Anna West

Anna West is currently working on “In the Garden of Dark Flowers,” from which this piece is taken. Born in Australia, she grew up in Africa, the West Indies, Europe and the UK. She has worked as a producer, actor, waitress and shepherd. She lived in East Arnhem Land while working with the Yolngu Aboriginal people on a documentary that captured their Creation Story, and had the great privilege of working with Ngawangdhondup Narkyid (Kuno), His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s confidante and official biographer. A committed traveller, she is currently based in London working as a writer/ editor.

The Irishman

I never knew your name. I don’t need to know it to remember, your wild heart branded my soul. The first time I saw you, my family and nine other souls working on the construction of a large water catchment project in Kenya were riding in an old armored van given to us by the British Army. We were crossing the Rift Valley on our way back from Nairobi, travelling toward the Aberdare Ranges where we lived.

The Pomegranate

I put a pomegranate in his hands. His hands once strong and brown, long fingered, now rested empty of life. Closed. Wrapped like torn paper around the red plumpness of the fruit. I could feel the seeds resting like jewels beneath the thickness of the pomegranate’s rind. Thirteen pink paper hearts cut from what felt like my flesh I put in the pocket of his jacket,…

Born Still

I was watching a gothic tableau play out from the corner of a hospital room. A pale girl lay on the bed below. Dark hair on white pillows. White sheets between her legs stained with blood. I felt compassion for the pale girl and the three people bending over her. Two nurses and a young doctor. A cry caught in his throat. “We’re losing her!”
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