This is a collection of five original stories interlaced with 18 original poems, all published here for the first time. Three of the stories involve situations which might be seen as playing with the idea of reality. One story is a straight narrative about human interaction. The final story concerns a fictional professor who delivers a lecture criticizing contemporary literature and publishing practices. As with most of the stories, there is a comedic edge to it. The poems range from observations about the daily world, often with a humourous touch, to elegies. It is hoped that this arrangement might encourage readers to enjoy poetry as well as fiction. It is also hoped that this work will be seen as thought-provoking on a number of issues, not least the whole process by which readers encounter literature.