The following piece is published as part of our TLM Young Writers series, a dedicated section of The London Magazine‘s website which showcases the work of exceptional young talent aged between 13-21, from the UK and beyond.

Creagh Factor

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Scissors

At first my scissors felt childish,
big plastic handles that were
not the deep Roman Tyrian purple
but like Dairy Milk wrappers.

Then I saw the line of the raised join
splitting all along the handles
that followed up into the blades
and wanted to tear them apart.

They stretched out elegantly
in an airy swoosh, framing
the moment at both ends
before snapping back at their limits.

Dark smudges danced across
each half of the daggers
as they thickened inwards
towards a tiny, intersecting pin.

The screw, a circle then a line,
was an old wily eye glaring up,
a bulbous man who wanted to be heard
but didn’t quite trust me.

His round dark eyes were prominent
amongst the sagging jowls
which concealed huge, heavy bones
that gleamed of steel
in a mouth open like a wolf.

_

 

Creagh Factor is a 16 year old student at St Pauls’ Girls School in Hammersmith, London. 

 

 

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