Autumn Evening on Summer Lane – Photo by Paul Brookes

PEOPLE OF A SENSITIVE NATURE ARE ADVISED THAT THE FOLLOWING EXTRACTS EXPLORE FAMILY DYSFUNCTION AND ABUSE ISSUE

Zero Gravity

Gayle J. Greenlea

Excerpt for 6 November, 2021

<chapter> Two continued

        Ryan surveyed Owen’s sanctuary in mild disgust. How could anyone stand all this cat hair?  A wad of fluff drifted on a shaft of afternoon sun. Ryan swatted it away. He was not a cat person. It was one of the reasons Banjo lived with Hilary’s ex-husband Owen instead of with her. Christ, Owen. Your place looks like a demo for IKEA. Faux leather lounge, modest dining room set, bookshelves, desk and mini-bar rose like stalks from pale wheat-coloured wool carpet. Ryan crossed ten feet to a CD rack loaded with metal, grunge, jazz, indie, blues, and new folk. He grabbed David Wilcox and threw the plastic jacket onto the lounge. Inserting the disc into the CD player, he helped himself to a full finger of whisky from the mini-bar. Banjo blinked from under the bed in the next room, silently observing the interloper.
        Dulcet melody and characteristically clever Wilcox lyrics reverberated from Owen’s Bosch speakers. Ryan settled comfortably into a worn leather armchair, propping feet clad in Italian leather boots on the coffee table. Not long and Owen would be home. And by God, he would have answers.

-Gayle J. Greenlea

YOU’RE THE DEAD TO ME

First week – Missing – Day Six

Tree says to dead leaf.
“I do not remember you.”
Dead leaf crumples up

-Paul Brookes

Bios and Links

-Gayle J. Greenlea

is an American-Australian poet and counselor for survivors of sexual and gender-related violence. Her poem, Wonderland”, received the Australian Poetry Prod Award in 2011. She shortlisted and longlisted for the Fish Poetry Prize in 2013, and debuted her first novel, Zero Gravity, at the KGB Literary Bar in Manhattan in 2016. Her work has been published in St. Julian Press, Rebelle Society, A Time to Speak, Headline Poetry and Press, The Wombwell Rainbow, Fevers of the Mind, Kalonopia and The Australian Health Review.

Autumn Leaves photo by Paul Brookes

PEOPLE OF A SENSITIVE NATURE ARE ADVISED THAT THE FOLLOWING EXTRACTS EXPLORE FAMILY DYSFUNCTION AND ABUSE ISSUES

Zero Gravity

Gayle J. Greenlea

Excerpt for 5 November, 2021

<chapter> Two

In a Darlinghurst apartment across town, Banjo perched in the window seat, eying traffic three stories down. He stretched his legs and pressed his forehead to the glass. A key jiggled the lock in the front door. The cat’s ears twitched to attention. The door opened and a trousered leg slipped through. Banjo snarled and shot out of the window to take cover under the bed. He watched the door ease shut as the stranger came into the room. 
        Ryan entered with the gait of the over-confident, dropping keys next to the potted plant by the window. He’d always been cocky, proud of good genes that gifted him with height and broad shoulders, prominent cheekbones and the dark curls he habitually pushed back from his forehead in his one unconscious gesture. All else was deliberate affectation. He was the rich kid who’d spent his fortune but not the entitlement…

-Gayle J.Greenlea

YOU’RE THE DEAD TO ME

First week – Missing – Day Five

Dead leaf says to tree.

“I will make a life away.

Join the discarded.”

-Paul Brookes

Bios And Links

-Gayle J. Greenlea

is an American-Australian poet and counselor for survivors of sexual and gender-related violence. Her poem, Wonderland”, received the Australian Poetry Prod Award in 2011. She shortlisted and longlisted for the Fish Poetry Prize in 2013, and debuted her first novel, Zero Gravity, at the KGB Literary Bar in Manhattan in 2016. Her work has been published in St. Julian Press, Rebelle Society, A Time to Speak, Headline Poetry and Press, The Wombwell Rainbow, Fevers of the Mind, Kalonopia and The Australian Health Review.

