#fawm

[inspiredbyabook]

female awesome meme: females in literature [2/10] ↝ elisabeth scrivener

you belonged in the library, as much as any book

[cosmogyros]

My final FAWM song for this year, written and demoed yesterday as an acoustic one-take! I can't believe FAWM is already over :')

Here are my "liner notes" for this song, followed by the lyrics:

Okay, it seems I'm getting a last-minute wave of inspiration. I had this title saved for a long time and randomly picked it up today. Thought it might turn into something silly, but then it got more serious/poignant than I'd expected.

I have been noticing that a lot of queer youth don't know much about our community's history – and also that they often frown upon intergenerational friendships. Both these things can lead to division and infighting, instead of the solidarity we desperately need. I believe that in every marginalized community, it is vitally important to be friends with those much older and much younger than you. There is a lot of important information to be passed on, and we can't count on "mainstream society" to teach it to the young'uns.

So here's the story in my mind for this song: In a small town in the middle of nowhere, a kid grows up with no community, no way to even really understand his own identity, no idea that he's not alone and broken and wrong. But his next-door neighbor, unbeknownst to the town, is a queer elder whose personal passion project involves archiving LGBTQ+ history by preserving documentary film footage that might otherwise be lost in the mists of time forever.

The bored kid is curious about his mysterious neighbor and wanders over there one day, like "What are you always working on back there anyhow?" – and his eyes are opened. He sees footage from throughout queer history, all the bright and vibrant and diverse kinds of people out there fiercely living their authentic lives, all the battles they fought (and are still fighting) for their rights… and he realizes he's not alone. THIS is his community.

The title is obviously a bit tongue-in-cheek, referring to how people often call queer identity a "lifestyle". I split that word in two to put more emphasis on each separate half as a stand-alone thing.

Lyrics below...

Here Comes the Life Style

You know the boy next door Gets into trouble when he’s bored Now he’s finished all his chores And he wants more

So he came over to see you Wondering if the rumor’s true Can I stay and watch? Promise I won’t talk I could even help you to do Whatever it is you do all day in here

Here comes the life style Here comes the life style

He never saw nothing like this As clichéd as love’s first kiss There’s a whole long hidden history Full of mystery Bright and shiny new Things that you could do People just like you In ways you never knew And yes, the rumor’s true It’s all true, oh

He goes home again that night To the land of tears and fights But they can’t snuff out this brand new light And he knows everything is gonna be all right It's gonna be all right someday

(Call it life style Your life will smile Your life will smile Hold on, hold on)

[millystale]

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, marking a significant escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. This act of aggression was widely condemned by the international community as a violation of international law and a threat to global security. Since then, Ukraine has mounted a fierce and courageous defense against the Russian invasion. The Ukrainian military and its people have demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination in the face of overwhelming odds. They have successfully stalled Russia's advance, inflicted heavy casualties, and inspired the world with their unwavering commitment to defending their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

[whumpyreader]

Fly Away with Me

Louie has been a slave almost all of his life due to a horrible stepfather and loads of bad luck. Now, he is too crippled to be of any use but, instead of killing him, the clan decides to send him on a mission to rescue a creature that eats men. 

TW: slavery, severe wounds, female and male whump, loose use of folklore, recovery

Part 1. Something Was Wrong

Part 2. The Prison

Part 3. Ro

Part 4. Louie's Pain

Part 5. Ro's Pain

Part 6. The Ala

Part 7. The Cave

Part 8. The Dream

Part 9. The Púca

Part 10. The Farmer

Part 11. A Decision

Part 12. The Capture

Part 13. Black Mist Again

(more to come)

[felixcosm]

Me: I'm normal about the new song

Me five minutes later: THAT GHOST GIVE IT UP WHAT ARE YOU SOME KIND OF ANIMAL THEY SEWED THESE WINGS INTO YOUR SPINE THEY WON'T HOLD UP WHY WON'T YOU LEARN WHY WON'T I

[inniave]

also its fawm so im posting on soundcloud again <3

[someone-else-entirely]

I'm doing FAWM

I'm doing it

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[dreamdropsystemarchive]

here we go-!! another plush art dump-!! we got Pearl's art, Forest's art, Shane/Theo/Bug's art, and Star's art

follow @dreamdropcompanions for plush content

[paularinkeli]

Maa on valkea jalkain alla En tunne tuttuja kallioita Tästä on kuljettu länteen Tästä on kuljettu luoteeseen Vaan minä kuljen ilman suuntaa ja maa on pehmeä, lempeä jalkain alla Maa on valkea jalkain alla En tunne tuttuja kallioita Tästä on kuljettu kaakkoon Tästä on kuljettu koilliseen Vaan minä kuljen oikeaan suuntaan ja maa on pehmeä, lempeä jalkain alla helmikuu 2021

[americansamuel]

How does it feel to be right? Once again… What makes you think it’s gonna feel like anything?

did you use the shortcut like I warned you not to do? did you go through the back-- through those holes like a rat? --did you eat the poison too? yeah? well... clearly it had been prepared for you

you feel things would be different if you’re born differently, man?

you really think that? god damn… (god damn...)

