poems

The Book Bag Christmas Gift Guide 2026

I ho-ho-hope this guide is useful and brings some festive cheer this season.

The Book Bag Christmas Gift Guide is the place to get some poetic recommendations ahead of the festivities in December. And what a range I have to share this year. You festive elves have been busy sharing recommendations and this year the range is wide. It’s also fantastic to see some returning poets from last years list featuring again this year! (If you missed last year’s list, read here).

Creating the The Book Bag Christmas Gift Guide brings me happiness for a couple of reasons. It boosts poets and presses and gives people ideas for gifts they’d like to receive so they can nudge their friends and family in the right direction. It’s also a way to say thank you for your support throughout the year.

And remember, the guide is not only recommendations, the Festive Playlist is back as well as a couple of festive games & challenges to get involved with over the holidays. There’s even some cosy prompts to keep you writing.

Just like last year I will start with you recommendations. Some of these I have read myself and completely agree in their inclusion. The books I haven’t read have been added to my TBR! Thank you for sharing images and links to buy.

The first book to be nominated this year comes from Peter and is for the excellent Carmella De Keyser and her children’s collection The Amygdala Safari (Parlyaree Press) which is fantastic. Peter says ‘This is a quality collection full of heart, soul and wonder. The poetry is assured, fun and inspirational — so perfect for Christmas. There is so much creativity and imagination, the perfect book for kids and adults to dip into over the holidays. It is full of spirit, humanity and humour. So many great poetic phrases that linger in the memory. A great book, so much skill and talent, highly recommended.’ I completely agree. Buy here.

Another recommendation for Carmella comes from Paul C, Merril and Evie for her book Chasms (Alien Buddha Press). You may remember me featuring this in The Book Bag earlier in the year and it was on my list of recommendations. Evie says ‘This powerfully evocative collection searches for beauty within and beyond the abyss, interrogating and integrating complicated personal and political histories along the way.’ Merril continues ‘This chapbook is so rich with joy and pain, war, ancestry, memories, and the body. The poems are works to be savoured. Each time I read them, I find more in them. A wonderful book for long winter days.’ Buy here.

Rachel recommends Antonia Wilde’s, The Lake Remains (Kelsay Books). Rachel says ‘For the dog lover: When I was growing up, Christmas was a special time to honour the members of the family, human and animal, who were no longer with us. In keeping with that tradition, I am recommending The Lake Remains to all of the pet lovers on your shopping list this holiday season. It’s a short book of poems that serve as an ode to grief, caretaking, and companionship.’ Purchase your copy here.

Rather than a single or couple of books, John recommends buying someone the Ethel 2026 full subscription. ‘Receive a copy of everything Ethel publishes in 2026. So far books scheduled or already released include works by Vaghawan Ojha, Léa Abi Zeid Daou, Chris L. Butler, Sasha Weiss, Dan Sicoli, Frances Cannon, Jon Cone, Eleanor Holmes, Tana Oshima, Tommy Sheffield, John Compton, Cryptid Parke, El Bentivegna with more TBD. Also will continue getting out copies of Ethel 11 and Ethel 12.’  You may recognise a Poetic Voice in this list… Ethel are a great press and Sara Lefsyk is a tremendous curator of poets. Get the subscription here.



Evie recommends A Long Way Down by Beth Brooke (Vole). Evie tells us  ‘Joint winner of the Brian Dempsey Memorial Prize 2025, this moving pamphlet explores the poet’s relationship with her father amidst the lasting effects of war, while raising funds for MAP.’ I’ve heard some of these poems read live and they linger. Get your copy here.

Evie also recommends Forest Girl by Julie Stevens (Flight of The Dragonfly), and says ‘Exploring inner and outer landscapes from forest to sea, this beautiful collection is deeply grounded and attentive to the natural world, with a commitment to raising funds for the MS Trust.’ It is an excellent book that you can buy here.

Carmella recommends The Boy Who Drew John Lennon by Peter Thabit Jones (Seventh Quarry). In Carmella’s words ‘it is a collection for people either with families or those celebrating alone, it speaks of love and respect beyond relationships by traversing over eclectic subject matter including references to poets, singers and historical themes. This is a book for everyone! Themes include childhood memories, tributes to artistic people and thoughts on collective experiences such as socio/economic/historic issues. The book is produced to a high standard with satisfying aesthetics, luxurious paper and a beautiful front cover.’ Available here.

Carmella, Paul and Evie both recommended John Chmura’s 539: A Year In The Pine Barrens. Paul thought it had to be on the list. Carmella says ‘It would make a refreshing and alternative Christmas gift for people who long for a bit of escapism or travel. It is a raw, deeply felt and brilliantly unpredictable collection of poems that weaves across contrasting concepts, topics and seasons in a fascinating and impactful way!’ and Evie goes on to say ‘Vivid in its sense of place, this memorable collection brings to life the New Jersey Pine Barrens in all of its ecological and political complexity.’ I have to say I am a fan of John’s work and have discussed the Pine Barrens with him after I read a seminal book on the area late last year. Get your copy here.

Returning to the list is Merril Smith’s, Held Inside the Folds of Time (Jane’s Studio Press).  Evie says, ‘Through poetry and photography, this lyrical collection explores themes of loss, belonging, and resilience, weaving elegy and memory with hope.’  This book was on last year’s list and has featured on The Book Bag. Merril has real depth to her work. Buy here.

Leia recommends My Body is a Stranger by Nikki Dudley (V Press) commenting that this is ‘A fantastic book from a fantastic writer about navigating perimenopause.’ Buy from V Press here.

Leia also recommends Speculative Frequencies by Briony Hughes (Permeable Barrier) which she has described as ‘An amazing book of experimental poetry about the wonderful world of bats. Absolute magic.’ This is a book which I have nudged Mrs S in the direction of buying for me. Buy here.

Dorian recommends Rube Goldberg Machine by Victoria Spires (Shadow and Sax) which in his words and many others is ‘A beautifully written, thoughtfully produced, pocket poetry gem!’ Available to purchase here. I can’t wait to read this book.

Annest recommends Seasonal Adjustments by K.V. Skene (Hidden Book Press) as a great gift. The book contains original, concise and lyrical writing that is sometimes experimental. You can buy here. I will be getting a copy of this soon.

Talking of Annest, her book as been recommended by Paul C as one of his picks of excellent writing. Contemplation of Roses (Lapwing) featured in The Book Bag: Poetic Voices in October 2026 and is a remarkable book which I also recommend and would have been in my picks below. Grab your copy here.

For fans of visual poetry, Leia suggests Chronically Online by Rose Ramsden (fourteen poems), ‘it is such an exciting book of poetry told through memes and screenshots, such an original and innovative collection.’ Get your copy here.

Leia also recommends The Grimoire of Grimalkin (prototype publishing) by Sascha Aurora Akhtar. ‘The book is such an incredible exploration of language and the most interesting read’. Buy it here.

A few more recommendations from Paul C. All of which he says are magnificent (Paul C reads widely and his insights are excellent so I hold lots of value in his opinion). Tear and Share by Leia Butler (Broken Sleep) available here (and highly recommended by me as the concept and writing is tremendous and Leia is an incredibly talented poet), Martina Dalton’s collection Midnight in the Saltmarsh (The Gallery Press) available here, The Drift of Memory by Dermot Murphy available here, Sweet Hunter by Dana Delibovi (Monkfish) available here, MOUNTEBANK by Tom Snarsky (Broken Sleep) available here, Hotel Petroleum (Broken Sleep) by Mark Fiddes available here and Subverses by Mirko Boncaldo (Broken Sleep) available here.

Grief is the Thing in Pleather by Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain (Osmosis Press) has been suggested by Leia. The book is described as ‘A stunningly crafted collection, just an incredible read’. Get your copy here.

Barney is endorsing Rachel Long’s Sparrow on the Rooftop (Vintage). Rachel’s voice is singular – raw and unflinching, but also precise and carefully measured. There’s an almost dreamlike slipping between states in these poems that she uses to confront, rather than confound as she explores love and loss, shame and survival. Buy here.

