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Writing Challenge: Write A Piece About A Childhood Memory

pennywise

pennywise

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,207
Poem, short story, essay, song, whatever!

I'm not sure if this will be successful or not but I thought maybe it would be fun and generate a bit of interest in words. I picked the topic because I know some of my most vivid memories are from childhood and I thought maybe that would be true for others as well, plus it is something that everyone can relate to in some way.

You don't have to spend a long time on it or anything, it isn't a competition, just drop in and write a few lines if you want!

I know that I, for one, look forward to any kind of contribution.
 
I wrote something to get it started:

The Perfect Days Of Summer​
By pennywise​

I remember driving to the beach in the back of the station wagon reading Spider Man comic books, shirtless, shoeless, waving goodbye to the house with the scent of fresh cut grass and thick summer asphalt heat steaming through the open windows, riding through anonymous small Jersey towns and endless pine forest with secret lakes and solitary boats. Reaching the ancient ocean plateau I can smell the deep salty aroma of the marshlands and the bay, the road a straight shot to the beach town where every house has a porch and kites line the horizon with tails whipping and spiraling in the wind. Cruising down the wide boulevard past numbered streets and turning down one where all the yards are made of round pink and white stones instead of grass, and you can hear the ocean crashing beyond the dunes.

I have to run over the searing pavement and hop along over the hot sand that burns my feet but I don’t care, and then I break through to where the sand is only warm and pleasant and soft under my toes and keep going to dive into the water for the first time. Walk out dripping in the wet spray of the surf that swashes up onto the shore in hypnotic seafoam surges and look back at the sun reflecting off the water in hundreds and thousands and millions of glistening reflective jewels like upside down stars in a blue-green reflection of summer sky, projecting it’s own kind of silence.

And there are people everywhere, laying in the sun and under the hundreds of umbrellas that burn in bright primary colors in patchwork profusion. I can always find my family again even though sometimes the current pulls me nearly a mile down-shore because our umbrella is a busy rainbow pattern designed for that purpose. Go and lie down in the sun with everyone else and get dry. Feel warm and comfortable in my body with my feet buried in the sand I can feel the salt in little tight patches on my skin.

Dig in the sand and pull out the shovels and buckets that we brought in a big plastic bag and search for the right shells and get to work. Throw sand in a big pile and wet it down and then pack and sculpt, a little here, a little there, sand in my hair and it becomes a dragon lying peacefully dangerous there in the sand with round black stones for eyes and a deadly line of seashells for scales up the back and along the tail, and strangers walk by and say “Nice dragon” and I smile because it is a nice dragon.

And back into the water and back in to rest, back and forth all day while the sun browns my skin and bleaches my hair and warms me all over. I remember being pinched by a crab which retreated into the water as I ran back to my family in tears, more frightened than hurt, and my father telling me “don’t worry about the crab, he’s afraid of you too and that’s why he bit you” and to come find him if any crabs tried to get me again, but they wouldn’t because they all ran away anyway.

The sky is burning pastel while the sun disappears into the endless horizon that is so flat. The ice cream salesmen walk onto the edge of the beach path with dune grass on either side and ring their bells for the last time while the gulls give their distinctive cry and dive, skimming the water and coming up sometimes with silvery fish. I walk back carrying bags and coolers and thermoses and drag my board behind be on the sand like a sled.

I wash outside in a little wooden shower and the water is so loud as it smacks against the concrete while I wash off the salt and sand and smell of sunscreen (like coconuts). I feel clean and warm and soft and it’s like the feel of the sun on my skin hasn’t worn off yet. In orange light before dusk I play with matchbox cars on the porch and me and my neighbor shoot cap guns at each other while my mother cooks dinner in the tiny kitchen.

We drive down to the boardwalk as the last light of day fades into soft blue overtones of summer night. There must be thousands in the crowds, families walking together and massive groups of older kids who laugh and chase each other weaving in and out of the foot traffic and darting in front of the tram-car that wheels down the middle aisle and says over megaphones “watch the tram-car, watch the tram-car.”

There are lights everywhere, flashing strings of bulbs advertising food of every kind and the air smells like popcorn and funnel cake. There are stores where you can buy old photographs and hermit crabs and get whatever you want printed on a T-shirt. A giant plastic octopus grins with cartoon white teeth and spins while people putt multicolored golf balls, aiming to miss swinging polka dot tentacles. Free game with a hole-in-one.

I can see the Ferris Wheel spinning its endless majestic rotations twinkling with hundreds of lights massive against the skyline like an airship beacon, and I can hear the click-clack rumble and exhilarated terrified “AIEEEEE” of young girls as the roller coaster rises over the ocean and drops into the first curve over and over again with metronomic regularity. A huge neon pirate ship swings back and forth in arching blurry fantastic light trails. People get off the Gravitron feeling sick. Everything is spinning and beeping and flashing and everywhere people are screaming and laughing and holding on white-knuckled. My brother gets lost in the mirror maze and I have to go in and rescue him.

