Taster One

This is a taster of a short story called Walking the dog.

Walking the dog

Julia picked up the lead, Comma, tail wagging sat against her calf, looking up eyes alight, tongue lolloping to the side.

‘Yes Comma, time for our daily constitutional. Which park shall we choose today?’

Attaching the lead to the dog’s collar Julia walked her to the car. The drive was uneventful with Comma running from window to window as she spotted landmarks telling her the park was close. The car parked in the nearly empty car-park, Comma was released to semi freedom. Immediately she charged over the banks into the trees winding her way back in a circle to Julia. A grin on her face Julia put on her walking shoes and picked up the lead. Comma took the rope in her mouth and tugged impatient to be off.

‘Ok Comma. Let’s walk.’

The two of them set off steady paced along the compacted chalk footpath. Comma shot off weaving between the trees, birds calling their warnings as the warm sunshine dappled her back. Julia smiled, life was good. Nothing could beat a walk in the woods with Comma, except, yes, the smile broadened, there was one addition that would make this brilliant. Julia and Comma passed a bunch of wild garlic, the smell wafted around them as Comma bounced through the undergrowth bruising leaves in her eagerness to explore.
Yes there is something, one thing better than a walk with Comma, Julia’s thoughts drifted in the warm breeze. That walk in the Cotswolds was full of wild garlic.
 

The End of the day

A clock strikes the hour

pink boots wait patient

above shiny dotty coats

hung from hooks.

Dap bags peep out.

Must weaves its way

through benches

damp mist hangs

in the air.

Silence permeated

then

obliterated

incessant jangle

the churble of thirty.

A shout from the corridor

‘stop messing about Tracey!’

Socked feet pleased

slip into pink boots.

The mop sweeps the floor.

No mobile phones take 1

No mobile phones

Tring Tring

‘I’m so sorry’

Keel haul

hang from the yard arm

Tring Tring

‘I’m so sorry’

Grumble rumbles

Hang draw and quarter

Doh Dah Dee

‘that’s not me’

Shudders of laughter

scatter the room

R&R

R&R

Flip-flopping day. Twists from slow to speed

goldilocks porridge printing money, library investigations.

Cold sunshine spins beams on a frost cleansed day

progress discussions challenge the mind.

Fried lunch wolfed at the table, coat and fleece at the ready

then run. March past Victorian tenements now

filled with student lets, the Press pounds to the left

old style shopping mall right. Thomas Hardy shines

past the popular co-op. Phoenix burns bright film.

Giggles and laughter, chocolates shared.

Daylight. Thomas Hardy beckons, gossip tease

beer and gin dispensed.

Saunter chat smiles in the late afternoon

until

arrival at the institution and work recommences.

Birthday Tea Menu

Triangle sandwiches filled with cheese

egg and cress by their side

runny honey provided by the bees

and pungent strong vegemite.

Celery sticks and cucumber chunks

pickled onions and tomato too.

Pure healthy flapjack designed to dunk,

homemade rubbery toffee all set to chew.

Trifle layered with jelly, custard and cream

iced cookies and buns all served for your tea.

Fresh from the oven one final cake,

set with a candle for you to blow

tied round the middle, with its bright pink bow,

set around, party bags for your guests to take.

Lost Property take 2

Lost Property

There, at the back, in the corner, behind

the screen, can you see it? Over there,

follow the sunbeams; be careful where you tread.

You’ll know it when you do see it, honest.

It arrived here long ago, delivered too soon.

Yes, that’s it. Serious, giggly child

full of wonder for the world

secure, safe, no doubts

lithe, clever. A little scared of her Mum

Daddy’s Angel. No doubts

skipping though perpetual sunshine.

Missed

Under Review

Missed

Vampirical bullets shot into the brain

shocked the grey matter

rattled the white cells.

Required: Vengeance.

Advert placed in shop window

‘Wanted: Retribution.’

Who will reply?

A slayer, handsome and tall, no

a werewolf gainsaid enemy, no

a priest, experienced exorcist, no.

Who will come?

Speedily snuffling the ground,

she stops, pounces, licks the face

paws on hips, hugging.

Hairy monster, not a dragon

smile bringer, hot water bottle.

She came, she replied.

Fanged adversaries left.

Jumbo Jet

A class exercise. Write about something I know nothing about. This is from the perspective of a passenger on board a Boeing 747. I hope it is evocative of a passenger's feelings, that not knowing yet total trust in the plane and the pilots. I had queries in class about the use of the word stratosphere. For clarification here is a link to the names of the different layers of the atmosphere. http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Atmosphere/layers.html

Under Review

Jumbo Jet

Announcements give time and speed

five hundred and sixty five miles an hour.

