Creative Writing

Light Falls – #writephoto

Scott Andrew Bailey6 Comments

For Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo prompt

At last, I managed something new for this challenge rather than recycling.

This is the picture

 

By Scott Bailey © 2018

Light falls
Through the ancient arch
How much light
Has fallen
Through the years
Upon
Lovers joined
The dearly departed
Those welcomed with blessings
Of water
The cold
The hungry
The repentant
The angry
The sinners

The light has fallen
Age has won
All those lighted memories
Nothing
Now the vessel
Is emptied
And ruined

Only the ghost
Of the shape
Of constraint

 

Messy

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

By Scott Bailey © 2018

Arise
Life is messy
We all know that
And while we crave
Cleanliness and order
We also know
It can be no other way

In response to the daily prompt Messy

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Wide Water Wash – #writephoto

Scott Andrew Bailey8 Comments

For Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo prompt Another old one- it’s been a very long day but when I saw the picture I gain knew I had a perfect poem to go with it.

This is the picture

By Scott Bailey © 2014

Wide, water wash
Grey beneath the early morning mist
Chance sunbeams bounce and sparkle
River banks lost and blurred
Returning to their ancient ways
Unbound from man’s constraint
A gentle reminder of the eventual winner
Water wandering where it will
Free and unordered
Rolling seeping or swelling to the sea
Grasses, shrubs and tree swimming
Mirrored in their sudden still lakes
Expanding

Originally Published in “A Spring of Dreams“.

Dim

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By Scott Bailey © 2017

Image from Pixabay

The light that burns bright
Will burn twice as fast. My light
Must last forever

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #180 Slow&Burn

In response to the daily prompt Dim

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

If Only

Scott Andrew Bailey3 Comments

By Scott Bailey © 2018

 

If only I knew
What I know now years ago
My time would have been
Spent in a much better way
Less effort on silly things

Image from Pixabay

 

In response to COLLEEN’S WEEKLY #TANKA TUESDAY #POETRY CHALLENGE, NO. 73: ENERGY & KNOWLEDGE, #SNYONYMSONLY

#Tanka

Congregate

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

We have reached
A time
When
Congregation
Is not enough
Movement is needed
Action
Revolution

 

In response to the daily prompt Congregate

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

One Liner Wednesday – Short and Sweet

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A Spring of Dreams

#1linerWeds.

Some poems, short and sweet, unlike me.

nf-badge-1linerweds-2017

Forward

Scott Andrew Bailey6 Comments

Forward

Maybe
From the chaos
From all the death and anger
We can find a better answer
We Need

I used the American form rather than the didactic.

 

 

In response to Colleen’s Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge, No. 72: Breakthrough & Movement, #SnyonymsOnly

#Haiku

A Bridge (That Carries Us Over)- Clannad

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I have written one for this prompt already but it also reminded me of this – enjoy

In response to the daily prompt Compromise

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

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Compromise

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

By Scott Bailey © 2018

 Compromise
Hope
That feels like
Betrayal
Can it be that
Our future
Is simply the
Best deal we can
Broker

When we can step
Aside
From the demands
Of one side
And the
Other
Then
We can have
Peace

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Compromise

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Mankind Ltd – What Right?

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quotescover-PNG-23

What right had she to make decisions for other people?

What had made her think that those posters were true?

How dare she have the courage to break those chains?

By Scott Bailey 

Read an excerpt here.

Available as

Kindle

or hardback

from Amazon

or CreateSpace

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

His and Hers Towels

Scott Andrew Bailey1 Comment

For SocS

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “his/her(s).” Use one, use both, bonus points if you start your post with one and end with the other. Have fun!

A real stream of consciousness today. Typed the first line and went from there. A bit teen angst like  – but hey.

