Literary Yard

Search for meaning

Year: 2025

brown wooden planks

The Blue Handprint

By: Sandy Fishnets Only God could see his hand trembling as he dragged the brush across the canvas. It wasn’t him painting—it was something else, something desperate, something screaming for release. The strokes came faster, more erratic, as though the…

close up of a black leather flogger

‘The Black Strap’ and other poems

By: John Ziegler The Black Strap We snitched coins from the Japanese lacquer trayon father’s dresser, cigarettes from mother’s pocketbook. Manners were taught by father. No elbows on the dinner table.No singing.Robert hummed. No humming. Don’t talk with your mouth…

photo of people using laptops

How to build a brand

By James Aitchison According to conventional wisdom, brand owners defined their brands through skilfully crafted advertising messages, delivered daily to billions of consumers through the mass media.  Nowadays, the game has changed.  The media is no longer mass, and brand…

white goose close up photo

‘White swans on the wing’ and other Spring Haiku

By: Jim Bates White swans on the wingFlying over frozen lakesSpring so elusive. Spring creeping slowlyPlants lie in fallow slumberWaiting to burst forth. Swamps coming aliveBirds flocking chirping madlyGulls soaring overhead. Another day of sunCloudless sky over open lakeWild geese…

person in black jacket and gray denim jeans

Threads

By: James Aitchison Why keep the mindshadowed and suppressed?Plunge truth’s razor edgeinto the darkest corners.Cut the threads which tiethe soul to the self.Let no earthly fault beburied in your being.Order and wisdom willbe yours, for youwill not be bound tothis…

The art of screenwriting

By James Aitchison Great films begin with great scripts.  As Hollywood director Mervyn LeRoy once pointed out, “You can do nothing unless you have it on paper first.” Yet screenwriters suffered more frustrations and a lower status than many other…

man napping on books

Surviving the Unexpected Path

By: Torsaa Emmauel Oryiman I had always dreamed of studying at one of the most prestigious universities in Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, University of Nigeria Nsukka, University of Ibadan, and others. I spent sleepless nights researching schools with the…

turned on macbook

Life After Life

By David William Jurgenson Harding felt a pit of dread in his stomach as his boss Jeyaseelan called on him to talk about his end-of-year accruals. He smiled and said, “Um, eh, eh, hhhhhe. Sure.” Chowden’s eyes bulged, and for…

portrait of a boy with a lollipop

‘player support’ and other poems

By Carl Papa Palmer player support three different breakfasts forthree grumpy grouches slowlybecoming two grand girls and a papatalking about the early game of theirfast pitch series forgetting to thankgrandma for getting them out thedoor in time to arrive at…