April 5, 2010 - In the seasons of change

We were asked to do a freewrite as an ice breaker to today's training.

Our prompt? "In the seasons of change"

Here's what I came up with:

In the seasons of change the kingdom was completely unaware
that it was happening.

Kings and queens still kept their court, counting taxes and
sending soldiers to war.

The priests still guided souls to heaven in their humble ways
and the farmers still sowed.

The children noticed it first. Beautiful buds in the trees.
Birds were singing, "It's here! It's here!"

They danced in circles while sweethearts stole kisses
and none of the peasants noticed, backs bent in their toil.

The battlefield clashed with swords and howls and blood
and bread baked in hearths.

Grandmother spun yarn in her rocking chair,
but she, too, caught wind of it and let the new lavender scent fill her nose

In the season of change the young folks asked the kings and queens
why men were sent to die and held their gaze in earnest

The advisers mumbled, disconcerted; the fools laughed an uneasy laughter.
And still the children held their gaze, in earnest.

The kind looked upon the children and began to open his mouth.
The queen raised her hand to stop him and spoke:

"We send them to die, my children, because
no one's asked us to stop them."

(c) 2010