The Inner Shoreline

1. Compose an inventory — List five objects that feel like they carry the weight of a childhood secret, perhaps including a rusted anchor or a small, hand-drawn map. You might try to write these as a single, breathless sentence that ignores traditional punctuation. 2.

Imagine a conversation with a shadow — Describe the arrival of someone who is no longer there, or perhaps never was, as they cross the threshold of a room you know by heart. Consider how their presence changes the temperature of the air or the way the dust settles on the floor. 3.

Explore the deep center — Write a paragraph where the focus shifts from the skin inward to the marrow and the blood, using a compass as a metaphor for an old, persistent instinct. You could end with the quiet image of a small, bright creature trapped in a palm-sized pool of water.

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