Rehabilitating old stories

I was reading one of my favorite writer's forums today and ran across a thread about old stories.

It got me thinking about some of the stories I wrote back in high school. There are two stories I still remember vivdly, short stories. One was called 1929 and the protaganist's name was Orl. Odd name, but anyway, you can pretty much guess what it was about. This wasn't a science fiction or fantasy story, if I remember it correctly.

Then there was a story about a man who was a wine connoisseur - an arrogant one who is invited to a dinner which turns out to be a frightening affair for him. I had kept those stories around for many years but it's been so long now that I wonder if I still have the copies. When I have some time I plan to go digging around for those stories.

Why? I want to rehabilitate them. I think that I can make them better. Much better. People seemed to like them back then, especially my T.A.G. teachers. I wonder if people will like them now?

It will be a long time before I make a decision about exactly how to rewrite them because I'm in the middle of so many other writing projects. We'll see. . .

Repurposed

So far my second short story is coming along. I've been a little more disciplined in my writing this year. I'm still thinking of buying a book about fairy lore for this particular story as I'm going to need it now. I could do my research from my computer but it's nice to have a book. I'm planning to buy one next week on payday.

Then there's the third one that I intend to write which is a shortened version of a failed novel I was writing. This is actually my second novel (unfinished). My first novel I intend to raid as well and use it as fodder for future work, poetry and prose. writing is like gardening in my opinion. Whatever you write, even if it can't be used in the way you originally intended, it can be re-purposed to fertilize future writing projects.

First new poem

Well, here I am again thinking about a new poetry collection. It makes me laugh to think how long it takes me to write poetry that I think is halfway decent. My first collection was about 15 years in the making. I'll surely be an old woman when the next collection, edited and culled appropriately, comes out! lol!

Anyway, I've been busy pooping out new poetry for a couple of weeks. I'm a primitive (no literary training, I just write what I feel, so yeah, my stuff is rather rough.) You've seen it here first, folks (all two of you that visit this blog.) Keep in mind it's still a work in progress. It was inspired by many things, the most important being one of my favorite poets and one of my favorite poems by him - Walter De La Mare's I Met At Eve.

A Forest Deep

I wandered through a forest deep

of many muted shades of green

in misty mountains under webs of trees

silent as forgotten dream.

In a foggy clearing a port lay

twinkling lights rest near river's edge

old barges drift in from the bay

under the morning's gray ledge

Beyond the river the geese soar

webs of firs climb the hilly steep

fog rolls across the forest floor

shadows of shadows cover the mountain keep

I wandered through a forest deep

of many muted shades of green

in misty mountains under webs of trees

silent as forgotten dream.