boys

Autumn term – 100 words

June 22, 2023 By Ellen

Autumn term New shoes Pencil cases Scratchy shirts with names on them Who’s my teacher? Will my friends still like me? What is that at the bottom of the bag, from before A lifetime ago Different teacher: different world A world when it ran like a machine A bad-tempered machine Homework, gym kit, lunches, […]

Priorities – 100 words

May 30, 2023 By Ellen

Priorities Will the world be better with my poem in it? We won’t find out if I hang out the laundry first, or answer emails and scroll some internet fluff. The world may not care what I write about varifocals or politicians or heatwaves, but it won’t get the chance to judge if […]

Postpartum – 100 words

April 25, 2023 By Ellen

Postpartum I saw a woman beside the vegetable aisle – not browsing – Just standing, holding a baby ‘two weeks,’ she said ‘a boy,’ she said and stared at me for a fat moment – assessing – then she tilted him towards me like a secret. ‘Oh. He’s perfect,’ And he was in his milk-drunk […]

Lucky – 100 words

March 19, 2023 By Ellen

Lucky On Mother’s Day with the flowers, chocolates, breakfast in bed (or gin, manly hugs, and lunchtime pancakes this year), it’s easy to sugar coat the celebration. ‘Love you mummy,’ tiny wishes and the sharp, sharp pangs for the lost mums, the never-to-be children. Motherhood is hard and messy, and we know all about the […]

Strings attached – 100 words

February 15, 2023 By Ellen

Strings attached My love is unconditional – an animal born in viscera. Hardwired. Evolved. Oxytocin enchantment distracted me from my enslavement. The journey began with keeping that outraged and unshelled tyrant alive. Hormone drunk, I vowed to nourish and protect – no matter what – and my noble intention did endure the most unreasonable of […]