Morning Exercise #3: "The Astrologer"

One last exercise from the archives at Wake Up Writing

Incorporate all of the following words into an article, short story, poem or whatever comes to mind. You must use all of the words (in any order) to complete the exercise, but the context in which they are used is up to you. Think about the words for a few minutes before you start to write and see what pictures come to mind - then see if you can weave them all together into a piece of writing.

compassion
brilliance
tears
verse
net
legacy
bundle
smile
tumble
embrace


THE ASTROLOGER
(specified words highlighted bold)

A weary and impecunious astrologer whose net worth would scarcely cover one quarter of the debt outlined in the bundle of household accounts he now pushed aside, realised that only a legacy from some unknown and unlikely source could aid his predicament. He reached to his in-tray for a client's letter from the small assortment lying there.

The letter, on grey deckle edged paper, handwritten in old fashioned pen and ink, contained a few tell-tale smudges, evidence of the author's tears. The astrologer's years of experience hadn't toughened him to the point where familiarity and indifference replaced compassion. He sighed as he read, raised his eyes to watch a flurry of golden leaves tumble from a nearby tree in the stiff October breeze. The brilliance of those golden leaves further emphasised by an escaping ray of the hidden sun, offered sharp contrast against a darkening sky heavy with cloud.

He returned to his client's letter, thinking how life can resemble the scene outside his window. A dark horizon often brightened by unexpected shafts of light. A hint of a smile crept around his lips. He was remembering a verse from a song of long ago. He bent to embrace the calico cat, mewling disconsolately at his feet, before starting to study charts on behalf of his needy client.