Heidi had met Charlie only a few days previously at the café where she worked as a waitress between lectures. They laughed when they discovered they were studying the same course, only he was a year ahead. The weather had been dire, raining every day, so they stayed in the café once Heidi’s shift was […]
A Breath of Sea Air
The gulling of waves takes our breath away, puffin and skirling with the chill. Latter-day Canutes, we crave to tern the sea away, but salt water cormorants and spills onto our feet. This day is another one that will stay in our hearts, a snapshot and a guillemot thrill. Kim M. Russell, 1st June 2023 […]
Riverbank
The riverbank beavers a hustle and bustle once spring is underway. A wagtailing wind tugs the last of the catkins throughout the month of May. Warblers and dippers fly over rivers that surge and swell with rain ‘til the sun otters out with a spiral of sparkles – the river’s alive again. Kim M. Russell, […]
Spice Me Up
Pepper me a sun-ripened tomato, from the hothouse where the best ones grow, cut it in half, glistening red, salt it and place it on a chunk of bread. Don’t overdo it or I may sneeze. And then pepper me with spicy kisses, please. Kim M. Russell, 29th May 2023 Image by Bob van Aubel […]
Birdsong Bonanza
Dawn chorus is a wall of sound, wildest festival of the year; spring flowers and blossoms abound, and the summer will soon be here. When birdsong’s almost at its peak, dawn chorus is a wall of sound, blackbirds open their golden beaks to take part in the joyful round. Maytime magic is all around; in […]
Mary Alice Muted
She is muted, not just in colour.He has painted her in hues of dolour.and taken away her voice.I wonder, had it been her choice to find herself so portrayedin shades of violet, green and greyto the modern art world’s eyes,to be so closely scrutinised, or did she trust the artist’s view.Lacking softer tones of blue,I […]
After School at Grandmother’s House
My mother worked and wasn’t home until bedtime. It was agreed that my younger sister and I would be collected by my grandmother when we returned to school in September and we would have our tea with her. I remember us holding her hands as we walked from the school to cross the main road […]
Deirdre’s Accordian – a poem on Visual Verse
I am delighted that Visual Verse chose to include my poem on page 30 of the latest issue, Volume 10 Chapter 7. The image is not a modern or surreal one, as they often are, but a classical painting by John Everett Millais. It really caught my imagination and that of the other contributors. All the pieces, […]
Writing Freedom’s Wings
The pen was the key to the poet’s voice; the guards took it, and with it the poet’s choice. But they could not take unspoken words, could not stop images forming into nouns and verbs, which became feathers and then wings. Justice knows why the caged poet sings. Kim M. Russell, 16th May 2023 Image […]
Bathroom
I see her through the steam settling on tiles and glass, obscuring their usual gleam; she has no definition, no face until I wipe the surface clear. Her face is a mirror – I take a breath – understand that we share this face beyond death. Kim M. Russell, 15th May 2023 Image by Ria […]
writing in north norfolk 