The girl with the perfect smile.
I see her every day.
She has finesse and great style,
The girl with the perfect smile.
Seen no one like her for a while,
I cannot keep away.
The girl with the perfect smile.
I see her every day.
Monday, 28 February 2011
Under the Weather' by Jan Lloyd
It is a terrible thing to have a bad chest
with pipes all clogged up and wheezing.
To lose valuable sleep, vigour and zest
unable to leave the warm feathered nest.
Wrapped up snugly, with bed socks and an extra vest
winter's upon us, fires burn brightly to keep us from freezing.
It is a terrible thing to have a bad chest
with pipes all clogged up and wheezing.
with pipes all clogged up and wheezing.
To lose valuable sleep, vigour and zest
unable to leave the warm feathered nest.
Wrapped up snugly, with bed socks and an extra vest
winter's upon us, fires burn brightly to keep us from freezing.
It is a terrible thing to have a bad chest
with pipes all clogged up and wheezing.
' A Special Treat' by Jan Lloyd
Mrs Brown was delighted to receive her card
a voucher, she was informed, to treat herself.
The previous year had been difficult and hard
so this was a present to indulge and not be marred.
To be pampered and preened and shine like a star
to feel like a new woman and brought back to health.
Mrs Brown was delighted to receive her card
a voucher, she was informed, to treat herself.
a voucher, she was informed, to treat herself.
The previous year had been difficult and hard
so this was a present to indulge and not be marred.
To be pampered and preened and shine like a star
to feel like a new woman and brought back to health.
Mrs Brown was delighted to receive her card
a voucher, she was informed, to treat herself.
'Cerys and Connie' by Jan Lloyd
Cerys had packed an overnight bag and was sitting patiently awaiting her taxi. She clutched the bag as she clung to the hope of what was awaiting her. It had been arranged that she would meet Sarah under the clock at the railway station, she thought this amusing and felt like something from a detective novel or a 1950's film. The hoot of the horn jolted her from her thoughts and into action. Jumping up, she checked that all was safe before embarking on her journey north for the meeting.
As she sat on the train gazing out at the fleeting scenery flying past she began imagining what she would look like. Sarah would be in her mid forties by now so still quite young, would she have dark or fair hair, green or blue eyes. Cerys thought about her years of growing up, going to school for the first time, completing her degree and receiving her diploma, all this without ever knowing Sarah.
Sarah was preparing for the meeting and agonised about what to wear, how to style her hair. She tried on several outfits before settling on a pale cream trouser suit which she felt was smart but not too severe. Grabbing her bag she locked her front door and hurried to get the bus.
Cerys was thinking of her parents, Hilda and Charles. Always old and fussy and never interested in anything that she followed, traits that Cerys found continually irksome and frustrating. There was never any common ground that she could talk to her parents about. They had always been strict, very religious and dull.
Sarah tried not to think about her past, she was now safe and secure living in her small but comfortable flat and worked as an administrator for a firm of solicitors. Her daughter had moved to Australia two years ago and she now lived alone. She had a few friends but didn't really socialise much. Occasionally she would go out with her work colleagues but preferred to stay in the security of her cosy flat, reading, watching television or listening to the radio.
Although Cerys was irritated by her parents she'd had a priviliged upbringing and never had to struggle. This didn't sit well with Cerys. She had a vivid imagination and would invent stories about herself and her family. This would relieve the hum drum of everyday life and take her into the different worlds of being a princess or a rock star.
Sarah would go to work every day from nine to five. She worked hard and had been with the same firm for twenty years. Sarah enjoyed the routine, it made her feel safe.
Cerys stared out into the mist which had started to decend and the train windows began to steam up. She felt a chill pass over her and pulled her coat around her shoulders. The countryside gradually began to change from lush green scenery to an urban landscape. Industrial buildings and rows of brick built houses. Cerys caught glimpses of families carrying out their daily routines. People sitting in their homes, grass being cut and children playing on garden swings oblivious to the train speeding through their cosy lives.
