hunted
all were born through a mothers pain
but the difference ‘tween the two, it seems
is the faintest of lines, drawn by fates cruel claim.
Enjoyed reading all your contributions and they spurred me on to try… xPenx
Hello Penny,
Nice contribution and with an underlying theme.
Thank you for joining,
Eric
Hi Eric, I love them all. Here is my humble attempt.
Maternal Instincts
The cub chased after the butterfly mesmerized by its’ flight. Too intent on catching the butterfly, not realizing he headed straight toward a hyena basking in the sun. The hyena caught the scent of the cub and jumped up for a light lunch. The hyena lunged right into the waiting claws of the watchful lioness.
Take care as always,
Susan
Ha, Ha, Susan
Me thinks the Little One was playing “catch” and guess who got “caught” 🙂
That last line was a killer,
Eric 🙂
Yes Eric! On a small break as not able to cover all the regular routine here on blogs,still cannot restrain myself from completely being away from it!. I have few lines for your prompt! the pic which I liked a lot!
MOTHER
The gentle touch of the caring soul
Precious and priceless for every kid
Feeling the warmth of the arms
Soothes every bruise and puts to sleep.
Whether in a jungle or a palatial place,
On the trees or within some nest,
Love is affection!
Expresses mother
A woman of fortitude
Of any genus or taxon.
Well Soumya, appreciate your time here.
I love your contribution – the emotions of mothers are common to all species and little to do with their condition in life. The title is also apt – MOTHER – simple but evocative.
Peace and hugz, Eric
Wow!
Amazingly presented each one of your posts on this prompt! The picture is absolutely touching! Loved every version you wrote about.
Yes, I agree when you say we do what we think is right, which may or may not be right in opinion of others. What a tale of living beings we have to think about, that which can make us live, die, learn, inspire? Sometimes feel, do we need books,the nature around us gives us everything in plenty, every lesson that we need to learn
Hello Soumya dear,
I thought you were taking a hiatus. Anyway, happy to have you visit.
You are right – everyone is entitled to his or her views and practices, provided these don’t impinge certain rights and dignity of individuals.
Do we need books – yes, but true knowledge is imparted more by how we live (show) rather than preach (tell), I reckon. In this, the flora and fauna excel.
Peace and hugz,
Eric
“The Great Mystery” is one of your best.
Thank you Ian,
I see it as evocative without being unduly combative.
Cheers, Eric
All are excellent but the first resonates with me.
Title: Why Is There Not Peace?
Nature Is Mother To Us All
She Gives And We Take
In The City Of The Father
There Is Conflict, Violence And Fear
In The City Of The Mother
There Is Peace, Shelter And Nurturing
We Travel Between The Cities
Trying To Bring Them Together
The Father Says,
“Only If The Mother Will Obey Me”
Well, this is a power packed tease, Richard. And what an angle.
Thank you my friend, this will surely brighten up the gallery.
Peace, Eric
Thanks Eric. It was a very spontaneous response. I’m pleased to contribute.
Brilliant post! Each one is a gem. Feels really good today!
Hello Arjun,
I like especially your post today – Man Kind. I hope people who see my reply here will click through and visit your post.
Thank you also for your generous words re: my post here,
Eric
I liked them all, but I especially like Maternal Instincts. I have always believed that alpha males have been trying too hard to destroy the world in which we live. I say it’s time to resign and let the mothers come forth!
Hello Joel,
I agree the current systems are creaking at their joints and we seem to be repeating more of the same.
Peace, Eric
“Hear Me Roar” – made me chuckle! Thank you!
Blessings ~ Wendy
I simply love the images of flowers you post, Wendy. The verses pair well too.
Yes, “Hear Me Roar” gave me a tickle too, when I was writing it.
Peace, Eric
Good work with prompt.
Thank you for your visit and comment.
All good wishes, Eric
Hi, All of them were good, but the great mystery was my favourite. Pls find my contribution below. Thank you
She neighs and stumbles,
Her food untouched,
runs around barn and grassland
in grief, mourning the loss
of her precious foul,
taken a day after his birth
while the stallion
raises his head briefly
from heaps of corn,
lazy and puzzled,
he returns to chewing
content with his life,
not knowing he is the father
Well, Padmini – from the time check, I see you dished this out so fast. And very impressive too! It comes close on the heels of the recent FF you wrote about the horse.
Thank you for joining in,
Eric
Thank you for this post, Cik Eric! The Mercy Killing one intrigues me to comment.
Isn’t it interesting that some people do not want to eat meat because “they do not want to kill just to eat”? To that point, I guess that’s totally fine, people are free to have their point of view.
But I often wonder why some of them have to preach and force other people to do what they do because they think “meat-eating meat is inhumane”. Sometimes I just want to say that:
1-What about lions, tigers, and others? Don’t they have to “kill” in order to live? Isn’t it amazing that the animals have the wisdom “we need to live but only take what we need”? Can you find animals that keep eating after they’re full?
2- So you think if you eat vegetables that’s not “killing”, eh? Just because vegetables do not run like a tiger and do not roam the sky like birds that means they do not have a soul? What about that tribe that shouts and yells and at a tree for a couple of days and later on the tree dies without explanation? What about the plant that grows significantly better when it is showered by the love of its owner in comparison to those that are not?
Animals have their own wisdom and we certainly need to learn from them. In that respect it just makes no sense if we try to claim the “righteousness” of our “way of life” when we barely understand the essence of life. Perhaps we need to sit more on the grass and talk to the tree and listen to the birds chirping before making a claim?
Wow! Mas,
Touched a button, me thinks.
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A short king he was, upset that all his subjects were tall
Chopped off all their legs, he did, and saw them all fall
In celebration, now that he was tall, the king held a great ball
People did crawl on hands and knees, as they answered his call
To see the king who now stood tall in the low ceilinged hall
Strange is it not, some grow tall, while others forever remain small
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Peace, Eric
P/s Saya mengerti dan setuju dengan Anda. Kami melakukan apa yang kita pikirkan benar tapi tidak mengkritik atau menghakimi orang lain
(I understand and agree with you. We do what we think is right but do not criticise or judge others)
Thank you, Cik Eric. It is one of those things that we definitely need to learn in order to learn to live a better life. Much love to you, Cik 🙂