Yet I soar
A majestic dirigible
Laden with history
And regrets
Lofted by hope
And purpose
Levied by love
And compassion
Most days I carry the weight
Lightly, aloft
Some days I cannot leave the berth
Tethered, grounded
So I touch the Earth
Am grateful for its stability
That I always have a place to land
Rest, and free myself of burdens
Then breathe deeply
Filled and empty
I take to the skies again
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
Valencia, Spain
Taken during travels, 2019
Pic and a Word Challenge
Last week we combed the Shoreline. This week, let’s feel the Mass, or find something else to inspire you in this black & white photograph of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia, Spain.
The Pic and a Word Challenge is a weekly creativity prompt offered Sundays.
Each week I provide a photograph of mine along with a single word. The challenge? Use the pic and/or word as points of inspiration to create something — a photograph, a painting, prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, longread or just a few words. You are welcome to use these two elements (photograph and word) literally, thematically or metaphorically. If you create both images and words, all the better.
To participate:
- Use any title you like
- Your response can be words and/or images
- You may use my image in your post, or any image you have created
- Mention that you are responding to the Pic and a Word Challenge
- Add a link to this post in your response
To help us find your response — whether on WordPress, Instagram, Flicker, Tumblr, etc. — you can also:
- Add a comment on this post to announce your response
- Apply the tag/hashtag “Pic and a Word Challenge” or “#picandawordchallenge” to your post
Each week, I’ll list the previous week’s responses at the end of the new challenge. I may also share some on my social media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc.

Seven bloggers went beach combing along the Shoreline this week. =) Thank you, everyone! ❤
- Shoreline, by Dancing Echoes
- Shoreline, by WoollyMuses
- Two shorelines, by Manja Mexi Mexcessive
- before the storm, by Bushboys World
- Dreaming, by Stuff and what if…
- Vertical Shoreline, by Mellow Curmudgeon
- Homage to the sea, by A Shared Space
View all the Pic and a Word Challenges, including the current challenge, on the Pic and a Word Challenge tag page.
Happy Creating!