I often find myself fascinated with the stories of every day things. This poem is part of a growing series of pieces on that theme. Why do we choose the clothes we wear? What do hope they say about us?…
I visited Vilnius in Lithuania over the Easter weekend. The old town is crammed with churches of many different styles and affiliations. The main tourist drag is also home to a number of small market traders. This short story was…
I grew up on the coast of East Anglia. My childhood and teenage years are filled with memories of the beach – long summer evenings, solitary walks, the sting of the sand in the winter wind. Now I live in…
On a recent visit to Dallas I was thrilled to see a pelican arrive for breakfast on a nearby lake. I was inspired to write these two haikus – a typical haiku being a three-line observation about a fleeting moment…
This short piece of humorous fiction was written in response to a challenge to write 1000 words using the prompt ‘Desperate measures’ I suspect Glenda and Teddy may feature in other stories now they have burst into life. A…
Some time ago I spend an afternoon sitting with a friend in a local charity shop. I was surprised by the number of people who came through the door with no intention to buy, but simply seeking human contact. This…
I love the internet. It can be a treasure chest of wonderful inspiration. Today I came across an absolute gem: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrow. Oh my, what a thought-provoking project this is. As someone who has started to write…
I keep promising myself that I won’t buy more books until I’ve read the ones that I already own. It is a promise that I fail to deliver whenever the scent of a bookshop catches my attention. With the advent…
Sometimes free writing to a prompt takes an unusual turn. On this occasion the prompt was ‘An everyday item’. I don’t know why I picked a teaspoon, perhaps because I was with a group of writers where tea features heavily…
I wrote the first draft of this poem in response to a prompt at a writing group. Since then I have played around the form and the words over a number of months. I’m not convinced this is the final…