Experiment with Animation

"Jacob and the Pecans"

             Winter was quickly approaching, and large flocks of birds started flying south for warmer climates.  At times, the birds would look like dark blots of black ink as they smeared themselves across the cold gray sky, there one moment gone the next.

Jacob knew that tonight was going to be dangerous. The winds had already begun to howl as the tip of the northern front was soon upon them. His pregnant wife Yvette could also sense the danger as she sat in her chair, covered by the quilt her grandmother had made for her when Yvette was just a child.

Jacob was preparing himself for this confrontation with Mother Nature, this battle with the elements.  He knew that without food, he, his wife, and the rest of their clan would surely starve this winter, and so, he prepared.

The meteorologists had predicted a brutal assault from Mother Nature this winter with temperatures well below the freezing mark, ice and snow throughout the countryside.  They warned everyone to take extra care and the necessary precautions needed to survive the upcoming winter.

It was not only Mother Nature’s fury that Jacob had to fear, it was the ever-threatening claws and fangs of Venus, the mean and vicious calico cat that made this night doubly treacherous.  Even on this freezing cold and gloomy night, Jacob knew that Venus was on the prowl, as she is most every night, eager for an easy meal. The matted spots of orange, black, yellow and red on Venus’ fur would be lost in the dark, but it was the minimum of light that reflected off of her needle-like claws that gave her away at night and the danger was; if one saw the light reflected, it was too late!

Yvette withdrew herself from the warm comfort of her quilt and quietly walked behind Jacob.  Wrapping her arms around him and softly whispering in his ear, “Be careful Jacob, please be careful.”  Jacob patted her arm and whispered back, “I will Yvette, I will.”  With a look of complete love and tenderness, Jacob kissed Yvette and ventured out into the cold dark danger that awaited him.

The winds had picked up speed like a runaway train, and the howls the winds made as they whistled through the branches of the old oak trees and any other place the winds could not be stopped, was quite frightening.  It sounded like the painful cries of the Tasmanian devil, lost and foreshadowing a warning: stay inside!  Jacob knew that tonight was the night the survival of he; his wife and the rest of their clan would be determined.

 Jacob, his wife and the rest of his clan are squirrels living amongst the patches of gigantic oak trees at the edge of the forest and just outside of where the human’s live.  It was there at the homes of these two-legged walkers where the treasure trove of pecans lay.  Hundreds and hundreds of them bunched together in the large wicker baskets inside the human’s greenhouse.  Not only was this the place of the pecans, it was also the place of Venus’ home!

Make no mistake about it: On this night, Jacob was scared!  Venus has the reputation, just as Mother Nature at times has the reputation of taking no prisoners and showing no mercy, especially on this freezing cold and blustery night.

To be continued...

© 2010 Rennie Murrell

"The Pauper's Grave"

In this pauper's grave -- buried -- no name,

lay the soul of a child -- lost to the game

© 2010 Rennie Murrell

"Sunday Morning"

Sunday morning just like the rest -- bacon, eggs and sausages -- Sunday's breakfast.
But I couldn't smell those smells walking down the hall.
Familiar smells -- I knew so well -- ready to enthrall.
Into the kitchen I entered, and there my father he sat.
With tears in his eyes, he looked into mine and I knew then that was that.
That is when I thought I heard -- my mom call my name so clear.
How can that be? I said to me -- sotto voce.
Into dad's arms he gathered, me so tenderly.
He brushed the tears from my face and whispered these words to me.
"When troubles seem unbounded, and walls are caving in, when everything seems hopeless and consumes you from within."
"No matter what may happen, from this day foward on -- you will always have a place called home -- forever that my son."
No Sunday everlasting will be like those of past.
No bacon -- eggs -- no sausages -- No Sunday's breakfast.

© 2010 Rennie Murrell

"The Caged Bird"

The caged bird cannot fly because she has no wings.

My love for you cannot be true until I set you free.

And so my love I say these words wishing them not true.

Fly away - fly away.

Remember, I love you.

 © 2010 Rennie Murrell

"You Walk in Beauty"

You walk in beauty like waves in the sea, red roses in bloom, the shade of an old oak tree.

Sounds of children laughing together, softly is the breeze in springtime weather.

You walk in beauty like stars in the sky, angels in Heaven, a birds lullaby.

Dreams fill the gleam held within your eyes, to look upon you I can only sigh.....you walk in beauty.

© 2010 Rennie Murrell

"This Happened to Me (I was just a boy)"

            This happened to me a long time ago, it’s been quite a while I could never know, hell I was just a boy barely eight years old.

            I was sitting on the steps with my big brother Bruce, my mom and step-mom was fighting then all hell broke loose.

            Were they fighting over me, will I have to choose? This game you can’t win you can only lose.

            I saw my pops standing dumb look on his face, he didn’t do shit man what a disgrace.

           But what I know now I didn’t know then. A disgrace? Nah, because what I know now I understand why my pops just stood there not saying a word, it’s a lesson in life forever earned.

          My mom’s yelling out what is and what’s not, next thing that I know my pops calling the cops.

         What the fuck just happened? Someone pulled the wool; they didn’t teach me this lesson in elementary school.

         What could I do? I was just a kid you see, but them police motherfucker's taking momma from me.

         What could I do? Who could I call? Been blaming myself for years, but my pops he dropped the ball.

         Handcuffed my mom, escort to the door, my tears flowed freely they fell on the floor.

        Mom said these words, she looked me right in my eyes, her words ran deep a mini-trial in this child.

        She said these words to me and no other, “Remember what this bitch made your father do to your mother.”

       This happened to me a long time ago, it’s been quite a while I could never know, hell I was just a boy barely eight years old.

      Confused as can be, my eyes wide open still I couldn’t see. Been asking for years why is life shitting on me.

      So I looked long and hard took a good look inside, I did all kinds of dope I did all I could find, and made my escape to the wall of denial.

     You know where it’s at, cause I seen you there. In my life and in yours we got crosses to bear.

     So walk tall and walk steady – don’t ever be shamed – your cross maybe heavy – maybe filled with cocaine – maybe filled with betrayal – maybe filled with blame – maybe filled with hatred – but no matter the name – every cross that we bear is filled with nothing but pain.

    So I live without living without being alive, and I die without dying because I have not died.

    My momma quit she just gave up trying, popped in some pills, ahhhhhhhhhh – suicide.

    Think you feel my pain? You could never know, see I was just a boy barely eight years old.

© 2010 Rennie Murrell