When William was three years old, his father had died suddenly of a heart attack and left him his fortune and the house in Surrey. Rosanna was not allowed to sell it – it was in trust – nor could she spend any of the money. She would not dream of it. Besides, she had […]
Month: March 2021
Pigeons at Peeking Cat Literary
I’m thrilled that Peeking Cat Literary has published my poem ‘A String of Pigeons’ this morning, which you can find here. It will also be printed in the Peeking Cat anthology in October.
Tales of Lake and Sky
This March we have Volume 8 Chapter 5 of Visual Verse, with an image by Stefan Keller. My poem is on page 24. As always, I recommend reading all the poems in the issue but, if you want to go straight to mine, it’s called ‘Tales of Lake and Sky‘. You can also read my past […]
The Art of Being Human
This being human is a circus trick.Day after day you perfect your act:a t i g h t r o p e w a l kbetween now and then,a flourish,and then back again,one foot in front of the other.It’s juggling swords,eating fiery words,putting your head in a lion’s mouthand inhaling its meaty breath.It’s the highsand […]
Star Watcher
After watching the stars all night, she was still out there, in the frozen outdoors, tracking a comet across the sky. It was slow-moving, not as bright as she expected, and then it changed course, heading towards her. The light stopped in mid-air, pulsing a shade of blue she’d never seen before. She thought, “I […]
Magpie Eye
Of all the ancient stares of birds,the one that leaves me lost for wordsis the magpie’s when it looks askancewhile pecking at the grass and plantsin our wild garden. I watch him pluckingworms from muddy soil and chattingin his raucous voice. I tell him not to speak,at least not with a brimming beak,but his shiny […]
Snow Globe Episode 1
It was a grey, drizzly day when Rosanna left William standing on the school’s wide stone steps. His new uniform hung stiffly on his slim frame, drowning him in navy blue. The matron had already taken his suitcase and sports bag to his dormitory, while they enjoyed tea and crumpets in the refectory. A smear […]
Caught in the Headlights
In the sizzling silent dead of night, pain grips with talons, like an owl in the headlights with eyes of blood red. Snowy wings soar high towards the glimmer of dawn with an aching sigh. Pain rotates like an owl’s head caught in the headlights, talons and beak glisten red, cutting like scissors. I lie […]
A Seasonal Relationship
this is the season of the wistful goodbyeto early morning’s frosty chill hellosnowdrop, crocus and daffodil a skyinstead of cloudy grey spills clear bluewhen the promise of sunshine thrills anewas winter turns its back on us againthe pang of regret will pass amen Kim M. Russell, 10th March 2021 My response to Poets and Storytellers […]
To the young poet of the future
Dear poet, I picture you gazing at a star, concerned that you are still so far from being the poet you wish to become. From my position of restrospection I promise that your journey is the best lesson: you will be buffeted by storms and squalls, fluctuations in the weather of the soul, soothed by […]
writing in north norfolk 