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Abstract

r any feeble trick “I’ll die at home or not at all,” she said</p><p id="5941">Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife Sits in a cell and waits for judgment day</p><p id="7bbd">Hired women helped her get along Assisting her in living day-to-day At 97 years of age She knew that soon she’d turn life’s page And all her sorrows soon would pass away</p><p id="0aa0">Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife Sits in a cell and waits for judgment day</p><p id="baee">A Christmas visit from her loving son Each thinking that it well could be the last Determining to do it right They stayed up late and talked all night Surrounded by the ghosts of Christmas past</p><p id="5c03">Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife Sits in a cell and waits for judgment day</p><p id="fb2f">After New Year’s day, a man came by Bearing fresh baked cookies on a plate From her room, she heard her son Voices raised then it was done And she was left to wonder at his fate</p><p id="974f">Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife Sits in a cell and waits for judgment day</p><p id="bbb5">She called out to her son all day and night Until she lost her voice, he never came She would not eat again that day Or any other, sad to say She wet the bed and felt the sting of shame</p><p id="1b20">Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife Sits in a cell and waits for judgment day</p><p id="0eec">Awakened by strange sounds she prayed and prayed Please, God, let this be a friendly face But he who grabbed her was a stranger Truly she was now in danger He bound and dragged her to a darkened place</p><p id="212f">Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife Sits in a cell and waits for judgment day</p><p id="59f4">From a faint, she wakened to the smell Of gasoline and smoke, the room on fire And in the flickering fire’s light She saw her

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son, now dead, ignite Her gasp, her last, then caused her to expire</p><p id="bb6e">Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife Sits in a cell and waits for judgment day</p><p id="7e36"><i>©2020, Denise Shelton. All rights reserved.</i></p><p id="f9c8">You can read the first three stories here:</p><div id="6e02" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/a-house-burned-down-on-stephens-street-de938b9280e2"> <div> <div> <h2>A House Burned Down on Stephens Street</h2> <div><h3>Inspiration challenge: form #1 — haiku</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*fg69y0nCIlwoiY9LQL9hGQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="487e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/why-still-vacant-after-all-this-time-f4e8213a74ac"> <div> <div> <h2>Why Still Vacant After All This Time?</h2> <div><h3>Inspiration challenge: form #2 — Microfiction</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*T760VdKEBueZixSme0OmIg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="602d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/who-killed-mrs-h-60fd420f21fa"> <div> <div> <h2>Who Killed Mrs. H?</h2> <div><h3>Inspiration challenge: form #3 — Flash Fiction</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*-qxMjwuDuX56nMpWkIqyHQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="5976">If you liked this, please visit my <a href="http://denisesheltonwrites.com/">website</a>. You can sign up for my monthly newsletter <a href="https://deniseshelton.substack.com/">here</a>. Thanks for reading!</p></article></body>

Prompt

Really Nice but Tough as Nails

Inspiration challenge: form #4 — ballad

This is the fourth in a series of stories inspired by something I saw on my morning walk. You can read the first three stories at the bottom of this page. Unsure what form my story should take (poetry, flash fiction, etc.), I decided to use as many different vehicles as I could and see what emerged. What about you? Has something you’ve seen or experienced inspired you? How many ways can you tell your story? — Denise Shelton

She built her house of brick, so long ago It weathered storms, withstood the summer sun Her husband flew the friendly skies But everything once-living dies So after 40 years, his life was done

Really nice but tough as nails they say A filthy shame she had to go that way The evil man who took her life Without a gun, without a knife A prisoner waiting for his judgment day

She raised two boys before her husband passed Ivy League degrees both had in hand A loving family deeply proud And she refused to cry out loud When both of them moved far across the land