I’m going to be opening the Concealed Pockets of The Book Bag every now and then. First up, my thoughts on Sonnet Restaurant.
A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I visited Sonnet Restaurant, a 14-seater restaurant that serves a 14-course tasting menu across a few hours in Alnwick, Northumberland where all diners eat at the same time. Food x Poetry = a dream for me. This was a belated promotion / early anniversary celebration.
I could go on and on about the food however, I will simply state it was excellent, (Michelin and Conde Naste both agree) and we’ll be visiting again for a smaller lunch soon.
The experience was incredible, from the service which was friendly and attentive without being over the top and the wine flight paired perfectly with the courses.
This is a perfect place to eat when visiting Northumberland and I highly recommend if you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion. The space is intimate and bright and ends itself perfectly to relaxed fine dining.
A great finishing touch was the song ‘Sonnet’ by The Verve playing at the end of the meal. Another great detail was the course guide that was rolled into a scroll.
As sonnets go, the restaurant is comparable to Shakespeare’s 18th Sonnet. A marvel.
Hope you enjoyed this 14-line ( as it appears on laptop) response.
Stay tuned for more bits and pieces as I open more of The Book Bag’s Concealed Pockets.
Stale streams of striplights flicker— febrile, buzzing like midges— soundtrack the waiting room.
Swans crane their necks toward a droughted hell wings cupped in prayer for what must be the first time in years.
Cornflower bluebirds skitter faster than waterfalls, chirping names; a few heads look up—ruffled-eyes blinking away sorrow-grit, they glide solemnly, signets held pinion-close.
By the time I’m called, I’m trapped in viscose oilspill thought-pollution too heavy to featherspread and fly, too scared to inhale truths — exhale finalities.
I am not light, I am the weight of masculine expectation, so I don my taxidermy mask.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week has been busy. Bank Holiday blustery winds almost sent my towels into next doors garden, I got an acceptance and a rejection, saw some oystercatcher chicks fledge from the nest near work and attended the Broken Spine Arts open mic on Thursday evening. Also, I started anniversary celebrations with a visit to a very special restaurant. Details on that in couple of weeks maybe.
I also launched The Book Bag: Poetic Voices. If you’re yet to read, each month will feature a different Poet, showcasing an exemplary piece of poetry. I’m really excited for the names coming up and chuffed to bits that Matthew MC Smith agreed to be the inaugural Poetic Voice.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
When It Rained For A Million Years
Poet: Paul Farley
Press: Picador
Sometimes a book cover or title will grab you. This is what happened when I saw ‘When It Rained For A Million Years’. Both grabbed my attention, and as I read the back cover, I thought, yes this will do. In all honesty, I hadn’t picked up a Paul Farley book prior to this purely because I hadn’t come across his work. Something I will be rectifying.
Again, I’ve popped a playlist that I listened to whilst reading this as it was well received from last week’s episode.
There are some real impactful and emotionally charged poems within the collection including ‘Source’. The piece ‘Difficult To Enter House’ felt heavy and I had to take a few minutes to breathe before continuing reading. Another excellent example is ‘Our Father Showed Us Sea Level’, that had a different sort of weight.
Farley peppers humour throughout the book whether tongue in cheek or satire. I chuckled a while after reading ‘Turkeys’ and ‘Attack of The Fifty-Foot Poem’. However, these pieces are multi levelled and on second reading you find more and so it continues.
The imagery on display in this book is vivid and potent. Pieces such as ‘Wagtail Roost’ and ‘Cheshire Oaks Outlet Village’ and ‘Corncrakes’ are perfect examples. The poem ‘Cross Bedding, Between Edge Hill and Liverpool’ is another that I was drawn to. A marvel.
The landscape plays an integral role in this collection. The settings aren’t pastoral. Farley uses industrial backdrops (his bio does mention he is from Liverpool) to great effect, and they seem familiar. Liverpool and Newcastle are similar in terms of industrial heritage. Poems such as ‘King Carbon’ and ‘The Workaround’ (which takes us back in time and to the North East) shine a spotlight on these often-overlooked places. On a side note, the people of Liverpool have my thoughts after the horrific scenes following the bus parade.
