Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
It’s been a couple weeks since I posted in The Book Bag, but I am back.
I’ve been busy with plans for 2026, finalising the anthology that will be launched on 31st March, submitting pieces and arranging Poetic Voices features for the coming months. I’ve also been lucky enough to host another Open Mic which was an amazing and intimate session.
Another good thing I got to do was nominating Matthew MC Smith, Paul Connolly and Vikki C for the Forward Prize. It’s a privilege to be able to give further recognition to such deserving poets.
Aside from that I’ve been lucky to see a sapling from the felled Sycamore Gap, a true symbol of resilience. I’ve also been on a mini-break including a visit to Bamburgh Castle, some time on the North Sea and a trip to Woodhorn Museum. I also attended a terrific talk by Rachel Joyce at the Alnwick Storyfest.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
English Jack
- Poet: Harry Gallagher
- Press: The Black Light Engine Room Press
I’ve met Harry several times including attending his stanza meetings on a few occasions. He is a great lad and always has time to speak to people and discuss and promote poetry. Harry is a natural performer and can get people truly engaged.
English Jack is a small pamphlet that follows the life of Jack up to his 50’s. This is a social commentary and a portrait of masculinity and identity that is immensely relevant to today’s society.
There are grim, stark points in this book. ‘Respect’ is a harrowing piece that resonates and teems with authenticity. It reminds me of the mindset of some of the men from the council estate I grew up on. The opening poem ‘Chip Off The Old Block’ is an ominous foreshadowing of things to come. ‘Lessons’ and ‘Borstal Dots’ are further forays into the Jack’s decline.
Harry creates delicate moments in his portrait of Jack. ‘Comic’ (one of my favourites) places Jack in the happiness and security of his Grandad’s house where we see a glimpse of Jack’s struggles with reading and the impact it has had at school. ‘Refuge’ and ‘The Gentle Girl As Mrs English’ are both tender and haunting.
Harry paints the time and landscape of the unfolding events remarkably in the pamphlet. ‘Summer Of Love’, ‘Away’ and ‘In A Corner Of An English Pub’ are all vivid in my mind and I can see each one playing out, in fact some of the moments in this book I have definitely seen unfold.
In terms of form and styles, rhyming structures are used expertly throughout with some arriving or leaving mid poem including ‘Dad’s Back’. Harry also uses various structures including couplets in ‘Blame’ and spacing to close out ‘Roadworker’. The book is a timeline across decades, and each piece is perfectly placed.
Fans of social commentary and gritty, true to life poetry will consume this book quickly then re-read and peel back further layers. This is an honest, important and necessary book that shines a light on a dark, cyclical subculture of masculine identity. The timeline format documents Jack’s downward spiral perfectly, illustrating inherited beliefs, culture and personality.
Favourite Poem:
Aside from ‘Comic’, I’ll add the following poem, ‘The Gentle Girl’ because it is a poem that gives hope for a better outcome.
Find out more about Harry here.
Buy English Jack here.
Are you looking for the playlist? Well here we go…
Chumbawumba – Tubthumping
Oasis – Supersonic
The Streets – Dry Your Eyes
The Who – Who Are You?
Elvis – Suspicious Minds
Tina Turner – What’s Love Got To Do With It
Sam Fender – Friday Fighting
Bruce Springsteen – The River
Manic Street Preachers – A Design For Life
The Smiths – Suffer Little Children
Lea McCann & Eddie Harris – Compared to What
Before I Go…
Tickets for The Book Bag Open Mic Session 4, taking place on Sunday, 2nd May are now available here. Limited readers and limited audience to provide an intimate, supportive and welcoming experience.
One More Thing…
The release of Unwhispered Legacy is fast approaching. An online launch has also been scheduled for Friday 1st May at 7pm (BST). Tickets will be available soon. Keep up to date with my socials for when they go live.
And Another…
Jeff Cottrill, a performance poet from Canada, has some UK dates scheduled for June. He’s been at a couple of Book Bag Open Mics and his work is funny, engaging and honest, follow him on Bluesky @JeffCotrill.bsky.social. He’s a fantastic performer and if you’re in the following areas and dates, I’d recommend you go along;
31st May: Poetry in the Park, Aberdeen
2nd June: Voices from the Fountain, Walsall
9th June: Survivor Poets, London
11th June: Worcester Litfest, Worcester.
He is also planning on attending the Fire & Dust Open Mic in Coventry on 4th June.
And Finally…
Iamb Wave 25 went live at midnight with a stellar lineup of poets. You can listen to the new wave plus all previous waves at https://www.iamb.uk/. Mark’s Iamb resource gives a terrific spotlight to so many great poets.
Next Week’s Read
- Title: Birds| Humans | Machines | Dolphins
- Poet: Genevieve Carver
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Paul
Paul Writes Poems 