writing « John R. Hoffman

A delicate balance

The delicate balance of nature had tipped too far, to a point from which it seemed impossible to recover. The subtlety between accepting the busy activity of productive insects and exterminating annoying pests was missed.

Where once thousands had flown, a single bee worked tirelessly. Quickly flitting from flower to flower, collecting nectar and spreading […]

Destined for Greatness

The foul stench was overwhelming. Flies swarmed in the tepid currents of putrid air as maggots burrowed through the garbage baking under the hot August sun. Dogs that had torn into the pile voraciously, now whimpered and scampered away after catching a whiff as the strike continued.

The seedling flourished in the darkness. Growing unobserved […]

Metamorphosis

She was never satisfied. Not understanding the hunger pains that plagued her, she greedily devoured everything in her path as she became engorged with food. Eating continuously through the entire day, she grew larger and larger with each and every meal. No matter how much she ate, the feelings of starvation were always present. She […]

Together in prayer

The pews were packed for a Sunday afternoon. Despite the brisk autumn air outside, the church resembled an elaborate garden. The pulpit was barely visible under the overflowing mass of flowers in full bloom. The aisles were lined with satin ribbons and lace bows. The service continued well past the normally scheduled time.

They […]

No such thing as a free lunch

The ground trembled as the sky darkened. A shrill hiss roared across the landscape. Clouds of grey smoke streamed out of the ground like a teakettle about to boil over. The pale blue glacier emerging from the snow-covered peak took on a pinkish hue as torrents of water sweated from the surface. The mountain was […]

The Peacock on the ceiling

The woven design of palm leaves of the khumrah was a simple repeat that mimicked the iridescent blue-green shapes that emerged in a symmetrical pattern from the peacock emblazoned in the tiles embedded in the dome of the mosque. The imam closed his eyes and meditated. No matter how complex the intricacies that came with […]

Mating Dance

Perched high in the hibiscus bush bursting with flowers, she watched with feigned indifference the dazzling array of colors flying through the air. Butterflies, large and small, celebrated the warm spring breeze by dancing to the silent notes of an orchestral melody handed down through the millennia from one generation to the next. In an […]

The Telescope

She adjusted the smoky grey filter in the aperture. The telescope had been a gift from her grandfather. They had enjoyed many late nights exploring the stars from his back porch. In the summer they drank freshly squeezed lemonade, but in the winter they enjoyed hot chocolate with always the right number of miniature marshmallows. […]

She had lilies in her wedding bouquet

His cane sank into the damp soil as he carefully moved through the vast garden. The backyard had long ago succumbed to the flowing mass of flowers grown from a handful of bulbs from their honeymoon, carefully cared for and delicately replanted over the years. He tried unsuccessfully to pull an entrenched weed, maybe he […]

Psychology 101

He tightened the straps as he staggered under the weight of the heavy backpack. When he reached the center of the bridge he climbed up on the railing. He pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket. In blood red ink was the grade for his introductory psychology final exam. He had utterly […]

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