Poetry
Two Gardens
By Richard Williams How many mornings slid one into another, under the pergola of a lockdown garden, a mug of black coffee as shadows swung by, waiting for the page to turn. A book [… read more ]
Garden
Culture
This Must Be the Place: The Unexpected Intruder
Writer and music blogger Doug Hamilton was born and raised in America, moved to Canada in the early 2000s, and relocated again with his British-born spouse to Portsmouth. In the latest part of his series exploring [… read more ]
Poetry
Nigra Bamboo
By Maggie Sawkins We thought the planting of it would enhance our patio garden, but its stems hardened. Now after four years it has obscured the view from the bedroom window. We have [… read more ]
News
Southsea Green Community Garden
Irene Strange reports on the Southsea Green Community Garden during lockdown, and provides a poem celebrating some of its produce. Whether it is the rainbow colours of the butterflies in the Butterfly House at the Natural [… read more ]
Memoir
Stream
S&C Community Reporter Andrew Larder muses on the state of nature in Portsmouth during lockdown. Sometimes I wish my neighbour Frank had never mentioned the underground stream that runs by my house. Frank and his [… read more ]
Fiction
A Sliver of Life
By Sue Shipp We’d just sat down from our labours when Old Roy appeared on the grass path running between the allotments, eating a nectarine, the other hand hidden behind his back. He slopped along [… read more ]
Social Issues
Wilder Portsmouth
Inspired by the many fabulous environmental initiatives taking place in Portsmouth, Pens of the Earth was set up to encourage writers to celebrate existing projects, and to imagine what might be. This week Andy Ames reports on [… read more ]
News
Community Orchards: Planting Trees and Inspirational People
Inspired by the many fabulous environmental initiatives taking place in Portsmouth, Pens of the Earth was set up to encourage writers to celebrate existing projects, and to imagine what might be. This week Helen Salsbury digs [… read more ]
Reviews
The Southsea Food Tour – Casa De Castro
Continuing her Southsea Food Tour, Emily Priest finds another great cafe that is a prime example of quality over quantity. A while ago someone sent me a message recommending Casa de Castro. I replied, ‘I’ve been [… read more ]