Cherrypicked stories

Cherry

The Staines Moor Horror

Something nasty lurks beneath the Coln.
Cherry

Thursday 26th October 2006

I think of that Tolstoy line, "If she goes to her cousin first...she'll be my wife It's wise, in such moments, to remember that the next line is "What rubbish sometimes enters one's head!"
Cherry

In at the Deep End

'Extra strong. Try one ' you won't regret it.'
Cherry

Found

'Found 'ee in the road, y'say?' 'Yes. Just lying there, unable to get up.' I saw again in my mind the absurdly oversized gull ' still speckled from youth ' squatting in the narrow street, panting its distress as cars edged around as best they could and sped away.
Cherry

Venus Of Willendorf

She embraces courtship at my flank, With sails so broad she could never become seaworthy,
Cherry

21. Moving on...

After much soul-searching, Lemon finally decided he'd lived in his bed-sit above the Pink Pagoda Take-Away for long enough.
Cherry

Don't Stop

Don't stop being exasperated by stubborn computers, cupboard shortages, forgtten errands. When your cheeks rise scarlet from the bone it looks like passion. Don't stop questioning my social white lies, that left unchecked
Cherry

Caligula On:

2 sonnets
Cherry

Torn

"Hello?" I say, the vocal epitome of cool, because I'm sure as hell not cool physically right now.
Cherry

Lipstick 2

And another perspective
Cherry

Lipstick

A poem. About why I dislike lipstick. An seminar excercise.
Cherry

Overcomplicating Tea

Overcomplicating Tea She tells me that poetry overcomplicates itself. I grip my teacup harder, lean into the plastic sheen of the table. You wouldn't understand, I say ' wouldn't stir for the flame's grumble or its dance
Cherry

The Swans Absent Colour

The Swans Absent Colour
Cherry

Tiny burgers at the Penguin bash

They had the plasma screen showing Huw from the BBC news with the sound down. It looked like the world was teetering because the footage was of missiles by grey-scale night vision. And then it was a map and North Korea glowing like a big red button. And we all felt a bit awkward or angry or distant and Hari Kunzru was there and Simon Armitage was drunk
Cherry

Mist Wraiths

Mist Wraiths At night clouds escape the bonds of wind whose magnetic charm and white gloved hand kept them dancing in rosy shoes twirled in silver grey and mauve tulle skirts and lacy stoles flying cirrus
Cherry

Real Life Wears Slippers

Real Life Wears Slippers I started out just like everybody else. I averaged out: height, weight, shoe size. Everything you could think of. I was going through life not leaving a mark, the faceless passer-by of newspaper quotes, an every and nothing man. But then I started to change.
Cherry

Boots

Boots was far from happy with the situation. He was breaking one of his own golden rules: if it didn't feel right, walk away. He stood under a 'Buses Only' sign, his hands in his Parka pockets, the hood shielding his face from the drizzle. He was wet and cold. He had been standing in exactly the same spot for about half an hour and still couldn't get the timings right. Green for about a minute and red for ' how long? Sometimes four minutes, sometimes four and a half. Such inconsistency was irksome ' and thirty seconds could be the difference between success and failure.
Cherry

Sleepbolt

Whatever is there evades your mark, goes under cover, lives - for tonight.
Cherry

Bunting

The fountains have been turned on for the first time since Mandella
Cherry

Secret River

Writing is a secret river Spawning salmon-words Trust. Stumbling upon it, hot and confused, there is no option. And nothing so inviting as the sweet, shocking, slow-motion jump Into it's crystal clarity.

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