I relinquished my voice for the love of a human, swished my silver-scaled tail in brine one last time and, on the celebratory blast of his siren, he winched me on board like a fish on a line. With mortal feet I walked on gilded splinters, felt grains of sand between my dainty toes, soothed […]
One Shining Moment
One of my shiniest moments was when I played the genie of the lamp in my junior school’s production of Aladdin. I was about ten years old, very shy and lacking confidence, but I loved singing, dancing and acting, the only times when I came out of my shell. My costume was bright and colourful, […]
Sprung from Richest Rain
Early spring ice melts channels in mountains, fields and hills, loosens hardened sods under the metal plough’s thunder. Grey crusts and clods break in the furrows’ crumbling wake, surfed by flocks of gulls and crows pillaging carefully crafted rows. Later in the ripening year, earth fulfils the farmer’s prayer; tender growth greens the plain, rapeseed […]
Daisies Everywhere
The villagers were not surprised when the stone goblin disappeared from beneath the willow tree, or when Will moved in with Willa. What might have bothered them was that he was less than half her size, although his face looked older. Willa was quick to point it out when she released him from the weather […]
Remember November
autumn storms reveal the playfulness of corvids buffeted black shapes bare auburn branches outlines against a gnarled sky the cawing of crows Kim M. Russell, 18th June 2020 My response to dVerse Poets Pub Meeting the Bar: Imagism Revisited This Thursday, Frank T invites us to delve into the poetic craft of imagery, which involves […]
When all else fails…
there is the shade of the willow tree the stone gnome sleeping peacefully the deer that chew its healing leaves the green light shifting in a gentle breeze the piebald magpie with its chatter about things that do not really matter the cat that climbs its crooked branches the scraps of sun in rays and […]
Probable Lady
Such a joy as a boy, uniformed yet unashamed, now newly named, I admire how you wear the sequinned word, your coiffured hair, and the self-made vintage dress. Your chiffon body drifts in clouds of perfume, rouge stains and clothes your lips, and femininity inhabits your curvaceous hips. Kim M. Russell, 16th June 2020 My […]
Roll Up
I haven’t smoked for years and sometimes miss sprinkling aromatic Drum tobacco on transparent paper, rolling them between my fingers, the lick, the kiss of flame, the inhalation as it ignites the tip – but not the frustration of peeling paper from my lip. Kim M. Russell, 15th June 2020 My response to dVerse Poets […]
A Little Love Song
You embrace us in your hills and pastures, and suckle us from softly gleaming rivers. You nurture us with fruit, plant and grain, and show us how to grow them all again. You teach us how to flourish together like trees in forests and birds of a feather. And what do we give you in […]
Peaceful Protest
Today, I woke to daisies, their childish sunny faces embroidered in the buzz cut of yesterday’s mown grass. Escaping from the tendrils of untamed honeysuckle, an anarchy of roses, peaceful and perfumed, dew-washed and breeze- blown, outside a writer’s room. Nature bears no banners scrawled with hateful phrases, she demonstrates her power with branch, thorn […]
writing in north norfolk 