Turlough
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While My Guitar Teacher Gently Weeps
Words of apology to anyone who has ever tried to teach me to play a musical instrument.
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There’s a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He’s Engels
Dyado Petr, Baba Stefka and Todor Zhivkov are/were real people, the earthquake and appointment of a new head of state really did happen, and the places I’ve mentioned really do exist, but much of the rest of this tale is a fig leaf of my imagination. However, it describes an event that could have taken place in my part of Bulgaria seventy years ago. Superstition is so strong and diverse here that it’s possible to make it up and get away with it. Maybe I did make it up and maybe I didn’t.
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The Fox and the Elm Tree
For Julia and Robert. And for Coral and Sarah.
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If I Were a Fish
June is busting out all over… from day sixteen to the end of the month, each described in 100 words.
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Marlene Dietrich’s Gappy Teeth
June is busting out all over… the month’s first fifteen days, each described in 100 words.
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Our Omar
Posted on Thu, 06 Aug 2026
Thank you Kat. That’s my hope too.
It’s incredible how many wonderful poets Persia / Iran has produced. Many countries (Bulgaria included) have fabulous literature, art and music that are unknown beyond their borders. It’s always worth...
Read full commentPosted in Farzaneh’s Song
Like a horse and carriage...
Posted on Mon, 27 Jul 2026
I never write about the immediate family I grew up with. There is so much I could write about my mother but just the thought of doing so darkens my mind every time. My prude of a sister has recently divorced, her husband having walked out on her...
Read full commentPosted in The Way We Heard - All Time Low
Pointless
Posted on Mon, 27 Jul 2026
On the other hand, I had many other clients whose marriages lasted a long time and people congratulated them for it, but secretly they had been far from happy. As a therapist visiting their homes I was almost a stranger so they felt comfortable...
Read full commentPosted in The Way We Heard - All Time Low
Cor phew!
Posted on Mon, 27 Jul 2026
Brilliant! Good on that groom!
I used to have a client in Melksham who was a real stay-at-home sort of woman and hated anything foreign, especially foreign countries and the people who lived in them. Her and her husband always went to...
Read full commentPosted in The Way We Heard - All Time Low
Jeux Sans Frontières
Posted on Sat, 01 Aug 2026
Yeah, but what the media aren't telling us is that the Infantino-Trump comedy duo are turning their attention instead to It's a Knockout!
'It's what Uncle Eddie Waring would have wanted', claimed Pete Hegseth.
Read full commentPosted in Hope is coming home
Ray Davies et al
Posted on Fri, 24 Jul 2026
I look forward to the day when Ray Davies and his ilk start quoting stuff that I've written. There'll be hell to pay, plus royalties.
Read full commentPosted in The Way We Heard - Killing in the Name
A stout work ethic
Posted on Fri, 24 Jul 2026
I love it when lyricists put as much effort into their work as Ray Davies did. I would include Ian Dury, Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl in my list. On the other hand it’s funny how some great songs have poor lyrics.
It seemed longer but...
Read full commentPosted in The Way We Heard - Killing in the Name
Holes
Posted on Mon, 27 Jul 2026
You've described exactly what my approach to politics has become Paul. I try to adopt the characteristics of the ostrich, which seems to be successful until I turn on my PC where every news article fills me with rage or sorrow or both. Perhaps...
Read full commentPosted in A Better World
Aww
Posted on Fri, 24 Jul 2026
But I've sorted it now.
Sorry!
Read full commentPosted in The Way We Heard - Killing in the Name
Nom de plume
Posted on Fri, 24 Jul 2026
Ah now, Terry's Jimmy's real name... and Turlough's.
But Julie's real name wasn't Julie.
And twenty years later Kirsty MacColl sang 'Terry, he's as tough as Marlon Brando'.
And thank you Kat.
Read full commentPosted in The Way We Heard - Killing in the Name
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