english telling tales - quotes

Difficult family relationships - chemistry 1

My boat, setting out across the pond towards grandfather, sank.

Difficult family relationships - chemistry 2

Chemistry is the science of change. You don’t make things in Chemistry - you change them. Anything can change.

Difficult family relationships - chemistry 3

You’re ruining our meal - do you want to take yours out to your shed?!

Difficult family relationships - odour of chrysanthemums 1

The lad advanced slowly, with resentful, taciturn movement.

Difficult family relationships - odour of chrysanthemums 2

The children did not unite them.

Difficult family relationships - Korea

I knew this silence was fixed forever.

Difficult family relationships - a family supper 1

Perhaps, i should have been a more attentive father.

Difficult family relationships - a family supper 2

You don’t see how it is for some parents.

Racism/xenophobia - my polish teachers tie 1

Just a letter.

Racism/xenophobia - my polish teachers tie 2

What use is polish ever going to be to her?

Racism/xenophobia - my polish teachers tie 3

You can’t make out what he’s on about. It’s the accent.

Racism/xenophobia - the darkness out there 1

Something about mutter, mutter.

Racism/xenophobia - the darkness out there 2

We cheered i can tell you.

Epiphany/growing up - odour of chrysanthemums 1

In her womb was ice of fear.

Epiphany/growing up - odour of chrysanthemums 2

Who am i? What have i been doing?

Epiphany/growing up - my polish teachers tie

It went through me like a knife through butter. A polish song. I knew it, i knew it. I knew the words and i knew the tune.

Epiphany/growing up - my polish teachers tie 2

I wasn’t going to waste time on the head.

Epiphany/growing up - Korea 1

The shock i felt was the shock i was to feel later.

Epiphany/growing up - korea 2

I knew my youth had ended.

Epiphany/growing up - the darkness out there

There were not, the girl realised, wolves or witches or tigers.

Death and loss - chemistry 1

His hair was wet, his lips were caked with salt; seaweed hung from his shoulders.

Death and loss - Odour of chrysanthemums 1

They’ll bring him when he does come - like a log.

Death and loss - Odour of chrysanthemums 2

The horror of the distance between them was almost too much for her.

Death and loss - A family supper

She was just standing there, watching me.

Death and loss - A family supper 2

He took his whole family with him. His wife and two little girls.

Death and loss - the darkness out there

I won’t ever forget him, that poor sod.

Belonging/identity/isolation - chemistry 1

What am i going to do?

Belonging/identity/isolation - chemistry 2

the shed was another, a sealed-off world.

Belonging/identity/isolation - Odour of chrysanthemums 1

She had never been yet to fetch him.

Belonging/identity/isolation - Odour of chrysanthemums 2

Lay th’ stretcher at th’ side.

Belonging/identity/isolation - My polish teachers tie 1

Colleagues don’t wear blue overalls and white caps and work for £3.89 an hour.

Belonging/identity/isolation - My polish teachers tie 2

I am half-polish. They don’t know that here.

Belonging/identity/isolation - Korea 1

I feel I’d be giving you a chance i never got. I fought for this country.

Belonging/identity/isolation - Korea 2

I knew this silence was fixed forever.