References to pop culture appear throughout the collection. The poem ‘Usher’ takes us into the cinema of the early 90s. Each stanza headed with a movie title. Zoom pops up in the piece ‘Gorilla’ and ‘Horde’ gives readers an 80s soundtrack.
Form and style take on various forms throughout the book. One of my favourite examples of this is ‘The Execution of Anne Boleyn, Airfix 1:12’. A meticulous piece that I almost lost my head at.
Here’s the small playlist I enjoyed when reading this book.
David Bowie – Space Oddity The Beatles – Hey Jude Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy Sting & The Police – Roxanne Fleetwood Mac – Landslide Soft Cell – Tainted Love Elton John – I’m Still Standing Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In The Dark De La Soul – Me, Myself & I Duran Duran – The Living Daylights Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now The Human League – Don’t You Want Me
This collection has broad appeal. I would recommend it to poetry readers who enjoy vivid imagery, humour and emotion woven through excellently crafted multi-layered pieces.
Favourite Poem
Again, I’m choosing a few this week. Bubblewrap, Trth and Where the Owl Sleeps and the Spiders Nest.
One More Thing…
Your regular episode of The Book Bag will be taking a break for next week as my wife and I are celebrating our anniversary. See below for the cracking book I’ll be reading for the next entry.
And Another…
I’d love some audiobook and podcast recommendations to listen to during travelling. Let me know on social media or in a comment below if you have one.
And Finally…
I’d like to say a huge congratulations to all poets who were on the longlist and the prize-winners for the Rialto Nature & Place competition that was recently announced. It was great to see Book Bag poets Matt Gilbert & Victoria Spires amongst the names.
The Next Read Coming on 15th June 2025
Title: I Am Not Light
Poet: Louise Machen
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Welcome to the first instalment of a new feature as part of The Book Bag. Poetic Voices will feature a different poet every month. This feature aims to platform and showcase exemplary work from writers I admire across the poetic landscape and will run concurrently with the regular weekly episodes of The Book Bag where I’ll still be sharing thoughts on books I’ve read in the week.
So without further ado, our featured Poetic Voice for June 2025 is Matthew M.C. Smith. A man who does so much for poets across the world and an incredible poet in his own right. If you’ve read The Keeper Of Aeons Book Bag article, you’ll know I’m a big fan.
Matthew M. C. Smith is a writer from the east of Swansea, the industrial heartland of the city. He has a PhD on Robert Graves and Celticism. He is widely published and his work can be read in Poetry Wales, Arachne Press, These Pages Sing, The Gower Society Journal, Atrium Poetry and Acropolis Journal. Matthew is writing his own novel of The Odyssey, hoping to complete a final draft in 2025. He is campaigning for the return of the “Welsh Elgin Marbles” – the Red Lady of Paviland – back to Swansea from Oxford.
Matthew loves everything Star Wars, Welsh Rugby, collecting signed poetry books and 60s/ 70s vinyl. He can be found on long time-travelling walks in Gower and the Welsh hills and coastline.
His last poetry collection was The Keeper of Aeons (Broken Spine, 2022). In 2024, he read with Owen Sheers and Matthew Hollis.
Matthew edits Black Bough, the Silver Branch project and TopTweetTuesday. He is on Twitter, Bluesky, Facebook, Insta/ Threads.
Not a Mirror
and its flat, flipped impression, not the containing frame. Not the predictable form of self, presented, out there, thinned in depth.
She wants to hold her hologram, through passages of gold out into the uncaring city: through mindless mountains, the ocean's unthinking, frayed edge, bearing its fierce blue flicker like a bust of Nefertiti, unflipped, uncontained, filling heart-sized height and depth.
She wants to hold its crackle like an offering to be placed at the sanctuary of a future self.
Green Man
Mist drifts through webs, rain-flecked.
From the house, from the ivy way, all paths spiral, shadowed by green ruins, unravelled to the sky and beyond, the forest is ghost.
Walk through the night, walk to your rest, kneel under the beat moon and the pitiless stars and look upon the Green Man, moss-cheeked, ivy-bearded, who stares, deathless, through you.
Today, I’m sharing the following poignant and important piece by Matthew.
