L'aura del Campo

Covilhã 2017

I am reading a book of flash-fictions. I've written some before... short prose is akin to short poetry in its conciseness and since I have a lyrical voice... the line blurs.

So... a new project among the many: write a new series of flash-fiction.

As I sat during a poetry reading... that I couldn't hear and couldn't follow... I wrote the following:

I climb up cobblestone to the clop clop of wheels to reach two elevators to find my room at the top. Am I too tired to care. About the view, the promise of frango between bread, a comfortable bed, a roommate from Finland. Joonas has biked up this mountain while I feel soreness in my thighs, soles now numb. This mountain has won. This fortress city looms high above the river, shadowed by goats from above. It's dry autumn air, now cleared of smoke, begs me come back. I promise to return. Once I've learned how to use the bus.

[175.234] 23.september.2018

It's about 100 words and needs to be expanded and then cut down. But... it's a beginning. I need to look up the river's name for instance, could include the name of the hostel. Written in present tense to ask the reader to "be there".

One bonus... one page of my notepad is about 100 words. So I needn't count nor worry until I put on-line and edit.

91.304

Added: Covilhã (Portuguese pronunciation: [kuviˈʎɐ̃]) is a city and a municipality in the Centro region, Portugal. The city proper had 34,772 inhabitants in 2001.[1] The municipality population in 2011 was 51,797,[2] in an area of 555.60 km².[3] It is located in the Cova da Beira subregion and the Castelo Branco, Beiras and Serra da Estrela Intermunicipal Community. The municipal holiday is October 20.

Sometimes referred to as town of wool and snow, Covilhã is one of the main urban centres of the historical Beira Interior region. The proximity of the mountains offers dramatic scenery and a great environment for those fond of hiking, camping, mountain climbing and skiing.

Its history dates back to the days when it was a pre-historical settlement, a shelter for Lusitanian shepherds, and a Roman fortress known as Cava Juliana or Silia Hermínia. The region of Beira Interior, where the city of Covilhã is located, is rich in historical places. Due to its strategic potential, its mountains were used to build castles for both attack and defence purposes. Covilhã was granted foral in 1186 by king Sancho I of Portugal, who also built the castle walls. The old quarters of the city have narrow cobblestone streets; pedestrians are challenged permanently by the ups and downs of most of the streets in the city.

The river is Zêzere and has four dams. maybe "dammed river" as a double entendre?

Covilhã, Portugal — one October

I climb up cobblestone to the clop clop of wheels to reach two elevators to find my room at the top. Too tired to care. About the view, the promise of pork between bread, a comfortable bed, a roommate from Finland. Joonas has biked up this mountain while I feel soreness in my thighs, soles now numb. This town of wool and snow has won; this fortress that looms high above a dammed river, shadowed by goats from above. Dry autumn air, now cleared of smoke, begs me come back. I promise to return. Once I've learned — how to use the damn bus.
[175.234] © Kåre Enga (23.september.2018)
[101 words]