Barney also recommends Rabbitbox by Wayne Holloway-Smith (Scribner Editions). He says ‘Although presented in parts, this is essentially a book-long narrative poem, and a book that you can live in, although at times it’s a punishingly brutal world. It’s also a book that truly reveals itself over multiple readings, so beautifully written and carefully constructed.’ Purchase here.

And finally something a little different to enjoy in the run up to Christmas…

Winter Fairytales — An Advent Calendar of Stories

Imagine opening your email each December morning to find a traditional fairytale waiting for you.

Winter Fairytales is a different kind of Advent calendar, created by storyteller Angela Halvorsen Bogo. From 1–25 December, subscribers receive a daily link to a filmed storytelling performance. Drawing on traditional tales and folktales from different cultures, these stories offer wonder, humour, mystery and a little darkness. They’re for adults and families with children aged around eight and upwards. There’s no need to listen at a particular time. All 25 stories remain available until 1 March 2027.

A sample can be viewed here.

Prices:
Early Bird until 22 November: €49 / $59
Regular price from 23 November: €79 / $95

Booking links:
To book in Euros, click here.
To book in US dollars, click here.

Now we move on to my recommendations for the festive period. Some have featured in The Book Bag, some have not.

First off Forest Management by S. Reeson (Flight of The Dragonfly). The narrative play like structure takes you on a journey. It is raw, powerful and emotive with a reckoning across the acts. I have all the time in the world for S. Buy their book here.

#Moth by Eleanor Holmes (Ethel) is a remarkable and stunning book of poetry with hand  stitched spine and cover. The craftmanship is superb as is the selection of pieces included by Eleanor. I had been a massive fan of Eleanor’s moth poems before the book came into being and even wrote an ‘after’ poem. Purchase here.

Cherry Blossom at Nightbreak by Rishi Dastidar (Nine Arches) is a blockbuster of a book full of clever poems that sweep a broad range of themes and issues. I read the collection under the Taihaku Cherry Orchard at The Alnwick Garden. It’s a fantastic book and I go back to read my favourites from the collection at least once a fortnight. Available here.

Joy is my Middle Name by Sasha Debevec-McKenney (Fitzcarraldo Editions)  won the Dylan Thomas Prize and is a book brimming with wit, resilience and candour. The mix of the everyday coupled with history, politics and lived experiences really engaged me. Tremendous. Buy here.

The Way The Water Held Me by Catherine Redford (The Emma Press) is a special book dealing with grief. I held that book close when I was reading because it made me feel so much. Highly recommended if you haven’t already read it for its poignancy. Available here.

After Party by Dean Browne (Picador) was a book I read earlier in the year that I found to be multilayered, ripe with humour and surrealism. One of my favourites I’ve read this year. Buy it here.

The Big Calls by Glyn Maxwell (Live Canon) is a book I was given by a friend. It is powerful and politically charged taking aim at the powers that be. I was angry reading it and almost dislocated a thumb clenching my fists. Available here.

Retired Wannabe Club Kid by Rachel Turney (Parlyaree) is a terrific, globe hopping collection of poems with a EDM pulse. The navigation from solo to duo is perfectly plotted and it’s a book that is close to my heart. Get your copy here.

Folkish by Kim Deyn (Nine Arches) is a natural choice to recommend. The book draws inspiration from Northern Folklore. My late Grandad told me tales of about different types of mythical beasts and pixies in Northumberland. He also took me to visit his brother who was a Canon on Lindisfarne regularly. You may have read my pieces on Lindisfarne, the North East Coast and a piece on the Barghest previously. Buy Folkish here.

Edges of our Days by Polly Oliver is a phenomenal debut collection that traverses deep time and connection. The pieces in this book are both moving and humorous and I’ve read it and dog-eared so many pages that I’m going to invest in some more post-it notes. Buy your copy here.

Mædwe by Corrina Board (Salò Press) was one of my favourite reads of the year and opened my eyes to playing with form in interesting ways. I felt at home in the book due to its depictions of the fields and meadows. Sink into this book here.

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Oblique House produced a double sided pamphlet by Roberto Salvador Cenciarelli and Nasim Luczaj was an incredible read full of rich language, imagery and emotion. You can buy it here.

Hatchery by Beth Osmond (V Press) was a book that had me laughing and sobbing. A few of the pieces made my heart ache. At times moving, at times hilarious this book gives a tremendous exploration on expectations and class and resilience. Buy here.

Songs From Last Imaginations by Dorian Nightingale (Flight of the Dragonfly) is a tour de force of lyrical poetry that incorporates exquisite language and superb sound patterning. This is an emotional book and should be on everybody’s radar. Grab your copy here.

The How in The World by Louise Longson (Hedgehog Press) is a brutal indictment on how appreciation of the natural world has been discarded in favour of commodification and corruption. I found this a phenomenal and thoughtful book. Buy here.

The Lives We Had Before by Vanessa Napolitano (Stanchion) is a collection with real heart. The poetry is relatable and has a cheekiness in places and danger in others. Buy here.

Coin Laundry at Midnight by Carson Wolfe (Button Poetry) features delightfully dark humorous pieces that had me laughing out loud. It’s also filled with unease and danger and has a real edge to it. I’ve re-read it a so many times. Get your copy here.

Dwell by Simon Armitage (Faber & Faber) is a marvel of poetry which I read in the library at RHS Harlow Carr. It’s an exploration on habitat and fragility. The book is illustrated beautifully and includes one of my favourite poems of the year in ‘Insect Hotel’. Buy here.

Finally, a subscription to the Visual Poetry Times from Poetry Kiosk. Great value and wonderfully designed, it’s a perfect place to draw inspiration and delve into visual poetry. I was sent a copy earlier in the year by a friend and I have now signed up! You can sign up here.

This is a list of books that have just been released or are due for release over the next year or so that i am looking forward to reading…

A Enquiry of Ordinary Things by Roger Hare (Nine Pens)
Towards, Not Reaching by Paul Connolly (Broken Sleep)
Gilgamesh by Simon Armitage (Faber & Faber)
To The Ticket Officer by Chris Campbell (Atomic Bohemian)
Kiss Chase with Darwin by Nina Parmenter (Broken Sleep)
Mother, Maiden, Crone Anthology (Nine Pens
Pine / Needles by Stephen Paul Wren (Parlyaree)
Unfurling the Scroll of Seven Decades (Finishing Line) by Sandra Beth Levy
Scale by Lesley Curwen (Nine Pens)
Christmas Winter Anthology No. 7 (Black Bough)
Midolesence by Elizabeth Fevyer (Nine Pens)
A Book Is A Bird That Sings In The Night by Rebecca Rae (Black Cat Poetry)
The Universe is an Animal by Jessica Mookherjee (Nine Arches)
Wild Winter Anthology (Crumps Barn Studio)
Concealed Revelations (The Book Bag)

& a few more that haven’t been announced yet…

Festive songs always bring emotions to the surface, sometimes positive sometimes not. The playlist has a few additions here and there…


It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy Williams
Winter Wonderland – Frank Sinatra
Last Christmas – Wham
Step Into Christmas – Elton John
All I Want for Christmas – Mariah Carey
Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
Thank God It’s Christmas – Queen
Let It Snow – Dean Martin
Christmas Lights – Coldplay
Don’t Let the Bells End – The Darkness
Silent Night – Gregory Porter
Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms
Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano
You Can’t Always Get What You Want – Sam Fender
White Wine In The Sun – Tim Minchin
Little Drummer Boy – Bing Crosby & David Bowie
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town – Bruce Springsteen
Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
Fairytale of New York – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl
Carol of the Bells – St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir & Andrew Carwood
Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea
What Christmas Means to Me – Stevie Wonder
Ave Maria – Beyoncé
White Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald
O Tannenbaum – Nat King Cole
Cold December Night – Michael Bublé
Christmas Tree Farm – Taylor Swift
I Wish It Could be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard
Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens
Merry Christmas Everybody – Slade
2000 Miles – The Pretenders
Somewhere Only We Know – Lily Allen
Mary’s Boy Child – Boney M
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas – Perry Como

The holidays hit and you want to write to keep up momentum. These prompts will help you keep up with your practise into the new year. I’ve also added some poetry challenges in the Festive Activities section that follows…

Prompt 1: A Thousand Lights – Explore the symbolism of lights during the darkest part of the year and how they are incorporated into traditions and gestures so the darkness feels less overwhelming.

