Walsall Writers' Circle held their first meeting of 2019/20 on the evening of Thursday 12th September. The meeting was a fun workshop, 'Judge a book by its cover,' where the group used a number of book covers from across a range of genres to inspire a short piece of writing. During the session, members produced some excellent pieces of writing, whether crime, horror, ghostly, fantasy or comic (or a combination of all five!) which can then be developed into a short story, novel or poem. The Circle's next meeting (Thursday 10th October) will be a talk on travel writing, led by members of the group. This will also inspire members for a non-fiction writing competition to be held later in the programme, entitled 'a memorable journey.' The group meet at Walsall College Hub on the second Thursday of each month (except August) at 7.30-9.30pm. Email: Walsall.writerscircle@hotmail.co.uk
The Keeper
Hunched over his stick, Gnomelike, the keeper sits
On the upturned garden kneeler.
No traditional fairy attire for him
But a black plastic helmet
And luminous vest.
Shin guards and knee pads
Envelop brawny hirsute legs
Exposed by short shorts.
Abruptly he stands and lunges,
Then slaloms through the cones
His roller skates bumping and jerking
Over the pot-holed layby.
He strikes and an orange puck
Thwacks into a netting maw.
Hockey stick aloft and oblivious
The victor accepts silent acclaim
From his unseen opponents.
Then he returns to his lonely vigil
Watching for the last bus to come,
Deposit its load and depart.
The keeper of the pucks and cones
Arranges them deftly before
Retiring from his post.
