by Helen Ivory | Mar 2, 2023 | Featured, Poetry
Paper Dolls She did well, my secret twin – kept us alive, deflected blows, absorbed each wound into our body, quiet as a tree. I didn’t notice her leave until the wind whistled in and a bird flew from my mouth. Later I unfolded myself like a chain...
by Helen Ivory | Mar 1, 2023 | Featured, Poetry
To a Good Night’s Sleep You know how it goes but never why or when – perhaps it’s all that cheese and caffeine or a black cat crossing but sure as broken eggs make omelettes you can bet your life that one night all your hidden quirks and...
by Helen Ivory | Feb 18, 2023 | Featured, Poetry
Weekend Work Do Tina and I are circling the room at speed wrapped in white table cloths. Who knew this was what we came here for? We are tiddly after a day of contributing — to workshops in small groups, structured chats on the sunny lawn — by...
by Helen Ivory | Feb 17, 2023 | Featured, Prose
Tuition F taught me to walk and, later, to check twice that no cars were coming. R taught me girls can do everything boys can and more. B taught me to find heart shapes in clouds. M taught me how to play an F# minor. J taught me to watch the ball...
by Helen Ivory | Feb 16, 2023 | Featured, Poetry
Getting Somewhere We don’t admit to depending on the brakes too much. But the garage tells us we need to change the pads again. We don’t enjoy brinkmanship, but our new tyres have already started to lose their grip. We don’t want to crash, we’re...
