MicroFlashFiction - Steve Coel

Never judge a cover

Strydoedd

arbrofion gweledol / lliw

Steve Coel

Never judge a cover
Steve Coel

Death bed.

Right up to his dying moment.

Hospital bed, fussy frightened nurses,

bitter violent relatives, security

keeping a close eye.

Just in case.

Got the nickname, he will die with, straight

after he left borstal for the last time.

First time in jail, he had already made

his reputation, even though he was still

a kid. Just a boy.

Because, reputations, if well handled, can

last a lifetime.And he wasn't lucky.

Just focused.

So, he started out at the top and finished

at the top.

Like they say, never judge a cover.

Evil when he had to be, dangerous even.

Real villains always had time for him,

respect given and received.

And now, 70 years on, dying, like we all do,

but in his case really badly.

Pencil, paper, all he ever wanted.

In truth, all he ever needed.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

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.

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

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.
I'll find some in box
by side of door in morning.

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Born in the Workhouse

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Lighten Up

Taith Araf [ Braslun ]

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
to die again
over and over.

Shallower sea back then too.
Better cut cloth
broader smiles.
Now; so many rope marks
and twisted bones on metal
have become mixed with drink,
drunk sharp curses and
dark corners.

Born in The Workhouse

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Clifftop Walk

Cliff Top Walk [ Braslun ]

Steve Coel

Born in the Workhouse

Steve Coel

Photographs

torn,

show long dead

faces,

long forgotten

dreams.

Clothes,

ragged with age

lie with shoes

shredded from play.

And young harsh eyes

glare suspiciously,

revealing dark rainy days

and long hot summers

all faded.

Born in the Workhouse

microflashfiction

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Rust on Cloth

Taith Araf [ 2013 ]

Steve Coel

Taith Araf [ 2013 ]

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 dark 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.

Born in the Workhouse

microflashfiction

Steve Coel

Glare

Glare [ 2011 ]

Meeting in city parks
below glass power buildings,
freedom papers flutter
along dirty stone paths.

Trees glisten and glare
remembering horses, bicycles,
happy couples.

In narrow side streets,
hecklers dressed in black
and blue stomp out rhythms
to drum beats,
played on plates
and tablets of stone
and tin.

[ Extract[s] from Glare, Mud on a Plate - 2011.
An 11.59 Publication ]

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

Stryd Fawr / Stryd Uchel

Steve Coel

A chance meeting, at a meeting, led to a conversation,
a look around the studio and a series of ideas
discussed about both old and future projects.
Older series / projects, I realise, are never really resolved
they just kind of keep on evolving as new [ and old ] audiences don't always pick up on them straight away.
I like that.
I like that a lot.

Steve Coel

An 11.59 Publication

Footfall in Albany

Footfall in Albany

Steve Coel

Footfall in Albany

Steve Coel

Footfall in Albany

Steve Coel

Footfall in Albany

Steve Coel

Part 1 - Morning.

Is all about frail, weightless, frightened older men who come into cafe for 3 hour coffees and dried up toast and who talk endless bollocks about non existent winning horses.

Part 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.

Part 3 - Evenings.

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

Part 4 - Late Nights.

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