Contents

PART ONE

MIDDLE ROOM, BRIGHTLEY VICARAGE, 24 JULY 1827

GIRL ON A BICYCLE

LARGER IN MY MIND

CLOSER TO MILTON CLOSE

CLOSER AND CLOSER

STUDYING DAVE

CROSSING THE LINE

UP TO GOD KNOWS WHAT

NO STARS

SOMEWHERE IN A FIELD, BRIGHTLEY, JULY 1973

THE BACKWARD-FACING HOUSE

WOO HOO

ON THE PATH TO BRIGHTLEY, 1973

STEAK AT LAST

BRIGHTLEY VICARAGE, AUGUST 1973

THE END OF THE WORLD

A PUB AND A HOUSE AND A HOUSE AND A PUB

LITTER RAT TURE

THE SEPTEMBER RESCUE PLAN

NOT QUITE AS I REMEMBERED

UNDER THE HEDGE

CASE OF THE RISING MIST

MIDDLE ROOM

LOVELY EGGS

THE SWINGING LEG

CHURCHYARD, BRIGHTLEY

EARLY NIGHT

WHILE SHE SLEEPS

PITCH-BLACK, FREEZING COLD, STILL ONLY AUTUMN

CRISPS ON MY FINGERS

MIDNIGHT, CHURCHYARD, BRIGHTLEY

GOODBYE, MAGGIE

DRIVEWAY, BRIGHTLEY VICARAGE

MARMALADE AND DUST

NOT THE KIND OF MAN TO MEET YOUR MOTHER

ATOMS AND STONES

KITCHEN, BRIGHTLEY

GREAT DANES AND DISCONNECTIONS

THE NOVEMBER RESCUE PLAN

DECEMBER AND DONKEYS

THE INVITATION

WINDOW, MIDDLE ROOM

WARMING UP

PART TWO

LIKE THE NIGHT SHE COMES

CHRISTMAS EVE

CHRISTMAS

A TRAY IN BOTH HANDS

MEAT AND TWO VEG

WASTREL

TEA, EGGS, CAKE, PAMPHLETS

OUT WALKING WITH ALGERNON

EARLY EARLY SPRING 1974

KITCHEN

SHE CHUCKED HIM

WARDROBE, BRIGHTLEY

MIDDLE ROOM, MIDNIGHT

SKETCHING AFTERNOONS

MOSS, SCARF, VITAMINS

GRAVES, GHOSTS AND FLORA

BRIGHTLEY, SPRING 1974

HIM

BRIGHTLEY LIGHTS

BEHOLD ALL WONDROUS THINGS

MIDDLE ROOM, BRIGHTLEY

THE HARD CHAIR

THE MADNESS OF MAY

NOT SAFE IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY

DOG, GHOST, BOYFRIEND

THE GREAT ROMANTIC FOOL

DREAMING AND WRITING

BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON

HERE I GO AGAIN

CLOSING TIME

LAST WALK

VOID

VANDALS AND THIEVES

TEA WITH EVERYTHING

SHADOWS

CLEANING UP

ARRIVALS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS