Footfall in Albany - Steve Coel

Footfall in Albany

Steve Coel

1. Morning.

Is all about frail, weightless, frightened older men who
come into cafe for three hour coffees, game of cards
and who all talk endless bollocks about non existent
winning horses.

2. Afternoon.

Is mainly about shapeless local smackheads
and hard-core druggies who come into cafe to
settle small debts and to boast about knowing
where next deal is going to happen.

3. Evenings.

End of the day for some, sees cheap fatty meals
and shelter from the pain of the street.

4. Late Nights.

Is all about 'real money' being made
in busy stockrooms of empty shops.

#documentaryfictionphotography2020

Eggs Chase the Bacon

Steve Coel

Neighbourhoods, communities, environments.
Past, present, future.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Torn Shoes - Steve Coel

Torn Shoes

Steve Coel

Many daytime hideaways

are in backspaces

unseen from roads

and rear view mirrors.

Here, feral torn shoes

will once more be shredded

by rubble and broken glass.

And shaking hands

will again be shaken

between tracksuits

worn to hide

shape, weapons and sex.

Tomorrow you will return

because it is the place

where real trade

remains invisible

and ignored.

#documentaryfictionphotography2020

Low Mileage

Steve Coel

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Carry On Waiting - Steve Coel

Carry on Waiting

Steve Coel

Outside Like.

Suppose story starts on the street

outside like.

Always good place

to start story

I reckon.

So, begins with Police 

searching a car.

Wrong car as it happens.

And some other footies

is holding this guy

against a wall

while others is checking

his jacket in doorway

of adult store.

Is my understanding

they won't find nothing.

Busy Day.

Sunny day.

Busy day.

Bad atmosphere.

And looks being passed

between people

trying hard

not to know

each other.

Failing badly they is, 
really should do better.

So; the story?

Early for Some.

Morning. 
Early for some.

Late for others.

And someone, it seems,

is clearly not making it

through the day.

Is getting desperate

and is needing

some action

pretty quick.

Like right away. 

Right now.

So.

Quick snatch job is all. 

Bad call is what it is.

Being watched see.

Being watched

quite closely as it happens.

Decision time for me.

Do I?

Step in?

Or carry on waiting?

Luckily, for all involved,

uniformed footie wades in.

Very lucky indeed.

Laugh That.

There's a bit

of running round.

I likes a good chase,

but who doesn't?

Local security joins in too.

Laugh that also.

Though twats they is

for joining in

cos peoples quick round here

when opportunity arises.

So it is.

Quick in and out is all

even though they knows

cameras sees everything.

And they also knows

security will be having words

with them later.

Poor bastards.

But what you going to do?

I'll also be having a word

prior like,

it's what I does,

my job.

Like I tells you,

my street.

So that's the back story.

Of course you knows the rest.

#documentaryfictionphotography2020

Closing Down Sale

Steve Coel

Carry on Waiting was published in 
Tin Collector, An 11.59 Publication.
In recent reviews for this collection of
Micro Flash Fiction, this story was selected.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Dead Air into Warm Harp - 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
talking to the old girls
warming themselves up,
before they goes 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 a 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.
Need change of shoes mind.
Guess I'll find some in box
by side door in the morning.

#documentaryfictionphotography2020

Low Congregation

Steve Coel

This Micro Flash Fiction was previously published by 
An 11.59 Publication.
The story itself is universal really. 
Individuals all around us, are either coping
with forced change or being destroyed by it.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Half Stolen Buildings - Steve Coel

Half Stolen Buildings

Steve Coel

In her regulation daytime armour

cracking with coarse whispers

and yesterdays broken promise,

the young girl pushes

a vape shadowed carrier

past steamed up pub windows.

Her world is the High Street,

where each day

a bitter grey tide

shambles downhill

toward abandoned blue churches

and disappearing city light.

And it is here

plastic shoes will slap

into one off needles

that litter fishless gutters

and where, even on dry days

the pavement is damp.

#documentaryfictionphotography2020

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

The Mercy Path [ v.4 ] - Steve Coel

The Mercy Path

Steve Coel

Once you bypass

the last lightning tree

you enter a hillside world

of midnight stream

and border wire music.

Here, across shilling debris

and early shadow,

blisters of high mist

compose movement

from iron and broken bone.

From Croft - Solva: The Mercy Path [ 2020 ], 

An 11.59 Publication.

#documentaryfictionphotography2020

Iron and Broken Bone

Steve Coel

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication