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bath, community, depression, inspiration, life, mental illness, picture it & write, poetry, sad, stories, water, writing
I urge people to join in, comment with your paragraph of fiction to accompany the image. It doesn’t have to follow my story or reflect the same themes. It can be a poem or in a different language (provide a translation please ). Anyone who wants to join in, is welcome. This photograph will be reblogged under Ermisenda on tumblr and added to the Picture it & Write gallery on Facebook and Pinterest.
Every fortnight we hope to host a photograph suggested by contributors. So, keep those photograph recommendations coming. Submit your favourite images (with credit) for next week’s Picture it & write!

The cold tiles against my toes sent a shiver down my spine. I curled my painted hands over the tub. I sometimes wished, in times like these, that I could push against all sides of the bath until the ceramic shattered. Pearl white shards would be chased by waves of dirty bath water. Why could I not face the outside world once again? Rather than enjoying the warm summer breeze, I was sitting in my own filth. I continued to defile the purity of the bath until the water turned cold.
– Ermisenda Alvarez
Everyone is welcome to use the button, just link them back to the Picture it & write category or Ermiliablog! Share your love for Picture it & write on your blog with the image below. Be proud, and stylish
!
Want to be a published author? Contributions to this post qualify for the Picture it & Write Publication.
This is a great picture and your story is amazing!
Thank you!
Wonderful 🙂
I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
My contribution
http://wp.me/p2Qy0k-Hw
Dark but just what came to me
Lisa
Very powerful and touching. It’s truly a shame that this has to happen to anyone at all. I think you communicated the desperation she must have felt very well. Thanks for contributing this week, Lisa!
I liked this, very provocative and descriptive. “Rather than enjoying the warm summer breeze, I was sitting in my own filth.” gave me chills, I felt the self-loathing and desperation. Nicely done.
Here is my humble entry, just getting back on the horse after some time away.
http://musingsfromtheturnippatch.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/picture-it-write-011213/
I actually had a dream after I had read this! The words must have stayed with me. Great writing Swirling Turnip, I love how bold and strong she is. The hunted becomes the hunter. Thanks for contributing!
Pingback: Sanctuary « Eric M. Vogt's Blog
Here is my submission:
http://ericmvogt.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/sanctuary/
You captured so much in so little words! Thanks for contributing this week to Picture it & write. 🙂 I hope to see you next week.
No matter how long or how often I showered, it never felt like it got me completely clean. It had to be baths, always baths. They were the only thing that brought me comfort in this world, made me feel whole and clean, like life was worth living again. Perhaps it was the simple act of remaining motionless in the still waters that really opened up my mind, helped me to focus on my journey ahead. I frequently asked myself hypothetical questions that had no answers while contemplating tomorrow’s breakfast, each thought blended with each other with no dam to hold back the flood of memories and hopefulness. “Maybe tomorrow will be different,” I would think to myself, slightly disappointed at the days events. “But I doubt it.”
That was a sad final note. Well written!
Very gloomy. The end of this totally reminded me of Eeyore… and then every morning, breakfast is the same: thistles again.
The writing flowed well. I felt like I was just reading someone’s thoughts. Authentic! Great work. Thanks for contributing this week. 🙂
hey Iiked your story.like ermilia said it was like reading someones thoughts, getting into their heads. I like that, especially since I spend most of my time in there. I would like to offer you a $10 amazon gift card.
Congrats.
Hey Mokauthor,
Thank you again for hosting another small competition. I bet Nicholas Jae is very excited. You are very generous. I’d love to read one of your contributions to Picture it & write soon.
Um..haha, I’m sorry, what? Why?
Pingback: Picture it and write: Time to think « Joe2stories
Here is my offering http://joe2stories.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/picture-it-and-write-time-to-think/
Enjoy
Joe
Sometimes all you need is time to escape. You communicated that need to escape and how sweet it feels to do so. Thanks for contributing this week again, Joe! By the way, Congratulations on your new book!
My outline came out over 150 words on this one. I’ll write it anyway, but I’m going to read first since I already captured it.
I like the outward push, Ermi! I didn’t see it until I read it. The tension in the fingers… so I asked a couple of other girls for their impressions and one of the other responses was… “Spider in the tub!!” Anyway, great catch!
Thanks, Annie! That’s an interesting response. I can’t wait to read yours. 🙂
The Japanese bathe better. They shower before they get in the bath. No filth
That’s a good way to avoid the filth. Thanks for sharing that piece of knowledge with us!
Do all the pictures on the pinterest page work for contribution to the book, or only certain ones? Also, is there a cut-off date when you’ll stop taking submissions?
Thanks!
There is never a cut-off date. All Picture it & write topics are constantly open. We still monitor the old topics to continue to give feedback. 🙂 Write away with no time pressures. Any of the pictures that are ‘Picture it & write’ photos. We have a category on our wordpress page that will take you to them all. I put the link below. Thanks for asking and I hope I answered your questions sufficiently.
https://ermiliablog.wordpress.com/category/picture-it-write/
You did 🙂 thanks for getting back to me. Some great pics there 😀
Pingback: Scream of tears « MY THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS
http://mythoughtsonthesubjectareasfollows.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/scream-of-tears/ Here is my entry…
There are many very powerfully sad contributions this week. Your poem is another great one to add. It must be terrible to feel filthy from the inside (despite how much one has scrubbed). Thanks for contributing this week!
Pingback: Picture it & write – This should not be hard…! « ABC of Spirit Talk
Oh so sad…! And, so well written, Ermisenda….
