Ada took a deep breath and blew her wish out to sea. Her mother had once told her that the sea could grant a wish – though it would come with a sacrifice. That part had always scared her, but now was a time of dire need. Whatever sacrifice she must make, she was ready – for the sake of [read more…]
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Sunflowers
Harry Angus
Alarm, toast, laptop, news, dinner, bed My cough came on over the weekend. The government had announced that anyone with a new cough or temperature needed to isolate for seven days. Neither of us are looking forward to self-isolation, but we’ll find a way to manage. Her parents are still hoping to get married in ten days, and we’re relieved [read more…]
Home trees
Jess Bunyan
Home Trees The quince that had to be propped up and was so thankful for the attention that its prop started to sprout. The cherry that blossoms always just for my late winter early spring birthday. The willow surrounded by concrete mum told me was her favourite in the whole city. Remembered the happiness it reflected when my brother was [read more…]
Follow These Steps
Gail Aldwin
Follow These Steps Washing your hands is a simple way to protect yourself from Coronavirus. Wet your hands in running water She queues two metres from the next woman at the borehole, carries a full jerrycan on her head, then slops water into a bucket. Her hands shimmer like the skin on an aubergine when she dips them in. [read more…]
Trespassing
Jane Houben
Trespassing At 6am I begin my escape to avoid seeing and being seen. Hissing at the dog for quiet compliance, I open the door to welcome emptiness. We walk to a newly compressed space into which we are all meant to fit whilst keeping our distance. But I am breaking free, rebirthed through a bramble slit into a forbidden [read more…]
Staying In
Jacqueline Inglis
Staying In As the lockdown dragged on, her tantrums became a daily occurrence. Ted appreciated that her mercurial personality was not designed for isolation; however these outbursts were wearing. He had learned to sit tight and let them pass, but today’s outburst was escalating. ‘I’m imprisoned,’ she wailed. ‘We all are,’ he murmured from behind his sudoku. She paced [read more…]
Big Book Weekend – A Review
Colette Earley
Big Book Weekend – A Review So, there I was, sat rather awkwardly on the sofa in my sister’s family home, where I had taken refuge from my solo abode before lockdown kicked in, waiting for the online book festival – The Big Book Weekend. And why awkwardly? Well, how is one to know how to attend an online [read more…]
Those Days
Georgina Densley
Those Days Those weeks we spent with the drawbridge pulled up. While unknown dragons stalked nearby. Will I remember these days filled with paints and glue and me and you? With sand and water and adventure in four walls. With dens and dungeons, battles and baddies. With stories and songs and hours of TV. With lessons entered gently. Am [read more…]
Lockdown – A Visual Poem
Stella Coles
Biography Stella has always worked to create pictures with words, from writing brochures to teaching English to primary children. Recently she took part in a course on environmental writing, during which she discovered that she really enjoys the precision of poetry and flash fiction.
Reminders
Tracy Harris
Reminders Biography Tracy Harris is a Writer, Performance artist and Filmmaker. She has written plays for Sherman Cymru, RWCMD, Theatre 503 and Menagerie Theatre. She also makes TV documentaries for BBC. Voiceover by Edward Llewelyn (www.edwardllewelyn.co.uk Twitter: @edwardllewelyn). Music, ‘Butterfly’, composed by Tom Gatley (www.tomgatley.com Twitter: @tomgatley) Text transcript for the above film: Sometimes The slowing down [read more…]