Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week has been busy with editing, submissions, August’s Poetic Voice feature being launched, the remarkable Rishi Dastidar. I also had one of the loveliest rejection letters I’ve ever had (although I did make the shortlist for consideration which is an achievement in itself). At home we celebrated Brody’s 2nd Birthday – he enjoyed his salmon lunch! We also took a trip to Stanton Gardens and Nursery, Bide-A-Wee Garden near Morpeth and the tremendous Fieldhead Farm to pick wildflowers. We also had some time to relax and harvest the last of the new potatoes that we enjoyed with some tapas.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
The Oasis
- Poet: Charles Lang
- Press: Skein Press
I picked up my copy of The Oasis at the Len Pennie event at Jesmond Library a couple of weeks ago – the Poetry Book Society was selling several titles and I went for this – ( I have a connection to the city it’s based in. My maternal Grandfather and his family were originally from Glasgow where this is set). So let’s dive in, also the playlist has returned…
One of Charles Lang’s great strengths is his humour. The opening piece ‘The Chase’ had me reliving my youth, laughing at myself through the poem. ‘Stickers’ had me laughing too, such an authentic poem – I once completed a panini album apart from a handful of stickers in a hospital bed when I was about 12. The use of Glaswegian dialect reinforces the humour especially when reading out loud and realising that your Scot’s accent needs more work.
Glasgow is a city much like Newcastle; built on the backs of working-class families. A key theme throughout is that of strength of character and resilience in the face of challenges. ‘Glasgow Sonnets’, a sequence of sonnets paints the city with respect and authenticity. The collection’s title poem ‘The Oasis’ spotlights the sense of community which is present in the majority of working-class cities. Then in ‘Disturbia’ we are treated to the grit of a city at night.
A theme that’s explored terrifically well is masculinity, a subject that is multi-faceted especially against the backdrop of a working-class culture. Pieces including ‘Boys’ and ‘Darts’ showcase this greatly. Again, the use of dialect adds texture and dimensions to the poetry.
Imagery throughout the collection is vivid. In the poems ‘Spring’ and ‘Helen’s Bay’ familiar scenery unfolds quickly. ‘The Sabbath’ is a snapshot of a poem and is similar to a relaxing Sunday routine at The Book Bag HQ. ‘In Death of A Field’, I felt a pang of nostalgia for the ‘Rec’ me and my friends used to explore daily.
In terms of form and space, they are used in a variety of ways throughout the collection. ‘Thistles’ is a prime example, which takes over a number of pages. Much like a thistle patch taking over land. Another piece ‘A Mess’ is the same poem presented in three different ways, each with a different emphasis in the voice of the narrator.
This book will appeal to people who appreciate themes of identity, masculinity, belonging, class, city life and vivid imagery. For people who appreciate form and style, this book will appeal. For those who love dialect poetry, this will appeal. It sits comfortably in my top 10 from the year so far.
Favourite Poem:
I’ll stick to five this week but it could very well be the whole collection. ‘Lily’, ‘Nightclub’, ‘Scaffolding’, ‘The Oasis’ and ‘Birds’.
To learn more about Charles Lang, click here.
To buy The Oasis, click here.
And here’s a playlist nobody asked for but everyone really wanted;
Gerry Cinnamon – Belter
Amy MacDonald – This Is The Life
Lewis Capaldi – Wish You The Best
Chvrches – Over
Simple Minds – Don’t You
Travis – Flowers In The Window
Deacon Blue – Dignity
Texas – Black Eyed Boy
Primal Scream – Rocks
One More Thing…
There’s still tickets available for the launch of Beautiful Little Fools on Tuesday 5th August 2025. Grab them here.
And Another…
Last week I mentioned the new substack ‘We Are The Choir; Poetry of Witness’. This week one of my pieces will be featuring. ‘Non-Hazardous Product’ is a poem on the destruction of a river and the commodification of water.
And Another…
Full House Literary are open for Submissions from 1 August to 20th August 2025. Details here.
And Finally…
The Black Cat Poetry Press have a competition with the theme ‘Turning Points’ open until 30th September 2025. The brief is broad, more details here.
Next Week’s Read
- Title: Vanishing Point
- Poet: Colin Bancroft
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Paul
Paul Writes Poems 