In the Genes

Pixabay

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Jeanie looked good in those jeans

All the right curves were in her genes

The denim – flecks of gold enhanced

A vision to be seen

And seen she was by Eugene

To have her was his aim

And so, his pecs he did flex

To catch the eye of Jean

And ever since Jean and Gene

Have made quite the scene

“A List” looks, but shallow both

If you can imagine what I mean

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Padre

Saturday Mix – Double Take:  The homophone sets this week are:

gene – chromosome
jean – cotton twill

and

flecks – many tiny specks
flex – to bend

The Test

Pixabay

Brother Eardwine rushed down the aisle pausing only long enough to genuflect before the altar.  He had to hurry, for three sleek, high-prowed vessels had been spied just as dawn began to break.  It had only been the isle’s contrary tides and the prayers of the brothers that had bought him any time at all.

Father Winfrith joined him only a moment later and the two men quick deposited the silver chalice and crucifix into an old sack.  Reaching under the altar the priest retrieved a small golden casket and placed it reverently into the bag.

Leaving the chapel, the pair made their way to the scriptorium where Winfrith selected a single volume and added it to the sack.  A large number of clay inkwells and similar worthless vessels were then thrust into a second sack.

“I’ll take the pottery,” Winfrith said. “You take the relics to the cave and don’t return until someone comes for you.”

“Yes Father,” the young brother replied.

Eardwine then covered his tonsure with his cowl, and headed down a narrow passageway.  Meanwhile,  Father Winfrith threw his sack over his shoulder and set off to draw the attention of the raiders.

By late afternoon, Eardwine could smell smoke on the breeze. He sat cowering in his little refuge for two days, but no messenger ever arrived to beckon his return.  It was only hunger that in the end drew him into the open, and thus, he returned to the ruins of his monastic home.

With devotion in his heart, and Saint Matthew’s tax ledger and pen at his side, Eardwine vowed to rebuild his community.  But being a pragmatic youth, he decided to take his sacred treasures inland, abandoning the island forever.

No one can alter God’s will, and the Lord had surely preserved Eardwine and the relics on this occasion.  But when it came to rebuilding – well – as Saint Matthew himself wrote: “‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.”

 

Padre

 

Saturday Mix – Double Take

Our homophone sets this week are:

aisle – walkway
I’ll – contraction of “I will”
isle – island

alter – to change
altar – raised centre of worship

Exploring The Unknown

Pixabay

“Wait!” Hal warned.

Placing his hand on the worn handrail, Dillon turned to face his cousin. “Wait for what?” he responded.

“I’m not sure that catwalk can take our weight.  It looks really rickety.”

“Don’t be stupid.  We used it last summer and it was fine,” Dillon challenged.  “You know you can be really annoying with your paranoia.”

“First of all, I’m not paranoid, just cautious.  Secondly, last year we were a year younger, and lighter.  Not to mention that it was a really stormy winter and it looks like the roof is leaking.”

Just then there was the sound of metallic grinding and the handrail gave way under Dillon’s grip.  He jerked away and instinctively jumped towards his cousin, as the entire structure collapsed into the abandoned factory below.

“Maybe we should go explore the Mall instead,” Dillon said catching his breath,

“Good idea,” Hal said.  “Watching girls is a lot more interesting than old buildings.”

 

Padre

 

Saturday Mix – Double Take:  Homophones

wait – remain in readiness
weight – an amount of heaviness

and

warn – to advise of a hazard
worn – displaying evidence of use

Lockdown

Pixabay

Groceries in hand, and with all haste

I headed home – no time to waste

In fear of catching something rheumy

I’d just stay inside my homestead roomy

I hadn’t considered that my roomie

Would have thought to do the same as to me

So hoping to not go looney

I shoveled loads of snacks – into me

While pretzels helped the things I faced

They seem to all have gone to waist

 

Padre

Double Take

Use the following homophones in your writing:

rheumy – having a watery discharge of mucous
roomie – colloquialism for “roommate”
roomy – lots of space

and

waist – between ribs and hips
waste – make ill use of

Provider

Pixabay

The winter had been long and hard, and food supplies were dwindling.  Avorak had long been considered to be the clan’s greatest hunter, and it now fell upon him to feed his people.  This was a matter of pride for him, but now he felt as if he was failing them.

“Tell the people to meet me in the long hall,”  Avorak instructed his sickly little brother, Avin.