By Scott Bailey © 2018

His and her towels
Is where it all falls down
Just towels
Please
No pink or blue
No exclusive clubs
No glass ceiling
Consign the establishment
To the shelves
Build anew
But build it together
No more him and her
No more black and white
No more straight and gay
Just people
Friends and lovers
Colleagues and partners
Helping hands

Image from Pixabay

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Ruby

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By Scott Bailey 2018

Ruby the rube
You think she’s below you
But really
She’s just behind you
With weapons of justice
So
Shiver
And prepare

Image from Pixabay

 

 

In response to the daily prompt Rube

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Deep Recall

Scott Andrew Bailey1 Comment

Memory is an odd thing. Things you thought you had forgotten can still be in there buried deep.

I can remember the first book I read – I mean the first proper storybook rather than just a kids picture book or short fairy tales.

It was an Enid Blyton one – probably not so well-known as her others but the title and the cover stuck with me ever since.

It was Hurrah for the Circus!

hurrah-for-the-circus

Of course over my childhood it eventually got lost – maybe passed onto my younger brothers. Whatever happened to it I always remembered the feeling I had when I finished it. Like a loss. It sold me on reading for the rest of my life.

Even up until now I could remember the first line of that story.

Oddly though – nothing else – not the story, the characters – nothing!

About 10 years ago – maybe more, I spotted it in a second-hand bookshop. An identical copy of the one I had! I snapped it up!

It sat on my shelf for years. I never reread it – well it was a kids book and I had way too long a list of other books to read.

I would, I thought, read it to my kids one day. If they wanted me to.

Well, last night was that night. My son wanted me to read to him I had exhausted his many books – most of which involve Minecraft and lack any real story content. Tonight I decided to read him a proper story.

I still had no idea at all what it was even about – completely forgotten.

But as I read it – nearly every single sentence was instantly familiar. Though I could not tell you what came next – I remembered what I was reading with a vivid recollection! Remembering where I was when I first read it and how I felt and the images that were being conjured then came flooding back! It was incredible.

I only hope that my son gets the same from it, that it gives him the same passion for reading, though I suspect he is already there on that score.

 

In response to the daily prompt Conjure

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Victims of Spite

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By Scott Bailey 2018

Oxfam and the Government
Feels like tit for tat
A fight of spite
All the while
The hungry still go hungry
The victims remain
Victims

The very existence of charity
Condemns those who rule

Image from Pixabay

 

Mnemonic

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By Scott Bailey 2018

I am in need of a mnemonic
For my life
Memories slip away
Photographs
Have no justice
Trying to cling
To long lost joys
The answer
Make new ones
Instead

 

In response to the daily prompt Mnemonic

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Empty Tales

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

For SocS

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “tail/tale.” Use one, used them both, you decide. Enjoy!

Kind of used my lack of inspiration today as the subject.

 

Empty Tales

By Scott Bailey © 2018

I have no tales to tell
Rather
I have
But the retelling of them
Empties them
Of their worth
Tales of today
Seem
The same

Image from Pixabay

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

 

 

Insist

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

A thought
Insists
Am I doing enough
Or is it
The machine
Wearing me down?

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Insist

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Puzzle

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

Where has my time gone?
Where has my freedom gone?
Time is gone.
Freedom is gone.
Never had time.
Never had freedom
Sigh.

No more.

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Puzzled

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

To the Tax Dodging Coorporations

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

You do not provide us with jobs, we provide you with labour and a safe haven to make your profits.

 

 

In response to #One-Liner Wednesday, #1linerweds

 

 

Bewildered

Scott Andrew Bailey3 Comments

By Scott Bailey © 2018

The bewildered
Wildebeest wondered
What it was
The lions were
Running from

Image from pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Bewildered

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Earth Arising

Scott Andrew Bailey5 Comments

The earth will arise
Topple all fences and walls
A spark in the night

In response to Colleen’s Weekly 2018 #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge, No. 70 “DESTINY & CHALLENGE”

#Haiku

Child Arising

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

It is inevitable
A child will arise
And topple
The obstacles
You put in their way
Grow strong in spite of them
Grow strong because of them
And set the world aflame
With angry hope
Think on that
And tremble

Note – this was inspired by Colleen’s Weekly Tanka Tuesday challenge – but doesn’t qualify in any way. Not sure how can credit her without creating a pingback. Check out her main site and you will find the challenge section. This is not in any of the forms required but came to me in a flash and I liked it so I am putting it out there anyway.