Well I guess you’ve proved it true That trap you fell in must have been placed there especially for you.

And if you only knew that all my warnings were suggestions of so much more, many better things to do

but you’d had me fooled I’ve never seen someone so good at acting like she’s being you

what a god damn shame

[themortaltaint]

Kim o' the Concrete Jungle - Juju Man

An original and independent song recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the 25th of February, 2025. This is the 14th song for my album, Juju, which I am writing for February Album Writing Month (FAWM) for 2025.

[cosmogyros]

So far I have written five new songs this month for FAWM, on the following topics:

being haunted by demons, except the "demons" are actually your own obsessive memories of someone you've lost, tormenting you inescapably (title: "I Miss You Badly (But I Wish You Well)", written Feb. 1)

the weighty responsibility of being a Dom/me in a power-exchange dynamic, and the way that consent and safe-words hold power almost like a magic spell or an incantation (title: "The Name of the Law", written Feb. 2)

being a self-hating loser getting miserably drunk in a bar when you get hit on by someone who is clearly Not a Good Idea but you think "what the hell, I can't resist, let's do this" and gleefully throw yourself into sure disaster (title: "Trouble with a Capital T", written Feb. 8)

a sort of anarchist revolutionary song in honor of the resilience of those who've lost everything and yet keep grimly trudging toward the promise of a better future (title: "Who Else", written Feb. 10)

the inevitable human urge to avoid planning for one's own death – naming an executor, making a will, etc. – because we don't want to think about such things, or some part of us is still convinced we'll live forever (title: "Think About Leaving", written Feb. 11)

Some heavy shit there. I acknowledge this, haha.

I'm just barely on track to meet the goal of 14 songs by the end of the month – we'll see if I manage to get there. I'm pretty happy with what I've got so far, in any case, so it's a win-win situation :)

[millystale]

"Post-Apocalyptic Valentines" - recorded by Milly Stale in February 2025 for FAWM 2025. Happy listening, and lots of love!

Lyrics

Post-apocalyptic Valentines sunrise city ruins you and me in post-apocalyptic armor hot sun car wrecks you and me hungry everything is over between us everything has begun between us again and we look at each other again this is our post-apocalyptic valentines yes, this is our post-apocalyptic valentines empty shops no electricity you and me cuddled cool evening burnt-out houses you and me looking for shelter everything is over between us everything has begun between us again and we look at each other again this is our post-apocalyptic valentines yes, this is our post-apocalyptic valentines sunset uncertainty of tomorrow you and me together again? for how long? forever? (is this forever?) (really?) everything is over between us everything has begun between us again and we look at each other again this is our post-apocalyptic valentine's day yes, this is our post-apocalyptic valentine's day

[whumpyreader]

Part Six: The Ala

TW: severe sickness

Louie was not ready to begin their journey once more. When his eyes unsealed at dawn, he shivered and wanted to cry. Instead, he sat up, rubbed his arms along his torso for some warmth, and looked to Ro.

Ro was fast asleep so Louie cleaned up their camp, poured the rest of the water over the fire, and exhaled a shaky breath. His body was more rested but his hips ached and his shoulder joints felt ripped apart.

“What is wrong?”

Louie startled at Ro’s sleepy voice. “Nothing,” he lied.

“Something is wrong.”

Louie looked back to the snowstorm. “Everything is wrong.”

Ro pushed herself up. “You have come to the same conclusion?”

“Not a conclusion,” he admitted. “This has felt wrong since the beginning.”

“We both are expected to die.”

Louie spun around and faced her. “What? I mean, death is pretty much a given for me but…what do they want of you?”

“You do not know who I am,” Ro hummed. “How long were you in my homeland?”

It was an odd accusation but she was right. “Five months, I believe.”

“They didn't tell you who I was so you wouldn't kidnap me for your own purposes…or they assumed you weren't a threat given your condition.”

That hurt. Louie glared until the hauntedness in her eyes coaxed him to be on her side. “Who are you?”

“Aurora Enchan.”

Louie chuckled to himself before he could stop it. The fairytale his mother used to read to him had a name similar in that story. He bit his lip, remembering. Aurora Enchan was exactly the name from the book “You were named after a witch?”

“The fairytale got it wrong,” she snapped, her nose twitching with contempt. “And no. I was named after no one.”

Enough was making sense that Louie held his breath but his brain was too injured to think fast on his feet like when he was young. “What are you saying? Why would I want to kidnap you?”

“I am ala.”

He unclenched his jaw, cursing his stubbornness months ago against getting to know the culture. “I'm unfamiliar with that term.”

“Ale ruin crops. We eat men when we want to. We are feared by every human. As ala, I am wanted by most clans in this land.”

His stomach turned at what this meant. He had been sent on a suicide mission, for one. This was why they rescued him from his death – so none of them would be eaten by a man eater! Besides that, he had been used to release a woman only to take her back to her kidnappers. There was no way he could go through with it which meant he would be hunted down and executed by Alas.

“Are you alright?”

His fists were clenched, covering his eyes. At some point, he had fallen to his knees. The grief gripping his lungs released a sob. 

