Welcome to all of you with enthusiasm for
the literary, the musical and the artistic. We have stories, we have poems, we
have pictures, we have music reviews, and with your help, we're constantly
adding more.
The site is regularly updated with new material, let
the editor introduce the latest edition:
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January 11th 2015
What a start to the new year; a deadly attack on a
struggling satirical magazine in Paris by religious fanatics. In the West we
have a long tradition of "taking the piss" out of authority in one form or
another. It may sometimes be cruel or offensive to those who are lampooned but,
as was taught to me as a child; "sticks and stones may break my bones but words
will never hurt me". Not strictly true I admit, but you can defend yourself
against words whereas you have no chance against a Kalashnikov...
Mitch Benn put it pretty well in his song on Radio 4's Now Show this week.
On to more pleasant things now; the new edition of Winamop
- first of 2015 - is here.
Let's start as we mean to continue, with a story from
Donal Mahoney. Caucus at the Parking Meter features some disgraceful old
men who meet up at Rocky's diner. If you should ever go there, it's advisable
not to get Jimbo started talking about women...
Next it's Eric Suhem with a story about Amelia. Amelia has
butterflies flying around her head, she radiates a positive mystical force
field. But then a man arrives with a green flower in his eye. It's called
from The Eye.
I must apologise to Harry Downey, he sent this story to
Winamop in November and I forgot all about it. What a buffoon I am! It's a good
one too, about two brothers and a secret long kept. It's called Double
Whammy.
We've had all sorts of things in Winamop over the years
but we've never had a recipe before, so here is one. It's for scones (I
pronounce scone as in gone - not cone, but I don't want to start an argument!)
the little yeast-free bread buns that are good in sweet or savoury roles
(geddit?). Quick and easy, you could be eating one in under half and
hour.
On January 27th it will be 70 years since the liberation
of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Poet Dee Sunshine describes himself as a "half-Jew"
whose grand-parents could easily have suffered the same fate as so many of
their kith and kin. The first draft of this collection A Burnt Offering
was written for the 50th anniversary in 1995 and we reproduce the final version
here plus audio, read by Dee, if you'd prefer to listen.
Now it's time to meet a new contributor: Michelle
Villanueva. Michelle is a student completing an MFA in Creative Writing and
Poetry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has a chapbook,
Postscript: Lions, which will soon be out at
Etched Press. This poem is soul
steeped in wonder.
Poetry next from regular contributor Paul Tristram who
seems to be having some social issues. Here we have Out With The New / In
With The Old, Cardboard Cutout, Out Of Place, It's Definitely Yellow,
Paranoia and Remember Reality.
Finally we go all ekphrastic with Neil Ellman who has been
inspired by a room installation from Ilya Kabakov, a sculpture by Richard Serra
and a painting by Kay Sage. A feast of images and ideas.
We're off to a flying start and I hope that the momentum
will continue, thanks to all our contributors.
Despite the inauspicious start to the year let's all,
defiantly, have a very happy 2015.
Ed.
Winamop was conceived on a whim, is run on a
shoestring, ignored by the many, loved by the few and has continued unabashed
since 2003.
All human life is here, experienced people,
skilled writers and rank amateurs, sometimes they hit the mark, sometimes they
belly-flop (sometimes they mix their metaphors). You pick up the pieces and
make of them what you will. Find out about us here
and about the site here.The contributor's
guidelines are here and the e-mail button
is below.
We hope to continue to maintain a showcase for new writing
which will grow as you, dear readers, augment the efforts of the in-house team.
We have over 400 unique pages so far but, quite frankly, we need more...
Have a good look around and if you feel that you'd like to
contribute in any genre, then don't be shy, send it in! The copyright remains
yours, and you could win a mop (unlikely, as I've run out).
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