Image from Pixabay

Deep Cold

Scott Andrew Bailey1 Comment

 

By Scott Bailey © 2014

Disappearing into the gloom
Undulating side to side
Alien but of this earth
Slow, cold life
In the deep deep dark
So far from the hearth we know
The strange eel like creature
Eases in the deepest cold
Leaving divers dumb

 

In response to the daily prompt Creature

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Sympathise

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

We sympathise
We the victims
Put up or flags
And tokens
Banners on our home pages
All sincere
But nothing changes
No actions
Behind the thought

 

A slightly modified version of an older poem I did that benefits from the addition I think.

In response to the daily prompt Sympathize

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

In Need of Prompts

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Now JusJoJan has finished I need some more prompts!

I use the WordPress Daily Prompt and Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge on a Monday. I could do with another for each day.

Anyone know of any good ones?

light-2581929_1920

Rhymes

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

Words flow profusely
Anger pours freely
Action is stilted and slow

The world needs righting
In our minds, we are fighting
But to battles, we never go

Inaction just reaction
No satisfaction
This is a sign of the times

While all is disaster
We rush at it faster
Chiming protesting rhymes

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Profuse

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Five Star Review Received! Thirteen Tales

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

Thirteen Tales of Ghosts received a great review from janowrite, a fellow Ghost Story writer and fan.

Check out the review here and her own blog here.

And why not check out the book itself – see if you agree 🙂

The Cash Creating Conveyor

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

 

Try everything
Go on!
You know you want to.
And why not?
Get to the end of your life
And say proudly
I did it all!
I did it my way!
I tried it all!
No matter the cost
Ignore the cost
Such a small cost
Dripping away
Over and over
But ignore that
Don’t be square
Be cool!
Be the future
Not the past
Think of the Pleasure!
Ignore the cost
Think of the Achievement!
The dripping cost
Be cool!
Dripping into our funnel
Be a Winner
Dripping into our Hoard

Image from Pixabay

 

In response to the daily prompt Conveyor

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Change

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For One-Liner Wednesday & #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 31st, 2018

 

 

“The only Constant is Change”

Frank Herbert – Dune

Enough said.

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan, #1linerweds

 

Truly Scrumptious

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

For #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 30th, 2018

Just this – that’s all and a whole host of happy memories!

Truly Scrumptious
Click Image to see the Source

From the movie that taught to love the magic of film.

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan

 

 

USA Catching Canada!

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Thirteen Tales – the race of the Americas is on!

Well, no more sales in Canada as yet but some in the USA means that they are catching up – who will win? Where will I hit the top 10 first? The UK (my homeland) is lagging far behind!

Inkling

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

I am drawn
By slightly parted lips
Swaying hips
Twinkling eyes
A smile
I am drawn
By an inkling

 

Image from Pixabay

A slightly modified version of an older poem I did that benefits from the addition I think.

In response to the daily prompt Inkling

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Knights

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For #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 28th, 2018

 

So, again I am coming to this late at night – the only time I seem to get to a keyboard these days. We have been out at parks and constructing trampolines in the back garden.

I am annoyed I haven’t had time for this prompt as it’s right up my street. My current work in progress – a collection of epic (by which I mean very long) poems, includes one titled “Will You Follow the Knight”. This is not in a state to be read yet and anyway, will feature in the upcoming collection.

So once again I am reduced to dipping into my “back catalogue” and there is no surprise that I have a few to choose from!

So I won’t choose – here are a few.

Red Steel

By Scott Bailey © 2013

Blood soaked steel
The sword of a knight
Held up proud
Aloft and bright
He hums to himself

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government
shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”

With banshee scream
He storms on down
To hammer home peace.

Bricks

by Scott Bailey © 2013

Coloured bricks
Red, blue, yellow, white
and many more.

