Poem: "Not Just Shopping, But an Adventure"
This poem came out of the October 15, 2024 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from Dreamwidth user Siliconshaman. It also fills the "Sweater Weather" square in my 10-1-24 card for the Fall Fest Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by DW user Fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Quixotic Ideas and happens more or less in the middle of "A Mirror for Witches." The magical supply list is detailed in "The Key to Unlocking the World."
"Not Just Shopping, But an Adventure"
[January 2024]
Tetrelle was so excited.
When her quixotic ability
emerged unexpectedly,
her grandmother Rethen
offered to take her shopping
for the magical supplies that
she would soon need for school.
The Aqademy of the Qrossroads
had sent a list of things to buy,
and of course Tetrelle also
needed regular school things.
"You'll need new boots, of course,
but most of the clothes we can
get used," said Rethen. "Some of
the quixotic things can be used too."
"Are there secondhand shops for
magic?" Tetrelle wondered. "Can
we really go thrifting for that stuff?"
"Thrifting is not just shopping,
but an adventure," said Rethen.
"I'm sure we'll find something."
It was sweater weather, so
they started at a clothing store.
Tetrelle loaded up on cardigans,
sweaters, woolen pants and skirts,
then long knitted stockings to keep
her legs warm under the skirts.
At the thrift store, they could
afford far more than if they
had bought everything new.
Tetrelle got new black boots,
gloves, a scarf, and a fluffy hat.
They found a secondhand shop
called The Turnabout that
carried quixotic equipment.
"Let's see the list," said Rethen.
"Consumable goods such as
qandles and saquets we'll have
to buy new. Much of the rest is
durable, so we'll look around
and see what they have."
They had quite a bit.
Tetrelle was fascinated
by the tall cabinets and
cases full of curiosities.
They found a qualdron
right away, but Tetrelle
didn't like the feel of
the flasqs or qruets.
"That's quite all right,"
said Rethen. "We can
get new ones. Go see
what other treasures
you can find here."
The qrystal kit was
old and dusty, but
the shopkeeper
assured them that
it could be cleaned
simply by rinsing them
with water, then charging
them under sun and moon.
"I like these," said Tetrelle.
"They feel like they know
what they're supposed to do,
which is good because I don't."
"You will learn," said Rethen.
"That's what school is for."
The last thing that Tetrelle
found was a pentaqle.
It was small, barely
bigger than her palm,
without the extra space
for stones or runes that
some modern ones had.
"Are you sure about that?"
said Rethen. "We could
always shop around."
"I'm sure," said Tetrelle.
"The list says a small one,
and besides, I like this -- it
almost sounds like whispers."
"Hmm, take a closer look,"
Rethen said, frowning.
Tetrelle turned it over,
and twisted it, and then
it came apart in her hands.
Inside the pentaqle lay
an old silver mirror,
tarnished nearly black.
She loved the feel of it.
"This should be all right,"
Tetrelle said as she put
the mirror back inside
and closed the pentaqle.
"The school handout just
advised to keep mirrors
covered until I'm trained."
"Well then, it's all yours,"
said Rethen. "Let's check out,
then we can go buy qandles
and other new supplies."
Soon Tetrelle had a bag
of used equipment in hand.
She bundled herself deeper
into her cushy black sweater
as the headed back outside.
This thrift store trip had been
a most successful adventure.
* * *
Notes:
"Thrifting isn’t just shopping; it’s an adventure."
-- Thrift Store Quotes
Thrifting involves shopping for used goods at a discount, which is frugal, fun, and good for the environment. Learn how to thrift shop.
Altar tools of various types are used in many magical systems and religions. Know how to clean them when necessary.
"Not Just Shopping, But an Adventure"
[January 2024]
Tetrelle was so excited.
When her quixotic ability
emerged unexpectedly,
her grandmother Rethen
offered to take her shopping
for the magical supplies that
she would soon need for school.
The Aqademy of the Qrossroads
had sent a list of things to buy,
and of course Tetrelle also
needed regular school things.
"You'll need new boots, of course,
but most of the clothes we can
get used," said Rethen. "Some of
the quixotic things can be used too."
"Are there secondhand shops for
magic?" Tetrelle wondered. "Can
we really go thrifting for that stuff?"
"Thrifting is not just shopping,
but an adventure," said Rethen.
"I'm sure we'll find something."
It was sweater weather, so
they started at a clothing store.
Tetrelle loaded up on cardigans,
sweaters, woolen pants and skirts,
then long knitted stockings to keep
her legs warm under the skirts.
At the thrift store, they could
afford far more than if they
had bought everything new.
Tetrelle got new black boots,
gloves, a scarf, and a fluffy hat.
They found a secondhand shop
called The Turnabout that
carried quixotic equipment.
"Let's see the list," said Rethen.
"Consumable goods such as
qandles and saquets we'll have
to buy new. Much of the rest is
durable, so we'll look around
and see what they have."
They had quite a bit.
Tetrelle was fascinated
by the tall cabinets and
cases full of curiosities.
They found a qualdron
right away, but Tetrelle
didn't like the feel of
the flasqs or qruets.
"That's quite all right,"
said Rethen. "We can
get new ones. Go see
what other treasures
you can find here."
The qrystal kit was
old and dusty, but
the shopkeeper
assured them that
it could be cleaned
simply by rinsing them
with water, then charging
them under sun and moon.
"I like these," said Tetrelle.
"They feel like they know
what they're supposed to do,
which is good because I don't."
"You will learn," said Rethen.
"That's what school is for."
The last thing that Tetrelle
found was a pentaqle.
It was small, barely
bigger than her palm,
without the extra space
for stones or runes that
some modern ones had.
"Are you sure about that?"
said Rethen. "We could
always shop around."
"I'm sure," said Tetrelle.
"The list says a small one,
and besides, I like this -- it
almost sounds like whispers."
"Hmm, take a closer look,"
Rethen said, frowning.
Tetrelle turned it over,
and twisted it, and then
it came apart in her hands.
Inside the pentaqle lay
an old silver mirror,
tarnished nearly black.
She loved the feel of it.
"This should be all right,"
Tetrelle said as she put
the mirror back inside
and closed the pentaqle.
"The school handout just
advised to keep mirrors
covered until I'm trained."
"Well then, it's all yours,"
said Rethen. "Let's check out,
then we can go buy qandles
and other new supplies."
Soon Tetrelle had a bag
of used equipment in hand.
She bundled herself deeper
into her cushy black sweater
as the headed back outside.
This thrift store trip had been
a most successful adventure.
* * *
Notes:
"Thrifting isn’t just shopping; it’s an adventure."
-- Thrift Store Quotes
Thrifting involves shopping for used goods at a discount, which is frugal, fun, and good for the environment. Learn how to thrift shop.
Altar tools of various types are used in many magical systems and religions. Know how to clean them when necessary.