Author | Lightnews

Katherine Traverse

@kattra.bsky.social

160 followers 79 following 360 posts

she/they | 36 | 💖💜💙 Failed hermit | Attention whore Optimistic pessimist | Beautiful hypocrite writer of microfiction and poetry

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Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · Dec 2

hello~ i'm Kat, a failed hermit turned housewife, getting my creative groove back 280-characters at a time.

throw a coin to your writer: ko-fi.com/kattra
(please bear with me as i figure out how to use kofi; and feel free to comment with any kofi-related experience/feedback!)

Buy kattra a Coffee. ko-fi.com/kattra

Become a supporter of kattra today! ❤️ Ko-fi lets you support the creators you love.

ko-fi.com

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 6h

The air reeked of magic when she pulled up in the jeep; it wasn’t enough to stop the #scavengers circling above, but it did keep them from landing on the gently smoking earth. Marya slammed the door and crouched down, eyes on the dead man. Waiting for him to rise again.
#whistpr

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 7h

A #famous hero came to town, his feats well-known around the tavern. Little Greta Thistledown looked at him with her Seer’s eyes, knowing he would be the first to fall when the dragon came down from the mountain that very evening…
#vss365

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Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 7h

the woodpecker digs
like a writer’s whirring mind—
what is the right word?

#DailyHaikuPrompt #woodpecker #whistpr #whir #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 8h

howling at the moon—
take me back to the mountains
heart leaking pine sap

#DailyHaikuPrompt #PineSap #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 8h

on this dark morning
we choose a thicker coat
endure our lost time

#DailyHaikuPrompt #morning #endure #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 8h

its song was too sweet
so i lied to the skylark
about my sorrow

#DailyHaikuPrompt #skylark #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 1d

a crunch underfoot
fallen leaf or tattered wing?
forlorn fae, weeping

art by Josiah @completethehaiga.bsky.social

#CompleteTheHaiga 123 #haiga #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 1d

“I want to send Cassandra to London, for a proper #education.”
“What can the Academy offer that she can’t learn here?”
“They’ll teach her proper manners, for one thing.”
Gran smirked at my aunt. “Ah, otherwise she’ll become a proper wild woman, like your dear old mum?”
#vss365

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Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 1d

Monday morning. One hour late. Again.
“At some point, you have to assume he’s doing it on purpose.”
“Hush, Veronique.”
“He doesn’t like me.”
“You *are* spooky and off-putting.”
“You must wait for him, Elle. If you go alone…”
“I’m not alone. I’ve got my sister’s ghost with me.”
#FromOneLine 392

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 2d

In his failure, the Hero retired to a nameless vill, committing himself to #domestic tasks: tilling the earth, baking bread, weaving at his loom…
7 years later, a rap at his door revealed the Demon Lord himself, challenging the Hero to try one more time to defeat him.
#vss365

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Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 3d

a dragon’s dreaming:
a carp flag, flapping, flying,
against a blue sky

#DailyHaikuPrompt #carp #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 3d

The vibes:

a woman in a pink shirt is surrounded by monsters and laughing

ALT: a woman in a pink shirt is surrounded by monsters and laughing

media.tenor.com

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Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 3d

there’s a blessing caught in my teeth
bitten off at the bloody root

bitter going down, worse coming back up

an empty house, a vacant table
a church-bell ringing, far away
asphodel pressed between bible pages

and the nights are getting longer

#vssDaily #blessing #poetry

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 3d

She walks to the church, and the #creature follows, whimpering, unused to its limbs or vision or voice. It was just made this morning, after all.
When she halts before the doors, the creature licks her bloody hands.
Time to confess, she thinks, and then burn it all down.
#vss365

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Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 3d

warm breath meets cold glass
small fingers, tracing a shape
ghost heart, to be found

#DailyHaikuPrompt #WarmBreath #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 4d

last day of summer
echoes of a maudlin song
will not keep her warm

#DailyHaikuPrompt #maudlin #haiku

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · 4d

“It’s a bad #business, Merryweather,” Pells whispers down my neck, his century-dead spirit unseen by all the other rubberneckers huddling outside the crime scene. “This place reeks of a summoning.”
Obviously. Even from outside, through the rain, I can smell the brimstone.
#vss365

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Reposted by Katherine Traverse

Daily Haiku Prompt @dailyhaikuprompt.mastodon.world.ap.brid.gy · Sep 27

Our prompts for Sep 27-Oct 4.

Not every poem is profound, nor does it need to be.

Prompts are suggestions, not obligations.

North South
09/27 Sea Bass Low Tide
09/28 Eaves Red
09/29 Laughter Till
09/30 High Tide Shoots
10/01 Hunter’s Moon Pink
10/02 Grain Drizzle
10/03 Frost Calf
10/04 Yellow […]

Original post on mastodon.world

mastodon.world

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Reposted by Katherine Traverse

Vona Svald @vonasvald.bsky.social · Sep 30

I’m very excited to present to you #scribtober

One prompt a day. Prose, poetry, wips, any form of scribbling is welcome.

Remember to use the hashtag and tag me @vonasvald ☺️

Can’t wait to see what you guys create! 🦋

#writingprompts #writingchallenge #october #writingcommunity #blueskywriters

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Reposted by Katherine Traverse

Daily Haiku Prompt @dailyhaikuprompt.mastodon.world.ap.brid.gy · Mar 1

Our haiku prompts for Mar 1-8.

Feel free to use any variation of the prompt or none at all.

Thank you for all your contributions and support for each other's work.

North South
03/01 Plow Chill
03/02 Buds Fruit
03/03 Frog Sparrow
03/04 Willow Fog
03/05 Shell Quill
03/06 Green Deer
03/07 Bloom […]

Original post on mastodon.world

mastodon.world

2 14 32

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · Dec 15

Hadley marked her #descent into the basement, holding a pet carrier.
“Tell me we’re not sacrificing a cat,” he hissed.
Terra laughed. “What’s in here is definitely not a cat.”
He peered in; a tendril of liquid shadow whipped at his face, and he choked down a scream.
#vss365

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · Dec 15

Clawing her way free from her own grave, a memory from a distant biology class rose in Lyra's hysterical mind: how #planaria could survive being cut up, how the pieces could regenerate, and remember the cutting.
She could still feel the knives. She could still remember their faces.
#vss365

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Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · Dec 15

On the solstice, Sister Brooke gave him a book of #devotions. Leather-bound, illustrated with gold leaf and indigo ink.
“My favourite entry is marked,” she said, walking away before he could thank her.
Hadley let the book fall open: tucked into the spine was the gate key.
#vss365

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · Dec 15

Too late Teresa noticed the #creeper vines, coming through the wall—no, detaching—from the wall*paper*. Growing foul blossoms and thorns as long as her hand, reaching for their ankles.
“Don’t run now,” Jill said calmly. “Let them have a taste. They’ll wait for nightfall to bind you proper.”
#vss365

Katherine Traverse @kattra.bsky.social · Dec 15

Everyone was in the backyard for a drunken snowball fight. It was just her, and Jess, who was picking out a clumsy guitar rendition of “#SilentNight”.
“Are you a ghost?” Rii blurted.
His fingers stuttered. “Why would you ask that?”
“No one else can remember you.”
#FastPrompt 166

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