Valentine
Written: February 13, 2005
Power words have always fascinated me. The description of an emotion or act holds power, whether lengthy or short. Your name holds power. Lyrics to a song, the words flowing in an order that stimulates your mind to see images one after the other - they hold power. This concept is the basis for storytelling and story writing. Stimulating an image in a reader's mind, then stimulating another and another, the pace and choice of words having effect - all common techniques of story writing. And all having power.
The image that I had when I began to write this story was a scene dictated entirely by the words, certain words, power words. Like a dance where both bodies move to the same music, only the music is not sounds from an instrument, rather the beat of power words, one after the other, spoken, whispered - all stimulating the dancers with mental images and implications.
It could be argued that the ropes aren't really needed when power words should be enough. Personal buttons aside, consider them to be the megaphone that accentuates the power words, the frame that holds the picture just so. In discussions with my very close friend, she pointed out that using a certain word in the context that I used it in the story totally pulled her out of the mood. To that point, I had glossed over the exchange, but her reaction was exactly what I wanted to drive home, if only from the other side. It was the power word that I was looking for.
I hope you enjoy Valentine and don't hesitate to send feedback via toran29@yahoo.com.
Toran