![The Generation Gap [short story]](https://www.janyshyde.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/creative-writing-scaled-1-768x512.jpg)
Contains strong language ‘That rotten cow can’t do this to me – she knows that I’ve always been bloody good in biology. What’s with the woman? What difference would it make to her to let me resit the bloody exam?’ Her mother looked on helplessly in the vain hope that the moment would pass. ‘Come…
It’s not over really — still things buzzing around my head and odds and ends of loose strings to tie up before I can say that the Venice Writing Retreat 2015 — also referred to as the Venice Editing Masterclass (I like the ring of that) — can truly be considered packed up and put…
A very late starter, but at long last, after several years of just thinking about it, I have signed up for the Nanowrimo marathon. I only began three days ago in the midst of a whirlwind created by my daughter as she moved out of the family home, taking her beloved dog with her. The…
I thought I would be able to concentrate sitting outside the bar, but that would perhaps have pushed my new found ‘writing freedom’ beyond the realms of reality. Kids running all over the place, slaloming between the tables with bubble blowing guns was a bit much . Whilst it was just the squeals and giggles…
![Fog [haiku]](https://www.janyshyde.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/foggy-morn.jpg)
Foggy mornshrouds sound in veil of silenceclothed in grey
Wait there my boy, we must depart,but I’ll soon be home, you’ll see.Away he trooped with all the menwithout glancing back at me. They soon retreated from my view,a bright patch in the distance.How war affects the strongest manhad still not touched my conscience. I was too young to even knowthat they’d live in fields…
High on the hill, time creeps by almost unnoticed, but for the cadence of the seasons. For the main part the idyllic isolation is undisturbed if not by the occasional strident call of a lamenting fox or the violent passage of an electric storm. But last month changed all that.The tall figure of an elderly…
Isn’t it strange how you can write all your life — and in my case that covers quite a few good years — and then suddenly, when you decide you want to make it all official and ‘come out’ — make it known publicly that you consider yourself a writer, you find that words fail…
I may have mentioned elsewhere that one of the things I do in life is translate press releases and catalogues for galleries, artists and curators of contemporary art. There is no question of doubt that the work is fascinating, but for those of you who have not had much to do with contemporary art (or…
I find myself at that critical moment when I have written my couple of pieces of prose and have laid them before my peers for their considered critique. We are all more or less in the same boat, and probably at about the same level of writing ability. My prose has already been drafted, redrafted,…
There seems to be a mad rush going on in the course forum for all to join up for the next course. The natural evolution of an OU Creative Writer would probably be to move on to the Advanced Creative Writing course — at least, that certainly seems to be how a lot of the…
Haiku in English is a development of the Japanese haiku poetic form in the English language. Contemporary haiku are written in many languages, but most poets outside of Japan are concentrated in the English-speaking countries. It is impossible to single out any current style, format, or subject matter as definitive. Some of the more common…
Here I am againsharpened pencil in handand wits about me A new day has dawnedMy mind and body refreshedready to begin again Open Big Red Bookto read the latest chapterand activities Stick my head in doorof all the student forumsCheck the goings on Get head down to workand snap out of reveriemy worst enemy Got…
A burst of colourLong streams of fiery garlandsfill the midnight skyne Fireworks explodingcelebrate the special dayone we will recall Summer has gone byour memories are manykeeping us happy ‘Til another yearA start for fresh ideasspurred on by new energy
Sleep closes my eyeswhilst weary limbs beg for restto restore my soul Soon a bright new daywill bring me fresh energyto live to the full New tasks to performNew challenges for my mindI must feel refreshed So away to bedand I bid you all farewelland a sweet repose
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