The Autumn of 2017

I think you can become so enamoured by someone 
So captivated by their quiet personalities
That you think they're perfect 
That they're the ones 
And you letting go of them 
Rather, they letting go of you
Is the biggest silliest mistake 
And you agonise 
Go through all the breakup albums 
All the tubs of peanut buttercup ice cream 
Mourning your great loss 

But I think 
You couldn't have known someone 
All that well 
If you think they're perfect 

You weren't perfect 
But you were close 
I felt loved every minute I spent with you 

We met in the Autumn of 2017 
At a little bar called Porters 
I thought I might stay for an hour
It was 3 hours when we left 

That kiss
At the station 
It was inconspicious
As if we'd been kissing for years 
Lived in & familiar
That kiss
If I had known 
That was the last time 
I'd never have gotten on the train

I don't think I have a grasp of what it is to love 

Does anyone? 
But I think I fell in love with you

And I haven't stopped loving you once 

It took me so long to write this
Because it took me that long to admit it



[Liam, 24] 

Clever Girl? I Think Perhaps Not

What're you looking for little girl? 
Someone to tell you they love you every other day? 
You enjoy when they pour sugar over you 
Metaphorically & literally
You become enamoured, wide eyed 
Your hand shakes as you put lipstick on

But the baffling thing is 
Why do you put your little heart in the hands of careless boys? 
Don't you know (I know you know) they don't handle with care

You're not going to find half of yourself in someone else - that's bullshit 
You need to be enough for yourself 
Only for yourself 
Before you even think of trading parts of you 
Precious parts of you 
For kisses & late night personal heaters 


[Aron, 25]

The Great Tradition of Advocacy

I was in a rather inconspicuous class, on a rather inconspicuous day, when the Ethics lecturer (a big, burly, ginger haired Family barrister) pulled this up on the slides. 

It turned out to be, at the time, one of the most important inspiring things for me to have read on the first day of Bar School: 


"But no matter how hopeless the cause, however unmeritorrious the client, notwithstanding the antipathy of the judge, irrespective of the risks to his own reputation, and despite the other pressing concerns which may be preying on on the mind of the lawyer, what counsel must do is to follow and defend the great tradition of advocacy..." 

Pannick D, Advocates (1992, p.5) 

Constructive Criticism

I think I've had my heart broken a few too many times 
I cant tell if its making me apathetic
Or if that's just what I want to think 

You can leave 
Free to go
Door's right there
I wont try to stop you
I don't have the energy anyway 
I've spent it all already
Agonising over men 
Who didn't want to stay

All I ask 
Is for an explanation 
A truthful one 
Not the overused 
'I just want to focus on my work' 
Sweetheart, I know that one
I've used it too

Have a real, honest conversation with me 
Sit down, look me in the eyes 
Tell it to my face 
I want to completely experience it 
I want to be completely broken 
As I watch you walk away 
Its the only way I can properly heal


[all of them, really]