Colouring the Birds of Gaza
In a gallery in Swansea children are colouring in paper birds, each one a symbol of a child killed in Gaza.
Crayons are clenched, tiny fists of protest, pencils propped in the pressing triangle of fingers and thumb.
Ask them, the children always know the truth.
It's about power. Violence breeds hatred. No-one can ever win. Everyone should be free. Stop the War.
This is not the poem. This is almost nothing. Look, instead at the paper birds, the children fixing wings on the glass that crinkle in the sunlight.
I am delighted to share another poem from Matthew MC Smith today (30/06/2025).
Your Sundown is Electric
Tonight, I will imagine one sky and your hand reaching up, your fingers touching the shimmer with whatever’s left in you.
You give the remains of your palette’s freedom, watching it trail through the sky, like a comet’s sinking tail.
Your heart is as long as the earth, it could be forever, it cannot go – a shock of joy before the low hum of earth things and the stars’ iron wheel, so distant from the wild streak of your wide eyes, the intake of your breath.
Tonight, I will imagine one sky and that you are that outstretched finger, as you sit on that step, in a hallway flooded by light, looking upwards,
your sundown is electric.
Thanks for reading, keep up with my socials to find out when the next poem goes live. Username is @paulwritespoems on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X. You can also sign up to receive updates direct to your inbox when a new post goes live. Currently there is a delay in July’s Poetic Voice going live.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week has been a fun one. Projects coming together, submissions entered, lovely sunshine walks with my wife and Brody the dog, Julian Cason wrote some very nice things about me on Top Tweet Tuesday reviews week, I cooked up a storm in the kitchen, played some sax and gardened a little. I also saw my first swift and watched the pipistrelles swirling in the twilight.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
East Of The Sun West, Of The Moon
Poet: Taz Rahman
Press: Seren Books
I was lucky enough to see Taz perform live at the incredible Black Bough Poetry fundraiser in aid of WellChild in Neath in 2024. If you get the chance to hear him read and perform, sit back and enjoy.
Jazz. Poetry. Two art forms that complement each other in terms of speaking an improvised language that is unusual but makes perfect sense at the same time. In their purest forms they are outlets for the disenchanted, disenfranchised, the dismissed. They also happen to be two of my passions. I’ll share a playlist that I listened to whilst reading this book further down the page.
Imagery is delivered with the grace and flourish of a blues scale. ‘Bread of Heaven’ is a perfect example of immersing a reader in a poem that by the end you feel a sense of connection to the poet. This is also the case for ‘Animal Wall’, a sectioned piece that incorporates folklore.
There’s genuine emotion on display throughout the book. The poem ‘Chocolate’ displays fear compared to ‘Sanctuary’ which I felt showed his feeling of safety and peace. I must almost mention the piece ‘Drama/Trauma’ which is really important and exquisitely crafted.
For the romantics, which I count myself as, ‘I Want To See Your Face in Every Kind of Light’ is excellent. I also consider ‘The Free State of Roath’ to be a love poem either to person or place.
Place is important in the book. There are references to Cardiff and Wales, scattered throughout. ‘The Nearness of You’ takes a walk-through Cathays Cemetery. I’ve already mentioned ‘Animal Wall’ and ‘Sanctuary’ above but you get a real sense of surroundings with Taz’s deft use of vivid language.
Equally important is Taz’s admiration and relationship with nature. This is apparent in his language. Poems such as ‘Muktijoddha’, ‘Snapdragons Need The Bulk of Bumblebees to Force Open The Flower’ and ‘Substrate Of A Rose’ show this off really well.
There are poems linked to Taz’s heritage that lift from the page through sensory experience. ‘Anda’ is mesmerising with scents of daal, hot sugar and rosewater. ‘Yashica 365’ is a poem that opens the book with a rich tapestry of language that is evocative, full of sounds, smells and colour.
Taz plays with different forms and styles throughout in the book. These shifts add interest and deliver his lyrical language sometimes interpreted messages with great skill. Pieces such as ‘Permission’, ‘Trap Arachnids For Rainy Days’,‘Amygdala’ and ‘Chocolate’ are a selection that show the variation and strength of his skill. Also, I must mention the introductions and quotes that precede some of the pieces. It was great to see Johnny Cash mentioned, someone with a deep relationship with Jazz.
