2021
Pieces from 2021.
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Leaves Falling Away
They never saw me coming: that was the nature of my work. They did not hear the shriek of my craft tearing past their position, nor the roar of the missile volley I fired at their satellite. Sound does not travel in space, but rockets do. I wondered what those final moments looked like. What Continue reading
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To the Bereaved
Only twice in my life have I met someone like you. Twice, I foolishly thought I might be able to provide some kind of comfort or peace. Twice, I was reminded that I am still but a child: powerless, lost, and afraid. Twice, I was guided back by you. Speaking to someone experiencing profound sorrow Continue reading
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Troubles
Though I am an old man now, ‘The Troubles’ is still my life. Derry is where I was born, and Derry is where I will die. Derry has bled enough for a lifetime. When my granddaughter last visited, I took her for a stroll around the city. She’s a curious thing, that girl, and already Continue reading
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Sediment
The town slept in a valley beneath a twinkling sky. The mountains stood stalwart and still, and only a single gust of wind blew down their rocky slopes, carrying the invisible blanket to swathe the night in silence. The crickets did not chirp, the frogs did not croak, the birds did not sing; the earth Continue reading