I sit and look at my feet and the claggy grey stuck to them. I scrape at them but nothing happens, the horrible grey scratchy stuff is still wedded to me.

I try washing them but all I get is depressed and a filthy taste in my mouth.

‘THOMAS! Thomas! Comes her voice. I slowly slink into the yard and try my Little Boy Lost look.

She looks angry. I look sorry for myself and I am, my feet hurt...

I use it to cut them, knock them off balance and mock them.

Sarcasm my weapon of choice...

I collect the silences, always have, always will. My favourite is the silence before a speech, with everyone waiting rapt and unsure whether they will be turned to laughter or pity.

But it caught me by surprise when the birds stopped singing, when the world held its breath as the sun was swallowed by the moon. The light faded to twilight and the hair stood on my head. A few minutes that seemed...

Some seek to cause mischief and pain

Others risk everything to save their fellow man

Please let me be the hero, the brave one

Some hate those around them, loathing without reason

Others give time and energy tirelessly for no reward

Please let me be the kind one

Some mock achievements, undermine and belittle

Others encourage, nurturing self belief where there was none

Please let me be the right ...

It sat on the shelf, a bit dusty and battered and Mum always told me to leave it alone.

I guess it was one of her last treasured possessions, I heard Dad say ‘Let’s throw it out’ but Mum had shaken her head ‘No I can’t do that’ and Dad hugged her.

Every now and then I took it down and looked at the pages, long recipes for jams and stewed puddings, I made a treacle sponge from it once, absolutel...

Mum used to forget little things all the time. And I mean all the time.

Let’s say she wanted a sieve for the peas. She’d stand poised with the saucepan of peas and say ‘pass me the earwigs’ and I would know exactly what she meant.

It was a mumism, so quirky and her. It became a family joke for anything and everything we momentarily forgot the name of.

‘What did you say?’ Whoosh and I’m ba...

‘Go to the cupboard and get me my biscuits NOW!’ I stare deep into her eyes and wordlessly issue my comand. She reaches toward me and I am the recipient of a gentle kiss on the head.

mmm I try harder, summon my inner powers, with a soft wrinkling round my eyes I start to project my wishes.

She smiles, hesitates and gives in. I knew she would but still she took her time over it and I will get ...

She watched him day after day

As he stared at his beautiful reflection

Didn’t hear what she had to say

Golden head bent over the river

Too in love to tear his gaze away

She watched her voice just a quiver

Millennia ago they faded away

He just a beautiful flower child

And she just repeats what I say...

My Dad is the most logical man I know and science not fiction is his passion.

He is ready to read me my bedtime story and clears his throat

‘Mmmm so Jack and his family were very poor and there was nothing to eat so his mother sent him to sell the family cow Daisy’

The thing is son although the family are expecting riches they are poor so the cow is probably under nourished so it makes sense it...

It wasn’t To be or not to be or If

But it meant a lot to me

To be in front of the school confident and smiling

All I had to do was a bit of Canon in D on the piano

I play it everyday - my fingers know the notes, the rhythm, the softness

I can see the sounds in my head and feel them

But not today

Today my hands are stiff

My mouth is dry and my mind a blank

Mrs Potts gives me a reassuring smile

It...