Prompt 2: The Clockmaker – Visualise a clockmaker repairing timepieces throughout the dark winter nights. Create a poem on the idea that repairing an object could also restore something lost to time.

Prompt 3: Outside, Looking In – You are on a train, in a car or even walking and your attention is caught by a glowing window. Examine deeply; What is the scene, is there tension or levity? Are you jealous or relieved? Can you read the lips of those behind the glass? How do you react when they spot you?

Prompt 4: The Feast of 100 Things – Draw upon the folklore of winter creatures and spirits to present a feast in the middle of the forest for an ancient midwinter celebration, where the laws of hospitality must be obeyed. You decide the laws. Look at the boundaries between generosity and obligation and how being hospitable can be dangerous.

Prompt 5: The Cardigan – A cardigan hangs in your wardrobe. You wonder why it has 24 pockets but you are cold and curious so you decide to put it on. You search the pockets and discover each contains an item belong to somebody no longer present in your life for positive and negative reasons. Confront the items and your past. Will you try to reconnect?

I’d love to read what you create. Feel free to send them or tag me in social media if shared online.

It’s a Blackaddery Christmas. Take half an hour out of your day and create a ‘found’ poem using the below page from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Again i’d love to read what you come up with!

The Christmas Tree Poem Challenge – Create a thirteen line festive poem with each line  including a word that begins with a letter that spells out Christmas Tree. Like an acrostic but not. The poem should not be about a tree.

Here’s a little observational fun to enjoy over the holidays in the shape of Festive Bingo. Print it out if you’d like and give one to each friend or family member you think would enjoy it. Simply cross an entry off once you notice something…

And finally, Scattergories. We played this last year on Boxing Day after somebody gave us some printables. I’ve created a list here in drawing inspiration from different places. Holidays is used to incorporate the full series of festivals and holidays. . Pick a random letter which everyone uses, set the timer to 2 minutes, and go. All answers must start with the letter chosen and be festive. Only unique answers win so be as random as possible. Most points wins!

And finally, from me…

The Book Bag: Poetic Voices – November 2026

We’re into the second ‘ber’ month in a row and you can definitely tell, the weather has been havoc. I hope you’re all staying warm and safe and healthy in run up to December’s festivities and holidays. To all my US readers, I pass on my thanksgiving wishes to you. If any of you have a good recipe for pumpkin pie, I would love for you to send it over!

As we welcome November, we also welcome a new Poetic Voice to The Book Bag. I have known this poet for a little bit of time and their work is always multilayered and original. I have been lucky to have heard them live multiple times, read and re-read their work and share pages in anthologies. It was also a massive honour to be trusted to host the online launch of their latest book, Forest Management. A writer I have all the time in the world for…

Without further ado, welcome S. Reeson.

S. Reeson (she/they) is a working-class, neurodivergent poet whose space and shape poetry is underpinned by mental health, existential angst, speculative fiction and the current state of the planet. After winning a Poetry Society members’ contest in 2018 they wrote 24 poems about their home town for the Places of Poetry online initiative, one of which was included in the official anthology published for National Poetry Day in October 2020 by Bloomsbury/One World. This poem was then reproduced by The Daily Telegraph and read on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Up All Night programme.

A debut pamphlet with accompanying art and photography, Flammable Solid, was published in November 2022 by Flight of the Dragonfly Press. In April 2023 a chapbook, No Gloss… No Veneer, No Filter was produced by Back Room Poetry. They have been published in over 30 magazines and anthologies, including Under the Radar and were shortlisted in April 2026 for Poem of the Month by Verve Poetry Press.

In the same year they were selected as Poet in Residence for the Leigh Art Trail in Essex, and a Writer in Residence at Metal Southend as part of the Essex Book Festival, where they also taught poetry on behalf of the South Bank Centre as a component in the Poet in Every Port initiative. Their second pamphlet, Forest Management, was published on October 23rd.

Both their poetry and photography has been formally exhibited across Essex and East London, and they are on the Steering Committee for the Southend Creatives CIC, where they advocate for a fair deal for all creative industries in their home city.

They are currently putting the finishing touches to their first collection.

To find out more and keep up to date with what S is upto you can find them here;
Website: https://no-gloss-no-veneer-no-filter.ghost.io/
Instagram: internetofwords
Bluesky: internetofwords.com

In this month’s Poetic Voice feature not only do we have some excellent poetry from S, we have an interview, details on their other projects. There is something special happening in part 2, but my lips are sealed.

The following pieces are taken from Forest Management, a superbly presented book of poetry made up of acts, similar to how a play appears. Special thanks to Flight of the Dragonfly for permission to reproduce the poems.

A Q & A with S. Reeson

PS: Firstly, a question I like to start with. Who are your poetic influences and how have they evolved?

S: I was the first woman in my family accepted to college in 1985, to do an English and Media course. My poetry education involved a great deal of ‘traditional’ staples: none of them sparked joy in any reasonable measure. It was when I ‘discovered’ The Mersey Poets (Adrian Henri, Roger McGough, Brian Patten) that a spark of connection took place: there was a definite association with the themes and forms that they used. I aped their work extensively.

There was then a long period in the poetic wilderness, until my interest was reignited by Ian McMillan in the mid 2010’s. I’d been taught about Emily Dickinson and Virginia Woolf at school but was not emotionally acute enough at the time to accept what these women had done and the fact that absolutely no female poets appeared in my reading list at college should have been more of a warning sign than was then the case. There was a lot of catching up to do.

I’d say 80% of my bookshelves are taken over to female poets. I unashamedly fangirl Dr Kim Moore and Rosie Garland, as well as Sharon Olds and Maya Angelou. Influences are constantly changing, which is more fuelled I realise by my own journey than it is directly influenced by any other poet’s style or substance. I feel it’s massively important to read widely and often, and to have a thorough understanding of what motivates people to write poetry in the first place.

PS: You work across different artistic practices and spaces. What advice would you give to creatives who may wish to branch out into different techniques?

S: Don’t be afraid. Fear is the biggest single obstacle to creative progress. Opening your mind and heart to experiences that are anathema, accepting that even the most traditional outlooks hold some value, and looking critically at your own world view are the first steps to a more satisfactory artistic practice. Assuming you are not good enough because you are at the beginning of a journey is a sure-fire method of never making it to any destination. Embrace the chaos.

Be playful. Nearly all of my art/poetry hybrids have come about from me not having a clear idea of what I was aiming for. If you are working to a brief, don’t be afraid to bend and break what you’d consider ‘the rules’ to arrive at work that satisfies YOU. There has to be a period of experimentation in all evolutionary journeys: identify what it is that gives you a sense of happiness and satisfaction and lean heavily into it. Build a practice that you love living in.

Expect to fail. In new situations, expect to fail A LOT. Accept this is part of the journey and be sensible with how that process is managed. Talk openly about what you want and how you know it is more important in all cases than other people’s opinions. Opinions are not, and never have been, facts. The only fact that ever matters is being happy with your work. If that is not currently the case, focus on that ahead of ever trying to please anybody else.

PS: From getting to know you in the poetry sphere, it is clear how important getting involved with communities is to you. How strong are the benefits of spending time listening and engaging with the people to build your art with authenticity?

S: I feel I need to be brutally honest here: the time that my practice significantly changed, and I was able to move forward successfully as a creative, came soon after I started to force myself to be more social. Previous to this point I was very much a loner: fiercely protective of my work, and largely unwilling to collaborate with anybody. A lot of this was as a result of mental health issues, and once I began to accept these deficits, my practice began to grow.

Your work can only travel so far when you refuse to engage with the wider world around you. It is possible to be successful and isolated, of course it is, but there is so much potentially lost by doing so. In the last 18 months I’ve been exposed to a number of amazing and well-established creative practices which have shown me fresh benefits to the collaborative experience. They have also shown me a number of downsides. Not every collaboration is going to work.

The true key to authenticity I believe is self-awareness. I know what I am strong at, and there are many areas where I lack skill, belief and the ability to translate ideas into art. That means that often I will go into a situation and fail for no other reason than I am not yet strong enough to succeed. Weight training has taught me the importance of both mental and physical stamina to ensure steady progress.

Know where your weaknesses are, and don’t always play to your strengths. The lightbulb moments often happen completely by accident. Learn from them when they do.

PS: Forest Management is structured like a play, split across multiple acts with a narrative arc. You recently said at your online launch, narrative arcs are a style of poetry you will look to continue. For readers who want to explore narrative poetry, would you have any tips?

S: Have ‘a Plan’. I cannot stress this enough. As someone who has written countless short stories and has MANY longer fiction ideas unfinished on their hard drive, the biggest obstacle to completion is not knowing the direction you are travelling in. Build a foundation for your idea, and at least at the beginning construct a framework where you can track a clear narrative progression. It does not have to be linear. It just needs to be clear.

Find Beta readers. This is a requirement I learnt from when I was a prolific fan fiction writer (yes, REALLY): it may make sense to you but if someone else has no idea what you are talking about, it needs work. I was lucky enough to have Dr Kim Moore mentor me in a year when I was very much at a very low ebb emotionally, and her wisdom and insight completely altered the direction of my practice. Find poetry mates you trust, and share your work with them.

Trust your gut. Forest Management has two extra poems added to it from it’s original shortlisting from Live Canon. They do not alter the direction of the work. Instead they give it depth and resonance. Knowing when a work is ‘done’ is not the exact science some people might tell you it is. My narrative was missing something and those poems completed it. When you think you’re done, walk away for a while and then come back. Always let your work settle.

PS: Forest Management charts a mental health journey. With the subject matter being so personal, and you being a mental health advocate, how did you find the process in terms of writing whilst balancing your emotional health?

S: Ironically the writing was remarkably easy in that regard. The problems have occurred in the promotion and discussion of the work before publication. I had not properly considered the consequences of something so personal being shared and discussed in public. The biggest lesson in all of this, as a result, is how much of what are often deeply affecting experiences should end up ‘on a page’.

I know of writers who have used publication as a natural close to particularly difficult or traumatic events. Being both autistic and an early life trauma survivor presents a very unique set of circumstances, which is only now beginning to be addressed in a workable fashion. Increasingly, certain work will now not be shared. It is a learning curve I have not yet surmounted, but we are learning quite quickly at present.

We will continue to adapt and cope going forward.

PS: If readers could take a couple of things away from Forest Management, what do you hope they would be?

S: Listen to yourself. Your work may be hiding things you yourself were not previously either aware of or receptive to. Look outside your life whenever there is the energy to do so: many things are changing and it is important to be aware of the shifts in current reality.

Mostly, be curious. This is a story of learning and growth, but it also challenges our relationship with nature. Humans are a part of a complex ecosphere that may now react unpredictably to the damage we have caused to it. There is always time to improve. You can start right now.

PS: You have recently launched Ways of Seeing, a poetry experiment with submissions opening again in December. You recently wrote about trust in the relationship between editor and poets. What would you say is the best way to reinforce that trust?

S: Communication is key, which is why I intend to share my reasoning at every stage of the WoS selection process. I hope this will provide poets not with metrics on how well they fared, but instead on what it was specifically about the work that granted them progression. Winning is important, but not as helpful as being able to look at what you create and understand how to improve it.

I have never totally agreed with the way that many contests are run. I decided that the best means by which I could challenge the process was to learn from doing it myself. The results from Experiment #1 have surprised and delighted me in equal measure. I hope Experiment #2 throws up similar learning experiences for both participants and judge.

PS: That takes us neatly into the next question. Tell me a bit about your relationship with Flight of the Dragonfly Press.

S: I found Barbara (and Darren as they were then) during COVID when a lot of poetry open mics moved online. They gave me my first feature set when I’d not even had a formal pamphlet published, and offered me the opportunity to debut with them in November 2023. Darren subsequently published a chapbook of mine in 2024 as part of the now much-missed Back Room Poetry project.

Barbara is a superlative editor and writer, and increasingly a good friend and beta reader. She has told me things I am very grateful for and has given me space to flourish and expand as a writer and creative. Flight of the Dragonfly press is a space I will promote and support for as long as I am able, which includes running the Zoom ops for The Elephant in the Room Open Mic. Expect Great Things [TM] things from them in 2027 😀

PS: You have your finger on the pulse when it comes to other poets. Who else should readers be seeking out now?

S: Seeing Dr Kim Moore being nominated for the T.S. Eliot Prize this year is my reminder to push your readers towards The House of Broken Things. I’d also be seeking out anything that Jem Henderson has produced at Nine Pens Press, which is back after a hiatus. I am also working my way through Daljit Nagra’s back catalogue at present. I’d also urge anyone reading this who doesn’t have a regular Open Mic event to either visit or to take part in their real world community to consider starting their own. Life changing moments can begin at home.

PS: Finally, what is the best piece of advice you can give a poet or writer?

S: Write whenever the urge takes you. If that means stopping the car or going to find an envelope to write on, or a napkin, do it. Never go anywhere without the means to write.

Remember to check back on the 15th of November for part 2 which includes further poems, more on S’ other projects and something extra special…

The Book Bag Poetry Christmas Gift Guide 2026 – Callout

It’s back for 2026. The Book Bag Poetry Christmas Gift Guide.

Let’s boost some poets and presses, give fellow poetics some gift ideas and maybe find some hidden gems.

This year, I’ve made it even easier to share your recommendations. All you need to do is complete the form below and I’ll compile the list which will be shared in late November. (NB: A google account is required to use the form.)

Submit Your Christmas Gift Recommendations Here

If you aren’t able to use google, please send an email with the following to: thebookbag25@gmail.com with Christmas Gift Guide 2026 as the subject.

  • The title of the Book, Gift or Subscription
  • The Poet’s Name
  • Name of the Press
  • Your First Name
  • Why this would make a great Christmas Gift?
  • A link to where it can be purchased (if available)
  • A photo of the book cover.

This is a great opportunity to help others in the poetry community to maybe get some ideas of what poetic gifts they’d like. A book of poems is always more welcome than a generic pair of socks.

Can we make this years list longer and quirkier than last years?

Don’t take too long to think about it, the form will close on October 18th

To quote Emily Dickinson, “If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry.”

I look forward to seeing your recommendations. I ho-ho-hope there’s plenty!

Paul

The Book Bag: Poetic Voices – September Takeover Special

Welcome to this month’s special edition of Poetic Voices, featuring several of the members of Write Here, Right Now poetry writing group.

Write Here, Right Now holds a special place in my heart. Thanks to the group, my work has improved vastly over the past year and a bit. It’s even more gratifying to see members flourish in their own writing projects.

The group meets on Thursday evenings every 6 weeks or so via zoom and is formatted to help poets on their WiPs or spark new ideas through prompts and feedback. A challenging and thoughtful prompt is given at the start of the session followed by time to work on WIP with the creative part of the brain already engaged followed by time for poets to read pieces and gain constructive feedback from the the group. We also have a WhatsApp community where members can share more.

If you’d like to know more, reach out on Social Media.

This is the first takeover featuring several members who are sharing a poem, recommending a poet to read and offering some writing advice.

This month I am proud to share the voices of;

GP Hyde
Jenevieve Carlyn
Leia Butler
Merril D. Smith
Penny Dedman
Andrew Williamson

GP Hyde was born on the Wirral and now lives in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, UK. He studied fine art at Goldsmith’s College and at the Royal Academy Schools. He has worked in theatres, art centres and community arts as a performer, writer and production manager for 14 years before working as a lecturer and senior manager in creative arts for 25 years.