I did want to talk with her though, and let her know that nothing should make her feel that way…. awwww… 😉
My little contribution for this week:
http://abcofspiritalk.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/picture-it-write-this-should-not-be-hard/
Delicious! That was a sizzling hot read. I love your interpretation on why she was gripping the bath. Mmm…maybe I should try this bath ‘pilates’ sometime. Thanks for contributing this week, Carolyn. Fantastic as always. 🙂
Pingback: Picture It & Write: An Absence Of Reason | Tea with a Pirate
Pingback: The Secret is Out | Mind of Shoo
Here is mine. Enjoy.
http://mindofshoo.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/the-secret-is-out/
Wow, such an overwhelming experience! You condensed that so well. I love how you described ‘I have transformed from Dan to Danielle. The secret is out. I can be me.’ A great way to finish it. Thanks for contributing this week!
http://managuagunntoday.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/picture-it-write-an-absence-of-reason/ That’s mine done…
I love your dialogue script. So real. I used to read a lot of plays for drama and I didn’t realise I missed the constant talking. It’s a refreshing change of pace. Thanks for contributing this week, yerpirate!
Hi, here is my prompt for this week
http://terry1954.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/picture-it-write-ermiliablog-sensitive-subject-matter-cancer/
That’s a good way to think about it. Keep in the present. Enjoy the moment while it lasts. We never know what will happen in the future. Great storytelling, Terry. Thanks for contributing this week!
Pingback: Picture it & Write IX « The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic
you wrote a beautiful, chilling story.. with so very little words.. here’s my take.. ^^ http://theeclecticeccentricshopaholic.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/picture-it-write-ix/
Thanks! I’m glad you liked my story. A great twisted story. I didn’t expect the ending! Spellingbinding storytelling. Great lead up to the end. Thanks for contributing this week with your dark tale. 🙂
Yours was lovely. Please find my contribution here:
http://call2read.com/2013/01/14/picture-it-write-3/
Thanks, nightlake. I love how you compared the water to purity. A powerful image when comparing to the “dirtiness” of our sins/negative thoughts. Great descriptive choices. Thanks for contributing to Picture it & write this week! 🙂
Your blogs always seem to fit. lol. I’m nominating you for the Liebster Award. Check out my post to learn about it and see what it entails! Thanks again!
Hey Angela. Thank you for the compliment and the nomination. 🙂 Eliabeth and I really appreciate it. Have a great day!
I’m not sure I can write a better story than you did to this prompt, but I’ll be glad to try. So excited to try.
Shucks, rheath40! Thank you for the compliment but don’t think too much on it. We’re all here to help and support each other. 🙂 I look forward to reading your work!
These things always come out ten times as long as the outlines… Haha, I gotta write shorter outlines. Here’s A Baby and some Bathwater.
Never write shorter outlines! If anything, make them longer! 😛
I’m fascinated with Deja Vu’s as well. The neglect. 😦 Your stories always have so many layers. So great to read. 🙂 Thanks for contributing this week, Annie!
You might think this is funny… The neglect actually came from an impression of Thumbelina. Can you believe that?
How peculiar! I really liked Thumbelina the movie.
Pingback: picture it and write – Me Time | alikelylass
Here’s mine! Happy Wednesday all.
http://alikelylass.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/picture-it-and-write-me-time/
Oh, alikelylass! So sensual. I’ve (Ermisenda) been feeling…for a lack of better words…’on edge’ and this contribution has only intensified the feeling! 😛 Thanks for contributing this week to Picture it & write.
I too have had my images developed by Carolyn’s fair hand – well done – nice shot
Carolyn’s fair hand? I’m a bit confused. Either way, thanks for sharing your appreciation for the photo. 🙂
Pingback: Picture It & Write! « ranDom muZings
Your story was so short but yet spoke so much. Loved the way you described her in sitting in her own filth and defiling the purity of her bath.
Here’s my attempt:
http://randomuzings.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/picture-it-write-4/
Thanks, MuZer. I’m glad you liked my choice of words. 🙂
What decision will she make??? Oh the suspense! A good note to end it on though, it allows our imagination to run wild. She’s in quite a pickle (for a lack of words). 😛 Thanks for contributing to Picture it & write this week.
Trying to float away,
leaving everything and bay.
Just me and my tub,
passing the cup.
Drifting away on an endless ocean of tears
the ripples and the fears.
Let my body be washed away
Please let me leave today.
– Otheus
Pretty! I like the passing the cup.
I really liked the description of the endless ocean, the ripples and the fears. I thought they were good choices and flowed from one to the other. Thanks for contributing this week, Otheus. It’s been a while since we’ve seen your handsome face. 😛
I like this. Well done!
Lovely poem.
Pingback: Cleanse Me | Burning Fire Shut Up In My Bones
Here is my submission. It’s longer than just a paragraph, but it’s what was on my heart. 🙂
http://burningfireshutinmybones.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/cleanse-me/
I’m glad she was able to find what she needed. Someone to look out for her and let her know that things can get better. Thanks for contributing this week to Picture it & write, Cheryl!
Pingback: The Most Tragic Love Story | An Evil Nymph's Blog
A different approach this week: I’m going for a little of fiction mixed with some personal thoughts and reflections… 😛
http://evilnymphstuff.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/the-most-tragic-love-story/
Fantastic! Silly Kev. Those stories of unrequited love are the most bitersweet. Great writing. Thanks for contributing this week.