“Speak,” she urged. But her voice was not impatient. More like curious.

“You will never die,” he whispered. “You may not understand what it is like to be…”

“A slave?” At his look, she continued, “I assumed that's what you were given your injuries. I've watched countless slaves be treated like this.”

He thought he had kept it from her until now. “Yes.” He chanced a glance up at her. She sat now and watched him quietly. “If you eat men…might you do that now? I would rather be eaten than face what lies ahead.”

“What lies ahead?”

“Alas will hunt me down if I return with nothing or return not at all.”

Her face softened into a smile as she regarded him. “Unfortunately I cannot.”

Louie shot his head up at the amusement that tweaked her words. Was she mocking him?

“Ale are fiercely loyal to humans that earn our gentle feelings. I could not eat you now.”

“Oh.” So he would be hunted.

Ro laughed and Louie jerked at that. “You have been fucked most of your life, no?”

It was obvious he had been. He shot a glare at her.

“You are no longer fucked. Louie, you are no longer a slave. I release you and Alas will know it once I have my fill.”

Louie's brow scrunched together. “Why would you do that for me – I mean how, how would you do that?”

“I am not going out of my way. I would destroy Alas no matter what. But…” A smile grew on her face. “I rather like you and it's not every day ale feel this fondly toward a human man. Human men think they can force love and manipulate the world into taking care of them. It has turned them into monsters and they no longer view women and children as their equals. It is why ale exist. Men have chosen war…which is fine with me. But you are different. You saw me as your equal, as flesh to respect. I like you a lot.”

All Louie could do was watch her silently. No words formed in his mind to thank her or question her.

“We will not continue our journey just yet,” Ro said, standing. “I have something I want to show you.”

“Wait.” The word slipped off his tongue and he swallowed.

“What?”

“Do I call you Ro still?”

“No. You can call me Aurora. Only those close to me can call me that. Come, human man. I have something you need to see.”

So Louie got to his feet and followed Aurora to the edge of the forest.

“Do not stop there, human man.”

Louie followed her into the storm, lowering his head to protect himself from the violet wind that threatened to knock him over. Aurora stopped twenty feet in front of him so he, too afraid, stopped too.

First, the snow around them stopped then melted and Louie had to blink his eyes several times to understand what he was seeing. The snowstorm was still whipping around them but only outside the twenty-foot radius they stood in. A frozen brook, hidden under the snowstorm, flowed freely as it touched the circle of warmth. The grass under his feet was luscious, the air around him warm. It was the first time in a while that Louie had seen green. He followed the grass to the brook and knelt. The water was warm and fresh against his abused fingers.

“Undress so you can clean your wounds,” Aurora said.

Louie would gladly but he was frozen where he knelt. “How did you do this?”

Aurora smiled. “This is nothing. There is something else I want to show you.” She wandered to him and knelt next to him. “Can I touch you?”

Louie nodded.

Her hand hovered over his heart. “Do not panic.” The moment she touched his chest, Louie collapsed. Aurora caught him against her chest. The pain that had always been on his body erupted into a bright flare and he whimpered into Aurora’s shoulder. Heat spread from his torso to the rest of his body as if a fever raged. He cried against her, utterly depleted.

“Wh-what is th-this-s-s?”

“I took away your adrenaline, sense of duty, and fear of death. Those were the only things keeping you on your feet. This is you, Louie. You are very sick.” She lowered him until she cradled him against her chest, holding him up under his back with one arm. “I cannot make your wounds or fever go away. You must heal for yourself. But I can show you the truth so you can live through it.”

He groaned, unable to bring an arm to his temple. A headache had formed and his throat felt like sandpaper. 

“Do you want to feel this for weeks until you recover? Or do you want me to hide them again and, most likely, you will die?”

Louie wanted to sleep.

“Open your eyes, Louie.”

He did as he was told, expecting Alas to be watching him from above. But it was only Aurora and she pointed to a cave that suddenly stood in the warmth. “No one will be able to find you here. I will help you heal. Then you will be free and healthy enough to live.”

He looked from the cave to her. “No-o-o…I c-can’t.” He grimaced as he swallowed a painful lump down his throat. “I m-mean, I c-can’t l-leave you alo-one.”

“We will return to the clan once you are back on your feet. They will not be able to find you until then. And then I'll most likely eat them all and you will be done with them forever.”

Maybe he was in goodstanding after all with fate. He sunk even more into Aurora's hold.

“One more thing, Louie.” 

Her hand hovered over his chest again and Louie scrunched his eyes in preparation to fall apart even more. But the moment her fingertips touched him, it felt as if a part of him, cold and desperate, finally blossomed. It filled his chest with warmth and excitement.

“When you are better, you can see for yourself what your magic was meant to be. Something broke it before and now it’s fixed.”

[felixcosm]

Fennec Think I could hunt you down Root you out Underground

A fool waits for repercussions These tools were made for piercing the soil with A fool waits for repercussions The tools are in the soil It’s best to play it cool

[galaxiesworldsaway]

Yeah yeah FAWM was last month but I’ve written pieces of so many random songs in March. There’s no time in my February and when spring comes in March so do new ideas