Kreative Kue 209 asked for submissions based on this photograph:

John W Howell is the author of the John Cannon trilogy of My GRL, His Revenge, Our Justice and Circumstances of Childhood, co-author of The Contract, and blogs at Fiction Favorites.

The Show by John W. Howell © 2019

“so you are telling me to soar above this crowd and make them ooh and ah?”

“Exactly.”

“You know its easy for you to give orders. You just stand there with your bah of heaven knows what and boss me around.”

“What do you mean ‘heaven knows what’? There are prime mouse pieces I give you.”

“Yeah, well it would be nice if they didn’t sit in the fridge so long.”

“You think I’m going to run out and get you a fresh mouse before every performance?”

“No, I wouldn’t expect you to do that. Just cut me loose, and I’ll bring back a nice fresh mouse for myself.”

“That will never happen. You would be gone in a heartbeat.”

“You don’t trust me?”

“How did you guess.”

“Okay, so that one time I got lost in the fog.”

“There was no fog.”

“Heavy rain?”

“Clear as a bell. You were making a run for it.”

“Till your thugs caught up with me.”

“Might I remind you of one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You were sick and undernourished, and you’re lucky we brought you back.”

“I remember it differently. I’m oppressed.”

“Please. What is this all about anyway? You are acting like a petulant child.”

“I was looking at that animal show.”

“You were watching TV again?”

“Couldn’t help it. That thug guard left it on.”

“Your handler you mean?”

“Your words not mine. Anyway, there was this beautiful falcon flying in the robin’s egg blue sky free as a bird, so to speak.”

“And that’s what you would like to do?”

“Yes. I would also like to poop on this crowd but know I’ll get detention.”

“And rightfully so. What about your food and medical care?”

“I’ll find my own.”

“Like you did before?”

“Um.”

“Why not just do the show, and I’ll get you some nice turkey meat to eat.”

“Can I have an apple with that?”

“Of course.”

“Okay. Let’s get this over.”

“Don’t drag your talons through anyone’s hair.”

“Man you know how to suck the joy out of life.”

---

And this from Kristian, who blogs regularly at Tales from the mind of Kristian.

Chivalric remains. Copyright: Kristian Fogarty 04/March/2019

Falconry and bird displays,

a remnant of those chivalry days,

when Knights behaved with courtly ways

So sad those days have gone.

 

An owl gazed longingly from his cage,

 fragile in health, yet full of rage,

perhaps these fragments of a bygone age

are better left bygone?

As time forever marches on.

---

Meanwhile, my effort was:

The trials of a display falconer

An Eagle Owl known here as Duffy
Had ear-tufts at once long and fluffy,
He’d to any trick
For a morsel of chick;
Forget it, and he got quite huffy.

For treats, he’d go where e’er he’s led
As long as he’s properly fed,
But who knew the reason
In his breeding season
He’d mate with the falconer’s head.

As if on a definite cue-in
Some kid would shout, “Hey, what’s he doin’?”
But the handler played dumb
And replied, “Ask your Mum”
As another display falcon flew in.

You think that the falcon was easy?
He’d be gone if the weather was breezy
And the falcon’s religion
Involved hunting pigeon
Which always made some people queasy.

Now, if it should fancy its luck
And choose to hunt down a duck,
Somebody would shout,
“Go stop it, you lout.”
Its trainer’s reply? “Will I heck!”

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On to this week’s challenge: Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.