Many shapes
Many sizes
No limits
Many surprises.

Build a fire engine,
A house, a school,
A lake, a park, a city, a town.
A space station and spaceships and an alien host.
A castle,a bridge a knight and a ghost!

All this and more build it all
And never ever build up your wall.

Sky Fight

By Scott Bailey © 2014

Flash in the dark blue sky
Clash of sword and bone
Roar of fire high above
Heaven’s thunderous tone

Samurai meets his nemesis
A dragon of the sky
Golden claw fights silver blade
Above the mountains high

Gods look down with fearful frowns
While people gaze above
Do they fear the fiery jaws
Or the hardened iron glove

The enduring will of the flying knight
Feeds his skilful blade
The ancient wisdom of the drake
Ensures he’ll not be played

Red streaks of fire on velvet sky
Silver streaks cut through
Showers of sparks come raining down
To birth a magic brew

And still the battle blunders on
All over every land
Until the both when both are stilled
By a cold and magic hand

 

It’s not just me – it run’s in the family. Here’s our oldest (from a few years ago) playing knights with some real ones!

 

 

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan

 

 

Movement

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For The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan Daily Prompt, Jan. 27th, 2018

By Scott Bailey © 2018

There is a rising tide
It swells and grows
The recedes
Pauses and grows again
Lapping against the ancient
Castle
The stronghold
Of power
From long ago
Where gold grows
Around the feet
Of the rulers
Seemingly futile
The tide rises
Ebbs and swells
Eating away
Tiny piece by piece
Until one day
The stronghold will fall

Image from Pixabay

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan, #SoCS, SoCS

 

Inscrutable – the Pension Rip Off

Scott Andrew Bailey5 Comments

By Scott Bailey © 2018

Image from Pixabay

There’s an advert running at present (in the UK) for pensions. It shows two of the same person working – with the tagline that having a workplace pension is like having another you working for your future.

If only. Recent history would suggest otherwise. With so many company pensions disappearing into black holes while inscrutable business owners get away with all the cash stashed away in their offshore accounts – you have to stop and question it.

Sure you have to prepare for your future – but it seems like a massive risk. When I started working we paid towards a state pension. But then the government privatised it all – handing it over to the free market. Their argument being that they would not be able to afford to pay out a pension in the future if they did not.

Which begs more questions. Why not – are the government that bad at managing finances? If it’s such a loss-making venture then why the hell would any business take it on?

They just keep inventing ways to screw us out of money. So the image of two of you working is accurate in one way. They can screw you doubly while you work.

In response to the daily prompt Inscrutable

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Address

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

For #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 26th, 2018

Your address
Should be
Where your heart is
Instead
It has become
Your ID
Identifying you for what you are
What you stand for
Your worth
and
And most importantly

The most effective way to
Extract money from you

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan,

 

Trill

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

The trill of birdsong
Echoes down the green valley
Before the ice falls

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Trill

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Prediction

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For #JusJoJan Daily Prompt – January 25th, 2018

 

Brain dead tonight – So I predict I won’t make it to the end of this…

 

 

 

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan,

PS. If you want some predictive Science Fiction – you could always check out -> Mankind Limited 😉

 

Tardy

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

One day
Tardy light
Will throw
All we know
Into darkness
And the scientists
Will begin again
With relish

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Tardy

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Candid

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

Can we be candid?
No
There it is
Politics

Image from Pixabay

In response to the daily prompt Candid

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Liberty

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For JusJoJan 22nd Liberty

By Scott Bailey © 2018

What is liberty
Without chains
How would we know
Freedom
Without bounds
I have worn chains
For far too long
I am ready
To recognise
Liberty

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

 

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan

 

The Accidental Occidental

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For JusJoJan 20th SocS (oc)

A word that starts with “oc”. For some reason – occidental immediately sprung to mind. Followed by this random nonsense.