This collection is one of my personal favourites. The connection between jazz and poetic skill and language often mirrors itself throughout. Taz uses rich imagery and terrific language and turns of phrase and has crafted an exceptional book. A masterpiece. Buy it.
Also as promised, a playlist to listen to while reading. This was my personal choice anyway…
Trying To Figure It Out – Grace Kelly Freddie Freeloader – Miles Davis C Jam Blues – Charles Mingus Take Five – The Dave Brubeck Quartet Round Midnight – Thelonious Monk In A Sentimental Mood – Duke Ellington & John Coltrane East of The Sun (And West of The Moon) – Charlie Parker Night In Tunisia- Dizzy Gillespie Mood Indigo – Frank Morgan Blue in Green – Cannonball Adderley
Favourite Poem: I’m choosing three this week. Permission, Turning Saints into the Sea and East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
To grab yourself a copy of this terrific collection, visit the Seren Books website here.
One More Thing…
Keep a close eye out for a new monthly feature from The Book Bag launching on June 1st. It’s an exciting development which I think you will all enjoy.
And Another…
For the Short Story authors, this is a polite reminder that the great people at Frazzled Lit are opening their competition on 1st June. Details here.
And Another…
Fans of open mic’s, whether to perform or be in the audience, the Broken Spine Arts #PoemsAbout event takes place Thursday 29th May. All the information can be found here.
And Finally…
Regine Ebner and Black Bough Poetry are having an online launch for her collection Mountains That See In The Dark on Saturday 7th June 2025. There’ll be readings from Regine and special guests. Grab yourself a free ticket here.
Next Week’s Read
Title: When It Rained for a Million Years
Poet: Paul Farley
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week has been hot and sunny in Newcastle, and I’ve been able to absorb some Vitamin D in the garden (I also tripped over and landed in worm tea – not my finest hour). My wife and I also took the dog to the coast for a walk and ice-cream for breakfast!
On Monday evening, I did have to call the fire brigade during our dog walk. Someone thought it would be funny to set fire to trees in the nearby community orchard where lots of birds are currently nesting. The fire service was on the scene in quick time.
Poetry wise, I was lucky to do a reading and interview, details to be shared soon. Also, I’ve sent out some submissions, had an idea for participants of Write Here, Right Now and did something very exciting. Also, on Friday, the final episode of this season’s Thousand Shades of Green aired which featured work on the theme of water from myself and fellow contributing poets from the season. You can listen here . It was such a privilege to be part of and look forward to returning to feature again in the future.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Poet: Victoria Spires
Press: Salò Press
I first read Victoria Spires’ poetry on social media, I want to say in response to a prompt on Top Tweet Tuesday. Since then, I have read her work in multiple anthologies and lit mags where her poetry is always polished and beautifully crafted. She also introduced me to the ‘Sevenling’ form which I have practised a bit. Victoria is also a contributing editor to The Winged Moon, an excellent poetry magazine which has regular competitions and a weekly newsletter.
When Victoria announced on BlueSky that her debut pamphlet was incoming, I jumped straight on the pre-order page (a bargain from Salò Press).
Touch recurs through the book in various ways; ‘On Surrender’ begins tentatively and delicate between two people while the poem ‘Trouble’ looks at the want of haptic feedback from both the writer and inanimate objects like door handles. Poems in the collection are equated to desire (as stated on the back cover) and you definitely feel this upon reading. At points there is real intimacy.
There is an array of forms used in the pamphlet, sometimes from page to page. A prime example is the change of style from ‘A Hawk from A Handsaw’ to ‘Soi-disant’. Each form used gives extra focus to the poems and adds a little mystery before you begin reading.
The way in which emotion is portrayed within the pamphlet aligns with the nature of the poem. In ‘Soi-lui’ there is an edge, confrontational maybe. However, in ‘Orchard’, the emotion is mostly guided through the poem with touch and imagery.
The vocabulary in the collection is also worth mentioning for the sheer scale and precision of use. ‘Moon Almanack’ and ‘Mare Crisium’ taught me a handful of words unfamiliar to me which fit perfectly in place in the pamphlet.
