Shorts for October 18th 2024

All of this is a work of fiction, except where it isn’t.

Haikus and a note on structure

The herdsman arrives

Warmth to be traded and joy

shared, down the mountain

Each poem is organized in a 5-7-5 with the traditional kireji: a dash, ellipsis or exclamatory particle “how” to give it cyclicality. More often I structure it to be narratively recursive, but where I can be creative enough for the “ideal” form, I attempt including a (English-translation) kireji.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” and Horror

Sticking with the horror theme for all of October, Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio is our next inspiration. As a piece of horror and a fan of the song, the opening “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” is impossible to improve upon. My thought is to build on the theme, expand what it is into this medium.

The man didn’t run. The streets of Compton were empty, except for him and the shadow. He saw it out of the corner of his vision, red eyes and fangs. He couldn’t look. He could only hope it was just following.