Comfit Comforts – The sweetness of a black tongue

1963 and five-year-old me. The Beatles had released their first 2 albums, and their first 2 singles had reached first place in the UK music charts. Doctor Who and The Daleks made their first appearance on TV screens. These things penetrated into my little brain, but the John F Kennedy assassination, Harold Wilson becoming leader […]

Gills and Fins – For children everywhere

oh to be a little fishswimming from afarminding my own businesswhen they put me in a jar they took me to their homeand then they had their teabut what I really want to knowis where’s the food for me dying of heat and hungerthey returned me to the poolI loved the fresh waterand I found […]

Glaikit – Or embracing the slow life

“Where am I?” This is my rallying cry as I grow into the third age. It is not about being physically lost. It is more about needing an assessment of progress on thinking journeys. I take my thinking for a walk most days, living alone allowing me to do that without derogatory comments coming my […]

Pockets – Full of memories

I stuff my hand in my pocket, and I find coarse damp sand, broken shells and brightly-coloured stones from the beach. As I pull out slimy, popping seaweed and squawking gulls from my other pocket, the stench of the cold and dull grey sea fills my lungs, and I am grateful not to have a […]

We Had – All that we needed

we hada shilling for our meter,coal for our fire and paraffin for our lamps we hadwellies for our toes,gloves for our fingers and hats for our ears we hadporridge for breakfast,broth for dinner and mince and tatties for tea we hada chain for our toilet,tin for our bath and a geyser for our water we […]