Articles written by Abigail Phillips

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Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Life: 39 of 253

Mel's street was straight and grey, much like the people in it. Her house was a thin pebbledash terrace, not without charm, and had a small front yard of overgrown grass and broken concrete. It was almost 11am and the gate swung silently behind her. As she stepped up to the door and fumbled in her handbag for her keys she sa...
Health & Fitness > Mental Health (Other) Trichotillomania: Why people pull out their own hair: 1 of 4

Trichotillomania, or "Trich" as it's more commonly known, is a disorder that involves obsessive pulling of hair. It is thought to affect 2-4% of the population, a far higher proportion than I ever imagined. My own form of Trich involves pulling at my hair, sometimes pulling it out from the root but just as often picking at i...
Arts & Humanities > Poets & Poetry Can 'bad' poetry have value?: 20 of 67

First, to the issue of 'bad' poetry. I do not subscribe to the postmodernist view that there can be no such thing as good or bad in the arts. A work of art is only as good as the vision and skill of the person who produced it. Nor do I think it is especially difficult to know when a poem is bad, good or mediocre. However, wh...
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Facing death: 64 of 202

"Auntie Karen, can I have another piece of chocolate?" This was the only thing Emily had said for almost four days. Karen had given her another four squares of Dairy Milk and said "of course, but you must remember to say please'". Emily had snatched the chocolate, squirreling it away as though she was about to bury it underg...
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Elderly people in modern society: 13 of 34

People are living longer now than ever before with record numbers reaching their 70s and 80s. According to the ONS 16% of the UK's population is aged over 65, by far the largest proportion since records began. The reasons for this are fairly obvious improvements in medical science, better living conditions and improved diets...
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Frustrated love: 6 of 14

It was a high urban platform, on a level with upstairs windows, and it came just before a bridge over a busy road. On one side there was an enormous billboard and then a cluster of terraced houses. On the other a giant McDonalds M' above a drive - through. On this particular Tuesday morning the day was already hot, the sky a...