silver dragonfly

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London Fog: An Ode to Bloomsbury

Do you know, unwitting dears,

that Bloomsbury coffee cups have ears?

Chatter, clang, goes their gossip,

as they bathe in foamy sinks,

after carrying our drinks,

hushed and posed, letting us sip,

paying heed to our addiction

to the soft marshmallow tip

of latte-ed beans - that once were cupped

by seasoned working hands - now fuel our

aching laughing chatter,

feminisms overrule our

careful chiseling at matters

entertained by our vocation

for illuminating puzzles:

philosophic penetration

while our musings of the dreamy ilk

that dare to fantasise and chase,

are kept in clouds of woven silk -

so pretty in their hiding place -

like tea bags clotted in frothed milk

but all of that, the cups can hear.

if you only knew, my dear…

Your fingers hold, tight and taut,

our twisting, tessellating thoughts

marked 1-8, red and blue,

black, green, unfold our clue…

our origami fortune jeu

to...

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Hallows’ Eve Fugitive

Your dreamy lightness is lost in your disguise, in the blackest I’ve ever seen your elegiac eyes.

Your figure is traced as sepulchral silk hangs
on blushing skin that November won’t see.
Kiss marks on your neck from the grass’s damp fangs,
I’d touch if I dared. A little longer, lie with me

to muse on puzzles of ethereal tenor, while suspicions rouse as the waxing moon swells.

In a casket of mist we’ll be compelled
to succumb to sublime beguiling,
defenceless against an incorruptible spell,
my implacable guilt mollifying.

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It’s only a silicone moon(cup)

18th August 2014

Why aren’t we talking about alternative sanitary products in the context of the tampon tax? There’s a more economical and environmentally-friendly option.

What struck me when the petition and articles started circulating this summer about the UK tax on sanitary products, was that so many of us are paying for them in the first place. Not just because they are apparently more essential than crocodile meat, which is not taxed, but because there’s an alternative that will save thousands of pounds: the menstrual cup.

The knee-jerk reaction to this suggestion, at least in my experience, from those who have used tampons and pads unquestioningly since their first period, tends to be, “Gross!”. So, to hopefully dispel the myth that it’s unhygienic and awkward, here are my reasons to use the Mooncup:

  1. It saves money

    A Mooncup costs £19.99. With that price tag, people are...

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Why your selfie is a mirror into a society that discriminates against women

19th March 2014

Girls and women have been nominating each other on social media to post pictures of themselves with no make-up, filling Facebook news feeds with photos and hashtags about cancer awareness-raising and cancer research. The response to this ‘no make-up selfie’ campaign is proof of oppression of women and their appearance.

No-makeup-4.png

The campaign has largely turned into a vanity project (who looks best with no make-up) and a chauvinistic vitriol of hate (“put your make-up back on, women”, and “put your ugly mugs away” are examples of online comments from educated 20-somethings). With no defined goal or message and an anonymous campaign instigator who has not stated what aspect of cancer, cancer treatment or which cancer charity(s) we should be becoming more ‘aware’ of, the ‘nominees’ have been left to interpret and create their own messages. This has enabled critics of the apparent...

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