existentialcowboy

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short story grows into novelette ~ more work ahead

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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did belief leave all at once or was it a gradual thing?

I didn’t notice until everything was gone

Stephen Brooke ©2025

a poem pretending to be a tanka

[existentialcowboy]

Dreamwinds was my second poetry collection to be published, featuring some of the 'fantasy' work. Available in print of as free ebooks from Arachis Press (arachispress.com)

[existentialcowboy]

rising early I sing across the morning as the birds

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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The rules of writing reflect current fashion, not eternal truth.

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Be Yourself, a poem

Be Yourself

‘Just be yourself’ is lousy advice; you have loads of choices—invent yourself twice! More if you wish, it’s all up to you— nobody can keep you from starting anew. If you are asked, tell folks that you grew and you’ll become others before you are through; this day a villain, tomorrow quite nice— if you can’t decide, then just roll the dice!

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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Skies, a poem

Skies

Ghostly moon, in skies of day, who notes your passage, asks your way? Only children, who delight in such—to them—a novel sight.

Let me ask then, if I might, what if the sun crossed skies of night? Would we gaze up in dismay? Fall to our knees, begin to pray,

asking God to set things right? Or laugh, as children, in its light?

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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Wish, a poem

Wish

He wished to be a dragoon, in a colorful uniform, but the faeries thought he said dragon — to them, that seems the norm!

He has no sparking carbine, he rides no spirited steed; instead his coat is of scales, his heart is filled with greed!

Greed for what? Why gold! And maybe a sheep or two to snack on when he’s peckish — no one will miss a few.

Take care how you pronounce when you make your wish; you might want to be a cop but end up a carp — yes, a fish!

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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we who were given the gift of life return it with a curse

Stephen Brook ©2025

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Summer reading, anyone? Sienna Santerre's 'One Summer in the Sun' is available from Arachis Press (arachispress.com) in print or as free ebooks.

And yeah, SS is one of my pen names. I was there in Naples in 68 and drew on those memories.

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Faith, a poem of sorts

Faith

To believe in a purpose to ones existence is faith enough. To believe things matter, to choose right over wrong, is not easy. We must strive, sometimes, for that faith. We must yearn for it. We try and, in trying, we prove we do believe. At least enough, we believe.

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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Fundamental changes are seldom made consciously. Doubtless the man in the fifth-century Roman street grumbled about all these barbarian immigrants, but he did not visualize the end of an empire. The Lancashire industrialist who fired his craftsmen and installed mechanical looms was simply making a profitable investment. ~ Poul Anderson (from 'Snowball' 1955)

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even this poem has too many words ~ which should I lose?

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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Review

Our lives begin and end in medias res, skipping prologue and denouement. I can give the author no more than three stars.

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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The latest Jack Mack science fiction novel, DIM DISTANT STARS (writing as Oliver Davis Pike) will be officially released this weekend, June 1, 2025. Available in print or free ebook (as all my stuff) at arachispress.com

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A young fellow in a corn maze felt like he’d been trapped there for days; he called, “Let me out!” but none heard his shout, and so in the maize maze he stays!

Stephen Brooke ©2025

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At my age I can clearly see that what will be surely will be; so I’ll not complain of days filled with rain, but why must they happen to me?

Stephen Brooke ©2025