To the Memory of Mrs Lefroy who Died Dec:r 16 – My Birthday
Jane Austen is best known for her novels, but she was also an accomplished poet. In this poem, she commemorates her friend Anne Lefroy who died on Jane’s own birthday.
Joe’s first kiss
They say we always remember our first kiss but I’m not so sure. Perhaps it wasn’t memorable enough or the person special enough. Whatever the reason, I’ve had to invent the who, the where and the how of it.
Starting over after Bethany
Is it true that school days are the best of your life? This month, all the writing prompts are about new beginnings, which seems apt given we’re at the start of a brand new year. But new beginnings can be from any perspective depending on how you choose to view them, and our school days…
New beginnings, new life
In January it’s common, at least here in the UK, to consider making a change in our lives. These are often related to personal goals and achievements like getting a new job, losing weight, being healthier or learning something new.
Girl in a Cathedral, Heather Cook Hysteria 2022 poetry winner
Heather Cook is the winner of the Poetry category in the 2022 Hysteria Writing Competition. You can find her poem, along with the other finalists from each category in the Hysteria 9 anthology.
A mummering we will go
Mummer’s plays have been performed throughout Britain since the mediaeval period with records dating back to the 13th Century. They spread through the English-speaking world and are performed around the main festivals of the year such as Christmas and Easter.
Following the star
If you’ve ever seen a nativity play, been to a Church service at Christmas or read the story of Christ’s birth then you’ll know the star features heavily in the portending of a significant change for humanity.
Hysteria 9 launch event and winners announcements
Well, what an evening. This was my second launch event for the Hysteria Writing Competition and it was as much fun as the first. With my special guests helping out, together with a few technical (no make that human glitches) we got through it and the feedback from attendees was that they enjoyed it too.
For the love of nuts
Nutcrackers have been an essential part of human civilisation since we first learnt to crack a nut between two rocks. Since then, there have been some changes although the basic design was always the same, essentially a pair of pliers which was, of course just a more technical version of the original two rocks.
Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe
Winter is a feast of festivals celebrating light and rebirth following the darkest days and nights. Today’s word square is a celebration of festivals and some symbols associated with them.