I’m not very good at drawing. I can get by, but it’s not exactly my strong point. That being the case, to be able to look back and say, “I won a prize for my artwork,” is quite an achievement.Admittedly, it wasn’t a huge competition that provided me with my moment of glory - “Life Drawing from Nature,” 7 - 10 years category, at the local country fete, to be exact. The prizes on offer were numbered rosettes plus horse ridi...

I do dwell too often on the pastabout things I had no control If I told all it would likely flabbergastthese memories from so long ago I am ashamed when being askedof the things that happened then Forced so young to grow up far too fastmy childhood stolen way back when Did I deserve to be lashed and trashedwhipped mercilessly told I was stupid Was I an evil child needing to be outcastfor my thoughts and my curiosities Alw...

In my dreams last night I found myself sitting at the dining room table. Like so many times years ago, my report card spread open on the table in front of you. Your fingers again grasping my dreadlocks, tightening more and more as you continued your verbal assault. I could feel the sting in my scalp as you tightened more and pulled harder, trying to lift me from the chair I was sitting in. This is not the first time. Why...

“Your father loves you.” My mother spoke for him, but he didn’t look up from his work, nor smiled. I never could understand what he was doing after dinner when occupied at the kitchen table in the evening. I assumed that it had something to do with his underpaid job as an operations manager of a grocery warehouse; second in command. Beermans were always second in charge. An uncle was assistant police chief and another unc...

I have read and reread stories I have written, Of people and of places that once had meaning.It seems as though there is a disconnectAs I can no longer feel the emotion in those moments. But I have kept a track record of every hill I've crossed,I have pages and pages of tear streaked memoriesEmbedded innuendos and unanswered pleas.A child to a woman in the blink of an eye. I look at my life and I often question my intenti...

When I was small: My mom looked out the kitchen window at the Mission Mountains. “They are so large today. The Sheep’s Head is so amazing. Pumpkin, come here.” She lifted me to the window. I saw snow. She pointed. “Do you see the Sheep’s Head?” she said. I saw some sticks that looked a little like antlers. “It’s over there, the horns curl, see,” she said. “I can’t see any sheep,” I said. “It’s there,” she was so emphatic...

"It's not what it looks like," he said, confused at the anguished face of Doria. He had bought her a T-shirt as Christmas present that read "Lovable Friend". Perhaps she has taken it wrong because of the word "love", thought Nick. How could Nick be so unkind, thought Doria. He knows after seeing my Mommy dead in a red dress, I hate red. "You are so mean" she said, throwing the present away, leaving Nick teary-eyed. 17 yea...

It is a windswept house; yetstill. The windowless walls areimpenetrable;the lone tenantdoesn’t botherto try thedoor, any more than she wouldaim a cameraat the skyto make sure it’s there. She has grown soused to this placeshe can remember no other; nordoes she want to. She does not hate the darkness, but turning off thelight would be like murdering thesun. When she stands nakedin front of hermirrorshe trembles withdesire,y...

As a child she was always the fat kid the one everyone always made fun of. The one who tried to show kindness and empathy but all it got her was hurt. At age 5 tried defending herself from a peer and got the cane at school and the belt at home so learnt that it was wrong. At 13 told she was stupid and couldn’t so learnt not to try At 15 had a crush and tried to catch their attention but learnt she was ugly and boys just d...

Standing outside the curio shop looking through the display window, Tanya watched the woman standing at the counter inside. She had sad eyes. She wondered what had happened in the woman’s life to make her look this way. Tanya could almost feel the sadness herself just by looking at her.. She took her eyes off the sad woman and looked in the display window and a child’s miniature china tea set caught her eye. Tiny white pl...

You've been playing outside in the snow for the past half hour, and even with the gloves on your hands, they are frozen, and so's the rest of you. Your dad opens the door and you rush inside to find a slightly steaming bowl of Alphabet soup! Your mother smiles as you giggle, looking through the letters, trying to make your name, Laura. You finally do so and point to it for everyone to see- even the baby brother in your mo...

The toddler in diapers was screaming at the door of the cheap white trailer-house. "I think his diapers need changed." My mom looked across the street with concern. We were digging worms from the front flowerbed, a flowerbed that didn't grow anything, so that we could go fishing. The kid kept screaming at the door. It made my mom uncomfortable, but I didn't care. A few weeks later my mom and I were unloading a pickup truc...

***I want to add something, as an edit, because it has been brought to my attention by a friend on here that this prose-poem could be taken badly. I do not mean, at all that people with manic depression (bipolar disorder) are bad people or should be held accountable for, or punished for, their actions while off meds. I realize it is not their fault. The child in this prose-poem, however, is in the five to ten age range (I...

My name is Mindy. I'm five years old. My hair is long and brown. I live with my mommy. She says my hair is pretty. She says I'm pretty, too. My mommy has to work a lot. I miss her but I get to stay with my Meme. My Meme is very old. Mommy is old too, but not as old as Meme. Meme says she was a young girl once. I can hardly believe that. But I always believe my Meme, and I love to stay with Meme because we cook together an...

If my mother were still alive she would be 92 years old, twenty-six years my senior. Every Mother’s Day I fondly remember how well she took care of me. How she cooked and vacuumed and did my laundry and so many other things to keep our household going. If she were still alive I would be doing everything within my power to make sure that we lived together as long as she could still do those basic household chores.It’s funn...