Scratches jotted on car door handles - Steve Coel

Trading Places

Steve Coel

Scratches jotted on car door handles

Steve Coel

You walks ahead

so you can 

keep an eye

on his back.

Even now,

now when you's

both been outside

6 months.

And you's 

still wearing

trademark greys

with parallel pockets

and your newest clasp,

like all bad habits,

is difficult

to break.

Of course we sees

your interesting walk

straightaway.

Looks like

you's both walking

at the same pace.

But you isn't.

Is trick

you needs to learn

and practice.

Brings unneeded attention

if you looks

like you's running.

Which you is really.

Even so, you's brave.

Got to be round this way.

Thing is

you's both got to try

harder to stop

being this stupid.

Although, fair does,

everyone knows

two heads is better than one.

So well done there.

Is clear peoples got 

to break you up 

if they's going

to get better deal 

than you.

And that's 

how it always starts. 

Always.

Takes three

to break two

and four

to break three

and so on.

Is how wars start.

So: twos

easier to deal with.

Trust like.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Cracked Smile - Steve Coel

Trading Places

Steve Coel

Cracked Smile

Steve Coel

Like 

two coins

rubbed clear

your cracked smile

is a daily reminder

of the

last fight

30 years ago.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

In the Blood - Steve Coel

Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

In the Blood

Steve Coel

You's probably seen my picture in the papers.

Looks bit different now I does.

Big fella then like.

Once done lot of adverts

for Board on the tele.

Today though, things changed.

Can't stick jobs anymore.

Nerves shot see.

All started 

when Dad managed to talk 

six of us onto shift 

at the Ellington.

Laugh it was really, 

cos we's on holiday with the club

at the time. 

Mum was furious.

So it goes, years seem to shoot by.

But I wasn't laughing last time 

I's down the pit.

Cos after 15 hours solid graft

I only came up with 

me best mates arms. 

Didn't want my pictures

in papers then.

Trust me.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Spare Change for Twisted Feet - Steve Coel

Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Spare Change for Twisted Feet

Steve Coel

People

you wants,

needs,

is everytime

busy.

Is why

you's always

visiting

Clink Hotel.

Is truth.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Cycling for Happiness - Steve Coel

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Cycling for Happiness

Steve Coel

In fairness she was expecting the water to be pretty cold.

After all, it was November and she knew well enough that

what her family really needed was some sun on their bones.

But there you go, what you gonna do about it?

So, even with money being short and that, she'd taken them

all away for the weekend for a treat.

The break she reckoned would do them all a bit of good.

Houses were mostly boarded up it being out of season,

but she had managed to book them into a side street B and B.

Thing is rides on front were all boarded up for the winter too.

Result being kids were pretty miserable.

But they say that a change of scenery can put a lot of

other things in the shade.

So they say.

Like I've heard that if you drives on to your foot

adrenalin can give you the strength to pick the

car up and move your foot clear.

So I've heard.

Still, no-one's too sure where she got the strength

to go into the sea with the kids like that.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Rust on Cloth - Steve Coel

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

Arfordir Byw

Steve Coel

Rust on Cloth

Steve Coel

You walks along

striding lengths

of vacant brick

where even today

you never sees 

new cars.

Sliding past 

pub windows

that shield 

sun and rain

and bad dreams,

you gets

the full

yeasty blast

of damp cloth

and old men

sharing stories,

over warm beer

and brown fingers.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Empty Chair - Steve Coel

Empty Chair 

a selection of microflashfictions

Late for Work Again.

Steve Coel

Flexi - time.

Steve Coel

Busy stock taking. In the basement.

Steve Coel

Power failure.

Steve Coel

Wrong leaves. Late train.

Steve Coel

Two weeks jury service.

Steve Coel

Fire drill.

Steve Coel

False alarm. Probably.

Steve Coel

New cook in the staff canteen.

Steve Coel

Food poisoning.

Steve Coel

Annual leave. Staying in caravan owned by 

that quiet accounts guy in the office.

Steve Coel

Busy. Really busy.

Steve Coel

Employee of the month. Again.

Steve Coel

Footnote.
A fictional workplace.
Probably.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Lighten Up - Steve Coel

Hapus Cwm

Steve Coel

Lighten Up

Steve Coel

Mystery man, shadow man

is what they used to call him.