His fiction has been extensively published by Pure Slush. His poetry has been published by Broken Spine, Black Bough Press, Underbelly Press, Hedgehog Press, voidspacezine, the Dark Poets, Bent Key, Lincs & Ink, Underbelly, the Starbeck Orion and Full House Literary.

He has been nominated for a Best of the Net award and longlisted for the Bath Novella-in-Flash award. His radio drama ‘Michael and John go to England’ was longlisted for the BBC’s Alfred Bradley Prize.

Links:
Phil has published a pamphlet A Gracious Month, available Amazon at A Gracious Month: Amazon.co.uk: Hyde, G.P.: 9798715707567: Books

He reviews books at (3) GP Hyde’s Book Reviews | Substack

Social Media:
@gphydeauthor

Writing Advice:

It’s all about application – apply backside to chair and fingers to keyboard.

Poetry Recommendation:

John Hollander’s Rhyme’s Reason, a guide to English verse – Yale University Press Fourth Edition 2014

Jenevieve Carlyn is a poet and historical writer in New England. Her poems have been published or are forthcoming in The Examined Life, Parabola, River Heron’s “Poems, for Now,” Sage Magazine from Yale’s School of the Environment, The Madrid Review, Relief, and elsewhere, including the anthology In the Garden: Community Storytelling on Food, Ecology, & Place (Torrey House Press).

She won the 2023 Thomas Merton Prize in Poetry of the Sacred and the Connecticut Poet Laureate Award for Eco-Poetry, was a finalist for Palette Poetry’s 2025 Love & Eros Prize, was shortlisted in the Artemesia Arts Contest, and highly commended in Mist & Mountain’s Competition on the 2025 theme of Peace.

Links:
website: jenevievecarlyn.com

Social Media:
Bluesky: @coastalpoet
Substack: @coastalpoet
IG: @coastal_poet

Writing Advice:

Whether on the page or in everyday life, let yourself move between silence and self-expression. They both have something to offer.

Poetry Recommendation:

An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo. When my mind feels distracted or I am lost in abstraction, the immediacy of Joy Harjo’s poetry brings me back to sensory engagement. Words come alive again.

Leia Butler is a writer and creator from London. Her poetry can be found in Streetcake Magazine, Permeable Barrier, Atrium, Aswirl, Fawn Press, The Unwhispered Legacy Anthology, and After Poetry.

She has poetry collections published with Broken Sleep Books, Stanchion, and Steel Incisors.

She is the editor of Full House Literary.

Links:
website: https://leiabutler.com/

Writing Advice:

It’s always worth experimenting and playing around with your language, form, and spacing. Even if you have a few different variations, you might discover something special! 

Poetry Recommendation: One of the first poets I read was Nikki Dudley, who is an amazing champion for experimental and bold writing. Her poetry is incredible and has forever shaped the way I write. 

Merril D. Smith is a Pushcart and Best of the Net nominated poet. Her second collection, Held Inside the Folds of Time (Jane’s Studio Press) was published in 2025.

Her first full-length poetry collection, River Ghosts (Nightingale & Sparrow Press) was Black Bough Poetry’s December 2022 Book of the Month. 

 She writes from southern New Jersey.

Links:
website: merrildsmith.org
Held Inside the Folds of Time: https://a.co/d/01WJhVTA
Merril’s Publisher https://www.janecornwell.co.uk/janesstudiopress-poetry

Social Media:
Bluesky: @merrildsmith.bsky.social;
IG: mdsmithnj

Writing Advice:

I think it’s very important to read widely and to interact with other poets/writers to see how they approach topics, forms, syntax, vocabulary, and space on a page simply to open your own mind to possibilities.

Poetry Recommendation:

 I can’t speak for everyone, but I return again and again to Sarah Connor’s work. I wrote the book blurb for her Always Fire, her final book, published by Sidhe Press.  ” . . .the poems sneak up on you, gently grazing your skin and grasping your heart.”

Penny Dedman lives in Edmonton Green with 2 cats 3 Masdevallias and 6 Pungas.

Poems published: Broken Spine’s ‘Glow’ anthology 2025, Urban Tree Festival poetry 2022, Fresher Publishing’s ‘Waves of Change’ and ‘Glean and Graft’ 2021. Artemesia shortlisted 2023, Bridport longlisted 2021 and ’22. … and there’s something coming which I can’t mention yet!

Links: 
https://thebrokenspine.co.uk/product/glow-cityatnight/

Social Media
Bluesky: @spanishtom.bsky.social
IG: @pennydedman
Substack currently under construction!

Writing Advice:

Even poems have internal logic.

Poetry Recommendation:

Bex Hainsworth – in particular  ‘Walrussey’. (published by Black Cat poetry press)

Andrew Williamson’s writing crosses emotional geographies, drawing on relationships, coastlines, landscapes and cities.

From Aotearoa New Zealand and based in the Isle of Skye, he has published three collections, the latest, Through Salt-Heavy Seas, in 2025. His work has appeared in journals and anthologies in Aotearoa, the UK and the US.

Links:
Projects: https://urbanbadgercollective.com  

Social Media:
Bluesky: @andywilliamson.com
IG: @drandywilliamson

Writing Advice:

Don’t be afraid to delete your favourite word/line/stanza.

Poetry Recommendation:

People should be reading Glenn Colquhoun (https://www.glenncolquhoun.net)

Thanks for reading, another takeover is coming in early 2027!

The Book Bag: Anthology II – Concealed Revelations

Welcome. On the back of the success of Unwhispered Legacy, I thought it would be worthwhile to create a second PDF anthology, again raising much needed funds for Médecins Sans Frontières.

This time, I am happy to announce that my guest editor is Leia Butler of Full House Literary.

There are no rules on theme and form for this edition however it would be worthwhile for you to read Full House Literary, edited by Leia and The Book Bag and The Book Bag: Poetic Voices, my blog that features emerging and established poets including Pascale Petit, Rishi Dastidar, Rhian Elizabeth, Carson Wolfe, Rebecca Goss and more.

Submissions

***The submission window will be open from 1st – 30th November 2026***

***Submissions Are Free***

***Accepting Poetry & Prose***

This time, submissions will be collected via a Google form which requires a google account. You will be required to provide basic details, a 20-word bio, confirmation that you have read the guidelines. You will also be required to upload your poems on a single doc or docx document.

Poets can submit upto 2 pieces in total.
Poems should be unpublished in other journals, print, magazines etc however, pieces shared on social media can be submitted.

***Submit Here***

All poems must be in Times New Roman font size 11, with left alignment unless specifically shaped for the purpose of the piece. Poems should not exceed 30 lines or 200 words.

Please do not submit work that contains extreme graphic depictions of violence of any kind.

The Book Bag is an inclusive platform therefore any pieces containing bigotry, hate or discrimination of any kind will not be accepted.

No AI or Plagiarised Poetry please.

Please do not submit simultaneous submissions.

If you are unable to use the google form, please send your submission in a word document to the email address: thebookbagsubmissions@gmail.com.

On occasion, editorial suggestions may be made.

All decisions are final.

Copyright remains with the poet.

You will be notified of acceptance no later than 31st January 2027.

Submissions are free. This is not a paid opportunity, however poems will be considered for nominations to the Pushcart, Best Of The Net & Forward prizes.

This is a PDF Anthology which will be downloadable via this website. A new fundraising link will be shared on day of publication and be sent with contributor copies.


If your work is printed elsewhere following publication, any mention of Concealed Revelations would be greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions please drop me a message on social media.

We can’t wait to read your pieces. Send us your best. Remember to submit between 1st & 30th November.

Paul & Leia

The Book Bag: Poetic Voices – August 2026

Welcome to August’s Poetic Voice, a poet who I have had the pleasure of meeting in Wales, once upon a time in Neath. They are somebody whose work is always full of soul and energy, often associated with deep time, and I have been lucky to write a small blurb for their recently released book with Black Bough Poetry. They are an exceptional writer and an even more exceptional person.

Without further ado, I’m thrilled to announce the Poetic Voice for August 2026 is the tremendous Polly Oliver.

