Owning the city I remember the peak, when I could stand here and look down the platform and see only the curve of the track, there was no one, not a soul, and I, I… liked it, wandering the city, noticing details… I touched walls and dry fountains and empty benches, I brushed the ankles … More Philip Berry
The Walk The walk from my house to the corner shop means so much now. It’s getting a small amount of normality back to my life. On my way I see few people. Some old friends, some strangers. It’s like normality but if you had kaleidoscopic vision. Everything on the verge of being normal. When … More Xandr Holloway
Our COVID-19 Symptoms We used to talk more when drinking. We used to drink less. And less often. It’s been six days in a row, something not done since our early days of romance and bar going and always kissing and not giving a damn about the world. And look, we’re drinking now, again, out … More Dave O’Leary
Quarantine Confusion “I’ll get you all the sweets you want!” I shout through the letterbox. “Just stay inside!” I hear her shuffling her walker and picture her settling back down into the sofa groove. Disaster averted momentarily. I exhale. I move to the window, aiming my gaze between the vase of sepia-tinged flowers atop the … More Katie Isham
Untitled Advancing outside for the first time, we met upon a narrow path, with nowhere to step back or aside. Glancing up and then down at our shoes, we feigned an air of nonchalance and quickened our nervous pace. On other days, we’d pause to hold the kissing gates; comment on the weather; stop to … More Ian Croasdell
Downderry Moor is Empty The horizon is a considered slant of birch and gorse. It has been without disruption since the fox and its cubs, active last Monday. Inside, I’m now more aware of movement and my eye is surprised by the flash of freckles that is my arm, shifting from horizontal indolence. I shriek … More Orson
NoShoulder to Cry On Ifell over yesterday. Lying there, on the crazy paving between the veg beds,with nobody to help me up, I had a little cry. It was just the shock. Nothing’sbroken…except my spirit. I didn’t say anything last night when you rang as Icould tell from your voice you were exhausted from another … More Valerie Griffin
An Outpouring of Altruism There are eight of them clustered around the main entrance, cigarettes in hand. Barely a metre between them, never mind two. “Excuse me.” Not a flicker. As I squeeze past, a faux cough in my ear, hot breath on my cheek. Laughter. In the warmth of my flat, I put the … More James Northern
Batten Down The Hatches Block out the news; the multiplying. Zoom in. A whole world exists within this boundary: a school in the kitchen now, a pub in the front room, shops in the computer, friends on the phone. Husband commutes to the garden; children down the stairs. Unqualified, I tackle the curriculum. And together … More Nicola Ashbrook
Hunger and Loneliness Things almost never go according to plan. Once the terror wears off, you imagine learning new languages, maybe going for an online degree, catching up with old friends, changing your hair, spending quiet afternoons in a sunny window reading The Odyssey. Now is the time. You challenge yourself. You finally update your website, … More Kristen Simental
100 Words Of Solitude 