http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress Extraordinary Stories from Ordinary People Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:56:57 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en We're stuck in the hinterland, The twilight zone between light and dark, Neither fully here nor there, Walking on eggshells, broken glass, Toward the wire, the finish line. And no way back or out, With every night upon a bed of nails, The threat ahead each day, the promise glimpsed, The undiscovered country out of sight.   The sun still ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/03/07/no-mans-land/ The air in the car is so cold it hurts my face; the heater will take a while to warm it up. We sit huddled side by side, waiting. I drive through grey streets, past grey houses and grey people, in grey drizzle. Everything is grey – my heart is ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/22/radiotherapy/ This tribute is for the women who find themselves in a place they don't want to be , doing a job they don't want to do, and see no way out. *** Last Sunday I met you, unknown before then It was Valentine's day , I came with a friend, With cards and with ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/21/tribute/ I was rushing to catch the last post And came across the fallen On the battlefields of the high street Such a strange way to leave To say goodbye to all that A strangers breath invading the Most intimate of spaces An assailants hands cracking cartilage Playing an inaccurate karaoke tune Like a clumsy glockenspiel on his chest Reluctant ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/21/the-last-post/ One day when we were not expecting it, the man in black appeared on the horizon.  We all stared at him, appalled - a portent of doom.  He was far enough away that we couldn't really make out his features... except for the glinting black eyes.  Is he moving towards ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/21/the-man-in-black/   A hop skip and 7 hour plane ride from the heart of the Far East is Sydney. Having recently arrived in Singapore from London and thrown into the deep end at work ( note to self: the rigorous life of a lawyer is pretty much a constant wherever in the ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/21/an-insiders-guide-to-sydney/ To my Dad   The world seems a poorer place without you ...   Seems to miss your lovely smile The kindest heart I ever knew, and your gentle spirit.   It seems wrong to me for spring to appear flowers to grow in the gardens again.   Winter, the long dreary winter somehow felt right...   All the world - bleak, grey cold and barren Trees were bare and stark because ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/19/to-my-dad/ Three years looking at the wall. My wall, my beautiful wall! The wall of our barn outside my bedroom window. I was lying in my bed, long endless, pain-filled days and nights; cold, oh so cold; electric blankets keeping the frozen hand of death at bay - just! Looking in the mirrow ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/18/the-wall/ A little late for Valentine's Day: (To my husband for our 25th wedding anniversary 23 March)   Love is:     loving you   even when I feel   'mad at you'     holding in tension love and annoyance loyalty and disagreements   pushing through difficulties, irritations   without disgarding the love or the commitment that brought us together   being first to say 'I'm sorry.'   being intensely disturbed when strife gets in   being able to back down and say 'I was ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/17/love-is/   “I’m leaving! I’ve had enough! I don’t love you any more!  The blazing, hate-filled words were said. I walked out, slamming the front door behind me.   Later we argued into the night, turning our backs in the cold bed, lying as far apart as we could. A few hours restless sleep, ... http://www.storiesfromthestreet.com/wordpress/2010/02/16/spring-comes-again/