Polly Oliver (she, her) is a writer based near Mumbles in Wales where she lives with her husband and two teenage sons. Although born and bred in Cornwall, she has some roots in Wales and has lived there since she studied literature and cultural theory at Cardiff University at the tail end of the 90s. She is learning Welsh and could never live far from the sea.

Polly has been writing poetry since discovering the poetry community on social media and attending local open mics.

Polly has had a career in radio news and communications, and is inspired by other people’s stories, legends in landscape and coast, and geological and personal time.

Polly is sharing work from her book Edges of Our Days, published by Black Bough Poetry (2026) available to buy here . Polly has also been kind to do a small Q & A to give some insight into her inspirations behind her writing. If you’d like to attend the live launch of Polly’s collection, it is taking place in Mumbles on 8th August at Harry’s Bar. Check Black Bough Poetry on social media for more information.

The first piece from Polly is a blend of myth and place which delivers a real sense of presence.

The next poem has a companion piece in Polly’s collection. It deals with the shifting landscapes as travellers move across Wales into England and the stories they offer.

More poems will be shared on 15th August, why not take time to read the below Q & A to learn more on Polly and her inspiration and some tips.

PS: A nice, easy one to begin. Who are your poetic influences?

PO: In spite of doing an English Literature degree at Cardiff with Creative Writing modules, I have to be honest here and say couldn’t really say that any of the poetry content made me sit down and read or write poetry when I was in my teens and 20s.

At that age the faint hint of cringe hung about my early efforts which I was churning out to meet deadlines rather than being genuinely invested, and reading out our work to the group half-killed me with shame! Back then poetry just felt a bit like an annoyingly oblique way of getting things across! It kind of followed that I became a journalist straight afterwards, and “show don’t tell” was not going to work in a two-minute radio bulletin.

In fact, I think the poetry that was more influential on the way that I thought, saw or heard the poetic was the stuff I encountered in earlier childhood. I have written elsewhere about how in a pre-YouTube world the books and their illustrations that surrounded us as kids were more impactful on our psyche than they perhaps might be in an era when multiple creative forms and media such as gaming, short form social media content, and vastly more film and TV options are available to young minds. Not to mention the possibilities thrown up by AI.

In early childhood there were one or two poems that stuck. I remember an anthology we had with beautiful illustrations called Time’s Delights. Looking back, it was probably all very white and canonical, but it included “To a fat lady seen from the train” by Frances Cornford. Its strange sensual details, indefinable emotion and discomfiting repetition stuck with me:

O why do you walk through the fields in gloves,
Missing so much and so much?
O fat white woman whom nobody loves,
Why do you walk through the fields in gloves,
When the grass is soft as the breast of doves
And shivering sweet to the touch?
O why do you walk through the fields in gloves,
Missing so much and so much?

The anthology also included “Fog” by Carl Sandberg, and I was haunted by the “little cat feet”; so deft, so striking.

On the subject of haunting, I loved Walter de la Mare’s “The Listeners” too and I still try and bring the unsettling, otherworldly and unanswered into some of my poems. The story which leaves more questions and a sense of something darker!

I honestly can’t remember when or why the switch flicked and I started writing poems. Motherhood perhaps? Or something dreadful like love! Anyhow, it was a while before I took the plunge and started going to local Swansea open mics such as Howl, Talisman and the brilliantly raw-edged, hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking Drunk Poets Society in Port Talbot.

Hearing poems and spoken word aloud is so important to developing the musicality of your own work, especially in Wales where the expressive turn of phrase is everywhere and the real language of Wales is pure music.

That was how encountered Matthew M.C Smith whose cosmic and geological vision and powerfully original images made his themes of memory, landscape, longing and time -themes that I am also drawn to – hum.

Then there was the pandemic, and Skype, Zoom etc exploded into default usage, allowing poets from opposite sides of the globe to read live to one another. Magical in a way.

Via Matthew and Black Bough initially, I tuned into a warm, welcoming and incredibly inspiring online poetry community, largely based on Twitter, but now I’m really only on Instagram (only for reasons of keeping things together instead of being scattered). Social media levels the playing fields and opens doors for poets who may find it hard to access traditional ways of developing their voice and style. There are so many poets out there now, producing amazing work and more importantly cheering each other on.

PS: How would you describe your poetry writing process from the grain of idea to completing a piece?

PO: That can really vary and the “grains” come in different ways. Sometimes it can be a response to an impression from nature, and a phrase or image might tap itself into my brain in time with my steps. I also continually find myself turning snippets of overheard conversations or people watching into full-on storylines that might form the germ of a later poem.

Obviously, any story or character peeping out of the lines bears no relation to the person or scene that inspired it. I also think a lot of poets have trouble with people mistaking the “I” or the “you, she or he” in poems as relating to the writer personally in a way novelists don’t. When a lot of us are just telling stories we have made up!

I’ve never been great with routine, and I do need to re-establish one, but when I have managed an extended spell of journalling – not every day as that’s unrealistic – I will give some time to a kind of automatic writing where I just go for it on the page. For around ten minutes (it’s quite hard to sustain a flow state for more than that) I will just write with no self-editing and no self-consciousness. Scraps from within those jottings do give rise to quite a lot of poems I’ve written.

It might be months before I revisit them but something like a social media prompt in the online poetry community or another trigger will see me build on those earlier lines and images.

I used to be a little light on the editing but the process of refining Edges of Our Days kicked on by Matt Smith at Black Bough’s unflinching approach when it comes to questioning your self-indulgent or unconscious use of “poety” fall-back words has made me actually savour this part of writing a lot more.

PS: Can you tell me what the inspiration or event that made you write this Edges of Our Days?

PO: I’d say Edges of Our Days was more of an evolution than an event. It sounds strange now that the pieces seem so natural together in a kind of loosely linked progression, but I was never writing with a “collection” in mind. Instead, I was producing individual pieces sometimes for a prompt or event, often just because the poem was there to be written.

Then there was a manuscript competition for Black Bough. I was among several winners who would see their books published, but mine was the last or next to last of many, including anthologies. This meant I had a lot of time to create new material, develop my ideas, refine my style and start to pick out the golden threads tying some of the work together that I could tease out for readers.

PS: If Edges of Our Days could leave readers with one main feeling, what would you want it to be?

PO: I absolutely love this question! Its kind of difficult because Edges has three distinct parts (actually four if you count the “bonus tracks”) which all have a different quality.

I think I’d have to do that poet-y thing of conjoining words to create new nuance. I would like readers to feel a sort of “haunted tenderness”. Towards the earth in its youth and age, towards the people they observe and share their lives with, and to tune into the impossibly sweet bright moments that pass like cloud shadows.

PS: After finishing the book, who else should readers be checking out?

PO: So many! This is a tricky one because of all the amazing poets I see practically daily on socials and on sites like Poetic Voices.

So, I’m going to limit myself to just four because the list would be a very, very long one otherwise:

Regine Ebner is a writer with an almost shamanistic ability to conjure the light and ancient power of the desert landscape she lives and loves in, using beautiful palettes and spare but resonant phrasing with quietly powerful precision. “Mountains that see in the Dark” is movingly beautiful. Regine Ebner’s collection | Black Bough poetry

Helen Laycock’s poetry is filled with movement and joie de vivre alongside a compassionate warmth for all beings in life or death that make her words conjure colour and life, while being breathtakingly crafted. “Elemental” is a glorious collection.

Sumptuous and deeply sensual yet transcendental is how I’d describe the poetry of Indian writer Saraswati Nagpal whose collection “Drench me in Silver” is as luxurious as it sounds. The writing is finely tuned to the rhythms of the earth and ancient sacred systems of belief and philosophy as well as how history is tied to her personal roots.

Locally, watch out for a collection coming soon with Black Bough from the gorgeous Guinevere Clarke whose work has a beautiful feminine sensuality and a warm humour that suddenly sparks and startles. You can read more from Guinevere here: Guinevere Clark – author, poet, dancer

PS: And finally, what is one piece of advice you would give to writers who are in the thick of writing a manuscript?