Him a thin whistle at dusk,

the latest three day millionaire

returning from sea,

like his father,

to die again

over and over.

Shallower sea back then.

Better cut cloth

broader smiles.

Now, after too many 

rope marks and 

twisted bone on metal

life comes mixed 

with drink, sharp curses

and dark corners.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Stuff Outside - Steve Coel

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Stuff Outside

Steve Coel

Likes looking out through our window I does.

Looking out

I sometimes wonders to myself

what it must be like negotiating a way

through all the stuff on the sidewalk.

Bit of an adventure I suspects.

There's been all sorts of complaints.

Letters from council has stopped though.

Owner'll be pleased if I ever sees him.

Still; we never has customers,

so looking out the window

gives me something to do

while I waits to answer the phone

and pass on the message.

Doesn't really explain

why he always wants all the stuff

outside does it.

Can't help wondering

where it all comes from

to be honest.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Out West - Steve Coel

The Fingers Give Lace

Steve Coel

Out West

Steve Coel

This friction

between neighbourhoods

is ripping apart

fragments of friendship.

It is blundering

blind

as it folds

into a future

that shows little hope.

It is a

neighbourhood fringed

by a gin soaked

underbelly of human emotion

that is devouring

all surrounding borders.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Welcome Back [ Customs House ] - Steve Coel

Y Llywiwr

Steve Coel

Welcome Back [ Customs House ]

Steve Coel

Standing in the doorway

to the Custom House

you silently mouth

a plea for small change.

It's not a regular spot.

Not today.

Looks like a

recent close shave

is disappearing

and your shoes 

seem broken 

and too loose for comfort.

The waterside is busy.

You, are not.

Slowly..you are becoming invisible.

Eventually you will disappear

leaving only a shadow

in each doorway

of this street.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Dead Air into a Warm Harp - Steve Coel

Storm down Lavernock Point

Steve Coel

Dead Air into Warm Harp

Steve Coel

Since I bust my legs down The Works I's had

to spend all my mornings blowing dead air

into warm harp by the Central Library.

Bust my heart too, truth be known.

Lost everything now I has.

Still; once I's got enough coin I has a mild 

and Clark's pie down The Vulcan.

And; often or not, I ends up chatting to the old girls,

warming themselves up, before they goes to work

and shelters under the bridge by The Glastonbury.

Clink Hotel across the road gets noisy in the afternoon

so I wanders back into town for bit of a stretch

and goes cadge a cup of tea from Astey's before heading

back down Bute to the Sally for warm meal and early bunk.

Doesn't have time to feel sad really. Not me.

Trick, I finds, is to forget past and just stick

to what I knows.

Needs change of shoes though mind.

I'll have look for some in box by door

in the morning.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Half Stolen Buildings - Steve Coel

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Half Stolen Buildings [ v.6 ]

Steve Coel

In regulation daytime armour

cracked with coarse whispers

and yesterdays broken promise,

the young girl pushes 

her vape shadowed carrier

past misty lead pub windows.

Her world is the high street,

where each day

a bitter grey tide

shambles downhill

towards abandoned blue churches

and disappearing city light.

And it is here

that her plastic shoes

slap into one off needles

that litter fishless gutters

and where even on dry days,

the pavement is damp.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Owl Eyes Brown - Steve Coel

North Beach

[ Braslun ]

Steve Coel

Owl Eyes Brown

Steve Coel

1

With a stick on smile

all owl eyes brown,

she looks down

long avenues

of car metal

gutter full

with wish

and dream.

2

In hastily bought clothes

her tattered boyfriend

hustles shadow money

from grey figures

in barely lit parks.

This place,

a simple sample

empty

of mirth,

hope,

future.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Severed Road - Steve Coel

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Severed Road

Steve Coel

The severed road 

blankets, the grey

undemanding hill

as it reluctantly

inclines towards 

the sea.

Regimented lines

of steel 

brown with rust

mark the roads passing,

and envelop the park

where lovers

argue and kiss,

and young men drink

as children play.

From the stormy water

comes the spell

of promises,

with stones rattling

on concrete

and flesh.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication