Mayday May Day. Blossom, buds and garlands pale girl with flowers in her hair stately, solemn: Queen of the May May Day. Dancing weavers patterned the pole not Priapus but axis mundi: lightning rod for joy: timeless village green. May Day. The countryside teeters – winter’s peril behind harvest toil ahead. On this […]
Inside out – 100 words
Inside out Once when expecting a son, I met a woman who was also pregnant and I thought goodness, her bump is huge, I won’t be spherical like her for ages then someone took our photo and I realised I was Jupiter to her Pluto. Now that baby has a beard and a job, but […]
Carriage E – 100 words
Carriage E There’s a couple in seats E27 and 28 no luggage, not even a coat. Holding hands like they are ready to jump, Round-eyed, they monitor snack-scoffing netflixers and double-chinned snoozers. She gets out a phone and he looks at her until her mouth makes an O. She switches it off. They don’t speak: […]
The gift – 100 words
The gift A present is hope in thoughtfully chosen and expensive paper, (to be folded with equal thought for later, but never used) sharp folds and Sellotape hidden as if it was vulgar. Untied in slow motion to stretch the moment – the thought that counts – rolled the ribbons around your hand, tidy. I […]
Postpartum – 100 words
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 […]
Question time – 100 words
Question time As long shadows stretch over fields again, it’s time to stop for the day and breathe, while you wait for bats to come swooping, forget goals and lists and things that don’t care when it’s sunset, know you gave it your best It’s time to put it all down and ask: How […]
Deflective – 100 words
Deflective Really, it’s nothing This old thing. Well, no, from the supermarket and in the sale It’s not me, it’s a team effort Just a fluke Beginner’s luck It hardly took me any time at all I wasn’t doing anything important There are much better ones He taught me everything I know I can’t take […]
Action man – 100 words
Action man Adverts, before the main feature eagle eyed: on the lookout for action with posable physique and fists ready for a gun and the controls of his helicopter or tank an impressive display of military muscle with uniforms to match – and that was when it happened: ‘made in China’ on the spine and […]