EXERCISE: A Phrase in Need

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting 8 December 2009

Just a quick exercise. Take this phrase and build on it -- a story, a poem, a reminiscence, a musing -- whatever takes your fancy. It's up to you.

The phrase: "petty secrets sharpened against hard and stony regret..."

Go ahead. What kind of an edge, what kind of point, and what do you do with petty secrets sharpened against hard and stony regret? Can you shave with them? What are you likely to cut with those petty secrets? And what kind of bandages will you need to bind up the wounds?

Write!

The phrase was found in a collection of random quotations at http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 -- the particular quotation was, "Success is meaningless if you can't sleep at night because of harsh things said, petty secrets sharpened against hard and stony regret, just waiting to be plunged into the soft underbelly of a 'friendship.'" Margaret Cho