Trichophagia

 

I munch on the strands,

flicking the fibres between gapped

tooth. Tasting conditioner and breath

 

embedded in each split end, my mind

flips back to curling chubby fingers

around mum’s blonde braid.

 

Whether up or down, she always kept

a few flicks by her cheek, softening

her jawline, making her look like an angel.

 

In hamster cheeks I store hair in clumps,

wound like wool, knitting over tongue

and uvula. Hacking through forests

 

of auburn curls I build a nest deep

down in my stomach. There, I will curl

up in the warmth of my mother.

 

 

A Break…Now Back Into It

Wow. It’s been a long time since I viewed this site, never mind write anything on it.

Here’s the update on me.

So I finished University and came out with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Creative Writing and English Language. I don’t know how I managed that but I was (am) super proud. I even managed to secure a job working for an Arts and Events team in local and national newspapers. The only problem with that was working 40 hours a week in front of a computer with two kids waiting at home. It left me little time for the ‘good’ writing. The ‘fun’ writing!

So, I left there after 6 months (shortest job ever) to work in care as a support worker. I’ve been doing this for the last two years and I have never been happier. It’s the best job in the world.

The plan was to pick up with my writing again, but I didn’t. I sat my large posterior in front of the TV each night watching Supernatural, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Once Upon A Time and other getaway shows. When I wasn’t stuck in a vegetative state in front of the TV, I was lost in my books of course. The need to read overtaking my desire to write. Such is life.

But these past few weeks the urge is coming back. I haven’t been totally out of it. I’ve still attended the odd open mic night and I am now the Chair of York Writers. So I’m not completely out of the loop. But I’m weaving my way back into that circle as we speak.

I have written a few bits here and there so I’ll flick through them and see what I’m willing to show you. They’re mainly work in progress at the moment, but watch this space…I’m coming home!

Cake Day

Here is a new poem, still in its infancy as it is a first draft.

Would love to know what you guys think!

 

Cake Day

 

Grandma used to say

everyday above ground is

a cake day.

 

I never understood

the saying until now, sat

in the second pew

 

watching lilies tremble

by candlelight. She often

came up with wacky sayings.

 

I’d shrug them off, thinking

her daft in her old age, strange ways.

 

She always kept her helmet

on the kitchen table, next to

a china teapot. One of the few

 

oldies I knew who wore jeans,

her tattoo would peek out from under

the sleeve of her cardigan.

 

They served cake at the wake. Carrot,

her favourite. I tuck into the frosting

and spice, think of her, up there,

 

looking down on me stuffing

my face, smothering myself

in life. Having another cake day.

 

 

 

Dissertation Disaster?

I guess you could say it’s all gone to pot a little. Work on my dissertation is moving along ever so slowly and I really should be picking up the pace. I went from wrestling with a creative non-fiction book to turning it into a historical novel. What a switch!

 

It’s not that I don’t want to write the non-fiction book, and I like to think that I will actually write it. It’s just the deadline for my dissertation is in May and I need to get words on paper. It seems writing fiction comes more naturally to me. This could be down to the fact I read so little non-fiction and maybe I should change this if I am going to write a non-fiction book.

 

Can ya guess what it is yet?

These are a few of the books I am submerging myself in at the moment which may give you a clue as to what I am writing about. I like to keep the mystery a little so I won’t divulge my idea completely but I am sure some of my readers might be able to guess (or if you know me, you probably know the subject area anyway).

 

 

So as well as writing this dissertation I am also getting involved in other creative projects too. I have recently been appointed the Secretary for York Writers which is a local writing group who meet up once/twice a month and share their work, enjoy listening to guest speakers and sometimes engage in workshops. I have also just co-edited the poetry for Indigo Rising UK and that was fun. I enjoyed reading such a mix of poetry, a lot of which was excellent. Issue three will be released very soon so I will keep you posted.

 

So all in all it’s been a busy start to the year. I haven’t written half as much as I would have liked but I plan to make sure I set aside time in the week to get things down on paper or to work on this novel. The kids can fend for themselves…right?

Pygmy Giant

I am proud to have my piece of Flash Fiction ‘Pebble’ published by Pygmy Giant.

I wrote this piece during a workshop with Nicholas Royle, who edits the great ‘Best British Short Stories’ collections, published by Salt. So I should really credit his inspiration too. Thank you.

Hope you enjoy.

http://thepygmygiant.com/2013/01/29/pebble/

 

99fiction

I have come across a great website called 99fiction where the editor publishes mini flash fiction pieces and short poetry of 99 words or less.

