Creative Writing - 24.05.2020

Below are a few short pieces I compiled as part of a free creative writing course with the Spread the Word create-write-connect campaign.  #CreateWriteConnect

Drink it up   

I drink coffee because I’m compelled to drink it.  I make it in the mornings.  I put water into my Brita filter kettle and switch it on.  I sometimes watch the blue light emanating from the kettle while it boils and think about my day ahead.  I pull out my favourite china cup which has butterflies and flowers on it. I add coffee.  I don’t use a spoon, as I just pour it straight from the jar into my cup without measuring.  I use my eyes to roughly judge the right amount. I drop a couple of sweeteners into the cup.  I stopped taking sugar years ago.  Sweeteners are not nice, but nor is coffee without sweeteners.  The kettle boils.  I wait a few seconds before I pour the water over my coffee.  The sweeteners pop and fizz when the hot water hits them.  It makes me wonder what they actually put in these things.  I grab the semi-skimmed milk from the fridge and pour some in.  I like milky coffee but adding more milk makes it lukewarm.  I take my cup of coffee and drink it at my desk.  I end up only drinking half of it and then wonder why I like coffee.

 Finding outside you 

I am stripping doors in my home.  However, there is one door that has around 5 layers of paint and varnish, but I know there is beauty underneath.  Removing these multiple layers with paint stripper is a messy job and takes a lot of elbow grease.  I know the door is of good quality, so there is no use replacing it for the sake of getting something modern and of inferior wood.  The door maybe older than the rest of the house and has seen plenty of history, but it still has plenty of life left in it. Each layer of paint hides life, death, sadness, happiness and hope – just like me.  Stripping away the layers is hard graft, but once removed there is a beautiful beech wood door beneath. 

The Magic box 

I will put in my ottoman 

a packet of extra mature cheddar cheese, 

a disc with the constant sound of the sea, 

a pair of yellow, comfortable socks, 

and the aroma of baking fairy cakes. 

I will put in my ottoman 

an image of my face amongst other faces, 

a canned recording of my joyous laughter, 

a ticket to unlimited hours of blessed sleep, 

and a constant supply of eternal sunshine. 

I will fly away in my ottoman 

through wild storms and ranging heat, 

to an undiscovered, green and pleasant land, 

where I can finally create my own unique peace.

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