Another benefit of incredible language use is the imagery within pieces such as ‘Brain As Radula’ and ‘Soi-lui’. This is also the case in ‘Sanguis’ which partners image, metaphor and form across the page.
This is a book that will appeal to many. At times it feels very intimate and is filled with poems exquisitely crafted that linger in the mind long afterwards making you return time and again. Highly recommended.
Favourite Poem:
White Gold.
If you want to keep up to date with Victoria, she has recently launched a Substack that can be found here.
To buy your copy of Soi-même (a bargain), click here.
One More Thing…
It was International Dylan Thomas Day on Thursday. Here is one of my favourites. Drop a comment with yours…
And Another…
Broken Spine Arts have an open mic on Thursday 29th May 2025. Details here of this always supportive event.
They have also released spotlights on the contributors to The Whiskey Tree Wave 2. Give them a read, all interesting insights to poetic thinking and inspiration. More info here.
It was great to see recently featured Poyums by Len Pennie win the Discover Award at the 2025 British Book Awards this week. A triumph for poetry and Scots language.
Next Week’s Read
Title: East of the Sun, West of the Moon
Poet: Taz Rahman
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week I’ve enjoyed some tremendous walks in the countryside, wrote a couple of pieces, one for a submission and one definitely for the pamphlet, entered into phase 2 of a secret project and a couple of opportunities came my way. More details on those in the coming weeks.
I also observed the anniversary of VE Day and wrote a poem for it based on personal stories of those who experienced it (you can read that here).
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Scattered Snows, To The North
Poet: Carl Phillips
Press: Carcanet Poetry
Scattered Snows, To The North is Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Phillips 17th collection (this is my first time reading a collection of his) and reads like a memoir where past choices and experiences and are examined with a focus on how memories often create a version of believed facts. A great example of this is in ‘Stop Shaking’.
The use of water recurs through the book. ‘Troubadours’, ‘Sunlight in Fog’ and ‘Regime’ play with water in different ways but all to maximum effect. Phillips is deft at creating vivid, visceral images throughout the book. Poems such as ‘When We Get There’, ‘Fall Colors’ and ‘Record of Where a Wind Was’.
Relationships are intricately and intimately observed in a variety of different ways. These include ‘Mechanics’, ‘Why So This Quiet’ ‘Western Edge’ and ‘Artillery’. A standout poem in this regard had to be ‘Surfers’ which deals with longing, infatuation and how a person acts.
When I was reading this, I was intrigued by the way that Phillips ends lines in unusual places, giving extra emphasis to the message he is delivering. The poem ‘Fist and Palm’ is exceptional in giving pause but making you want to get to the next line soon rather than later, heightening anticipation.
There are some fun quirks in the book such as the fact that the title poems from each section are in other parts of the book. In terms of form, there are various styles used in the book including pieces that are more prose such as ‘Searchlights’ compared to a poem like ‘Like So’ that plays with space on the page.
Use of language in Scattered Snows to The North is never laboured or overcooked which is something that poets can wrestle with when crafting work. Poems have a lyrical quality to them , demonstrated throughout. I’ve picked out the pieces ‘Back Soon; Driving-‘, ‘Career‘ and ‘If Grief Is Mostly Private And Always Various’ as examples but I could list so many more.
I could go on about how much I appreciate this book. I’ve read Scattered Snows To The North thrice in the week. I’m going to be re-reading more, hopefully absorbing some methods to improve my line breaks especially.
This is an introspective collection that will appeal to readers who like exceptional use of language and crafted poems that explore relationships and the role memory plays in our lives.
Favourite Poem:
I’m picking three this week. ‘This Is The Light’, ‘Somewhere It’s Still Summer’ and ‘Scattered Snows, To The North’.
To learn more about Carl Phillips, his website is here.
To buy Scattered Snows, To The North directly from Carcanet click here.
One More Thing…
I’m sharing more things on Instagram and Threads these days. I’d love for you to join me over there. As on every other site, my handle is @paulwritespoems. (I cringed slightly when I wrote handle!)