PO: Stay fluid. Don’t have too much of a fixed idea of what the final collection might look like, or cling too tightly to a theme or I think you could be in danger of strangling your own creativity slightly.

I would suggest instead building a pile of potential “tracks for inclusion in final album” that is bigger than you think you might need. When it comes to the process of curating those poems into an order that gives your manuscript its life force, the ones you might left on the cutting room floor might end up being the stars of the show.

Welcome back to Polly’s Poetic Voice Feature. Three more pieces have been added that highlight Polly’s skill in creating emotionally resonant and powerful work.

The following poem from Edges of Our Days is physical piece relating to Spring. This is Green Fist.

Poem four is a highly personal and heart-wrenching observation from Polly. It really resonated with me and will do with many people. I appreciate the opportunity to share this.

And finally, a reflective piece that examines emotion, disassociation and how the course of a life can change in an instant.

A big thank you to Polly for letting me share these pieces throughout the month. Full details on buying a copy can be found here.

Take it easy and make time for yourself.

Paul

The Book Bag: Coin Laundry At Midnight by Carson Wolfe

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

What a busy week and what for the most part sunny week. Good weather can make the worst days a bit brighter. However, when it’s humid and muggy, I am not a fan. Most other countries are set up to deal with that but sadly new builds in Northern England are not! I must say we did have some fantastic thunder and lightning storms too.

Allotmenting has been good this week. The wildlife camera has picked up a few different animals but it’s been yet to pick up a stoat (there are plenty around). We’ve harvested the first strawberries, some more beans, some new potatoes too.

Poetry-wise, I attended an online workshop hosted by Nikita Gill as part of Lyra Poetry Festival. I have the start of some promising pieces from the event. I think it was the most poets I had seen at any workshop I have attended online! I graciously accepted a couple of really neat opportunities for this year and next. I also wrote a bit just for fun.

This week, I’ve been reading;

Coin Laundry At Midnight

  • Poet: Carson Wolfe
  • Press: Button Poetry

If you remember back to Carson’s Poetic Voice feature, you’ll know I was looking forward to their book Coin Laundry at Midnight. During my time off from The Book Bag, I ordered myself a copy and here we are today, me having read it a few times this week (including at the allotment) having been fascinated by the poems that deal with adult themes throughout.

One of Carson’s key powers in this chapbook is their ability to pack poems with dark humour and slight unease. This is highlighted in ‘Raw Food Retreat’, ‘Ghazal For Women Drivers’ and one of my favourites ‘What Women On The Road Taught Me About Finances’ where the pieces have real undercurrents.

Excerpt

Coin Laundry makes excellent use of pop culture to explore themes on a range of subjects including identity. ‘I Take My Midwestern Penpal to A Gay Bar’ and ‘I Rank Places By How Much They Charge for Pringles’ (one of my favourites) are just two examples of this.

Excerpt

Carson explores relationships in different guises throughout the book with brutal honesty and genuine tension. ‘Wig’ looks at a transactional relationship whereas ‘Welcome To Your First Thanksgiving’ examines multiple dynamics including paternal, maternal and friendships.

For those who love a book that experiments with form and style, you will love this book. White space is played with in ‘Porno’, there’s justification in the piece ‘Live Fast Die Young Bad Girls Do It Well’. The poem ‘Haikus From The Departure Lounge’ is a great inclusion and one of my favourites. I also was blown away by the Jack Kerouac sequence.  

Excerpt

This is a book for readers who appreciate dark humour, adult themes, danger and authenticity in the poetry they digest. Those who appreciate variances on form and style will love this chapbook. Every poem is a banger and I highly, highly recommend it. Fascinating and so sharp.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned I Rank Places By How Much They Charge for Pringles’, What Women On The Road Taught Me About Finances’ and Haikus From The Departure Lounge’. I could add eery other piece but let’s go with another five as I write. ‘Strange Baby’, ‘Feelmore, Oakland’, ‘A Quantum Physicist Teaches Me The Observer Effect’, ‘Ode To The Hippies Who Saved Me’ and the very dark ‘Geography’.

You can buy Coin Laundry at Midnight here for UK, here for US.

Learn more about Carson here.

This week’s playlist is an eclectic one…

Destiny’s Child – Say My Name
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Salt ‘n’ Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
Frank Ocean – Super Rich Kids
Electric Six – Gay Bar
Queen – I Want To Break Free
Hozier – Cherry Wine
Dolly Parton – 9 to 5
The Weeknd – Often
Peaches – F*ck The Pain Away
Iggy Pop – Lust For Life

Before I Go…

Tickets for the Book Bag Open Mic Session 6 are going fast. Grab them here while you can.

One More Thing…

There’s only a few more days until the Frazzled Lit Short Story competition closes. Full entry details here.        

And Finally…

Congratulations to Polly Oliver whose first collection was released this week by Black Bough Poetry. Polly is an incredible poet and I’m looking forward to reading the book!

Next Weeks Read

Title: The New Carthaginians
Poet: Nick Makoha

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: The Lives We Had Before by Vanessa Napolitano

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

Well I’ve been mega busy since I last caught up up with you.

I had an interview at work for a permanent position in another team. And guess what… I got it. The competition was tough and I thought I was nerve free – then the nerves hit at a minute before the interview started. So happy I prepared, it was a massive help.

Mrs S & I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary with a few nights away in Harrogate. We visited RHS Harlow Carr and had a look around the library there. The poetry section was limited but I did read Dwell by Simon Armitage. Insect Hotel is a riot of a poem. We also spent time recharging.

The allotment is now in full flourish and we’ve been harvesting some of the ready produce including broad beans, garlic, herbs and onions. We used some to make a Chimichurri sauce to have with meat, fish and veggies and also made a broad bean hummus to dip into.

Poetry-wise I hosted another Book Bag Open Mic where the standard was remarkable. I’ve also attended a Black Bough open mic, blurbed for some excellent poets and I’ve been writing and working on some new projects. Also on Thursday it was another Write Here, Right Now. I have a poem that is almost finished. I’ve also got a couple of projects on the go, one of which was announced on social media on Saturday.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

The Lives We Had Before

  • Poet: Vanessa Napolitano
  • Press: Stanchion Press

I have been a fan of Vanessa’s work since I first saw a piece shared on social media when I was making my first foray into poetry. I also heard her read and was inspired by the relatable, accessible and authentic nature of her poetry. I also attended a workshop she hosted earlier this year which game me a couple of great poems. Vanessa is a supportive and incredible member of the poetry community with tremendous talent.

Authenticity is one of Vanessa’s greatest powers as a poet. The pieces ‘Navigating’ (one of my favourites) and ‘7:04 To Manchester’  are vivid and immediately recognisable.

The emotional connection in the poems dealing with relationships including ‘Grandad’, ‘For Your Horse To Come In’ and ‘Man In The Leather Hat’ made me pause and take stock after reading. The poems where Vanessa directly addresses her father are exceptionally moving through conversational use.

Vanessa’s sense of fun is apparent throughout the book. ‘Escargot’ (another of my favourites) is a deliciously humorous piece. The poem ‘Mix Tape, 1997’ (another of my favourites) is super and made me smile.

Excerpt from Mix Tape, 1997

There is also a palpable danger in some of the pieces in the book. ‘A List Exercise’, and ‘We Let the Wolf Hunt in The Local Woods,’ are two key examples containing menace. I read both aloud and the amplification compared to reading in my head made me more uncomfortable.

This book will appeal to poetics who appreciate work grounded in reality. The collection is accessible and relatable and those readers who want a genuine emotional connection will feel right at home in the pages of this book. A treat of a collection to welcome back The Book Bag. You should buy a copy, it’s fantastic.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Navigating’, ‘Escargot’ and ‘Mix Tape, 1997’   so I’ll add another eight here. ‘Moorwalk’, ‘Creeper’, ‘Birthday Poem’, ‘Your Goth Garden’, ‘Pork Chop’, The Tasting Menu’, ‘Corking’ and ‘The Lives We Had Before’.

Learn more about Vanessa here.

Buy The Lives We Had Before here.

