Family

Writing Challenges: Inspiration and ideas to spark your creativity every day

Family. Write a story or poem that includes this sentence, “They sat at the dining-room table, the family of four…”
(William Brawley, Creative Commons)

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Responses to this Challenge

May 31

poem 4 comments challenge: Family

Avery.Shae

oxymoronic

Disgustingly Perfect
They sat at the dining room table
The family of four
Seated around a
Beastly impeccable
Layout of food
Mother
Father
Sister
Daughter
They plaster on fake smiles
And tell each other about their day
Flowing in one ear and out the other
Empty words through empty people
With not so empty heads
Except the littlest one
She smiles and gladly tells stories full of wonder
About the terrors and triumphs of kindergarten
She whines when not allowed ice cream before she finishes her food
The mother and father begin to argue
And she begins to cry as they
Argue over politics
Climate change
Women's rights
The mother dreams of leaving
Why the hell am I still here? she ponders
The other girl sits brim-full but empty
Full of colors turned to grey
Full of scattered fuzzy emotions
Full of warmth and cold
Yet still she was empty

Posted: 05.31.17

May 31

humor 1 comment challenge: Family

Iris321

Broccoli killer

Broccoli Killer

They sit at the table, the family of four

I plan my escape to rush out the door

For it seems they will poison me

With this disgusting slop they call broccoli

Why must my family hate me so

I think of the good memories of cookie dough

Then I look back at the green slop

And I go to the family phone to call the cops

My mom yanks me by my shirt

And makes me eat the equivalent to dirt

It’s healthy for you my family claims

The thought goes through my head to set the house to flames

I make another desperate attempt to escape this horror

But I trip and fall onto the floor

My family drags me back to the table

I’m pretty sure this is what you call unstable

My sister gulps the slop right down

I stare at her like she’s a clown

I make my final escape out the door

Posted: 05.31.17

May 09

poem 2 comments challenge: Family

Auggie Cat

The Families of Four

There was a dining room table.
It sat in a store painted bright white.
All it wanted was a family sitting around it.
One day a woman bought it.

There was a family of one.
A young woman with a dreamy expression sat at the table.
She hoped for a family to sit around this table with her.
She imagined a family of four.

There was a family of two.
A young man and woman newly married.
They ate chinese takeout.
They talked and laughed and remembered their honeymoon.
They wanted a family of four.

There was a family of three.
Two proud parents with bags under their eyes and a little baby.
They were just home from the hospital.
The parents felt they were so proud they could burst.
They could see a family of four.

There was a family of four.
A toddler crying.
Two parents worried.

Posted: 05.09.17

May 06

poem 1 comment challenge: Family

19kowaju

Living Through the Winter

They sat at the dining-room table,
The family of four,
Their dinney lay unmoving and dead.

Two daughters lept forward with a snap of their teeth,
But were sent crawling back by a growl from Father,
He bent his head down and started to tear.

Mother moved forward and with a nod from Father dug in,
The daughters waited their turn,
When the moment was right they too joined their parents in dinner.

Just over two weeks had passed since the family’s last real meal,
So they ate, and ate, and ate, and ate,
Until there was nothing left but bones and even those would be saved.

Licking their lips the family felt full and happy,
Two emotions, two feelings,
They hadn’t experienced the two together in so long.

Dinner was over so they left the dining-room to find sleep,
Mother and Father huddled with their daughters to keep them warm,

Posted: 05.06.17

May 05

poem 1 comment challenge: Family

19bielmo

A Beary Good Family

They sat at the dining room table,
the family of four in this twisted fable.
Goldilocks didn’t really have to leave.
They became a family, should you choose to believe.

Mama’s porridge was cold, and Papa’s porridge hot.
Baby Bear and Goldilocks were happy with what they got.
Papa’s chair was too hard, and Mama’s chair too soft,
Baby and Goldilocks sat on their chairs perfectly aloft.

Even though they liked things their own specific way,
they got together perfectly each and every day.
Despite different preferences in temperature and look,
Goldilocks didn’t have to run as stated in her book.

They could be friends even though they weren’t the same.
Why the writers didn’t think that is really quite a shame.
Even if we appreciate things in ways others do not,
we can be together, and still mean a lot.

Posted: 05.05.17

May 05

fiction 1 comment challenge: Family

Sarah.gray

They sat at the dining-room table, the family of four. No one talked, no one wanted to. Dinner for them was quite time and that's how it's always been. Someone sneezed, the mom turned and look with her soft eyes and with her eyes she said thank you. It's a tradition and they love it. Mom makes dinner dad sets the table and the kids sit and wait. When it's time for dessert they talk. Mom asked how was your day and they all answer with the same chipper "good" and they ask her back. Next was bedtime, they bushed their teeth and said their good nights. House was silent and so was the town.

Posted: 05.05.17

May 05

poem 1 comment challenge: Family

joseph.deffner

Family

A small house sits still.

Lights shining from its windows.

A cat stands on a window sill, looking out.

An old dog rests under the table, waiting for some scraps.

They sat at the dining-room table, the family of four.

They sit together, the room filled with light.

Every night the same sight.On a small street, in a small town, the small house sits.

Posted: 05.05.17

May 05

poem 2 comments challenge: Family

joseph.deffner

Untitled

They sat at the dining-room table, the family of four,

When abruptly there came a sharp knock at the door.

The mother arose to see who was there,

She didn’t return — it was a bear.

Posted: 05.05.17

May 04

poem 4 comments challenge: Family

Anna P.

Waiting

No words were exchanged,
no smiles were tossed.
The giggles remained silent,
and the radio was off.

Their hearts thumping slowly,
breathing not quite right,
their shoulders slumped,
and their chests were kept tight.

Her lips were curved downward,
his face toward the floor,
her hair a tangled mess,
his eyes were on the door.

Their faces were solemn,
not an expression in sight,
only the lips that curved down,
and the tears to her right.

They sat at the dining room table,
the family of four.
They were waiting for someone,
someone who was no more.

Posted: 05.04.17

May 04

poem 2 comments challenge: Family

Graceth Harleli

Sustenance Gathers

They sat around the dining room table,
a family of four.
Father comes from the bedroom,
abandoning his Galaxy Trucker war.

They consist of a family of four.
Mother comes from the kitchen.
Places a dish on the clothed table,
Everybody gathers to enjoy spiced chicken.

A family of four sits around a dining room table.
Brother comes from downstairs;
arms muscled from pullups,
forgetting school cares.

The four members of the family
sit at the dining room table.
I come from my notebooked room,
where I had been writing a fable.

The dining room table welcomes the family of four.
Father, mother, brother, I,
all gather 'round and thank the food's Creator.
Then dig into the food with a hungry sigh.

Posted: 05.04.17

Responses to this Challenge

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