Story and Poem of the Month

It was a huge honour to be asked to do Poem and Story of the Month, till making the choice could not be put off any more, and now, it's so hard! How to compare such different treasures?

Winding through all the writing gems of July is Celticman's Ugly Puggly. If you haven't read it yet, please do. Starting with three very different people, he has woven out of each ones fragility a story of unbreakable friendship. The dialogue is sometimes hilarious, sometimes bleak, but always true. Great reading every time -  Story of the Month is Ugly Puggly 65 :
https://www.abctales.com/story/celticman/ugly-puggly-65

Poem of the Month describes other kinds of relationship - blood ties and love. Forever Pure by bhi is gorgeous, intense, shocking
https://www.abctales.com/story/bhi/life-part-9-forever-pure

Also wonderful was Drew Gummerson's new story Stick of Rock, surreally funny and tragically real :
https://www.abctales.com/story/drewgummerson/stick-rock-part-1

An update of Airyfairy's marvellous Pad Life in which among many things,  we learn of the statecraft of LittleCat:
https://www.abctales.com/story/airyfairy/pad-life-18-thems-breaks

Onemorething's dark and beautiful Ceiba : 
https://www.abctales.com/story/onemorething/ceiba-silk-cotton-tree

The gentle, exquisite Still Light by Catherine Poarch : 
https://www.abctales.com/story/catherine-poarch/still-light

Ed Crane's rich evocation of  a trip from long ago, stirred by memory of sounds : https://www.abctales.com/story/ed-crane/bed-and-board-silk-road

Marandina's account of a waterfall in which he explores eons :
https://www.abctales.com/story/marandina/st-audreys-bay-waterfall

Jenny's heart warming Harvest Mouse : 

https://www.abctales.com/story/skinnerjennifer/harvest-mouse

and Rhiannon's inspirational encouragement of learning :
https://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/age-discovery