a haiku, with enjambment I cannot believe that the stars were made to please us – and yet, they do.
Category: WORKS & POMPS
prose, poetry, short stories & excerpts, published and unpublished
Out of Season
‘Never should ha’ reopened that.’‘Pretty line though.’‘In summer.’‘Autumn too I reckon, what with the trees.’‘Wouldn’t catch me there out of season - nor anyone with sense.’‘When they do their winter maintenance, then? Best part of preserved steam, that is - no public to bother with.’‘They squeeze it in, I suppose. Chap who works there told … Continue reading Out of Season
The Partygoers
[This story was originally published in 2014 by the Sarob Press, in The Book of Shadows 2, their second anthology of MR James sequels by various hands. This version has been slightly modified to make it easier to read aloud. There is a link to a spoken version, and some notes at the end reflecting … Continue reading The Partygoers
10 (on the Beaufort Scale)/The Storm
I was reminded of this story by a conversation with Cecilia Hewett (of Cecilia's Hand-spun Yarn) and Matthew Abercrombie in which the Beaufort Scale came up. I originally wrote it for a man who was compiling an anthology of 1000 word tales, but he seemed to think the honour of being published by him was … Continue reading 10 (on the Beaufort Scale)/The Storm
Not One of the Herd
My entry for the 2016 Pitlochry Festival Theatre Winter Words Festival 'Fearie Tales' competition - unsuccessful, alas, for a second year! My early success (here and here)seems a distant memory - but judge for yourself: ‘So, Reverend Sheila, does the Devil go about like a roaring lion, as the good book says, seeking whom he … Continue reading Not One of the Herd
For the Ferryman
(This year's entry for the Fearie Tales competition at Pitlochry Festival Theatre's Winter Words festival, but no hat-trick for me, alas, as it didn't make the cut - a shame, as I think I like it as well as any of my successful entries. But judge for yourself:) ‘Well, I’ll be damned! Is this place … Continue reading For the Ferryman
The Golfer’s Tale
Our clubhouse has to be one of the finest in Scotland, even if our course is not as well-known as some - it’s a bit out of the way, so we’ve never had any of the big tournaments here, which is a pity, because it would look well on television - ‘atmospheric’ is a word … Continue reading The Golfer’s Tale
City of Desolation, Chapter 21: Across the Abyss
Jake's attempt to cross the nightmare bridge began badly and soon got worse. So steep was the initial descent that the only way to do it was to clamber down ladder-fashion,using the wooden slats as rungs. Unfortunately, the slats were too wide to grip easily with his hands, while the gaps between them were too … Continue reading City of Desolation, Chapter 21: Across the Abyss
An Each Uisge (The Water Horse)
written as a "Fearie Tale" for Pitlochry Festival Theatre's Winter Words Festival 2013 (where it was admirably read by Dougal Lee on 2 February (an auspicious date -James Joyce's birthday)) - Looks as if it was fished out of a canal, I say. He doesn’t like that, the man behind the counter, a big fellow … Continue reading An Each Uisge (The Water Horse)
an extract from City of Desolation : Chapter 19 – Virgil
(for an audio version of this piece, click here) There was sand in his mouth and someone was pulling his arm. He tried to open his eyes, but they seemed to be stuck together. Then whoever was pulling his arm turned him on his back and water that had been in his mouth ran down … Continue reading an extract from City of Desolation : Chapter 19 – Virgil
COMPLEAT TROWZER 