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Collector of Words

January 15, 2023 23 Comments

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She sometimes forgot to brush her hair, lock the door, and eat, but she held onto words by keeping her favourites in a book tanned by sunlight, dust, and age.

When she was little, she loved slurp, candy, bubble, happy, dream, fart, play.

In high school, she hoarded journey, horizon, zenith, crimson, Xanadu.

At work, she scribbled sickie, deadline, jargon.

Belly swelling, she learned lactose, epidural, and a few new swearwords.

Once the wrinkles deepened, she discovered celestial, ether, indigo, transcendent, rise, redeem, revelation.

When she died, they wrote loved on the last page and buried the yellowed book beside her.

By Rhian Waller

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tim Goldstone says

    January 15, 2023 at 7:06 am

    Excellent.

    Reply
  2. Stella says

    January 15, 2023 at 7:08 am

    Loved this! Excellent! One of my favourite 101 words. Well done Rhian!

    Reply
  3. Lesley Bungay says

    January 15, 2023 at 7:15 am

    I love this – well done!

    Reply
  4. Scott Bogart says

    January 15, 2023 at 8:03 am

    Wow! Great work of art.

    Scott

    Reply
  5. Derek says

    January 15, 2023 at 9:29 am

    This is a lovely thoughtful story.

    Reply
  6. Patricia Stott-Prince says

    January 15, 2023 at 9:48 am

    and that is how we progress! well done!

    Reply
  7. Leo says

    January 15, 2023 at 10:25 am

    Made my day! May the words keep coming.

    Reply
  8. Jillian Collette says

    January 15, 2023 at 10:41 am

    So well done. Beautiful story!!

    Reply
  9. Cathryn says

    January 15, 2023 at 11:32 am

    Hello Rihana,

    Words fail to convey my thoughts, but Sella expressed them perfectly.

    Reply
  10. Kevin says

    January 15, 2023 at 11:41 am

    Beyond excellent. Kudos.

    Reply
  11. DRJaymz says

    January 15, 2023 at 1:35 pm

    Well collected; timelessly presented. Excellent!

    Reply
  12. Michael Talledes says

    January 15, 2023 at 4:00 pm

    Absolutely fantastic story! Told a lifelong journey in so few words.

    Reply
  13. Tom Baldwin says

    January 15, 2023 at 6:20 pm

    Beautiful! Especially the last sentence.

    Reply
  14. Liz says

    January 16, 2023 at 4:09 am

    A work of art.
    Brilliant writing.

    Reply
  15. Terra says

    January 17, 2023 at 9:27 pm

    Impressive! I love the character development.

    Reply
  16. Pamela Cartlidge says

    January 18, 2023 at 7:14 am

    I liked the time line.

    Reply
  17. Olivia says

    January 18, 2023 at 7:15 am

    Really sweet way of showing the different stages of life.

    Reply
  18. Paulene says

    January 18, 2023 at 7:52 am

    Love this so much! This what I would want. Words to go to sleep with. ?

    Reply
  19. Rachel Glowacki says

    January 18, 2023 at 9:42 am

    You are a 101 word poet. Lovely.

    Reply
  20. Lon Richardson says

    January 18, 2023 at 11:22 am

    Poetic use of language to offer a short biography, or maybe an obituary?

    Reply
  21. Doug Jacquier says

    January 18, 2023 at 6:15 pm

    True writing art personified. Congratulations.

    Reply
  22. Anne Jones says

    January 18, 2023 at 11:26 pm

    Wow, I love her life in words. Made me think of my favourites. Beautiful. Thank you x

    Reply
  23. Chetana Vaishnavi says

    January 19, 2023 at 5:15 am

    Really Wordsworth.
    New line of thought.
    Admired greatly. Kudos

    Reply

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