Sometimes fifty words is all you need to express a story. When I first listened to Babylon by Taylor Swift (I am obsessed with her Encore), a main character grew as did his whole life. A whole novel panned out in my mind but as I recently discovered "drabbles" and "dribbles" on a creative writing course, I challeged myself to condence the story into a dribble, fifty words. His want kept the bars in place. Wasted potential ahead, damning nostalgia behind. He wanted what he'd l

Is it even possible to listen to Taylor Swift without conjuring up whole stories? I adore the four songs on her Encore; there is so much imagery in the lyrics and the intsrument choices further deepen the narratives. Love love love. This flash fiction is inspired by the thoughts and emotions that ran through my mind on that first listen to Patient Zero. ​ I play the violin with the windows open now. When I get something wrong, the whole courtyard gets to hear it. A man oppos