Polly finished turning down the gas lights in her mistress’s bedroom. Exhausted, she made her way upstairs to the attic space she shared with Charlotte, the parlour maid, who was already asleep. For months, Polly had kept her swollen belly hidden under a high-waisted skirt, but she couldn’t ignore the pains that started earlier in […]
Tag: dverse Poets Pub
Other People’s Ghosts
They’re whispers of promisesto stay and watch over you,and never leave your side. They may be in wrong placesor different times, not yoursbut someone else’s. There’s no need to be afraidof an old promise madeby someone long dead. Kim M. Russell, 28th October 2024 Image by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash Lillian is hosting the Monday […]
Strangely Muffled
Strangely muffledby winter weather,the world is quieted:trees loom behind thick fog;there are no footstepsand footprints disappearbeneath frost and snow – mind how you go! Strangely muffledby mountains of dust,as if a desert was emptiedover the planet,only the top branchesof dead trees can be seen;animals and humans wade through detritus. Strangely muffledby heat and thick smoke,the […]
Colours of Autumn
I’ve been waiting for the leaves to change colour, which seems to be a slower process this year, although our cherry tree is way ahead of all the others. Elsewhere there seems to be a rusty covering on some trees, with a few lovely lemon yellow halos here and there, but the peach and orange-coloured […]
Inequality of Weather
The sky-battle’s left a mud-puddle,metal-steeds shower us, and burstriverbanks cause mind-muddleas fields and gardens disappear. On the other side of the world,earth releases a dust-coughand plants drained of life-juicecrumble into earth’s crust-fluff. Meanwhile, we puff and blowat donkey-clouds that will not go. Kim M. Russell, 27th October 2024 Image by Frame Harirak on Unsplash It’s […]
Lady with a Parrot
Her life is mirrored in the bird:grey with a touch of crimsonin the parrot’s crest and feather tips,and her unsmiling lips. Red’s lucky for some,but she is a captive,tamed and longing to flybeyond blue curtains to sky and leaves, green as the bowl,from which she sips her tea,and green as her envyof the parrot’s wings. […]
Before Winter Draws Darkness
Don’t mourn the departing sun!Soak up apricity:its light caress on a chilly day;a puddle’s glittering surface;the spark of early frost.Capture light before winterdraws darkness over long nights,leaves our lips moon-kissed –light too sweet to be missed. Kim M. Russell, 14th October 2024 Image by Alexander Sinn on Unsplash It’s Monday and we are dancing the […]
Self Portrait with Clouds
I’d heard the voice but never seen its owner,loved the songs but never seen her face,but then I found her self-portrait on a coverwith the words; inside the music and her voice. It was the first time I’d ever seen a portraitor even a painting on a record sleeve;now there was a blonde woman’s blue-eyed […]
Owl Wisdom
I’m the youngest daughter of a widow, fourteen today. “On the cusp of womanhood,” my mother said. “Finish your meal, then meet me in the woods.” “Where?” But she was already gone, my older sister close behind. Coat on, collar up, I stumbled in the gloom, teeth chattering, talking to myself. “If you look over […]
Take Three Words
Drizzly It’s one of those days when the distinctscent of petrichor permeates the day; it sneaks through open windows and leavesan invisible trail like snot on a child’s sleeve, or the track of a single plump raindropas it trickles down the window pane. Wipes As a child, I loved to watch the window cleanerwhen he […]
writing in north norfolk 