As the train pulled into the destination Cerys was brought back from her thoughts and felt a hugh weight in her stomach. Her nervous apprehension caused her to freeze but managed to force herself up to join the queue waiting to climb down onto the platform. She looked up and down the gloomy station and saw the clock at the far end, near the exit. What was causing her to shake? Was it the prospect of the meeting or just the late September weather turning autumnal. She bought a large mug of tea from the station buffet and clasped her hands around the mug as she drank. After the comfort of the warm drink she went out to sit on the bench near the clock to await the arrival of Sarah.
Cerys gazed up at the clock to confirm that she had been sitting for over an hour, the late afternoon was turning to dusk and the sky had a red glow as the sun began to hide behind the clouds. Cerys looked up again and saw a a leaf float down from an oak tree which stood majestically above the edge of the station.
Three weeks had passed before Cerys was contacted and heard the devastating news. After the shock of the phone call a lady named Linda from the adoption society visited Cerys to offer her some comfort. Sarah was on her way to the meeting under the clock but her bus had been delayed so had tried to catch a taxi. A witness had seen her waiting at the bus stop and after about 15 minutes, it appeared, had frantically ran across the road to hail a taxi. It was instant, the driver of the car had no chance of stopping as Sarah rushed out into the road. Linda offered her deepest condolences for the tragic accident and for the sadness of the incident. The funeral had already taken place so Cerys never had the opportunity to say hello to her real mother and was now unable to say goodbye. She had assumed that Sarah had felt unable to attend the meeting which had been arranged by the adoption society through Cerys investigating her true roots. Cerys had returned home feeling angry and tormented at the thought of her mother not bothering to meet her and on arriving home sobbed all night with a mixture of anguish and frustration. This led her to stubbornly bury any thought of contacting the adoption society which was her only link with Sarah. She had been born in 1950 to Sarah who, due to the stigma attached to single mothers, was unable to keep her. Hilda and Charles, already in their forties, chose Cerys and Sarah was forced to sign the adoption papers when Cerys was six weeks old.
The scenery was now full of promise as Cerys travelled once more for a meeting under the clock. The daffodils were now in full bloom and there were patches of fluttering yellow petals as she sped to her appointed rendezvous. Six months had passed since the heartbreaking news of her mother's devastating accident.
She had found it difficult to endure the loss of her real mother despite never having known her but the grief of loosing her was almost too hard to bear. Her imagined future with Sarah had been blown apart on hearing the news. Once more she stepped onto the platform with the other travellers going about their business. She looked hopefully toward the clock with an even greater apprehension than when she was last here. She saw a lady leaning against the pillar beneath the clock wearing a red jacket. It was instant recognition and knew this was her half sister, Connie, who had contacted Cerys a month earlier.
As they hugged each other the tears flowed freely and they were unable to speak for what seemed like an eternity. Connie commented on their shared likeness to Sarah, the dark hair and green eyes and the same smile. When they had overcome their highly charged emotions they travelled to the cemetery to visit Sarah's grave so Cerys could get a sense of closure to her pain. The headstone immediately offered some comfort.
" Sarah Langley 1930 - 1975. Sadly departed this world leaving her beloved daughters Cerys and Connie. Now sleeps soundly and free of pain".
Sitting in the warm cafe later Cerys and Connie chatted comfortably together like sisters who had been brought up together. Connie filled in the big gulf of information that Cerys needed to know. Connie told her that Sarah had never really recovered from giving her up for adoption. Having had Connie three years after Cerys was born Sarah had spent an unhappy marriage with a boorish drunk, Connie's father. They split up when Connie was three and never saw him again. There was no indication in any of Sarah's effects as to who Cerys's father was so Cerys realised there was no point in searching and was willing to draw a line under that part of her background. Connie gave her a photograph of Sarah holding Cerys aged four weeks old. Written on the back of the photo was,
"My beautiful daughter, Cerys, aged four weeks".
Connie said that Sarah had always told people that she had two daughters and treasured this photograph. It had been in her handbag when on her way to meet Cerys. She gave it to Cerys and said that she should treasure it now.
Sarah had led a reclusive life probably because she needed to protect herself from the continued pain she felt after giving up her first daughter. Connie did say however that she had reached a contented period in her life and would have been so happy and excited about meeting Cerys.
