Rattler’s Tale #11

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More RATTLER’S TALE Stories
by Anthony North
for
Friday Fictioneers
Poets & Storytellers United
The Sunday Muse
in association with
KEYUDOS

PHOTO PROMPT © Todd Foltz

BAKE-OFF

They were lined up, only their backs showing.
Reality TV was like that – liked to have a surprise for the end.
I suppose you could call them a metaphor.
The first contestant approached: ‘I think I’ll poach them.’
The second disagreed: ‘I’ll beat them to pulp for a huge cake.’
The third added: ‘Well I just like smashing them; watch the goo ooze out.’
I guess dumbing down had gone too far.
The egghead intellectuals agreed.

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GENESIS OF LOVE

Forget the apple. There were too many roses in Eden.
Or maybe it’s all just a metaphor.
In the beginning were animals.
They couldn’t mate face to face, see – so didn’t see.
Then along came animal Mark Two, or Human.
He was a weak but cunning upgrade.
He’d changed his hands – evolved the opposable thumb.
Man became a master manipulator – learnt how to fashion his tool.
Which meant he didn’t need to go around on all fours, but two.
Man became erect – had adapted a new pelvic bone.
Then came the human bit.
It became more comfortable to mate face to face – and he saw.
And she saw. Realised her nakedness, and he liked it.
And together they mated – and loved.
For the genesis of humanity WAS love.
But every story has a sting in the tale – our own Pandora’s box.
For hot on the trail of love came jealousy and, eventually hate.
The Red Rose and Red Mist are one.
There were too many roses in Eden.
And they have thorns.

100 comments on “Rattler’s Tale #11

  1. Dear Tony,

    Dumbing down is an understatement!!! Are they handing out Darwin awards in this reality show? (Don’t even get me started on “reality” shows). Egg-cellent story.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

  2. Anthony, I’d looked at those eggs all lined up in the photo , and thought they did look like they were sitting in a grandstand as spectators. So, I’m pleased you took that idea further and I enjoyed your take, although I agree that there’s been too much dumbing down.
    Best wishes,
    Rowena

  3. You had a lot of fun with the prompt photo, Anthony. Well-served entertainment and a perfect metaphor for reality cooking shows — and life in general!

  4. It could be worse, it could be the Kardashians. I’ve never seen it. I’m just assuming. The reality show mentality is how we got saddled with our current American president. Our government is a reality show, and it’s far worse than people breaking eggs.

  5. Smashing! I conclude that reality TV is as far away from real people as you can get. For instance, who in their right mind bakes those elaborate cakes in Bake Off?

  6. Well…cheap TV doesn’t have quite the same ring. Bargain TV? Housebrand Flavor-rite Television, you’ll never tell the difference and your guests won’t, either! Which just means it’s wormed its way too far in for me to be saved. 🙂 I did enjoy the shifts in the rose poem, the images uncompressing like a book of cut-outs. Wonderful.

  7. The Red Rose and Red Mist are one.
    There were too many roses in Eden.
    And they have thorns

    The anticipation of Eden’s goodness may come with many surprises. We can’t win them all.

    Hank

  8. Thought of having eggs this morning had cheese on sweetbread instead. And never thought of roses in the Garden of Eden but now i will ponder it

    Thanks for dropping by my sumie Sunday today

    much❧✿❧love

  9. You would never think that this strange almost hairless creature would be attracted to another similar creature, let alone agree to rear a screaming discontented cub which takes years to develop and then expects to be privided for for fifteen years or more.

  10. I loved both pieces. I agree the dumbing down has gone way too far. The rose piece is such a unique recount of the garden of Eden. The beauty of a rose always comes with thorns.

  11. As the movie, “Idiocracy” because closer to reality and each day confirms it, I wonder if society will survive. I think a cabin deep in the woods is more to my liking.
    You’ve given us two examples of the human condition, where we were and where we are headed.

  12. The first one enforced my decision to not watch Reality shows.
    The second was like a brand new bible story. Roses or apples. Doesn’t
    Matter. One has pits, the other thorns. Wonderful take on this strange piece of art.

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