The lightest note breaks

with lips of frozen berries,those first kisses beneath wood smoke and stars.I didn’t realise we had so much in common:the pen was the key.It’s a quarter past three on a Sunday morning,I am an unripe field with scarlet seeping,everything’s turning,deceived by a cancerous two-faced moonat the tipping point of summer.Once it was the colour of […]

Robin Prints Across the Page

They say that a robin is a sign,a visit from a loved onefrom the other side. Chill January breathhaunts me on the anniversaryof my mother’s death, her favourite bird follows meround the garden,cocks its head and eyes me, leaves invisible spoorsacross a blank page,a love letter of sorts carving a pain in my heart,lingering grief […]

A Cormorant Flew Over the Lagoon

A cormorant flewover the lagoon,its primordial profile shoneback from waterblue-green as old copper. The cormorant landed silently on the shore, pecking at stonesand shells to crack,emitting a swallowed gruntas it took off again, backover the lagoon. Kim M. Russell, 8th January 2024 Image by Kristin Snippe on Unsplash It’s Monday, the day for writing quadrilles […]

Searching for Dark Matter

We could search the skywith the naked eyeor the ocean bedbut, when all is said, there’s enough darkmatter in a symphony,a masterpiece of art,prose or poetry. What the eye can’t seein heaven or below the sea,is hidden deepin our hearts and souls. Why do we feel the needto explore black holes(or alcohol in dark bars)for […]

Mince Pies for Lucas

My five-year-old grandson enjoys a Christmas treat of crumbly little pies filled with sweet mincemeat. Mince pies that are simple and always taste best don’t have soggy bottoms and have extra fruit and zest. My husband’s not a fan and I can leave or take thembut, like grandmothers before me, I would like to bake […]

Clair de Lune

The lightest note breaksspace with crystal notes and takesmy breath away, like snowflakes spinning around my free-falling soul. Piano keysreverberate and echo in D, cascading angst-filled arpeggiosin a swelling tide of melancholia,a swirling musical oceanus. A spree of naked notes delightspeaking into rolling notesof sadly serious moonlight. And when it’s over, silence glistenswith spectral music […]