Photo of Wombwell on autumn night by Paul Brookes

Respite for Noel

Today you would have been eighty-nine,
the same age as your sister-in-law,
two years behind your wife.
Would you have seen the sunshine
over the Teign gorge, or the autumn colours
at Killerton? Or even gone out to dinner
at midday, which you still called lunch,
drunk your one glass of red wine –
French, Italian, Spanish, you wouldn’t mind,
preferring a coffee to a second glass.
The Black Horse would still be open
on the day before Bonfire Night,
the last before another lockdown,
while we wait to hear how America voted.
I can’t help but be glad that you were spared
the ordeals of frailty, deprivations, bad news,
happy memories of other birthdays
that could not be re-lived.

-Peter Donnelly

November 5th

I’m not taking my heart out tonight, no,
letting it stay in. With the fireworks
and everything, keeping it away some.
Find a quiet nook, with a little snack
in a bowl, bit of comfort food, yes. Yes,
I’m going out, celebrate, empty sleeve,
not so inebriate – wouldn’t want to
leave it on its own mostly, wouldn’t want…

Truth is, I’m not so good at looking after it,
wouldn’t have it if I hadn’t been left with it,
very demanding, quiet often, when it does
play, usually it’s me ending up having a cry…

So I’m not letting my heart out tonight
with the fireworks, leave it in tonight.

-Math Jones

Bios And Links

-Peter J Donnelly

lives in York where he works as a hospital secretary. He has a degree in English and an MA in Creative Writing from Lampeter University. He has been published in various magazines and anthologies, including Dreich, in which the attached poem previously appeared. He recently won second prize in the Ripon Poetry Festival competition.

-Math Jones

is London-born, but is now based in Oxford. He has two books published: Sabrina Bridge, a poetry collection, from Black Pear Press (2017), and The Knotsman, a collection of verse, rhyme, prose and poetic monologue, which tell of the life and times of a C17th cunning-man. Much of his verse comes out of mythology and folklore: encounters with the uncanny and unseen. Also, as words written for Pagan ritual or as praise poems for a multitude of goddesses and gods. He is a trained actor and performs his poems widely.

PEOPLE OF A SENSITIVE NATURE ARE ADVISED THAT THE FOLLOWING EXTRACTS EXPLORE FAMILY DYSFUNCTION AND ABUSE ISSUE

Zero Gravity

Gayle J. Greenlea

Excerpt for 4 November, 2021

<chapter> One continued

         Ryan’s voice: “You love me, don’t you? Trust me.” The wave broke. Siobhan, hellcat in corset and black stockings, blonde hair falling around shoulders flushed with alcohol and the thrill of transgression, swayed on a forbidden precipice. Hilary’s body tingled with the electricity of blood rushing back into a limb numb from sleep. Siobhan sliding under the sheets,

indigo eyes slanted in the same mocking gaze she’d telegraphed across Hilary’s life passages since they were old enough to compete – subterranean resentment quaking through birthdays, graduation, journalism awards and her wedding day.
         Two betrayals; no, three. She could not blame Siobhan and Ryan without pointing a finger at herself. And that was the most grievous betrayal of all.
         “Fucking hell!” No matter how far from the past she thought she’d travelled, she always arrived back at the same place. As the big sister, it would be up to her to swallow her pride and pick up the pieces once again.
         A familiar black hole splayed wide old scars. On the outer rim of consciousness, there was that other sister: the one who was more lost than either Hilary or Siobhan. 

-Gayle J. Greenlea

YOU’RE THE DEAD TO ME

First week – Missing – Day Four

Tree says to dead leaf

“You had to go for my sake.

I would not prosper.”