After the tickets are gone we are half mad on excitement and sugar we drive back to the house and bring blankets down to the beach. Dark figures in silhouette moonlight run back and forth lighting fireworks which rocket into night sky with a ZINNNG trailing bright fantails of sparks and POP in the air all colors one after another lighting faces upturned and smiling that go OOOOOOOH. The waves crash unseen and make black rippled mirror surface reflecting pyrotechnic patterns on starry backdrop.

Back to the house yawning after long day gives way to warm arc-sodium night. Tomorrow we will wake up early to smell of frying bacon and soft sunlight sifting through pink curtains and orange juice cups to decorate my cherry-red bike for a Fourth of July parade. Streamers red-white-and blue flying from the handlebars and Superman cape whipping out behind to pedal down the streets with hundreds of other kids in stars-and-stripes fanfare to big band music from gleaming gold woodwind horns in morning July sun of summer while beautiful girls glide ahead on roller skates spinning batons in white blurs and babies pulled in Radio Flyers behind.

But now its time to crawl beneath light cotton sheets and soft green blankets with a warm breeze meandering in through the open window and catching the sail of pirate ship dreams. Tomorrow is a new day but slipping into sleep it’s just me and the fireflies now.
 
Seems cool.:)


Standing upfront
with no shame to spare
reciting my lines
sans worry or care
Soaring on singular
Eyes all on me
Spouting out scripture
For all who can see
Costumes with glitter,
Dances that sync,
I'm standing out
like spilled ink.
Bright and Bold
Just like my attire
A place to stand out
The support for the choir.
 
cool
i made a tread about the weekly contest...
then saw this one
and deleted the one i just did
:)
im happy that you went along with the idea
 
unfortunately it hasn't really "taken off" yet :\

maybe you should contribute ninjadan :)
 
New said:
Seems cool.:)


Standing upfront
with no shame to spare
reciting my lines
sans worry or care
Soaring on singular
Eyes all on me
Spouting out scripture
For all who can see
Costumes with glitter,
Dances that sync,
I'm standing out
like spilled ink.
Bright and Bold
Just like my attire
A place to stand out
The support for the choir.
Click to expand...

Heh nice image...It makes me think of school plays and such, lots of excitement and nervousness. I definitely get that sweet sense of nostalgia that I was hoping for from this thread from this piece. Nice work, New! :D


C'mon, more entries, don't be scurred! :)
 
Yeah, I've had my fair share. Not all entirely pleasant, from what I remember. And thank you.

I liked your piece as well. You really made it sound like it was worth remembering.:)
 
Last edited:
This is a thread about sharing our childhood memories in writing form. You're welcome to share a piece within the thread parameters. - New
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Memories of Another Life
by Rated E

"Don't tangle the cords!"
"Am I the top screen or is that yours?"
"Wash your hands before you play."
"Be quite, the old ninja dude has something to say."
"Don't shoot me I'm on your team!"
"I'm sorry, you should watch out for my beam."
"It's alright I'll just come back, I had another life."
 
off the top off my head before going to bed.

crisis
by l2r

after an eternity of carefully careless preparation
i set to it
with a snowflake eggshell of a mind
i left d's place
when will the fuckin cab arrive?
oh god what's going on? what the fuck did he say? what's he saying?
what the fuck is that?! i don't know what that is! the fuck's he's talking about
jesus christ, why won't he just fuckin drive? i dunno. fuck man. forget it. fuck.
what? you will? don't worry? fuck! okay. don't do that shit man! not tonight
what the fuck was he thinking, at a time like this. it's all going wrong. what the hell is happening. oh no.
seriously, where is he taking me. was i not clear? who ever heard of that shit happening, jesus!
it's getting darker. sound is becoming more hollow. flashing lights, shit!
what happened over there? why are we going this way? who are those lights for? is that an ambulance? is someone hurt over there. am I hurt over there?! or worse
fuck. finally we're here. just here. stop here. here's your money?
what? what's he saying now? more? fucking extra charge? who the fuck ever heard of this shit? fuck, fine, here, fuckin take it. quickly. hurry up. why is this cunt taking so long. god!
i try to recompose myself and get a grip of my surroundings. what's over there? ah joyous cheers, okay, i'll go that way.
hang on. something's switching. why aren't you all happy any more? where's the cheers. what's this screaching? what's this squeal. ah fuck that hurt. my face. my neck.
okay, that direction? oh, cheers. joyous, heavenly, massive cheers. let's go there.
i look back. FUCK! that hurts. stop. turn around. okay. no sweat.
it's time.
fucking finally. damn!
fucking ads.... of course. i'm early.
...
how many of these fucking things are there?
did that guy comment on my shirt? what the fuck is up with that? fuck it's getting crowded. it's hard to breath. there's too much light here. move.
alright. no one will walk passed here and give me eye contact. relax.
jesus, how many fucking ads are there gonna be? i've been here for hours.
fuck finally... here, it's starting.... this is going to be good....
the blonde stars into my eyes.
into my soul
and she talks of murder
what the fuck.....

