From Ember to Anthem

From Ember to Anthem

Dawn breaks, revealing cold embers of death;
The war of the worlds purged evil and sin.
From the heart of darkness we hold our breath…
The metamorphosis will soon begin.

When the great awakening comes to call,
We search for the truth within and without.
Our hands are shackled; we stumble and fall…
Struggling, drowning in quicksand of doubt.

Utopia beckons, just out of reach
We stand frozen, behind the golden door.
Emotions and memories slowly leach…
Burned in our minds and hearts forevermore.

We bear the torch for those whose light has fled…
An anthem to the living and the dead.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2026
May 2, 2026

Happy Saturday! I took Friday off and we went to visit Mom for an early Mother’s Day celebration. She was eager for some shopping at Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree, then we picked up an early dinner and ate at her house. It was so nice, and she was in very good spirits!

I’m afraid I went a little dark this week… the challenge prompts took me there. With all the unrest and division in today’s world, it’s no wonder we all feel like Doomsday is coming. I won’t elaborate too much, so I tried to end with a positive note.

Another thing that steered me in this darker direction is my latest update on the nesting Carolina wrens. Sadly, after some promising signs and consistent activity after putting them back in their nest a week ago – they did not make it. Wednesday morning when I got my coffee, I peeked out the front door side window, and two were lying on the porch, still and lifeless. They had grown fledgling feathers, and the parents were out in the trees chirping and watching me. Those poor babies were either attacked, or possibly fell and broke their legs… I could speculate, but it was a very sad morning for me. I told Dan, and about 10 minutes later he went out to bury their little boddies – but they were gone! He asked if I had moved them, I certainly did not. Nothing showed up on the ring Camera, so we will never know what finally got them. When Dan disposed of the nest, there was the third one in there, not as developed. I suspect it was already dead when I popped him back in the nest a week ago.

I felt sick to my stomach and then had a good cry… Maybe that was building up inside for a while, but why do I get so emotionally invested and upset when I try and fail to save a wild animal? I know it’s the cycle of life, but I just adore birds and feel invested when they use my front porch or wreath for their homes. I do my best to protect them, but nature is out of my control. And life goes on….

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend! Xoxo

Love,
Colleen

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 44.17 – Apocalypse Tomorrow
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a novella (either the title of one, or just the word novella) * See my list of 9!
Easy Bonus: Include the word “forevermore”

* Novellas used:
The War of the Worlds – H.G. Wells
Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
The Metamorphosis – Franz Kafka
The Awakening – Kate Chopin
Quicksand – Nella Larsen
Utopia – Thomas More
Anthem – Ayn Rand
The Fall – Albert Camus
The Dead – James Joyce