When all were gathered, the great hunter said, “I have called you all here to discuss our survival.  My father, Chief Avolar is ill.  I, therefore, will be in charge as we await his recovery.  Things are bleak.  The snows are heavy in the hills, that are our hunting grounds, and game is scarce.  Nevertheless, I will lead a hunting party into the hills, as we must have meat.  Till our return my mother, Ballora will mete out what remains of our food to each family.  Talver, Urick, Valinor, and Govina, you will join me.”

“Excuse me,” Avin interjected “I was thinking that I . . . .”

“There you go thinking again,” the great hunter interrupted, “No, Avin, you are not coming, and that’s final.  With that he grabbed his quiver and bow and departed.

A week later, a weary and empty-handed band of hunters returned to their settlement to the smell of rich meaty stew coming from the long hall.

“What has happened here?” Avorak questioned as he entered the hall.  “Have the gods intervened?”

“No, Avin has,” came a chorus of voices.

“But how? the mighty hunter asked in obvious confusion.

At that Avin approached a large wooden crate and pryed it open.  He lifted out a metallic cylinder and said, ” It’s called corned beef.  I went into Market-town and got some.”

 

Padre

 

Saturday Mix – Double Take: Our homophone sets this week are –

meat – animal flesh
meet – to connect
mete – a boundary (or to hand out)

and

pride – ego
pryed – opened

Welcome to Town

Pixabay

The altercation had been unexpected.  Don had only lived in the area for a few weeks, and he hadn’t realised that the clap-board house he had leased was on the “bad” side of town.  The attack had been sudden and unprovoked, and now he was hurrying home with an unsteady gait, half dragging his left leg as he shuffled along.

Who sics a Doberman on passing strangers? he questioned to himself as he reached the rickety gate of his rental property. Well, at least I’m home, he thought as he pulled the keys from his torn jeans pocket.

As slammed the front door shut, he turned the latch with urgency.  What did that guy call that monster of a dog?  he questioned.  Toto, yes that was definitely it.  I’m definitely not in Kansas anymore.

 

Padre

 

Saturday Mix – Double Take, 29 February 2020:

The homophone sets this week are: gait – manner of walking or running,
gate – fence door and leased – rented,  least – the minimum

 

 

 

 

The Fair

Pixabay

 

I travelled down to the County Fair.

Amid livestock and produce –

To check out the fare.

Some lovely aromas met me –

Of roasting fowl,

But to my disappointment it tasted foul.

 

Padre

Saturday Mix – Double Take, 1 February 2020

 

“The ‘Double Take’ challenge focuses on the use of homophones* to build your writing piece. You have two sets of homophones and you are challenged to use all of them in your response – which can be poetry or prose.”

Our homophone sets this week are: fair, fare and foul, fowl

Heist

Pixabay

On a clifftop – bright and airy

The lad crept up – rather wary

His intent an egg – away to carry

From the majestic eagles’ aerie

 

His task his brother did elicit

To do the crime was quite explicit

Sam did say “no one will miss it,”

“In fact, only fools say it’s illicit.”

 

So the boy – the nest did approach

Thinking thus – he was beyond reproach

As on the mountain – he did encroach

The raptor’s legacy – to poach

 

But woe to him did befall

For the momma eagle was not small

With a swift dive she made him bawl

His back with talons, she did maul

 

So empty handed he did return

With brother Sam, he would be stern

For an important lesson he did learn

A life of thievery he now would spurn

 

Padre

 

Saturday Mix – Double Take:

Our homophone sets this week are:

aerie – eagle’s nest
airy – breezy

and

elicit – to draw out
illicit – unlawful

 

Also shared on dVerse

The Former Student

image: http://clipart-library.com

Here is my attempt at Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie’s “Double Take” challenge:

At first I didn’t recognise this guest in my home, this tall confident man, accompanied by his lovely fiancee.  How he had grown since he had sat in the back of my class a decade before. Who would have guessed that this tearaway, who would groan at the mere thought of homework, would become a fellow teacher?

Padre

*********************************

The ‘Double Take’ challenge focuses on the use of homophones* to build your writing piece. You have two sets of homophones and you are challenged to use all of them in your response – which can be poetry or prose.

Our homophone sets this week are:

groan – reaction to hearing a pun
grown – has gotten larger

and

guessed – past tense of guess
guest – a visitor