Robert Johnson

Image by - Steve Coel

steve coel

Robert Johnson

Tempted by angels to play God
a crumpled young man sits, 
guitar on his knee.
Smoking, he begins to play
to an empty dance floor.

Returning stares
he begins to weave spells
singing songs of lost loves, 
slavery, distant voices.
Finally, twisting notes
towards the wet earth he finishes
and faces stop staring.

The young man returns to his thoughts
as, cigarette in hand,
he listens once more to angels 
tempting him to play God.

Versions of 'Robert Johnson' 
have appeared on two
Two Voices CDs, 1999 and 2009.
An 11.59 Publication.

I'll probably settle on a definitive 
version of this someday.
There again, I may not.

steve coel
An 11.59 Publication

Empty Chair - 14 Stories.

Empty Chair by Steve Coel

Empty Chair

steve coel

Stories.

1. Late for work again.
2. Flexi - time, anytime.
3. Busy stock taking in the basement.
4. Power failure.
5. Wrong leaves. Late train.
6. Two weeks jury service.
7. Fire drill.
8. False alarm. 
9. New cook in the staff canteen.
10. Food poisoning.
11. Annual leave. Staying in the caravan owned by that quiet accounts guy in the office.
12. Multi tasking. Presumably.
13. Busy. Really busy.
14. Employee of the month. Again.

Footnote: A fictional workplace. Probably.

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication

Carry on Waiting [ 2 ]

Penarth

Penarth Paintings

steve coel

Penarth

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

Carry on Waiting - steve coel

[ Draft ]

part 1 : outside like.

story starts on the street i suppose.
my street.
outside like.
always a good place to start a story i reckons.
begins with police searching a car.
wrong car as it happens. 
other footies are holding some guy against a wall while others check his jacket in the doorway of the adult store.
i understands they won't find nothing.

part 2 : busy day.

sunny day.
busy day.
bad atmosphere.
looks passed between people trying hard not to know each other, failing badly 
it would seem.
should do better.
so what's the story then?
bit of back history needed?

part 3 : early for some.

morning.
early for some.
late for others.
someone, it seems, is clearly not quite making it through the day, is getting desperate and is needing some action pretty quick.
like right away is what it's about.
so.
quick snatch job is all.
bad call is what it is.
being watched see. 
being watched closely as it happens.
decision time.
do i?
let it go and carry on waiting.
or move in...blow cover?
luckily for all involved uniformed footie steps in.
very lucky.

part 4 : laugh that.

footies seen everything, and nothing, as usual.
bit of chase.
laugh that.
likes a good chase.
who doesn't?
security joined in too.
twats they are for joining in though cos peoples quick round here when opportunity arises.
so it is.
quick in and out, even though they knows cameras sees them all.
and they knows security'll speak to them later.
poor bastards.
but hey, what you going to do?
i'll have a word with them prior like, it's what i do, my job.
like i told you, my street.
so that's the back story.
reckons you knows the rest...

From Tin Collector, [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ], 2015.

An 11.59 Publication

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication

doodle [ 2 ]

Penarth Paintings

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor [ En Plein Air ]

steve coel

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor [ brasluniau ]

steve coel

doodle 

by 

steve coel

deathbed

doodling right up to his dying moment.

hospital bed, surrounded by frightened nurses 

and bitter violent relatives

with security keeping a close eye, just in case.

got the nickname, he dies 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.

see reputations, if handled well, can last a 

life time and he wasn't lucky. he was focused.

at the top like they say, never judge a cover.

evil, when he had to be, dangerous even.

real villains had time for him,

respect given and received.

and now, 70 years on, dying.

in his case really badly.

pencil, paper, all he ever wanted.

in truth, all he ever needed.

steve coel

walking notes [ 2 ]

Penarth Paintings

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor [ brasluniau ]

steve coel

walking notes.

day time hide aways.

in back spaces

unseen from roads and rear view mirrors

between rubble and broken glass,

shaking hands are shaken.

tracksuits are worn to hide shape, weapons, sex.

no names.

trade is invisible, unknown.

steve coel

middle lane birds [ 2 ]

Penarth Paintings

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor [ En Plein Air ]

steve coel

middle lane birds

along grassed up middle lane birds

swoop as insects

skirt and skit...

time held in place, bells

distant with summer smells brown

and crinkled blue.

steve coel

Y Diwrnod Arall

Y Diwrnod Arall [ 2017 ]

Penarth

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

Penarth

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

Illustrations, Y Diwrnod Arall [ 2017 ]

Y Diwrnod Arall 

[ The Other Day ]

Clear your mind, listen carefully

and..

Toy Theatre - Moon Dust

Red Touch - King of Dreams

Burn the Boats - Tribal Path

War Goddess - Next Bend

Any Time - Sea of Blue

Dark Amber - Definite Joker

Jury Duty - Hidden Impact

Portrait King - Golden Opera

Fields of Glory - Water Clock

Red Flute - Light of Air

...don't stop breathing.

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication

kildas song

Penarth [ kildas song ]
Curious Man of the Sea

steve coel

kildas song.

steve coel

[ written by a wall, on the

island overlooking the ocean ]

quarrels echo across the yard

towards a large watery

gate

grey. figures turn; hiding

their hands and run,

as animals scatter 

with the wind 

that howls down the hill 

women gather, 

and men glare

behind vast whiskers.

in photographs heavy locks

fasten decisions about the

outside.

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication

Y Diwrnod Arall

brasluniau [ 2016 ]

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

brasluniau [ 2016 ]

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

Illustrations, Y Diwrnod Arall - 2017,

An 11.59 Publication

Y Diwrnod Arall

[ The Other Day ]

Clear your mind, listen carefully

and...

On Tour - Dark Flame

Many Clouds - Keep in Line

Log Off - Penny Poet

Mystical Spirit - Be Safe

Old Guard - Young Master

Storm Nelson - Road to Rome

Warm Words - Dark Forest

Seaweed - Atlantic Way

Golden Plan - Misty Lady

Mr King - Keep Moving

...don't stop breathing

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication

Y Diwrnod Arall

Lavernock Point [ brasluniau ]

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

Ogmore [ brasluniau ]

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor

steve coel

Ranny Bay [ brasluniau ]

Dyn Chwilfrydig y Mor 

steve coel

Illustrations [ cam 1 ], Y Diwrnod Arall - 2017, 

An 11.59 Publication 

Y Diwrnod Arall [ 2017 ]

Clear your mind, listen carefully

and...

Raise a Spark - Deepsand

Vintage Clouds - Seventh Sky

Desert Cry - Otter Moon

Butter King - Star Rider

Iconic Sky - Devious Spirit

Night Shadow - Cry Wolf

Moorlands Mist - Steel Native

Keep Moving - Might Be Magic

Snow Falcon - Double Island

Hardline - No Refund

...don't stop breathing.

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication