the 21st portfolio

musings of creatives and literary critics of the 21st century.

Category: Creative Writing

  • In the Ink Well

    A long form poem inspired by Kae Tempest’s Brand New Ancients about the futility of preserving human culture.

  • Twine of Death

    A short poem about death, inspired by HBO’s incredibly emotive TV adaptation of The Last of Us and its horrifying Cordyceps.

  • Who

    A short poem about forgetting someone, and how comedy affects our emotional perception of people.

  • Wallpaper

    A poem I wrote as part of my university coursework portfolio last year.

  • Moses

    Backlit like a stained glass art piece,The spirit splits from the vessel, itorchestrates the ebb and flow of a cheering crowd. Chanting as they melt into one pulsating entity, free from their ball-and-chain souls and living only to drink in the music. It is then that my strobing shadow, in a single gesture, swiftly tames…

  • Instant

    Instant

    A short story written from the perspective of a homeless man who enters a coffee shop.

  • Stoke

    Stoke

    I wrote this poem inspired by conversations about Stoke-on-Trent’s atmosphere, with its trademark neglected and historical feel.

  • Prophecy (a short story)

    There once was hope, if heeded my word, You chose to keep my message unheard. The fire you cast my work into, Will “Godly” flesh and bone undo.

  • Nostalgia

    A long-form poem and reflection that I wrote about loneliness, loss and yearning.

  • Wounded Commute

    I originally wrote this poem after reflecting on many train journeys that I took in recent times. Trains are depressing; so many sad-looking strangers making a commute to their sad-looking jobs – or in some cases, moving steadily away from a happy place. We all tend to see strangers in the street as background characters,…