Thoughts meander

Queen Mary’s turning circle,

abilities of Mammoths to glide;

faith or science

push this hollow tube to the stratosphere.

Special entrance; in front, not for passengers

reinforced, code-locked, the office.

I sit.

Questions float in my head.

Point and go or constant tinkering?

Uniformed shadows understand

which button, pedals, that half wheel.

Look through polarised windows to the horizon

seated – rows face forward.

Observation take 2

Part of the end of term collection

Observation

Shadows of freedom, seen from the window,

dappled through leaves and grimy panes, flutters

of life glimpsed minutely, demonstrating

the facade that exists. Faded from view

joyful bubbles of laughter scrutinised.

Invisible screams trying to attract -

anyone. Watch people nod and walk by

they behold confidence blinded to

inner crises, aspects of doubt reflect

back shyly, prospects of hidden failure -

theirs. Aspects of lives carved cruelly blank.

Twenty first century creed never to see

pain in others; to perceive only through

rose glass, in bright stippled summer sunshine.

Night Watch v 9

Part of the end of term collection

Night Watch

Tonight I saw the sky darkly;

evening stars shone bright,

I saw the dawn

amazed at the sight.

Other stars became dim

memories of presence.

I saw the Moon transcend them.

Tonight with anger and despair

I watched the Moon

cherish bright children,

deaf blind to cries

shadowed stars, above.

Nurturing, feeding her protégés,

their nearness,

exhilarating vividness

deadening her senses.

Tonight tears welled in grieving eyes,

tonight I watched through orange haze,

polished platinum, dulled

distant, distinct radiance not quite viewed.

Tonight the gloaming hid destinies,

flaming mercury and sapphire obscured.

Mars and Venus, beware the veiled remote lights;

before they die, they explode with unparalleled clarity;

they consume in a moment earlier jewels

before they too become mere specks in the milky way.

Tonight the sky reflected a possible future

Tonight the radiance of those not yet seen

seared through the orange soup.

Tonight the sky showed me the present, what may be.

Tonight

the sky lived.

Jack in the Box take 4

Part of the end of term collection

Jack in the Box

It sits at the balance point.

A stonefish biding its time

tethered as clocks tick.

Stalactite secretes mote by mote

thicker year on year.

Blindsided

the tether peg kicked loose.

Slapped in the face by a shark

I spin without brakes.

It smiles and moves.

Eyes wide shut

visions fly

chaos butterflies

party in the belly.

In Camera take 3

Part of the end of term collection

In Camera

Ordinary monster thief of life sits

grotesque hunched stares at the screen

tap the mouse trap the image

tweak the picture.

Hear the children keen.

Toothed smile tongue flits.

Purloined pictures posted, sold.

Fantasy creations no human hand

touched skin, tasted lips

took advantage.

Observe the children stand.

Obsession grown cold.

Ordinary monster, merely a man

a nonentity, soft mundane

yet, contemptuous, egotistical.

Watched with amazement, he

denies harming, full of disdain.

judgement pronounced, processed and canned.

Know the horror take 4

Part of the end of term collection

Know the horror

Bound with rampant ivy, gagged,

hobbled, trussed arms and torso.

Viperous best friend’s husband

babysat my sons.

Hidden in clear view, a UXB

filled with noxious gasses

aloof, smiling with flitting tongue

he babysat my sons.

That mosquito babysat my sons

convicted of photographic malice,

purveyor of souls, causer of

malarial bouts of distress.

No repellent for the incessant whiner

unseen in the dark, not compared

with the ants nest of my past,

the babysitter of my sons.

hear the small voiced prayer of all mothers

‘please God, please let me be the only one to suffer.’

Exploding the Shark take 4

Part of the end of term collection

Exploding the Shark

Slapped in the face by a shark!

scalding mugs of tea sat circled,

enduring mystical medicine,

voices comfort, murmur, cajole

draw out long hidden grains

bound into rocks

thrown at mirrors.

Mirrored shards

 cascade into

minuscule reflections,

images of lies

of truths

of decisions made.

Ground into dust

caught in shadowy webs

swept up processed

catalogued.

The ocean offender penned

stuffed with the myriad of spidery secrets

fed with gelignite, dismissed to the sea

red button pressed.

The shark was exploded.

Exorcism take 9

Part of end of term collection

Exorcism

Islands mud–mired, debris.

Remember the hour

adulthood arrived.

Masked images stalk the screen,

an elf- haired orchestrator in sunshine.

Then childhood died.

He shadows her room

‘not a huge deal’

The sun hides

and adulthood arrives.

A word - a gesture,

it leaps back

a scalpel peels back scars

                                    childhood died.