Welcome to the TREE OF LIFE: Branching Out collaborative writing challenge, where creative minds meet epic movie music. To read the collective story in its entirety as it unfolds and for more details on this groundbreaking collaboration with Audiomachine click HERE.
Today’s featured guest writer is witty wordsmith, Daniel Swensen. Visit Dan’s Surly Muse, for more on perfecting the craft.
* Listen to the inspiring track from Audiomachine’s Tree of Life album featured in the sidebar music player
Inspiring Soundtrack: Audiomachine – Across the Horizon – Tree of Life
Zoe turned her face to heaven, catching the last sparkling droplets in her hair. Molted by the wind, the clouds gave way to a serene wedge of cerulean sky.
The Tree blazed out in all directions, a riot of color and light, yearning branches tipped with leaves of carnelian, emerald and gold, eclipsing the day-lit meadow into shards of multi-hued shadow.
Even as she looked on in rapture, a sudden melancholy pain wracked her, curling in her abdomen like an errant unborn.
“What is this?” she asked, dismayed by the rift between the beauty before her and the encroaching agony within.
“Separation,” Adam said. “All life is a greeting and goodbye, by turn. The hurt of separation is called living.”
“A metaphor?”
“A transition,” Adam intoned. “The first of many. Life is change, Zoe. You are life, and you will change. This is the pain of your first goodbye.”
________________________________
© 2013 Daniel Swensen
ATTENTION FANS: You can WIN an autographed TREE OF LIFE Audiomachine album by LEAVING COMMENTS! On August 17th, two lucky readers will be chosen at random from the comments section of the story excerpts. The more you comment–the better your chances are of winning a piece of cinematic history! We want to hear from YOU!
TREE OF LIFE is available NOW! Click on the following links:
Purchase a CD from CD Baby
Download it from iTunes
Stream it on Spotify Download it from Amazon Purchase a CD from Amazon
Thanks for the opportunity to participate!
LikeLike
I’m so glad you joined us, Dan:) Your language is breathtaking!
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike
Very cool!
Tina @ Life is Good
LikeLike
well well, what goes on here? Completely intriguing thanks Daniel!
LikeLike
Wonderful imagery! Love the color play and the addition of some new elements – change and separation – deepens the storyline! Kudos!
LikeLike
Thanks, Ruth! That was my plan. 🙂
LikeLike
Good story with the good music!
LikeLike
Hi Daniel,
Wonderfully lucid. And the interaction between metaphor and transition. Well done and thank you for your excerpt.
Gary
LikeLike
Ooo! Beautiful writing and an intriguing dialogue.
LikeLike
Another gorgeous addition to the story. The imagery in this one is really fantastic with the canopy of the tree as “a riot of color and light” and I especially like the simile of the pain of loss as an “errant unborn:- really brilliant!
LikeLike
awesome. loved it.
LikeLike
Curiosamente imagine a las auroras polares . Gracias.
LikeLike
Made me shiver…beautifully told, and can’t wait to see where this goes!
LikeLike
Your descriptions were delicious! You have a way with imagery and word choice.
Shannon at The Warrior Muse
LikeLike
I’m both happy and sad for Zoe. Dan, your descriptions teased me with an explosion of colors both vibrant and bright. Loved this!
LikeLike