A single sentence as aperture; a final line as reckoning

Hi, everyone, and happy Wednesday!

Before we jump into today’s Infinite Small adventure in microprose, I need to say: WOW!! I am still working my way through your incredible microflash from last week, and am bowled over by the creative quality of your work both in week one with Beth Ann Fennelly’s “Safety Scissors,” and Week Two with Thomas Lux’s “A Little Tooth,” two utterly brilliant pieces to not only inspire us, but instruct us as we close read them.

Speaking of close reading, I shared some words by Natalie Goldberg, from Writing Down the Bones, in our Write-In last week and in the WITD workshop, and I also want to share them here—Goldberg’s thoughts on how we talk about poetry (and other writing), in the context of William Carlos William’s The Red Wheelbarrow. Goldberg writes":

And this—this is the essence of close reading:

… go closer and closer to the work. Learn to recall images and lines precisely as the writer said them. Don’t step away from their warmth and fire to talk “about’” them. Stay close to them. That’s how you’ll learn to write.

Yes! This, this this!

And every week, I see the impact of close reading here in Writing in the Dark. It’s a delight for me to dip into the comments on these Infinite Small posts and see what marvels you are making! Especially since I have been pretty solidly occupied with various logistics for the launch of CRAFT SCHOOL early enrollment for the waitlist. Logistics are not my strongest suit. Speaking of, we think we solved the email trouble, so you should have gotten yours by now if you were expecting one! And if you didn’t, please email info@craftschool.net and let us know.

Also, we want you to know that CRAFT SCHOOL has designated 10 half-price scholarships for BIPOC and trans writers by application only, awarded on a first-come, first-served basis upon review, and awards are in progress now. To note, identifying as BIPOC or trans does not, unfortunately, mean you receive an automatic scholarship; variety of factors will help determine our half-scholarships. Please email us at info@craftschool.net to begin your application.

And now, for this week’s journey into the land of the Infinite Small!

Microflash asks us to do something paradoxical: create a narrative so brief it can be read in seconds, yet resonant enough to echo in