And Another…
If you’re a fan of the Emerald Isle and haven’t been listened to the Eat The Storms May Day Special featuring 32 poets from the 32 counties of Ireland then you need to. Available where you get your podcasts from normally. Also the Storms Journal is now open for submissions with the delightful Rhona Greene being sub-editor for this issue.More details on everything Storms related here.
And Finally…
A reminder that a couple of Book Bag alumni are appearing at Cheltenham Poetry Festival this coming week. Lesley Curwen who wrote ‘Rescue Lines’ will be appearing on Wednesday 14th May 2025, Chris Campbell, author of All Island No Sea will be appearing on Saturday 17th May 2025. Details on all events here.
Next Week’s Read
Title: Soi-Même
Poet: Victoria Spires
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Artillery guns wisp their deathsmoke for the final time. A nation takes breath while politicians straddle the direction of wind; promises of rebuilding and restoration.
Widows and unmet children linger in doorways, ready for the turn of a key as Spring submits to Summer.
Open-mouthed forests swallow bodies into nameless graves, roots drenched in blood and slaughter from all sides.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
Well it has been another busy week for me. ‘Glow: City At Night’ poetry anthology launched on Monday (available here), my piece ‘Nightclub Distillation’ is contained within the pages that are bursting with incredible poets, I’ve sent off some submissions, had a lovely rejection letter and planned more projects.
Also, I hosted the first ‘Write Here, Right Now’ online writing group which was a big success thanks mainly in part to all the supportive and conscientious attendees. I’m already planning number two.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Poet: Laura Cooney
Press: 2nd Edition Laura Cooney (1st Ed. Backroom Poetry)
I’m a big fan of Laura Cooney, initially seeing her work in multiple lit mags and anthologies some of which I appear in, and also attending a workshop online ran by Alan Parry and hearing her read. She is a supportive and encouraging poet in all the prompts and response she participates in and her feedback is always insightful, a skill she uses in her role as one of the editors of Frazzled Lit.
So when I saw a post on BlueSky that she was having a second edition print run of ‘Motherbunnet’ I got myself a copy (no thanks to the scoundrels at Royal Mail).
There is real love shared in the pages of this book. The poem ‘I Am Here’ is a packed with emotion and protection. I think I’ve re-read the poem maybe 8 times (at time of writing). ‘I Could Complain All Day About The State of My Knees’ is another piece that shows the love Laura has for her children.
Laura is a poet who knows how to infuse humour into her poems. Pieces including ‘Just Admit It’, ‘Terms and Conditions’ and ‘. That’s When You Remember Why McDonalds Was Invented’ all had me laughing and smirking. Especially ‘Just Admit It’.
Themes of identity and perception recur through the pamphlet including in the title poem ‘Motherbunnet’, a piece that uses the bunnet as extended metaphor so deftly. A poem that stood out for me in this respect was ‘Mothering: Dreaming In An Awake State’. It is so full of internal grappling and poignant. The piece, ‘Two Macaws at Lunchtime’ is another study but of identity but with a shift in tone that still has Laura’s distinct style.
Imagery-rich pieces such as ‘Another Prayer’ and ‘The Place To Eat’ transport you and immerse you in Laura’s world. The observations are poetically sharp and tangible, and in the latter of the two when Laura peppers in some Scot’s language it adds an extra dimension.
Form is played with throughout the book, giving freedom to the words in the page and how they are read and spoken. The poems ‘Revolving Door’ and ‘3P BIO-WHO ARE You?’ are contrastingly distinct and deliver Laura’s message with real emphasis.
Motherbunnet is a sincere, funny and honest collection full of moments that take you on an emotional journey. Buy this if you appreciate poetry with connection that is steeped in reality.
Favourite Poem: ‘Sneaky Biscuits’ followed closely by ‘I Am Here’.
To buy Motherbunnet, contact Laura directly on social media @lozzawriting.
One More Thing…
Laura is co-editor of Frazzled Lit magazine who have a forthcoming Short Story competition with entries open between 1st & 30th June 2025. The competition will be judged by Nuala O’Connor and full details can be found here.
