The night Amelia Hamilton was born

the caravan was battered by a gale.

Her mother gripped the drop-down bed and scorned

the father who was now

a thousand miles away.

The caravan site owner made it clear 

that babies have to pay their rent as well

so young Amelia passed the next ten years 

in custody of Gran

where none would wish to dwell.

Daily beatings, sma...

Read and leave comments (1)

The sun sighted as a Galilean dream

As vision faded from the grasp of Winter

A kid leaned out of the window

Whispering out what he needed to say

But in needing to blurt it out

His mind submerged in uncertainty 

Choked between a tearless cry

And a cheerless laugh

As with notated thoughts all about

His room was littered

And the sidelined life he adopted

Was cast to t...

Read and leave comments (0)

Read and leave comments (4)

Banjo On The Wall

Back home in my birthplace, 
that legendary city of steel,
my paternal grandparents
taught me much of what is real

Values that they set before me
some five decades back it will be
included many of those I still hold dear,
and always will do, year after year.

Among the many hobbies that then filled out their time,
they bred British bulldogs & had ce...

Read and leave comments (2)

she sits

she knits

the needles click

as strand by strand

in cracked crabbed hands

each stitch

might haul them

back to land

her days, her nights are one, the same -

a gift of darkness borne by grief

to wounds already salted well.

lips taste each quarter

of the wind; she hears the tides

advance, retreat -

as if in echoes from

some  ancient stranded shell.

she feels t...

Read and leave comments (7)