This week’s playlist is a blend of genres, with some of the songs named in the collection too;

Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
Taylor Swift – Lover
Embrace – Gravity
The Stan Tracey Quartet – Under Milk Wood
Emma-Jean Thackray featuring Wiki – Golden Green
Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
Courtney Pine – I’m Still Waiting
Florence & The Machine – What The Water Gave Me
Bob Dylan – Tangled Up In Blue
Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown

Before I Go…
Tickets are available for The Book Bag Open Mic Session 6. Sunday 26th July, 7-9pm. Get them while you can here.

One More Thing…
Have you caught up with this month’s Book Bag Poetic Voices feature? Echoes from the first year of this feature, it includes my favourites from the series. Read it here.

And Another…
Are you a Short Story writer looking for a great competition to enter? Frazzled Lit’s 2026 Short Story Award is currently open with the formidable Donal Ryan. Closing date is 30th June. Full details here.


And Finally…
On 11th July, Rachel Turney of Poetry (in Brief) and recent Poetic Voice is hosting the online launch of the inaugural issue. Check out EVENTS — TURNEY TALKS for details.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Coin Laundry At Midnight
  • Poet: Carson Wolfe

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: Poetic Voices – Echoes From The Past Year

Welcome to The Book Bag Poetic Voices. As this month marks the first year anniversary of the Poetic Voices feature, I thought I’d do a small retrospective and share of one poem per poet from the past year.

Echoes if you will.

To say I am delighted how the first year has gone would be an understatement. Reading, sharing and nominating poems to be recognised has been a massive highlight for me. The fact that I have been able to spotlight poetry icons who have been so kind and forthcoming with their work has been an absolute joy. The variety of work has been broad but the quality has been consistently excellent. My thanks go to all those who have trusted me with their work from poets to presses and everyone in between.

In June, I featured Matthew MC Smith as the inaugural Poetic Voice. I am sharing this poem from his feature, which was also nominated for a Forward prize.

In August 2025, I was thrilled to celebrate and share pages from A Hobby of Mine by one of my poetry heroes Rishi Dastidar (available here). This is from page 9. The book is a list poem, underpinned by subversive humour.

Credit: Naomi Woodis

In September I was honoured to spotlight work from Beast by the tremendously talented and kind icon of poetry Pascale Petit. The following piece is The Lammergeier Daughter. You can buy Beast from Bloodaxe Books here.

Credit: Derrick Kakembo

I’ve ordered Carson Wolfe’s latest book and will be reading it for my regular Book Bag series soon. I was chuffed to have a selection of poems from Carson in October. I am re-sharing this piece which was first published in the Best New Poets Anthology 2024. This is While Wishing She Was Dancing To Kate Bush.

Back in November, I was delighted to share work by the excellent Rebecca Goss from her incredible collection Latch (available here). It is a masterclass on place and identity. I selected Weir as the echo from Rebecca’s feature.

Credit: Natalie J Watts

In December, I shared work from Sculling by Sophie Dumont (available here). One of the main themes in Sculling is how one can live on through a selfless act of organ donation by saving others. Because of this, I wanted to raise some awareness for Organ Donation, which is a vital service that can help save lives. In the UK, information can be accessed here: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/.

Credit: Jae Frederick

In February, I was lucky to be able to share some original work from the jocular and charming Paul Connolly. One of his pieces, I nominated for a Forward prize, which I am echoing today, I am always struck by Paul’s use of language.

In March, I shared original work from the exemplary Vikki C which resulted in a Forward nomination for her poem Morningfall. So, yes you guessed it…

In April, I was elated to be able to share work from #MOTH by Eleanor Holmes (available here) and an original piece of writing. #MOTH is a stunning book and I highly recommend people buy a copy, it is exquisitely produced. For Eleanor’s echo, I am sharing one of my favourites from the book…

And that brings us to our most recent Poetic Voice, the enigmatic and super busy Rachel Turney who shared original work and pieces from Retired Wannabe Club Kid (available here). Her original pieces were After poems of my work. My ego isn’t that big to share one of those even though they are fantastic. I am echoing this piece which warmed my heart…

So there we have it. If you haven’t read all the Poetic Voices, you can find them here. I can’t wait to share more Poetic Voices from July.

Stay tuned…

There’s lots more to come.

Stay Poetic & Be Kind

Paul

The Book Bag: Drawn by Peter Hughes

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

Well, it has certainly been a week. I don’t think I’ve stopped at work, and I am looking forward to my break coming up.

My writing has suffered this week. I wrote in response to two prompts, one of which was a late entry to Fragments Friday and the other was an allotment poem influenced by William Carlos Williams. I got a lovely rejection for a scheme that I made the shortlist for and their comments, feedback and encouragement was really valuable. Making the shortlist of anything is a triumph in itself

The allotment is flourishing. We now have flowers on tomato plants and the strawberries are forming. Broad Beans are present. BROAD BEANS!!! There’s also some currants (type as yet to be determined) forming on one of the rescued plants.

On top of that I’ve been reading;

Drawn

  • Poet: Peter Hughes
  • Press: Broken Sleep Books

I don’t know why but this was my first time reading Peter Hughes. Drawn is a collection of poetry and artwork that has a real sense of being alive. This is in no small part due to Hughes’ expert use of language to create vivid authentic scenery, that is full of movement. Pieces including ‘Ogwen’ and ‘RE:LODE 40’ are perfect examples of this. Two of my favourites in the collection ‘Drawn’ and ‘Periplo: A Prelude’ also showcase this.

Excerpt of Drawn

There is joy and humour in this book which was much needed this week. ‘For Simon Smith’s Birthday’ (one of my favourites), is excellent and the following poem, ‘Let’s Dantz’ (part of a wider collaboration project) is tremendous fun, full of international locations and pop culture references.

Excerpt of Let’s Dantz

Those poetics who love a book with variations on form and style will not be disappointed. ‘After Lentini’ is a prose piece and after piece in one go, there is also the hybrid nature of the collection featuring interesting and terrific artwork by Hughes and Lisa Santana Hudson (in ‘Drawn’). The ‘RE:LODE’ sequence of poems uses a variety of formatting including use of space to draw the reader through the poems.

This is a collection that will appeal to lovers of hybrid collections, poetics who enjoy poetry with a real vibrancy that is grounded and relatable. Fans of language and style will love this book too. It has made me want to explore more of Hughes’ work, which I will do on my upcoming break. This is a marvel of a book.

Buy Drawn from Broken Sleep Books, here.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Drawn’, ‘Periplo: A Prelude’, ‘For Simon Smith’s Birthday’, and I will mention another five that spring to mind as I’m writing this. ‘RE:LODE 32’, ‘Skoda’, ‘RE:LODE 34’,  ‘RE:LODE 54’ and ‘RE:LODE 52’.

Oh, you want a playlist? Here we go for this week’s diverse blend of music that I think goes well with Drawn, we have:

Andrea Bocelli – Con Te Partirò
Elton John – Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Gipsy Kings – Bamboléo
Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
The Stranglers – Golden Brown
Giuni Russo – Alghero
Cesária Évora – Sodade
Françoise Hardy -Le Temps De L’Amour
Kate Bush – Moments of Pleasure
Radiohead – Street Spirit (Fade Out)
The Three Tenors – Nessun Dorma

Before I Go…
Tickets are still available for Wednesday’s Book Bag Open Mic Session. Tickets and details here. It’s an encouraging and supportive space to share your work, whether it be a polished gem or a roughcut coal.


One More Thing…
I have a poem in ‘These Poems Kill Fascists’ the latest and final Like A Blot From The Blue anthology from Fin Hall that can be bought here. The poetry contained in the pages should be read, heard and shared.


And Another…
If you’ve been keeping up to date with me on Instagram, you’ll know that the inaugural issue of Poetry (in Brief) magazine has been released and I have a poem in there. Read the issue here which features outstanding poetry from an international lineup of poets.


And Finally…
The Book Bag is taking a couple of weeks break as I enjoy some time away to celebrate our anniversary. The next instalment will be June 21st.

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you soon

Paul