My father’s father was born in Surrey in 1893 and after an unremarkable childhood found himself facing a worldwide conflict during his early twenties He did not have any deep religious beliefs but was aware of the futility of war and became a pacifist Nor did he want to lay his life down because of […]

About five years ago I moved To a pleasant French town I needed space to write My small house is not far from Nantes It was badly damaged during the war And still shows minor scars I have a photograph of my house Taken during those terrible years Which shows a town cross opposite Sadly […]

I had not really seen a December sky such as this It was a red pink blush sunset sleeping on the clouds In my bag I was carrying some front of house stills I intended to show them to Sonia who was my sisters best friend I had met her before but it was only […]

I live on the forgotten side Of the lighthouse It faces away from the sea Sonia the wonder mother Often smokes there on warm evenings Her choice is Seville I do not approve of her smoking But admire the patterns Of the smoke shadows Black blue and grey

About six miles from the lighthouse There is an artificial lake It was created in the eighteenth century By damming a river that ran into the sea Although it cannot be seen from the road There is small summer house painted jade For many years before the war It was used by silent monks I […]

What did you so in the war Daddy What war The war when all the traitors Were hung from London Bridge Did you hang many traitors Thousands but we misunderstood our orders Really what happened We were supposed to decapitate the traitors After they were hung And then put their heads on spikes As a […]

Do you not realise what you have done With all your sly digs and jokes Sidney Saxon has jumped Under the Bromley Stopper Why did it not live up to its name Then we would not be having this conversation You have to see that some people are different from you What did you so […]

A small white coffin Drifted by The river was swollen

As I walked across the Thames this morning I noted the heads of the Prime Minister And senior members of his cabinet Being displayed on Poles Jesus What Do you agree that Polish people Are some of the most attractive in Europe Yes with the possible exception of the French Ingenue People from Poland are […]

What irritates me about you Is your lack of spontaneity You consider yourself A spontaneous creature Which you are not You are nothing Just a lump of nothingness In an infinite universe I apologise if my words have hurt you But this is how I feel Victoria x