Connie was now living back in England having returned from Australia after the death of Sarah, so they parted both promising to remain in touch.
Cerys and Connie were now united and continued to visit each other over the years and became very close. This deep frienship helped Cerys overcome the missing years and helped her appreciate the hardship that Sarah had endured. No longer did she feel the selfish ingratitude to her adopted parents and had reached a contented acceptance with her life. With the knowledge that, despite her real mother not being a queen or a rock star, she had possessed the most important thing and that was her never ending love for her.
As she sat on the train gazing out at the fleeting scenery flying past she began imagining what she would look like. Sarah would be in her mid forties by now so still quite young, would she have dark or fair hair, green or blue eyes. Cerys thought about her years of growing up, going to school for the first time, completing her degree and receiving her diploma, all this without ever knowing Sarah.
Sarah was preparing for the meeting and agonised about what to wear, how to style her hair. She tried on several outfits before settling on a pale cream trouser suit which she felt was smart but not too severe. Grabbing her bag she locked her front door and hurried to get the bus.
Cerys was thinking of her parents, Hilda and Charles. Always old and fussy and never interested in anything that she followed, traits that Cerys found continually irksome and frustrating. There was never any common ground that she could talk to her parents about. They had always been strict, very religious and dull.
Sarah tried not to think about her past, she was now safe and secure living in her small but comfortable flat and worked as an administrator for a firm of solicitors. Her daughter had moved to Australia two years ago and she now lived alone. She had a few friends but didn't really socialise much. Occasionally she would go out with her work colleagues but preferred to stay in the security of her cosy flat, reading, watching television or listening to the radio.
Although Cerys was irritated by her parents she'd had a priviliged upbringing and never had to struggle. This didn't sit well with Cerys. She had a vivid imagination and would invent stories about herself and her family. This would relieve the hum drum of everyday life and take her into the different worlds of being a princess or a rock star.
Sarah would go to work every day from nine to five. She worked hard and had been with the same firm for twenty years. Sarah enjoyed the routine, it made her feel safe.
Cerys stared out into the mist which had started to decend and the train windows began to steam up. She felt a chill pass over her and pulled her coat around her shoulders. The countryside gradually began to change from lush green scenery to an urban landscape. Industrial buildings and rows of brick built houses. Cerys caught glimpses of families carrying out their daily routines. People sitting in their homes, grass being cut and children playing on garden swings oblivious to the train speeding through their cosy lives.
As the train pulled into the destination Cerys was brought back from her thoughts and felt a hugh weight in her stomach. Her nervous apprehension caused her to freeze but managed to force herself up to join the queue waiting to climb down onto the platform. She looked up and down the gloomy station and saw the clock at the far end, near the exit. What was causing her to shake? Was it the prospect of the meeting or just the late September weather turning autumnal. She bought a large mug of tea from the station buffet and clasped her hands around the mug as she drank. After the comfort of the warm drink she went out to sit on the bench near the clock to await the arrival of Sarah.
Cerys gazed up at the clock to confirm that she had been sitting for over an hour, the late afternoon was turning to dusk and the sky had a red glow as the sun began to hide behind the clouds. Cerys looked up again and saw a a leaf float down from an oak tree which stood majestically above the edge of the station.
Three weeks had passed before Cerys was contacted and heard the devastating news. After the shock of the phone call a lady named Linda from the adoption society visited Cerys to offer her some comfort. Sarah was on her way to the meeting under the clock but her bus had been delayed so had tried to catch a taxi. A witness had seen her waiting at the bus stop and after about 15 minutes, it appeared, had frantically ran across the road to hail a taxi. It was instant, the driver of the car had no chance of stopping as Sarah rushed out into the road. Linda offered her deepest condolences for the tragic accident and for the sadness of the incident. The funeral had already taken place so Cerys never had the opportunity to say hello to her real mother and was now unable to say goodbye. She had assumed that Sarah had felt unable to attend the meeting which had been arranged by the adoption society through Cerys investigating her true roots. Cerys had returned home feeling angry and tormented at the thought of her mother not bothering to meet her and on arriving home sobbed all night with a mixture of anguish and frustration. This led her to stubbornly bury any thought of contacting the adoption society which was her only link with Sarah. She had been born in 1950 to Sarah who, due to the stigma attached to single mothers, was unable to keep her. Hilda and Charles, already in their forties, chose Cerys and Sarah was forced to sign the adoption papers when Cerys was six weeks old.
