Written for: dVerse Poets Pub – Prosery #7: Jim Harrison
(posted by Linda Lee Lyberg)
“Hello Everyone and welcome to our 7th episode of Prosery, where poetry and flash fiction collide.
Write a story of 144 words or less (not including the title). Sounds easy enough right? Here’s the twist: You must use the line I have given you within your story.
Today, I have chosen a line from a poem by Jim Harrison, one of my favorite poets who died on March 26, 2016. The line I have chosen was taken from his book, Dead Man’s Float from the poem titled Cow.
Here is the line you are to use within your flash fiction of 144 words or less.”
“A cow is screaming across the arroyo.”
Mama, the sand is scorching my feet. Is everything in the world
going to dry up forever?
Mama, will we never have enough water to drink and wash with properly?
Mama, What of the animals? There is no grass left, just dried
pieces that crack in half when stepped on. They need food and
water too.
Mama, did you hear that terrible sound?
“Yes. It sounds like a cow screaming across the arroyo.”
purplepeninportland 
Beautifully realistic. Nice!
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Thanks, Na’ama!
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This is a sad tale.
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Hoping that it doesn’t come true.
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Yes, for sure.
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Alas not an unlikely future.
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No. The fact that it is a possible future is terrifying.
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I can see how such a drought would make the cow scream.
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It was such a disturbing line that we had to use.
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The only question the mother feels she can answer without worrying her child…
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Exactly.
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Like it short and not so sweet. Different take. I liked that the child keeps asking impossible questions the mother doesn’t answer until one comes that she can. The concreteness of that final question and the flat reality of the answer make the horror of the situation come sharply into focus.
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Thanks so much, Christine!
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The line of poignant questions that draw us into the parched landscape, filling us with the unanswerable despair. The unknown at least retaining mystery. The last question the mother answers opens the door finally to further questions. As if the brutal reality of their own lives can only be discussed in the context of this specific screaming cow. I love this!
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Thanks so much, Victoria!
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Got serious post apocalyptic vibes from this 😀 Great stuff!
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Thank you so much, Melanie!
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I like the use of dialogue here…..the questioning of the child to mama. Parents, in the eyes of children, should have all the answers. But alas, in the case of so much that is happening in the world (drought, famine, war, climate change’s effects, etc), it becomes very difficult to answer some of the very hard questions we are asked.
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Thanks, Lillian. I often wonder how parents are answering the tough and terrible questions children come up with in the light of our world.
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