Home » Poetry » Weekend Writing Prompt #148 – Somnambulist

Weekend Writing Prompt #148 – Somnambulist

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A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend.  How you use the prompt is up to you.  Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like.  Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise.  If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.  This was no easy one, Sammi!  Thanks for pushing me (whether you know it or not 😉 )

Word Prompt

 

 

Exist or Live

 

He went through life by rote

Everywhere he went, he had been multiple times before

Same times, same movements, same trajectory

Like a somnambulist, he moved through existence

Never tripping, never seeing, never remembering

 

There was a danger in waking him, they said

 

Danger?

Yes, there is

 

If living life instead of existing is dangerous

If stepping outside the path

means experiencing both joys and sorrows

if awakening means seeing, smelling, feeling, tasting

 

By all means

Live dangerously

 

96 thoughts on “Weekend Writing Prompt #148 – Somnambulist”

  7. Q,

    True story. Although I think the idea of “living” is so abundantly mis-characterized when thinking about what life SHOULD be. Indeed, life is that which keeps you here. Which is why they call it life. I am always fascinated by people’s interpretations of how this should look and feel and arrange itself.

    And that word, somnambulist . . . I had no idea what it meant!

    B

    Liked by 3 people

  9. Ahh, a spin of Thunder, and a very interesting take is born.
    Well done!
    You know, sometimes I sleep walk eat. Small jars of condiments appear magically on the counter in the morning; empty /a licked clean spoon nearby.
    SO, no small jars/tins of anything in the house! Especially cleaning fluids. Big ass bottles and jars, only.
    I do believe I ate cat crunchies in my sleep, once!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Great job, Dale. I love the word, somnambulist–very nineteenth-century. :). There’s a Millais painting with that title.
    And I like your take on the prompt–going for the less obvious, the people who seem to sleepwalk through life. Well done! I imagine sometimes it’s a coping mechanism.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you, Merril. It’s a great word. And we use it in French (somnambule) all the time so it was familiar to me. Glad you liked my take. Took me forever to get it out. And yes, I think for some, it is

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Pingback: Weekend Writing Prompt #148 – Somnambulist — A Dalectable Life – DESIGN CORNER

  17. Somnambulist, now that is a fancy word, meaning – sleepwalking through life. I know because I legit had to look it up 😁

    I think when we reach a certain age sadly we all start to sleepwalk in many ways. For instance, remember the first time you sat by an ocean and was overwhelmed by its magnitude and beauty? Now, many times later it is still a wonderful place to sit, but that wonder can never be the same as it was in the beginning. Which is really what you stated in the story, “He went through life by rote. Everywhere he went, he had been multiple times before.” Where does the childlike wonder go?

    Well done!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. I was smiling through this because of how well it was written and wondering if there was going to be some punchline of a word that is half Italian and creative..:)

    Liked by 1 person

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