The scenery was now full of promise as Cerys travelled once more for a meeting under the clock. The daffodils were now in full bloom and there were patches of fluttering yellow petals as she sped to her appointed rendezvous. Six months had passed since the heartbreaking news of her mother's devastating accident.
She had found it difficult to endure the loss of her real mother despite never having known her but the grief of loosing her was almost too hard to bear. Her imagined future with Sarah had been blown apart on hearing the news. Once more she stepped onto the platform with the other travellers going about their business. She looked hopefully toward the clock with an even greater apprehension than when she was last here. She saw a lady leaning against the pillar beneath the clock wearing a red jacket. It was instant recognition and knew this was her half sister, Connie, who had contacted Cerys a month earlier.
As they hugged each other the tears flowed freely and they were unable to speak for what seemed like an eternity. Connie commented on their shared likeness to Sarah, the dark hair and green eyes and the same smile. When they had overcome their highly charged emotions they travelled to the cemetery to visit Sarah's grave so Cerys could get a sense of closure to her pain. The headstone immediately offered some comfort.
" Sarah Langley 1930 - 1975. Sadly departed this world leaving her beloved daughters Cerys and Connie. Now sleeps soundly and free of pain".
Sitting in the warm cafe later Cerys and Connie chatted comfortably together like sisters who had been brought up together. Connie filled in the big gulf of information that Cerys needed to know. Connie told her that Sarah had never really recovered from giving her up for adoption. Having had Connie three years after Cerys was born Sarah had spent an unhappy marriage with a boorish drunk, Connie's father. They split up when Connie was three and never saw him again. There was no indication in any of Sarah's effects as to who Cerys's father was so Cerys realised there was no point in searching and was willing to draw a line under that part of her background. Connie gave her a photograph of Sarah holding Cerys aged four weeks old. Written on the back of the photo was,
"My beautiful daughter, Cerys, aged four weeks".
Connie said that Sarah had always told people that she had two daughters and treasured this photograph. It had been in her handbag when on her way to meet Cerys. She gave it to Cerys and said that she should treasure it now.
Sarah had led a reclusive life probably because she needed to protect herself from the continued pain she felt after giving up her first daughter. Connie did say however that she had reached a contented period in her life and would have been so happy and excited about meeting Cerys.
Connie was now living back in England having returned from Australia after the death of Sarah, so they parted both promising to remain in touch.
Cerys and Connie were now united and continued to visit each other over the years and became very close. This deep frienship helped Cerys overcome the missing years and helped her appreciate the hardship that Sarah had endured. No longer did she feel the selfish ingratitude to her adopted parents and had reached a contented acceptance with her life. With the knowledge that, despite her real mother not being a queen or a rock star, she had possessed the most important thing and that was her never ending love for her.
'Excerpt from a Teenage Diary' by Elisha Hill
1973
12 Sept
'Oh God, the most hysterical thing has just happened!! Sally has just phoned up Debbie and in a really sexy voice asked for Kev’s phone number (her boyfriend), and she wouldn't say who she was, at least she said she was Karen Robinson.
13th Sept
Bet you are all on tenterhooks cos you are dying to find out about Sally and Debbie and the phone calls!.. Sally phoned me up about 9.15, and i gave her all these phone numbers, Debbie, Kev, Darren, Tracey, Mitch, etc - she said she was going to phone Debbie and ask for Kev, when her mum answered and asked who it was she said, ' Lets say it’s a friend.’ When Debbie came she said, 'Hello Debbie, have you got Kev’s phone number( in a sexy voice)!!!.., they went on for a bit, and then Sally said, 'Was it 45876? ' Debbie said, 'No of course it’s not!' Sally said to Debbie, 'Do you think Sarah Smiles would have it?’ And that's why Debbie phoned me up!! in quite a state!!.. 'Sarah,' she said, ‘this girl has just phoned me up and asked for Kev’s phone number.' I was just about hysterical but Debbie didn't hear me!. After Debby rang off Sally rang me back and she was just about hysterical as well!!!...( as well as Debbie she had phoned up one of our teachers as well. She said in a very country deep voice, ' Is that the gasworks' ' No!' Then she phoned up Kev and said,' Have you by any chance got Debbie’s number?' 'Uh who is this please?’ And i can’t remember what else she said.
