Saturday, June 19, 2021

19 June 2021


Not even officially summer yet and already wilted flowers fall to the pavements.


(Image description: a white flower with brown edges fallen onto a red brick pavement)

Monday, June 14, 2021

a tiny ghost story


In the end, 
they all preferred
my doppleganger to me,
and it was I 
who had to leave my life. 


(Image description: A view of a park bench at dusk. The street lights have come on and there is a light dusting of snow on the ground.)

 

Sunday, May 30, 2021

a tiny ghost story

 


He makes her a cup of tea,
but it goes cold. 

She's not coming back, he thinks. 


(Image description: pink flower petals form a heart shape as they lie fallen in a puddle.) 

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

mentally unwell


I know you mean well
When you call her mentally unwell
And say in all sincerity that she needs help .

That's very generous of you
In the face of her ranting abuse,
But hatred isn't uncontrollable - 
It's how she tries to control you. 

I am crazy, I am mad, 
I am mentally unwell. 
But I don't hate and I won't hurt you - 
I only hate and hurt myself. 

Many of us are crazy, but we aren't cruel - 
Except, of course, to ourselves. 
She knows exactly what she is doing. 
She can help herself. 

So call her hateful, call her hurtful, 
Call her anything else. 
But please, don't call her 'mentally unwell'. 

 

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

COVID-19


Everyone knows everything
About Covid-19 
And they’re all busy telling me
Their theories about what to do
And all the ways in which we 
Are completely and perfectly screwed.
(Or we’re perfectly all right, it’s just the ‘flu).

But as for me - 
I don’t know anything, 
So I’m doing as I’m told - 
Washing my hands and staying at home. 
And when I go for the walks 
That are so good for my heart, 
I wear my mask and keep six feet apart. 


(Note: I wrote this last year, during lockdown).


Friday, November 20, 2020

a tiny ghost story

 


"I have nine lives," she said grimly. 
"I'm trying to get through them 
as quickly as possible."
She stepped off the ledge. 

(Image description: an infant's bootie, abandoned on the pavement, dirty and weather beaten. The bootie is white, with a pink face and pleading eyes on the toe). 

Thursday, October 15, 2020

a tiny ghost story


"I hate this house," she told us. "It's haunted."
Eventually, we found a buyer, 
but on moving day we found her 
slumped at the kitchen table. 
Now she haunts the house
and the new owners are suing us. 


Hmmm, now I realise that it's not obvious who died - 'she' or the buyer!

(Image description: a rain-misted view of triple decker houses with power lines in the foreground.)