-Paul Brookes

Bios And Links

-Gayle J. Greenlea

is an American-Australian poet and counselor for survivors of sexual and gender-related violence. Her poem, Wonderland”, received the Australian Poetry Prod Award in 2011. She shortlisted and longlisted for the Fish Poetry Prize in 2013, and debuted her first novel, Zero Gravity, at the KGB Literary Bar in Manhattan in 2016. Her work has been published in St. Julian Press, Rebelle Society, A Time to Speak, Headline Poetry and Press, The Wombwell Rainbow, Fevers of the Mind, Kalonopia and The Australian Health Review.

PEOPLE OF A SENSITIVE NATURE ARE ADVISED THAT THE FOLLOWING EXTRACTS EXPLORE FAMILY DYSFUNCTION AND ABUSE ISSUES

Zero Gravity

Gayle J. Greenlea

Excerpt for 3 November, 2021

<chapter> One continued

          Hilary peeled off stale clothes and stepped into the shower, turning the pressure on high. Warm streams needled her out of her stupor. She soaped and scrubbed hard, soothing herself with thoughts of steamed milk foaming over the rich espresso she would order from the café at the end of the street. Unwelcome flashes came anyway: soft feminine lips pressing against her own, muscled masculine hips thrusting against her belly – no, not her belly – Siobhan’s. She scrambled out of the shower, bent double over the toilet and heaved the contents of her stomach. Ryan’s lips on Siobhan’s. Ryan’s hands on her sister’s breasts, stroking and teasing pink nipples. Ryan’s mouth tasting flesh that wasn’t hers. And her own hands arousing two bodies. She retched again, though there was nothing left to disgorge. She rinsed her mouth and stumbled back to bed, throwing herself on top of the rumpled sheets. Holy hell, what had happened last night?

-Gayle J. Greenlea

Born by Light
Born in Light
Born as ordained
With partial knowledge
With physical embodiment
Different from unknown expectations

Unknown visions then,unknown hatred
unknown love,unknown joys,sufferings
What epic freedom I seek?

If man is born free, what about woman?
Not born without man,but equal from the rib
neither high nor low, but equal-
Who then said weak? or frailty thy name is woman?
No frailty was ever a characteristic of one so fair-
Still what freedom do I seek?

Of history of past, of sacred of holy
respect regard honor hope and beauty
adornments blessings but ordained to cover
In cover is the honor,in cover is no slavery
Yet,fettered I feel
Disregarded I am
Ignored I stand
Abused I suffer
Shouted at I bleed
Raped, I die-
What epic freedom do I seek?

-Anjum Wasim Dar

YOU’RE THE DEAD TO ME

First week – Beginnings – Day Three:

Dead leaf says to tree

“Did I leave or was I pushed?”

Natural process.

-Paul Brookes

Bios And Links

-Gayle J. Greenlea

is an American-Australian poet and counselor for survivors of sexual and gender-related violence. Her poem, Wonderland”, received the Australian Poetry Prod Award in 2011. She shortlisted and longlisted for the Fish Poetry Prize in 2013, and debuted her first novel, Zero Gravity, at the KGB Literary Bar in Manhattan in 2016. Her work has been published in St. Julian Press, Rebelle Society, A Time to Speak, Headline Poetry and Press, The Wombwell Rainbow, Fevers of the Mind, Kalonopia and The Australian Health Review.

-Anjum Wasim Dar

Born in Srinagar (Indian Occupied )Kashmir, Migrant Pakistani. Educated at St Anne’s Presentation Convent Rawalpindi. MA in English MA in History ( Ancient Indo-Pak Elective) CPE Cert. of Proficiency in English Cambridge UK. -Dip. TEFL AIOU Open Uni. Islamabad Pakistan. Writing poems articles and stories since 1980.Published Poet. Awarded Poet of Merit Bronze Medal 2000 USA .Worked as Creative Writer Teacher Trainer. Educational Consultant by Profession. Published http://Poet.Author of 3 Adventure Novels (Series) 7 Times Winner NANOWRIMO 2011- 2019.