Our Creative Writing Group met in the sunshine of one a member’s garden on Wednesday 05 August 2026.

The topics were Competition and Conflict. These had been chosen at the previous meeting..

We started with a poem describing the pain and pressure of getting ready for a competition in the searing heat we have been experiencing for the past 50 days, but whilst we all thought the preparation was for a cross country marathon, it turned out to be Scrabble competition! We then moved to conflict between top football teams and the need to triumph in order to maintain support and financial viability.

We then had a piece that looked at competition as it is practised in the retail food trade, and the consequences for shoppers seeking healthy options as the variety of outlets is reduced by competition. We then listened to a piece asked why are there so many cheeses and whiskies available in the shops. It asked if cooperation between suppliers would reduce competition, or end in oblivion. And, we were asked, why is there only one Monopolies Commision (CMA)?

We then moved on to political competition in another country, where there is a price to be paid for triumphing over the competitors for top jobs in government. That led to a piece on the competitiveness of candidates at a team interview where there was one vacancy but four candidates, one female and three male. Their potential employer had set up a competitive situation to see who would be best for the company. We next heard of two brothers in conflict over land and a herd of sheep. We then heard their names – Cain and Abel – the outcome was suddenly clear to all.

We then heard a intriguing piece about a competition to visit all the Underground Stations starting with the letter “K”, and how a route had been planned that would end at Kenton. We then moved on to the early career of a young girl for whom things were proving difficult at school, at brownies, and later at a branch of Tesco. She manages to record a niche album and to her great surprise she ends up compering a popular television programme.

We then had another piece on conflict and how individuals suffer in the extreme when there is no competition to regulate the authorities. In a sad story, we heard how a young girl had overcome an impossible challenge, possibly being helped by an angel, but we will never know for certain.

We closed with a philosophical piece based on a Sanskrit teaching, and that reflected on the determination of a commuting pigeon caught in an Underground train until it flew away at another station after the doors had opened.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 19 August 2026 at 10:00am and will feature compositions on “Exchange” or on “Renaissance”.