Yorkshire Writers' Lunch

Loutro, on the island of Crete, is only accessible by ferryboat (from Sfakia, half an hour along the coast) making it an ideal place for a writing retreat. I travelled there in hope of making headway with a novel which had become stuck at the two-thirds point. The environment, the tavernas, the tutor Lucy Christopher , and my retreat companions worked some magic. The cloud of stuckness started to pour words like heavy rain after a dry spell.  These poems also appeared, one under a tree on long hot walk, the other on the balcony of my room after a long hot night. On the hill above Loutro On the hill above Loutro a blind Venetian ruin guards the trade of ghost ships. A rock to sweat and breathe solitary shade lonely olive tree. But not alone. Goat shapes to scarper downgrades the threat decides to share my pool of cool. His settling starts a song, top line soft clang ripple. Cicadas drive the rhythm, bass, the breeze in my ears. On drums, th...

Kettle boils, toaster clicks, butter knife scrapes over toast …the eight o’clock news on Friday the 9 th of May… A dog barks outside …the Jonny Cantrell breakfast show...remember this one from 1982… Phone rings Williamson…at last…have you got the package? Yes, I’ve got it this time No more cock ups... be at The Forge at nine…this is your last chance Rummaging in drawer, rustle of paper and plastic bag Clatter of plates in sink…click of light switch…alarm beeps… door slams …tyres swish…horns sound…pedestrian crossing beeps Your ticket sir - thank you The train approaching platform 4 is the 8:20 to … Doors swish open, doors close …and if you see anything suspicious speak to the guard or contact the British Transport Police on… The next station stop in approximately five minutes time will be… Please retain your tickets as ticket barriers are in operation at this station Doors swish open Mind where you’re walking! Clank of lift descending, doors open...

It was sundown outside The Golden Horseshoe. Everything was eerily silent. There was no sign of anyone. The town was empty, shut like a ghost town. Tumbleweed blew down Main Street. The wind rattled the shutters. I told Bonnie to stay back. I stepped into the street armed and ready. Where was everyone? There was no sign of a body, living or dead, anywhere.  “Hello?” I called, “I know you’re there.” A man stepped out from the shadows. The brim of his Stetson was pulled down low. He was covered in dust and had a thick stubbled jaw. He sneered, pulled a pistol out from his holster and aimed it at me. “James?” I asked. “Is that you? I thought you were dead. Are you James Lennox?” The man walked slowly towards me. All of my instincts told me to back away but I stayed fixed to the spot.  “James. I’m Cal Samuels, your folks hired me to find you. They’re real worried about you. I can take you back to Philly. Why don’t you put the gun down and come with me? You can trust me,...

“Wait!” Hannah shouted. “I know Billy can be a hot headed fool Aunt, but he does have good in him. Good that a wife could nurture, anyhow,” she said, pulling out a ring attached to a delicate chain around her neck.  “Hannah!” Mrs Taylor shouted “Are you married?” “No, not yet Mother, but we are engaged. Please Aunt Margaret, give him a chance? You did say you’d do anything for your family?”  Aunt Margaret paused then nodded and sat down.  “You’d best be careful girl,” she said to Hannah, “if you lie down with rattlesnakes, you’re gonna get bit.” Hannah looked annoyed but didn’t reply. It went quiet and I could hear Bonnie wailing upstairs. She called for her mother who met her on the landing then came over to me. “Bonnie wants you to read this letter, she said it would explain everything.” I looked across at Hannah and Aunt Margaret and they seemed curious but Mrs Taylor took charge. “Read it upstairs in the parlour, you’ll be able to think up there. Bonnie’s c...

“I think he got out” I blurted, before wondering if that was the right thing to say. “Think? You don’t know?” “Well, a group of men got out, I don’t know if he was one of them.” Bonnie cast her eyes down. “Where did they go?” “I’m so sorry, Bonnie, I didn’t see where they went.” She looked crestfallen. I couldn’t help myself, reaching out to take her hand. She flinched and moved away. “I need to get back to Ma”, she muttered. “Want a lift back to town?” I nodded gratefully and clambered onto the wagon. When we pulled up Bonnie rushed into the bar before I could even get down. I followed her in, where she was already in deep, urgent discussions with Ma. I stood there like a spare wheel, wondering how to help. Hannah burst in. “Is he alive?” Bonnie glared at me. “He don’t know. Said there was a group of fellas got out, but ran off.” She seemed hysterical, and Hannah stood in front of her. “Calm down gal, we’ll find ‘im.” “No, he’s gone, he’s left me!” Hannah slapped her hard. “You ...