This week, Monday 20th August 2012

Distractions, distractions

So the week of peace and quiet has been followed by a week of bad sleep and stress. Splendid. I suppose that’s the nature of going back to work. I’ve also been doing a lot of improvised comedy recently which has been marvellous but involves (for no intrinsic reason) late nights and in many respects scratches the old creative itch. It lead to a particularly enjoyable show last Friday. We called it Consenting Partners as it was all done in pairs (and trios in the second half). The pair I was in we called Bitchcock Kerfuffle, which probably gives some idea of the energy David and I aimed for. Without intending to we ended up with a lovely narrative about the horrors of Leprechauns which ended in a speed-dating chess match. Eventually there should be some video of that, and the other teams’ marvellous work.

This week itself is likely to be wiped out by my brother’s wedding (yay) on Saturday, but more pertinently he’s asked me to give a speech at the wedding meal… as Captain Pigheart! So now I need to write a specific story about him in a week which is both embarassing, filthy and funny. Bastard. The Blundering Buccaneer I think…

The indolent heat

Oh yeah, as an Englishman I also wish to complain bitterly about the frightful heat and humidity we’ve been suffering with since the UK re-discovered summer. I dislike it.

This week’s scribbles

TuesdayTwinned With Evil – part 1. This is another dream-based story, and I think will be three parts (still fixing the rest!) It’s set in a city which is slowly destroying itself.

Wednesday: Pulp Pirate 12. Aye, back on the Flash Pulp gravy train again. This time with something that ain’t a pirate story…

Thursday: Eric the Bewildered Weasel part 2. Just posting bits of this is reigniting my interest in the tale – I hope it does for you too. In this part we introduce another of the main characters. I think we’re still in prologueish territory.

Round Up of Last Week

14th August: Shankanalia – the shank in the coffin – some more mean-spirited poems to get you in the summery mood

15th August: The Peninsula Creature – all five parts in one (like a pentagonal deity, but a more fun story)

16th August: Eric the Bewildered Weasel 1– the prologuey section from a longer story about animals and aliens

Events and Excitement

Exciting stuff coming up in Nottingham:

Story Club – Monday 27th August at The City Gallery 8pm FREE

MissImp in Action – Friday 31st August at The Glee Club 8.30pm (not free, but cheap!)

Pub Poetry – Monday 24th September at The Canalhouse 8pm FREE

The Pirate Coves – Thursday 27th September at The Golden Fleece 8pm FREE

.

Slightly Broken: Delving into the past

This is what I’m getting into in counselling today. My old diaries and letters and stuff. Can’t say I’m thrilled by the prospect, but I’m distracting myself by um, writing about it and taking a photograph of the books. See you on the other side.
image

The other side – totally mindfucked. I’ll have to catch up with you later. For now, only poetry will suffice.

Slightly Broken: Counselling Poems

After my counselling session I felt, well – I’m not sure. Tense, numb, devastated, hopeful, frustrated. I went to the pub. A pint, desperate attempts to relax. Poetry seemed the only course of action: @shankanalia.

No titles I’m afraid but I’m sure they’ll emerge in due course.

 

Tension crawls up my spine
A tremor in the tendons
A twist in the muscle
Bunched
Writhing
Inside out
Contorted remembrance
Scorned bones.

I’d blind you
Take your eyes
And hands
Make an homunculus
To dwell in darkness
And torment
To make you real
Gift you suffering
Bless with pain.

How can I see the edge of a shadow
When it ends in darkness?
Where does the lie feed into The lost?
If I don’t remember I shouldn’t feel.

Your shadow
Fear filled emptiness
Void of hope
A shell of humanity Ghast
penumbral parasite
Drains
Darkens
Bleakly
Steals my soul
My truth.

Chaos of recollection
Flood of blame
The rippled doubt
Taints all things
With dubious stain
Belief is not the same
As knowing
Or hoping.

Can I trust the me that lies behind
Lost in the misted memory?
Had the answers
But couldn’t believe.
Agony of discovering
You were right before.

Mirrored grey
Flecked with truth
Concealing fictions
Cracked schismatic
Grinding tesselation of self.
Revelatory glass
Windows of true lies.