Angela Hammond, freelance writer

Poems from “Ten Of The Best," a showcase of poetry from ten women writers in Great Britain, by United Press.

I Am For You

Don't try and contain me, I'm a spinning top, I cannot stop.Light refracts from me.Every day another colour, every minute another shade. A carousel which speeds up faster every second. If I'm not too fast choose a colour you can hang on to.

Why is fat such a sin? Why is fat such a sin? “I've lost weight” “congratulations” “You look thinner” “Oh do you really thinks so?”“I've dropped two dress sizes”“well good on you” You are still who you are. Now that you're thinner have you become a better person? Have you become a kinder person, a nicer person, a wiser person? Does God love you more now that you're thinner? What if you get fat again, does that make you bad again? What if you fill out again, will you have to start again? Get on that treadmill again? Work hard to be thin again? It's a shame we can't love our fat, love our wobbles, love our roundness. It's a shame we can't love the skin we're in, be it fat or be it thin. Just don't envy the skinny girl because inside she might not be doing well.

Get Out

I'm going to cough, cough you out, out of my throat. I'm going to laugh, I'm going to laugh you out of my throat. I'm going to shout, shout you out of my throat. I won't choke, no I won't choke on you.

Poems from “Women Writers Of The Year 2013,” by United Press. A collection of poems from twenty six women writers. 

Growing

You are growing up,learning what it is to be a man.I saw your growing pains on Tuesdayas your bones adjusted under your skin.Your joints clicked inside you,they moved into place under your sin.It looked painful,sounded like it hurt so much.The click, click, click.The sound of you being formedinto a new man.The man who you can truly be,who you are meant to be.I’ve grown up too,so I know what growth looks like,and it looks like you.

Change The Channel

My feelings are changing quickly,At the moment I’m on the Food Network,I’m starving.Next I’m a romantic comedy,minus the comedy.Come to think of it, minus the romance.I need to retune the set top box,maybe I’ll find a new channel.

Extract from short story, “Their Love”

Their Love

Annabelle plunged her face in ice cold water and held it down for as long as she could. It didn't work. It didn't make her feel anything. Her skin was thick now. Tom's love had softened it, made her pliable. She hadn't completed one full breath since they parted. Sometimes the shallow breaths made her lightheaded. She looked at her reflection, her wet face and shirt. She only saw her outline. Desperation didn't change things, and longing for him didn't make things any better. Love. This is what love meant. She would not give him up. She picked up a towel from the handrail and buried her face in its softness. She looked at herself again. The circles under her eyes were darker than they used to be. Her phone rang.

Other examples of Poetry.

If He’s The One

If your current man is treating you badlyand you want everything to work out gladly.Stay away from the handsome foreign one.If the man you love is making you sad,but you want it to work out and you know he’s not bad.Don’t go near the mysterious poetin the dark clothing and the floppy hair.If your gorgeous prince is not being good to you.But you know that very soon he won’t be making you blue.Don’t approach the good looking Spaniard with the sexy accent.

Be Good

I’ll sting you, and I’ll be your antidote.I’ll remove the poison, before it has a chance to kill you.Before you misbehave,you’ll remember the taste of my venom,and you’ll not sin again.