Fraser Duncan

September to December 2024 – Reflections

Image of Fraser

Latterly, my output on Medium has been interrupted by my studies, which was an unintended consequence but, nonetheless, that happened, for which, apologies to all readers. In order to try and prevent that happening in the future, I will be simplifying my workflow on this platform to just one output per week on a regular […]

Coming and Going – And gone forever

Image of the sun setting over clouds, used to illustrate post

last week was the departureBella has gonethis week is the arrivalsons and daughtersnever seen before they gather forwhatever Bella left themand they rake overthe remains of her possessionsthe final accoutrementsof a life well-livedbut one they barely knew abandoned for 20 yearsin housing for older peoplewe all knew her wellwe will wait for them to go […]

That Was The Week – Beginning 18 November 2024

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Monday was a busy day for me, going first to Cardiff to see the lovely daughter. She is now on 20,000 words, and doing well with it and, most importantly, having fun with it too. Later, I went to see a huge display of Christmas lights filling the front garden of a large house. All […]

Dastardly Dave – May he be cursed forever

Image of woman who may be living in the past, used to illustrate post

I’ve loved you, Bensince I don’t know when but I’ve lost you nowand I don’t know how one day you were thereand I always knew where but I grew too old, it seemsI don’t know what it means for you are older than meyou wanted to be free I never kept you a slavebut now […]

That Was The Week – Beginning 11 November 2024

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At the beginning of the week, Sandy and I went to see ‘Blitz’ in the cinema, which was written and directed by Steve McQueen. It starred Saoirse Ronan as the mum, Paul Weller (from ‘The Jam’) as the grandad, and with an outstanding performance by Elliott Heffernen as the 9 year-old boy, with the addition […]

That Was The Week – Beginning 4 November 2024

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I made a visit to the University of England (UWE) main campus library at the beginning of the week where I have formerly used their very quiet study area for reading and writing. On the last occasion I travelled there, it took me 40 minutes to go from my flat to be sat down in […]

The Value of Ignorance – And how it enriches my life

Image of a pair of graduation caps hanging from the ceiling as light shades to illustrate post

I would like to argue that my life is enriched and has great value as a result of my ignorance. I appreciate that this is a somewhat strange thing to say, and so I will attempt to explain how I have reached that conclusion. It is particularly strange for me to talk about the enrichment […]

Balancing – Light and dark

Image of a sunset over the sea, used to illustrate post

the darkness comesand with itthe loss of hopethe rise of fearand despaireverywhere bound here comes thosewho would chooseto operate in shadowboundaries not holdinglove not embracingwisdom never found we relish the lightto push back the darkaccepting not chaosbut order as a ruleenhance the dayto end the night yet daily we loseunable to hold backthe force of […]

That Was The Week – Beginning 28 October 2024

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This was a big week for the UK, where I live, and it was quite a big week for me, personally, but on a really tiny scale for the rest of the world. Nonetheless, my day, like everyone else’s day, is made-up of tiny events, which become significant within the individual worlds in which we […]

Tree – Of words

Image of a tree containing these words as the entirety of the post…I don't know why I love trees as much as I do and yet have never found out as much as I should have about variation within them it feels wrong I did try once but it was hard and I gave-up too soon it feels wrong

I don’t know why I love trees as muchas I do and yet have never found outas much as I should haveabout variationwithin them itfeels wrongI did try oncebut it was hardand I gave-up toosoon itfeels wrong FraserOctober 2024