It has been fun trying to make my writing concise enough to fit the criteria and is something that, I think, every writer should try.

They have kindly published two of my pieces over the past few weeks.

Take My Picture http://99fiction.tumblr.com/post/39231820288/take-my-picture-by-vicki-bartram

and

Bruise http://99fiction.tumblr.com/post/40014174636/bruise-by-vicki-bartram

 

I’d love it if you would have a wander over there and check them out. There are some really good creepy pieces on the site too. Have a read of this little gem *shudders* http://99fiction.tumblr.com/post/33829769777/lips-by-david-hartley

 

Thanks 🙂

 

The English Chicago Review

I am extremely honoured to have my poem, School Run, appear in the first ever edition of The English Chicago Review alongside some amazing poets like Amy Audebert, Ian Parks, Antony Dunn and Jem Jem Henderson!

If you would like to pre-order a copy you can do so via this link: http://englishchicagoreview.blogspot.co.uk/p/current-issue.html

Many thanks to Ashley Fisher (editor) for his kind support.

You can also check out his other publication, Turbulence, via this link: http://www.turbulencepoetry.blogspot.co.uk/

 

 

 

T’is the season to be sparkly

I feel I can officially say it now…

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

I am surrounded by fairy lights and sparkle as that is my kind of Christmas.

Some enjoy the traditional festive décor with greenery and red ribbons hanging round the mantelpiece. A slight shimmer of gold might give a soft glow next to an advent candle. There may even be dried circles of orange hung from the tree alongside simple white lights and pinecones.

Others prefer a more uniform Christmas with a colour theme that ties in nicely with the existing décor of the room. In the corner of the room stands a white tree, white to fully show off the colour displays; silver and blue, or silver and pink, or gold and red, or maybe gold and silver (no harm in a bit of bling at Christmas).

Me? Give me full on colour! I want red, green, pink, purple, silver, blue, orange. Yes, if it’s in the rainbow and beyond then put it in my room.

I will be honest, I do tend to sway towards the cooler end of the colour spectrum with purple, blue and pink taking pride of place but I’ll chuck a bit of anything in to make the living room festive and fun for the kids.

I like things to be bright at Christmas and I think it’s because I find my creativity tends to come forth more at this time of year. The lights have to shine with the intensity of this tree I saw at Centerparcs earlier this year.

Though in a single colour it really sparked off my excitement for Christmas and finally having the time away from Uni to write what I want to write.

I don’t tend to write ‘happy’ at Christmas though, despite my bubbling burst of excitement at this time of year. It’s almost like I need to balance out my extreme happiness with a little of that shadow that lurks in the deepest corners of our minds.

Lines like;

On calm days she’d stay inside as the river

slid by, mourning the torrents of rain

yet to clag the banks in clods of mud.

and;

I never flinched

at your words, or fist. The quilt

mountained around us as silk

 

both taken from new poems I have written recently reflect the happiness I am feeling inside simply due to the fact that they are of a sombre tone.

How do you reflect your emotions through your writing? Do you write the opposite of what you feel or do you prefer to feel that emotion at the time and get it down on paper? Maybe it’s a bit of both?

Why not pop by the comment box and share? I’d love to hear your views.

Carrion Kisses

I should’ve seen the black

dirt under your fingernails,

or smelt the perfume lingering

at your neck.

 

But your elbow, touching mine as we sat watching Countdown, kept you hidden in my laugh, in the twinkle of a sigh.

 

You came home late once,

brought me roses. Every

kiss a kitten-scratch on my

cheek, piercing, reddening.

 

But your fingers, lacing mine as we walked through the museum, quoting Shakespeare and Keats, made me smile through a cry.

 

You’d bite blood oranges through

their flesh, peel back the rind

like the skin from my lips, sucking

rubies between your gap-tooth.

 

But your scent, clouding me as we lay on sticky sheets at 4am, got caught on my tongue. I forgot the black eye.

 

Published by Turbulence Magazine: Issue 10

http://www.turbulencepoetry.blogspot.co.uk/

Olympic Torch Poetry

It’s been and gone, but the warmth of the event still lingers round the streets of York.

Here is the poetry that was tweeted during the York Torch Run 2012.

http://yorkstories2012.com/2012/06/york-torch-tweets-the-build-up/

http://yorkstories2012.com/2012/06/york-olympic-torch-relay-twitter-poems-along-the-way/#more–

Enjoy!