Fortnightly Reading Round-Up #2

The time has come for my second reading round-up on Vocal. However, it is a couple of days late because I spent a long weekend celebrating a friend’s 50th birthday.

But enough excuses for my tardiness.

Edit: I had to revert to draft and remove some stories from my original list. I have been told that some of them are AI-generated despite not having an AI label. I want to focus purely on human-written work, not AI-written, and I will check the stories more carefully in the future.

So, below you will find a rewised collection of stories that I have read over the last couple of weeks that made an impression on me, in no particular order.

The Farmer’s Fox

I simply love this poem by Conor Matthews about the farmer and the old fox. You get the sense that something is not quite as it seems, and wonder if the farmer is right to believe the fox or not. A great cautionary tale, reminding me of the poem The Spider and the Fly and the song Snake by Al Wilson. If you don’t know them, I recommend you check them out, too, after reading Conor’s story.

Blossom

I clicked on this story by Lark Hanshan because of the line she quoted from a poem:

Do not stand by my grave and weep. I am not there; I do not sleep.

Such a beautiful poem that perfectly sets the tone for this story. A story about death and those left behind. Just like the poem, this story lingers in your mind long after you have finished reading it.

The Miracle of Three Fish and a Can of Beans

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this piece by T. E. Door, but the title of it tickled me. Being a Christian, I, of course, knew the story from the Bible she was referring to, although it’s the first time I’ve seen it served with a side of beans. I love how she turned a simple recipe into a story of hope and faith. And I will try the recipe, even though I’m not a fan of sardines. But you never know, it might surprise me just like this story did!

Better to Be Short and Good-Looking Than Tall and Ugly

I’m not surprised this got the Top Story, because it is brilliant. (And an example of the times when I agree with Vocal’s choices!) I was intrigued from the moment I saw the title. I am short - always the shortest in class (except one year when I was the second-shortest), so I wanted to find out why it is better to be short than tall. And good-looking rather than ugly. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but certainly not a story about Fuckawis and Faguchis. Do yourself a favour and go read it for a good laugh.

on the heels of a blue wind

I love a story where I really can't tell what's coming, and this one by Heather Hubler certainly fits the bill. This is a story about Keen, who has been given much and squandered it all. Yet, he still keeps asking for more. What happens next should be enough to teach him a lesson. Whether he does, I'll leave you to find out for yourself.

Where the Wisps Wander

I found this poem by Sarah Glass through the Creators We Love - section in the fiction community. I'm not surprised that Sarah has been included here, as her writing is so engaging. This particular poem is full of malice, and I pity the human who happens to get caught by these unearthly creatures.

Vultures are Circling and Parrots Sing Their Praise

The writer of this poem Oneg In The Arctic has given it the subtitle "nasty poem". There are certainly some lines that can be considered "nasty", lines written for insult, like:

flying in circles all day sure gets tiring, doesn't it

do you need a nap? a valium? something to take the sting of reality off?

But dig below the surface level and the poem becomes a clever commentary on modern society and the sheep - or should we say bird - mentality.

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That concludes this week’s favourites. I hope you give some of them, if not all of them, a read. I would love to hear which ones you read and enjoyed.

You can also add in the comments links to any stories you have read recently and enjoyed for me to check them out. But please, no self-promotion. I want to keep these articles, including the comments, as a place to support others.

Happy reading. Look out for next list in two week's time.