Larger-Than-Life, Smaller in Truth
Pen poised above his notepad, the correspondent had stopped taking notes shortly after the president started speaking. He sat at the White House press briefing, confident that little more than inflated accomplishments and no real news would be heard as he thought back on the president’s briefings for the past four years. As he had always done, the president spoke as if campaigning for re-election, loudly proclaiming that nothing that comes from the media is anything more than “fake news,” while little truth could be found in anything that left his own lips.
As the president left the podium and his fellow reporters rose from their chairs, he thought, “From across the room, we look at him through the wrong end of the long telescope of Time. With that telescope reversed, the future will recognize him for the small man that he truly is.”
This bit of flash fiction is my response to Prosery: Telescope of Time, presented by Kim at dVerse ~ Poets Pub. With Prosery, the challenge is to write a piece of flash fiction with a 144-word limit. Included in the bit of prose is to be a complete line from a poem. My flash fiction also meets the additional challenge of hitting the 144-word mark, exactly.
For this prompt, the line to be included is from “Humming Bird,” by D.H. Lawrence. (the complete poem can be found here)
“From across the room, we look at him through the wrong end of the long telescope of Time” – D.H. Lawrence
Image source: Politico / Getty
(edited here)
Good one. It is the kind of pompous phrase someone used to playing with words like a journalist might use. You set the scene well.
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Thank you. A scene repeated all too often, but hopefully not for much longer.
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Most of the world is crossing its fingers.
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Nicely done Ken, sadly it’s not just your guy (and they’re all guys). Guess you’ll know in a (shock) 21 days…
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Thank you, Peter.
My vote has been cast. I hope to be traveling in early November, so I went to the county office to request an absentee ballot. As it turns out, they are set up with a voting machine, so I didn’t have to rely on the US mail. As much as I trust the mail, I don’t trust the system to protect a vote sent by mail.
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Love this, Ken, nicely done.
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Thanks, Ron.
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You’re right, Ken. He’s an insect where the telescope accidentally got flipped around. Good story, terrible subject, great title.
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Thank you, Lisa.
I know what you mean about the subject. Those damn fake news reporters!! 😉
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You’re welcome. Judy Dykstra posted a link to a story yesterday that truly chilled me. He has a slogan out now about lynching journalists.
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Unreal.
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excellent composition, you set the scene well and told it as it is … pray you/we all get a change!
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Thank you. Change is coming.
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I certainly hope so .. but his supporters are fanatical!
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Nice one Ken. Thanks for dropping by my blog today
Much💛love
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🙂 Thank you, Gillena.
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I hope we are looking that way through the telescope soon…(K)
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Thanks, Kerfe.
Yes, let’s hope he doesn’t burn down the house before then.
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Fingers crossed.
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A very good write. Although I think we all look through the wrong end. We are all small.
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Thank you.
And true, though some just have to feel bigger than others.
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Politics is the perfect place for this prompt! Well done Ken.
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Thanks, Dwight.
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I believe he thinks he’s “tremendous” etc. as part of his narcissism. Many politicians have this complex. Interesting take on the telescope. I think the media does play a role in our lens.
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Thank you.
While some reports are biased, I think he’d rather have none of them report the facts.
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A small man indeed, unfortunately with great power to do harm. Hopefully not for much longer…
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Yes. Even a tiny man can be a bull in a china shop.
Thanks, Ingrid.
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It’s just unfortunate when the china shop happens to be the whole world!
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Being a political correspondent these past four years must have been so difficult. I’m surprised they didn’t all give up, considering his opinions of them and of himself. Where is that telescope when we need it? Small man indeed, Ken!
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Thank you, Kim. They should be considered essential workers.
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Perfect Ken! Let’s pray he succumbs to the blue wave.
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Thank you, Linda. Fingers crossed.
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Good one! I am right there with you…..May there be a landslide of blue so there is NO WAY it can be contested or thrown to judges etc. PLEASE!
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Thank you!
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Amen you’re preaching to the choir Lisa. I like this piece you wrote. We need to get rid of President pumpkin head. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
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Vote early! Vote often!
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Ken please forgive me. That comment I just made was intended for you but i wrote Lisa because I thought I was on Lisa’s site so so sorry! So what I said I meant for you and that was a great piece.
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I hope the time is not too far away… I cannot stand another four years I think
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That would be four years of pure hell.
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Well Kenneth, it is such a pleasure to see someone who is not afraid to nail his colours to the mast. Well done!
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Thank you, John. There are some things you just can’t run from.
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