In the dead of night we come upon the castle. We are an army. An army of the forgotten. An army of the usurped, the persecuted and betrayed. We have brooked long lockdowns and isolation, to the point where we almost became locked down at heart. But always within the heart there is a spark,... Continue Reading →
Just call on Ollie… #poetry #fitness
I have a personal trainerand his name is Ollie:if you want to shed those lockdown poundsjust call on Ollie. He will not let you stop to drinkhe shows no mercyand don’t you even stop to think you’re tired, or thirsty. He’ll make you race him down the hillalong the seashorethen all the way back up againscreaming... Continue Reading →
Twitter Poetry Week 13
A whole quarter year has passed in this Twitter Poetry Challenge. So I guess I'm not feeling as excited about #NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) as everyone else is. But I did add it to the tags of my Twitter poems for good measure. I also gave myself a break on Wednesday (day 90) because... Continue Reading →
The Anthropocene Hymnal is now closed for submissions
Thank you so much to everyone who has taken part and submitted work to this anthology. It is a project close to my heart, as my aim is to raise awareness of the joint crises of climate change and biodiversity loss that we are facing as a human race, and as part of the vast... Continue Reading →
Experiments in Taste #6: Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
Lentils are a great source of protein in a vegan diet. They are also healthy, delicious and very versatile. I've already mentioned the nutritional benefits of sweet potato in a previous post, so here is a dish which combines these two fantastic ingredients. Ingredients 1 large onion, finely chopped.2-3 cloves garlic, minced.1-2 fresh chillis, finely... Continue Reading →
Still wars and laundry… #poetry #dVerse
'Laundry, laundry, still wars and laundry;nothing else holds fashion.'Misquoted from Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (Act V, Scene ii) Those of us with children, or at least thosewho've ever laundered for themwill knowlaundry accumulates exponentiallywith the birth of each additional child.This is not a complaint, nor any lackof gratitude, but a simple statement of fact. My... Continue Reading →
The airy way #poetry #Earthweal
“How do you know but ev’ry Bird that cuts the airy way,Is an immense world of delight, clos’d by your senses five?”- William Blake, from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, 1793. We have forgotten we are part of naturean integral partwe think that we can bend the very seasons to our willwe think that... Continue Reading →
Cherry-blossom suburbs #haibun #dVerse
I remember cherry blossom blooming in London at around this time of year. How it enchanted the gardens of suburbia, transforming them from dull semi-detached '30s monotone to cotton-candy-coloured bowers of bliss. How the petals fell in the wind, twirling that dance they do, declaring 'Spring is here! Yes, even in the City, spring is... Continue Reading →
Guest Post: Don Matthews Trilogy #24
We all know that Don's pampered puss Priscilla loves the camera, as is evident from today's photoshoot (see Featured Image.) However, in searching through Stan's photography archives, Don has discovered another feline model, Boofy, who may be about to steal the limelight. More on this below...Meet Priscilla, Stan and a whole host of other comic... Continue Reading →
Sonnet Sunday: The Easter Edition!
You may recall that this Valentine's Day, I hosted a Sonnet Sunday here on Experiments in Fiction. This was a celebration of love in sonnet form. I asked you to write a traditional, Shakespearian sonnet on the theme of love and share it with me. This was such a fun event that I have decided... Continue Reading →