His hair is still dark, like it was back then, but now it is thinning on top. I think of my own full head of shiny curls and I can’t help but feel a bit smug. His amber eyes narrow as he appraises me, a stranger, on his doorstep, wondering what I want, thinking I’m just another salesman. He doesn’t remember. My face doesn’t impact his life like his does mine.

I look at his perfect nose. I want to...

He trudged to the market with empty pockets,

Only a cow to his name.

He skipped home, hopeful, with beans in his pockets,

But his mum made him feel shame.

He stomped off to bed with empty pockets, beans thrown out into the rain.

He awoke the next day to find a beanstalk outside,

And felt hope blossom again.

He began to climb, the beanstalk so high, his arms and legs seared with pain.

A giants a...

She tips the paper forward teasing it with the flame.

An unread letter,

She should have known better,

Because she got burned again.

Flames race higher, growing fire, searing her with pain.

Now no more letter,

The ground gets wetter,

Saved only by the rain....

Your mind is a fire, flames burning high,

You can choose to fuel it or let it die.

Your mind is the ocean, vast and wide

You can expand it, or choose to hide.

Your mind is an eagle, flying over the heather,

You can follow it far or be content with a feather.

Your mind is the wind, whispering through the trees,

You can choose to listen or stop and seize.

Your mind is a garden, your thoughts a...

Christmas nights

Fairy lights

Santas cheery face

Garlands streaming

Rudolph’s nose gleaming

Christmas at Grandma’s place

Festive food and glasses brimming,

Music, dancing, everyone grinning

Cousins giving chase

But Christmas Eve last,

Grandma passed,

Dad can’t bear to see Santas face.

But in my eyes Christmas won’t die,

Turkey, crackers, baubles, mince pie,

Christmas at my place....

Pitter patter

Drip drop

Smells like damp,

Rain won’t stop

Salty tears down my face,

Taste them on my tongue.

Rain hammers on the window pane

To the beat of its own song

Thunder rolls and lightening flashes,

Drumming in my ears.

Grey day, left all alone

Empty street , rain lashes

Drip drop

Pitter patter

Rain has stopped

Doesn’t matter....

Henry’s eyes flashed. They went from brown to amber instantly. It was like a match had been struck.

Anna looked away. She knew what was coming. She busied herself with putting away the shopping. Turning her back on her husband, she bent down to put some vegetables in the fridge.

The sound of glass smashing made her jump.

Instinctively, she stood up and turned around. Broken glass littered the floo...

Andy was always trying to leave me out of things. He was mostly locked in his room listening to his cool music on his headphones so I couldn’t even hear. Or playing video games that I was ‘too young’ for.

It was great when he got his summer job in the school holiday because I’d sneak into his room and listen to his records, and play his computer games. My favourite one was called “Arcade” and I l...

My mum always said that the kitchen was the heart of the home. If that was true, our house had a heart but no soul.

Everything about that house was off. Dead. Broken. In the sense that nothing worked. The electric would go off when mum was ironing. Or the hot water would go off when Millie was taking a bath, running cold just as she was about to wash her hair. It was as if it knew.

_But the...

Her: we move around each other like chess pieces, he’s the one to blame,

I wish he would say what he’s thinking I’m fed up of this silent game

Him: I wish I knew what she was thinking I don’t really have a clue

It was easier when we were younger but now I just don’t know what to do

Her: He’s been this way since we moved here so why should I say sorry first?

Maybe it’s me, am I broken or is thi...