And Another…
Broken Spine Arts has opened submissions for a new anthology, Haze: Counterculture Poetry. I’ll definitely be creating something to submit to this excellent theme. Details including submission info and rules here.
And Finally…
A new Silver Branch feature has landed on Black Bough poetry celebrating the incredible work of Robert Frede Kenter. His work always mesmerises me and this feature contains truly remarkable pieces, details of his new book ‘Father Tectonic’ and his approach to writing. The feature can be found here.
Next Week’s Read
Title: Scattered Snows, to the North
Poet: Carl Phillips
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week has been hectic and fun. A new oven installed, a trip to the Bluebell Woods in Morpeth for a walk with the dog. On top of that; I’ve had two poems accepted for the Beautiful Little Fools Anthology (out in July from Broken Spine Arts), celebrated Earth Day and the Bard’s Birthday with a couple of pieces posted for TopTweetTuesday and Twednesday. And to top it all off, the wonderful podcast from Susan Richardson, A Thousand Shades Of Green featured some of my work.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Poyums
Poet: Len Pennie
Press: Canongate Books
Poyums is the debut collection from Len Pennie. It is a book filled with unflinching honesty, raw emotion and powerful messages relating to issues including domestic violence. A large number of Len’s poems are in the Scot’s language, which emphasises the importance of the words on the page. I have Scottish blood from my Mam’s side of the family and didn’t even realise that Scot’s was a language and not dialect. As such i’ll research that a bit more.
A key theme within the book is empowerment. Pieces including ‘Reflections’ and ‘Contradictions’ tackle this subject in different ways. ‘Reflections’ is a standout piece of writing that gives a real impetus on female strength and reads like a letter written to women and girls, encouraging them to follow their own path.
There are also some dark moments scattered throughout the collection. This begins with the opening piece, ‘Honey’ a raw and honest account. Poems including ‘Mornin Fucker’ and ‘In The Name Ae The Wee Man’ also deal with the aftermath of an abusive relationship. The piece Ourobouros (my close second favourite) is sharp, incisive and cutting with a tremendous depth and defiance at the end.
Misogyny rears its ugly head in the poem ‘In Their Own Words’, created from messages sent to the author. This is a disturbing reminder of the world and the way in which some men think they can objectify women. It’s a shocking state of affairs. In fact, when researching ‘Poyums’, I was shocked to see how much crap the Len Pennie has had to deal with.
Len Pennie is deft at highlighting irony throughout her collection. This is expertly shown in the poem, ‘A Father of Daughters’ . In‘The Child’, Pennie shines a light on double standards that girls have to live with growing up.
An important theme within Poyums, is mental health. ’40 Seconds’ is a devastating poem centred around suicide. This is followed immediately by ‘Angels’. These are brave, heart-wrenching, important pieces.
Underlying a lot of the poetry is wit. The poem ‘Oh, Look’ delivers a tremendous closing line. The pieces ‘The Muse’ and ‘Aince Upon A Time’ are examples where humour shine through.
In terms of form, I’ve already mentioned letter-style poetry. The pieces in the collection use clever rhyme and meter which lends itself to performance and delivering the direct messages of these work to the reader. There are some terrific rhyming structures that also take place out of the confines of ending lines. The rhythm of the pieces can also take turns midway through.
This is a starkly honest collection of poetry that doesn’t avert its gaze from the ordeals that Len Pennie has gone through. It deals truth, grit and humour through the Scot’s language to deliver a poems that stick in your conscience. I’m looking forward to the second book ‘Poyums Annaw’ launching very soon.
Poyums can be bought at independent bookshops as well as the major high street chains. You can also buy from Bookshop.Org
One More Thing…
As mentioned in the recap, I was lucky enough to be a featured poet on A Thousand Shades of Green Podcast. You can find the podcast on your preferred podcast platform or via the website; https://athousandshadesofgreen.com
And Another…
This coming Thursday is the first session of my new online writing group, Write Here, Right Now and I’m very excited.
And Finally…
I want to say a big thanks to the people who have reached out on social media with recommendations to appear in The Book Bag. I’m curating a list and you may see your recommendations live soon.
Next Week’s Read
Title: Motherbunnet
Poet:Laura Cooney
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Paul Writes Poems 