Poetry
STAR POems: The Hammock
By John Pearson I am the man-length canvas pulled out of store, strung between grey bulkheads ready to still the pitch and roll of any ship. I am a solitary place a cocoon to relieve [… read more ]
creative writing
Poetry
STAR POem: New Road – a la Kelly’s Directory, 1972
By John Pearson New Road, place of the Doll’s Hospital with Jack Grant Racing to Parham and Sons furniture removals shifting towards Marriott’s, upholsterers, lino and carpet dealers. Mile End School of Motoring [… read more ]
Poetry
STAR POems: Quixotic Revelations
By Dale M Chatwin The cold chills my bones like hypodermic needles scratching stone. I rose from the gutter, thoughts fractured and cluttered, made my way back home, uninterrupted. The streets were deserted, the wind howled. [… read more ]
Fiction
Post Mortem
By Jon Crout. Vaughn stared down Kennedy from the other end of the deserted, dust blown street. “Your portrayal of Chris Adams was too far removed from the original to be credibly considered the same [… read more ]
Fiction
Portsmouth Writers’ Season: Tom Harris
We present an excerpt from chapter one of Tom Harris’ new novel, The Sweep, a fantasy adventure set in an alternative, steampunk-inspired London. This is a capital divided by wealth and corruption, run by a [… read more ]
Poetry
STAR POems: Fareham Town
By Tina Shaw In the kaleidoscope of the town, my sinews constrict with the seasons. On the mortar and tarmacadam through age old streets and alleyways moving quad bikes and BMWs fly by in the [… read more ]
Poetry
STAR POems: Other Things the Soldiers Carried
By Sue Toogood Albert carried humbugs, until they were gone. Mehmet Ali carried his betrothed girl’s scent. Jack carried the memory of an intoxicated starry night. Farooq carried the pain of foot calluses and had [… read more ]
Memoir
Embrace Your Jealousy
Local author and organiser of Portsmouth Plugged In, Charlotte Comley, gives helpful advice to writers and creatives alike as she tackles the difficult subject of finding yourself feeling jealous about the success of others. So, [… read more ]
Culture
Pens, Project Management and Portsmouth Plugged In
Charlotte Comley reports on her recent experiences as the Project Manager for Portsmouth Plugged In, a collaboration between writers and filmmakers. The theme of this year’s Portsmouth Festivities was Electricity, and for ten days the [… read more ]
Social Issues
Age is Just a Number: Mature Student Life in Portsmouth
Between 2009 and 2014, the number of students aged 21-24 at the University of Portsmouth rose by 11 per cent. Sian White thinks it’s time we talked more about what being a mature student is [… read more ]