By Scott Bailey © 2018

 

His mother was a missionary
Who succumbed to forbidden love
She was abandoned and so was he
An orphaned sickly dove

He was always seen as different
Never quite the same
Always outside the circle
Never in the game

With no one to rely on
He learned to keep himself
Learned to get what he needed
Leave nothing on the shelf

He could play the needs of others
Like a bard could play a harp
To get where he was going
His will was cold and sharp

He grew to be a king
Of an unseen empire wide
And nothing could fill the void
That swelled and grew inside

So he used he unrivalled power
To bring down all around
To reduce the home he hated
To debris on the ground

The occidental accident
Happens all time time
So watch out for rising emperors
Who play their tunes sublime

 

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

 

In response to #JusJoJan, JusJoJan

 

Press

Scott Andrew Bailey3 Comments

By Scott Bailey © 2018

The Press will touch all
The raw places to ensure
Peace will not prevail

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #184 Press&Touch

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

Treat

Scott Andrew Bailey2 Comments

By Scott Bailey © 2018

What a treat
What’s a treat
Stuck on the street
Tired feet
Treated like meat
Tired feet
Struck on the street
What’s a treat
What a treat

In response to the daily prompt Treat


#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

Reservation

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

 

You are the land of the free
With your reservations
That shame us all
And teach us
If only you could learn that lesson

In response to the daily prompt Reservation

#DailyPrompt, #amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Testament

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By Scott Bailey © 2018

Deep in the singed earth
Lies the burners testament
And the seeds of life

In response to RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge #182 Singe&Deep

#Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge

 

A Spring of Dreams – Distant Clattering

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Distant Clattering

By Scott Bailey © 2014

A white wedge
Spotted in the corner
Of a run-down shop
Off the track
Joyful memories swell
And from the past
I hear the clattering
Of a metal bowl
Filling with a quarter pound
Of sherbet lemons

IMG_2054
Photo by Scott Bailey

 

A_Spring_of_Dreams_Cover_for_KindleAvailable as

Kindle

or hardback

from Amazon

or CreateSpace

 

 

 

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Last Minute Presents

Scott Andrew Bailey3 Comments

If you are stuck for ideas – here are a few. They are original and different – plus being ebooks they have the advantage of not being hindered by delivery issues 🙂

Mankind Limited

Mankind Limited

Marc trudged on with life, marching in line with his fellow workers. Weighed down by the everyday burdens of life, the pressure to conform, to succeed or face destitution.

Yet he knew, in his heart that it was all wrong, the questions squirmed like fiery dragons in the pit of his heart, beneath his deepest darkest doubts.

Until they grew and burst his sanity, set him on a path of defiance and rebellion. A path that would cross three others – all like him seeking answers.

A path of danger and adventure that would see him marked as a terrorist and fleeing for his life. It would see him find love and heartbreak, hope and despair, Most of all, it would open his eye to the possibility of an ancient and powerful secret that might answer all his doubts and fears.

If he survived.

 

Buy Now

Thirteen Tales

As the title says – thirteen tales about ghosts. Yet, while ghosts feature in them all – not all are traditional ghost stories.

You will find the vengeful spirit but also the plaintiff one. The haunting message from the past and the playful spirits capturing the joy of their past lives.

Some of these visitors from beyond lead the haunted to peace and joy – others take them on much darker paths to places with no return.

Enjoy them – just don’t get too comfortable.

 

Buy Now

A Spring of Dreams

Three hundred and sixty-five poems in all shapes and sizes, sprung from dreams and emotion. Published day after day for a year. There are haiku, sonnets, katauta, lanturnes and many other forms – including free form. The moods are as varied as the forms and often reflect my mood on the day. There is sadness and grief, joy and love.

If nothing else – these can provide a small moment in everyone’s stressful lives to stop and contemplate the world in a different way.

 

Buy Now

 

www.scottandrewbailey.uk

Shroud

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By Scott Bailey © 2017

Silk
Like mist
Flows
Over mounds
And into dells
Following the ebbs
And flows
Shrouding warmth
Falling away
To heaven

#amwriting, #postaday

www.scottandrewbailey.uk