12 Sept
'Oh God, the most hysterical thing has just happened!! Sally has just phoned up Debbie and in a really sexy voice asked for Kev’s phone number (her boyfriend), and she wouldn't say who she was, at least she said she was Karen Robinson.
13th Sept
Bet you are all on tenterhooks cos you are dying to find out about Sally and Debbie and the phone calls!.. Sally phoned me up about 9.15, and i gave her all these phone numbers, Debbie, Kev, Darren, Tracey, Mitch, etc - she said she was going to phone Debbie and ask for Kev, when her mum answered and asked who it was she said, ' Lets say it’s a friend.’ When Debbie came she said, 'Hello Debbie, have you got Kev’s phone number( in a sexy voice)!!!.., they went on for a bit, and then Sally said, 'Was it 45876? ' Debbie said, 'No of course it’s not!' Sally said to Debbie, 'Do you think Sarah Smiles would have it?’ And that's why Debbie phoned me up!! in quite a state!!.. 'Sarah,' she said, ‘this girl has just phoned me up and asked for Kev’s phone number.' I was just about hysterical but Debbie didn't hear me!. After Debby rang off Sally rang me back and she was just about hysterical as well!!!...( as well as Debbie she had phoned up one of our teachers as well. She said in a very country deep voice, ' Is that the gasworks' ' No!' Then she phoned up Kev and said,' Have you by any chance got Debbie’s number?' 'Uh who is this please?’ And i can’t remember what else she said.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
'Alien' by Elisha Hill
Sudden awareness, mind fuzzy, she could not gather herself together, could not make her mind clear. She felt a stab of fear because she could not remember who or where she was. Panic rose and there was pain, great pain somewhere in her body. She sensed a small snuffling sound nearby and a warmth next to her. An alien creature? It was not part of her body, but familiar somehow. She tried to turn her head; but it felt like a dead weight. She was numb she felt herself drifting away....
Awareness again. The memory of the alien seemed urgent. A woman leant over her - mouth moving, sounding just like a trumpet; and there was a loud clanging. Then a man; a handsome man; smiling ....did she know him? He lifted a small bundle, showing her the small creature. It was ugly like a small skinned rabbit; red, like a monkey. Then the awful sound it made! She wanted to run; that urgent painful sound rattled her nerves. He looked at her quizzically. Did he want something from her? A reaction maybe ...
Awareness. She knew who she was. In a hospital. The pain in her stomach. She lay on her side and her husband smiled.
'How are you feeling? They are going to give you some more pain relief'.’
She tried really hard to answer him. It just came out as a murmur.
'Do you want to see him?' He put the bundle next to her... a baby!
Awareness again. The memory of the alien seemed urgent. A woman leant over her - mouth moving, sounding just like a trumpet; and there was a loud clanging. Then a man; a handsome man; smiling ....did she know him? He lifted a small bundle, showing her the small creature. It was ugly like a small skinned rabbit; red, like a monkey. Then the awful sound it made! She wanted to run; that urgent painful sound rattled her nerves. He looked at her quizzically. Did he want something from her? A reaction maybe ...
Awareness. She knew who she was. In a hospital. The pain in her stomach. She lay on her side and her husband smiled.
'How are you feeling? They are going to give you some more pain relief'.’
She tried really hard to answer him. It just came out as a murmur.
'Do you want to see him?' He put the bundle next to her... a baby!
'The Balrog' by Elisha Hill
The Balrog in the Dragons Keep
All earth around he burned and wasted
His burning fire raged in the deep
The Balrog in the Dragons Keep
All earth around he burned and wasted
His burning fire raged in the deep
The Balrog in the Dragons Keep
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)