Writing Portfolio Lillian Brown

Table of Contents: Prose: 1.Beasts 2.Forgiveness 3.Desperation Poetry: 4. My Bold Follower 5. The Eloquent and Extensive Cage

Beasts “This is what I had been promised. The pain and the fear, and then the beauty and the untainted freedom. I looked to my left, to the south, and saw her small lithe body, covered in coppery scales move in rhythm with the beating on my membranous wings.” ~This story came from a recurring dream in which I am a giant bird. Flying is my ultimate dream of mine, and I just worked my sister and brother into it. A lot of the scenery and setting was actually inspired by Russell T. Davis’s current description in the 2008 Doctor Who fan guide.

Forgiveness ~Jean-Paul Marat was a revolutionary during the French Revolution that wrote and published a newspaper called “The Friend of the People” and is said to be responsible for the beheading of hundreds of people. He was killed by a common woman named Charlotte Corday who thought that his death would bring an end to the killing and maybe even the war. “After a moment, he was gone. All versions of him. A school boy, a scared solider, a terrifying revolutionary, and an old man. I allow myself a luxury I do not deserve: I do something I haven't in years. I say his name, his true name, aloud.”

Desperation: “My children will never want the way I did. They will never be afraid or worried. They will always know that food is coming to them, that their education is the very best, that they will never want for anything.” ~This piece came from thoughts and conversation I have had with my real life best friend in which I “played” the part of Desdemona. This was a piece that I was hesitant to give to the class because I was worried that the dialogue would be weak. Screen writing is what I plan to do with my life, so obviously I was nervous about the outcome of this particular piece.

My Bold Follower “But then he changes. The rice and grapes make him savage, flushed cheeks warm. My sorrowful eyes, he says, strike him, but his rage makes it my turn. ” ~This piece was inspired by the lead singer of a band I like and his problems with alcohol. It was based on the idea of loving someone so much that you would never leave even if they physically or emotionally abused you.

The Eloquent and Extensive Cage “Small soul, lonely girl to books alone I pray, Swallowed into the belly of imagination, of the beast, the whale. Words and paper and thoughts made my heart pique, The ink marked my hands as eloquent dye. I found myself in books, lives like diamonds to be mined; Found my worlds, darting backwards and forwards like a hare.” ~This piece was difficult for me, not only because of my personal struggles with writing poetry that fits a formula but remains in my style, but also because of the personal nature of the content. Letting myself write about something that honest and truthful about myself was not only beneficial in the end, but also helped me become more open to writing personal pieces in the future.