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 ]
Pens of the Earth
Poetry
The Rainbow on the Wall
By Linda Hilborne Lying back on the sofa. It was so exhausting to be ill without that extra worry: will I get pneumonia next week? Millions of other people painfully processing that same fear. [… read more ]
Poetry
Common Things
By Barbara Claridge today by the underpass the jackdaw jabs criss-cross the openfield square by square like police finger tips search long grass juicy with sap between silk stems and butter cups his grey [… read more ]
Poetry
Crisis
By Diana Ashman Pandemic, a crisis planet lockdown, no autonomy or freedom of choice, people frown, authorities put rules into place, isolation, social distancing, life slows to a pace. As the weeks pass by, [… read more ]
Memoir
It Started With a Timid Message
Charlotte Comley considers the mental health implications of lockdown. The supermarket shelves were empty and people were selling toilet rolls on Amazon. And then, on the 23 March 2020, Boris Johnson told the country that [… read more ]
Fiction
Bun Penny
By Margaret Jennings When I was a child, my mother gave me a bun penny and told me that whenever I found myself in trouble I should ask Queen Victoria what to do and she [… read more ]
Poetry
Lockdown Journey
By Sue Cornell We venture onto half known pavements. Our legs carry us, our feet accelerate and brake on unfamiliar territory several streets from home. Approaching fellow travellers we nod, smile apology and cross the [… read more ]
Poetry
VE Day
By Liz Kay At Number Nine Mary is humming, twisting bunting. Her fuzzing hands wave to Number Ten where Charlie and Steve are leaving for their daily cycle. On Thursday evening, they had forgotten [… read more ]
Fiction
Compost Heap
By Sue Harper Sarah’s partner remarked: ‘I do hope someone cooks dinner.’ That seemed rather a passive-aggressive formulation, Sarah thought. Why not ask her outright? After all, she did it every single day. ‘Will you [… read more ]
Poetry
The Unlock Dress Code
By Sue Spiers Monday’s mask bears buttercups, saffron buttons under launderette-fog glasses. Beetroot stains her Tuesday mouth like rose lipstick. No one sees her smile. To the bank on Wednesday with leaf-green tree [… read more ]