Scenes

By Greg Schroeder

Not what one usually thinks of as short stories, but little "scenes" or "sketches" that capture life and paste it on paper and it is somehow ... fascinating (TMW). 13 short short stories with 2-5 associated poems for each.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greg Schroeder
• Release date: Feb 17, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310311871

Greg Schroeder

I have been writing since I learned how but only published my first collection of poems in 2012. Other published works include a long string of newspaper articles on youth soccer (club updates in the local paper), some historical articles on an online website now defunct, and three peer-reviewed scientific research papers from way back when I did primary research. There have been a few career changes - researcher, teacher, operations specialist, bookseller, and (currently) medical IT. There are also three fantastic children which give an entirely different perspective to life. I enjoy history, games, being outside, and quiet times.

Book preview

SCENES

By Greg Schroeder

Smashwords Edition

©2014 by Gregory J. Schroeder

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is available in an ebook edition at Smashwords.com.

For more information about the author, his poems or other writings visit Greg’s blog at http://BlogTheEclectic.blogspot.com

Scenes is Greg’s first collection to include short stories. He has four volumes of poetry available in both print and ebook: Moments, Conditions, Observations, and Transitions. Ebooks from Smashwords.com; paperback at most major online retailers.

His collection of 52 Haiku is FREE on Smashwords.com as is his nonfiction essay on The Battle of Belmont.

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Table of Contents

Introductory Paragraphs

Brent (story)

>The Box (poem)

>Flooded (poem)

>Missing (poem)

>Gene (poem)

Gunman (story)

>Agony (poem)

>Blood Red Moon (poem)

A Morning in a Life (story)

>Fall Whispers (poem)

>Another Solstice (poem)

>Summer Twilight (poem)

>Polar Vortex (poem)

>Monster (poem)

The Speech (story)

>Not Quite (poem)

>Watching (poem)

>The Pounce (poem)

Christmas Morning (story)

>January (poem)

>Winter Solstice (poem)

>Haiku (poem)

>Will You? (poem)

>Panorama (poem)

>The Cancer (poem)

The Ghosts of Antietam (story)

>Fish-eye Night (poem)

>Rain as a Metaphor for the Soul (poem)

>Post Dawn (poem)

>Sentinels (poem)

Walking in the Rain (story)

>Tell-Tale (poem)

>Wet Cat (poem)

>Cold Front (poem)

>Snow Mist (poem)

>Hurt (poem)

>Indian Summer (poem)

Restless (story)

>Scenes from the LIE, Take One (poem)

>Surreal Watering (poem)

>Autumnal Muse (poem)

>Reboot (poem)

Forget (story)

>Dawn Slides (poem)

>Alternatives (poem)

>Out-Stress (poem)

>For a Moment (poem)

Courage (story)

>Fall Season (poem)

>Heat (poem)

>Nighthawks on the Pitch (poem)

Wexler (story)

>Childhood Memories (poem)

>Tinged (poem)

>Dance (poem)

>Winter Wind (poem)

Milestone (story)

>The Tunnel

>New Year’s Day

>OT 2

>The Spice

Manzanilla (story)

>Changing Moon (poem)

>Loving, in Flux (poem)

>Glancing Hurricane (poem)

>Staircase (poem)

>Parsecs (poem)

Notes

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INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

The following stories are a mix but all focus on the feelings of the characters. A young friend of mine said that he only reads fiction if the characters are interesting, plot, setting, pace are all secondary. I hope you find the characters interesting, even though the stories are short and don’t allow for extensive development – only a tantalizing tease of the characters’ full potential.

The poems are grouped (more or less) based on their relationship with the ideas or characters or setting of the stories. They are not, in any way, part of, or directly related to, the stories. One is invited to read just the stories, just the poems, or everything, as your taste and inclination dictates.

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BRENT

The thing that struck me first was the silence. My Dad was normally taciturn but that afternoon he was utterly silent. His effervescent girlfriend emulated a dour spinster; downturned grimace and mousy quiet movement with nary a spoken word. Even the dog, who normally trotted down the gravel drive and barked a greeting, simply raised his head from his paws, gave a baleful stare and sank back down.

My Dad met me at the path leading to the house and hugged me, without a word. He never hugged, rarely showed affection of any kind, so the act heightened the already surreal scene. Lu, whose hugs were usually as boisterous in affection and brightness, hugged me too, but almost apologetically in her touch.

I entered the house to find my Dad’s colleagues lining the walls of the living room, each sitting silently on every chair we owned that had been dragged into the room. I knew them all but had never seen them all sitting in one place, somberly dressed, and utterly silent.

One by one they rose, crossed to me and gave me a hug. Some whispered condolences, a couple suppressed a sob, most were just quiet. At the end of the ritual my Dad, who had come into the room behind me, thanked them