and this is where my troubles began....
 
i am a threadkiller in words. don't hold it against me. it's the way god made me.
 
haha nice stream of consciousness piece! i think most of us have been there. actually reminded me a little bit of "fear and loathing." Nice one! :D
 
Rated E said:
Memories of Another Life
by Rated E

"Don't tangle the cords!"
"Am I the top screen or is that yours?"
"Wash your hands before you play."
"Be quite, the old ninja dude has something to say."
"Don't shoot me I'm on your team!"
"I'm sorry, you should watch out for my beam."
"It's alright I'll just come back, I had another life."
Click to expand...

its kinda funny how there are some things about childhood that seem almost universal. i think i permanently damaged my brain from all the video games i played as a kid. i like the rhyme scheme as well. cool. :)
 
Not the happiest memory - my fathers funeral. (ah well, I'm over it now)

The Funeral

Step by step, not easy to take,
The smile on my face not easy to fake.
Waves of faces turn my way,
I think its night but it could be day.

Follow the flowers, follow the scent,
Follow the colours that death has lent,
Follow the shine through all the dirt,
Follow the tears, the pain, the hurt.

Your small wooden box fills the whole church,
Signals the end of a ten day search.
The end of the light, the end of the pain,
The end of a life, the start of the rain.

Tears must simply not be spilt,
Admissions of a hidden guilt.
Treacherous shine betrays my lies,
My eyes betray my calm disguise.

I feel so exposed, the very front pew -
Three hundred people, all thinking of you,
I think that's good but I'm not sure,
I hate my thoughts - they should be pure.

We move out of the warmth and into the cold,
The path is cracked, the trees are old,
We move out of the gloom and into the light,
Out of 'His' house and into 'His' sight.

The grass is long, my shoes get wet
Yet near the hole is thick green felt
We gather round, I take my place
Finality - an ugly face.

Down you go; I watch from above
The darkness fits you like a glove,
Soil echoes on the solid wood,
Can you hear it? I wish you could.
 
OMG, yay!

:) <here's my first poem ever in Words. and most likely my last.


When I was but a tiny tike,
Too small to even ride a bike,
The world was new, the days were long,
And Ernie sang my favorite song.
My mom looked like a pair of knees,
And dad seemed taller than the trees.
Mornings, oh I loved them most!
To wake up smelling eggs and toast,
And have my only worry be,
To wonder who would play with me.
My big wheel had a trunk and brake,
But Inchworm’s who I liked to take,
For rides that seemed like many miles,
I powered him with pride and smiles.
Hot dogs for lunch, without a bun,
Because that seemed like much more fun.
And fun meant everything back then,
I’d kill to do it all again!
A game of kickball was the best,
And when it came time for a rest,
We’d lay upon the grass and stare,
Up at the sky without a care.
Back then, when I was just a kid,
It snowed much more, I swear it did.
Tunneling through drifts of twelve feet high,
My puffy snowsuit kept me dry.
And when the days came to an end,
Bathtub toys were my best friend.
They never found it somewhat weird,
That on my chin a bubble beard,
Was what I wore. It made me feel,
Like Santa, only not as real.
And when the grown-ups talked to me,
And asked me what I’d want to be,
When I grew up, I’d tell them that,
For sure, I knew I’d be a cat.
 
pennywise said:
its kinda funny how there are some things about childhood that seem almost universal. i think i permanently damaged my brain from all the video games i played as a kid. i like the rhyme scheme as well. cool. :)
Click to expand...

haha, thanks man.

I regret nothing by the way! I'm a former video game addict. Luckily I discovered recreational alcohol and drug use sometime in the second half of high school and gave up that nasty video game addiction. ;)

Of course I have good memories of it.

vibr8tor said:
My mom looked like a pair of knees,
And dad seemed taller than the trees.

...

And when the grown-ups talked to me,
And asked me what I’d want to be,
When I grew up, I’d tell them that,
For sure, I knew I’d be a cat.
Click to expand...

I liked these lines the best. :)
 
SorbetCitron, I don't normally like rhyming stuff because it can come across really twee, but your piece was definitely an exception. A lot of resonance with that, thanks for sharing something so personal.. :)

And from the other side of the spectrum, I really liked vibr8tor's as well...really captured the fun happy innocent side of being a kid. :)

I will add one when I get time, just wanted to say thanks for what people have contributed so far....awesome idea for a thread, pennywise...I like when Words can be more interactive. :)
 
Thanks raz. I wrote it years ago but i moved recently and came across it and it seemed relevant to the thread. I think naive is the best description for my poem! I love the other stuff on here - i should have another more up to date go.
 
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