Ysella Sims -

Hibernation

January 7, 2023January 7, 2023 By ysellasims Life Writing / Writing

” I feel more and more as though I belong to the before times – the 1970s and 80s, the watery technicolour of Crackerjack, disaster movies and flares, of kids under coats in seatbeltless cars, of drunk drivers and questionable personal politics.”

Autumn

October 5, 2022October 5, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Uncategorized / Writing

I begin to find that the observations I have heard my mothers and mothers-in-law make over the years are now my own – I too have had enough of cooking and Christmases.

Birdlife

July 15, 2022July 17, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Writing

“It was brutal, but wasn’t that what nature was, what we were, made brutal by our drive to survive?”

Late Light

June 18, 2022June 18, 2022 By ysellasims Fiction

“Paolo felt for each step like a child in the dark. There was a rattle coming from his insides, like a shaken bag of scrabble letters; clink, clink, clink.”

Telling tales at Crediton Arts Centre this autumn

September 1, 2022January 7, 2023 By ysellasims Life Writing / truthanddare / Uncategorized / Writing

A new course of creative writing workshops at Crediton Arts Centre might be just the help you need to start getting your story on to the page.

Poetry Profile – John McCullough

September 1, 2022January 7, 2023 By ysellasims poetry / Poetry Blog

John McCullough is an award winning poet, writer and teacher. His poems often blend the physical with the surreal, the sublime with the everyday, never

Poems to grow by

March 3, 2022March 8, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / poetry / Roots & Redsand / Writing

“We clamoured to be told the stories she had told us a thousand times before”

Tramp

February 10, 2022February 18, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

“Once we’ve parted ways and I’ve set off around the fields, trying not to notice the stakes hammered in around the perimeters of both fields, I feel the jolt of reality. To walk here wouldn’t be possible for much longer – once the fence was up, it was up. It wouldn’t be coming down again. Each fence post suddenly feels like a line drawn in the sand.”

Running

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

‘As an adult I’ve always likened running to ironing – it’s just showing off. I’ve looked at runners and thought, but what are they actually running away from?’

There and back again

January 16, 2022February 18, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

When we reach the station we discover the Station Tea Room. We push open the door, hovering, masked, in the doorway. “Can we come in?” we ask Dominic and Roger, working at a table. “Of course”, they reply, smiling.

Only Connect

November 11, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

“For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.”
As the light changes I begin to think about the big stuff and Carl Sagan’s wisdoms come to mind.

Rich pickings

October 24, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

‘One day Theo handed me a roll of electric fencing. “Hold this for a second, Nels,” he said. “You won’t connect it, will you?” I ask. “Nah, course not,” he says.’

Jacqueline Saphra: Poetry Workshop & Reading

September 24, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims poetry

Poetic Licence present a workshop and reading with T.S Eliot prize- shortlisted poet Jacqueline Saphra.

iamb ~ poetry seen and heard

September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 By ysellasims audio / poetry

“They say the sincerest form of flattery is imitation. Let’s hope, then, that those behind The Poetry Archive – this project’s inspiration – are flattered, sincerely, by

Together apart

September 4, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

“Sorry,” the woman says to her invisible friend, murmuring hello to the dog as he lifts his head to her in greeting, “it’s just someone holding the gate for me.” Together apart. Together, together again. Sort of.

Poetry comes back to the Pub in Sandford

September 3, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims poetry

Poetic Licence are back at the Lamb for an evening of poetry with Devon poets Chrissy Banks and Ysella Sims

Poetry reading with Chrissy Banks & Ysella Sims

August 7, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims poetry

Join us for an evening of poetry, with Chrissy Banks & Ysella Sims; hosted by Bard of Exeter, Tim King.

Making the jump

July 16, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

The swallows return and we host our first gathering in the garden, leading me to reflect on what makes it possible to make leaps of faith.

Cartwheeling

June 18, 2021February 18, 2022 By ysellasims Life Writing / Roots & Redsand / Writing

The natural world bounds and cartwheels back to life, bringing opportunities for much-missed connections.