poems

The Book Bag – Elemental by Helen Laycock

Welcome back to The Book Bag. Last week, I shared my thoughts on Consolamentum. The launch on Zoom via Black Bough Poetry was a great evening of poetry with some incredibly special guests.

This week, between following the US Election, seeing fireworks and enjoying a delicious meal in Northumberland, I’ve been reading;

Elemental

  • Author: Helen Laycock
  • Press: Independently Published

I was lucky to meet Helen at 2024’s Black Bough Poetry Party in Neath after reading her poetry on Twitter/X for @TopTweetTuesday. I was drawn to her work as she used space on the page in multiple poems rather than having a singular alignment. Also, the fact Helen is such a lovely force in the poetry community is another reason I enjoy her work.

Elemental was released in 2024 and is a collection of poems based around the elements of air, fire, earth and water. The poems are a tapestry of imagery, sound, motion and emotion. 

In Helen’s poetry, space is used to great effect. This is highlighted in the piece ‘Water Gasp’ as it moves through centralised stanzas into separated lines that control the flow and emphasise the emotion and movement. It also allows the reader to fully take in the scene delivered through vivid language. The poem ‘Spooling Light’ resembles a reel, matching the subject matter. It is a terrific poem delivered in so few words.

For fans of intricate imagery, read ‘Winter Flame’. That was my wife’s favourite piece of the collection. Other vivid pieces in the collection include Snowflakes, Communion, Stunned and Hare. 

Helen weaves emotion through her poetry. ‘Lovelight’, ‘Whale Fall’ and ‘The Sadness of The Tree Spirit’ are heavy with meaning and made me pause to reflect. 

If you want vivid poetry that packs a punch, and where various forms are used, buy this book. I’d buy it just to read my favourite poem (below). It is exquisite and special.

Favorite Poem:
‘An Ocean of Orca Tears’. It is an emotional journey about a mother’s grief at the loss of a child. Full of heart, full of impact. 

‘Hare’ is a close second. 

One More Thing…
Throughout the book, Helen has added quotes about the elements. These markers help adjust the reader to a different state before moving to the next. I found the quote by Tony Robbins preceding the ‘Fire’ section and the initial piece ‘Lovelight’ heightened the emotional aspect.

Read more about Helen’s other poetry at https://helenlaycock.wixsite.com/marbleintocloud. 

Next Week’s Read

Looking ahead, here’s what’s lined up for my book bag next week;

  • Title: Toccata and Fugue with Harp
  • Author: Margaret Royall

For Remembrance Sunday, I wrote a small poem called ‘War Memorial’. Find it here: War Memorial

That’s it for this week’s reading roundup! If you’ve read any of the books I’m sharing or have recommendations for what poetry I should be reading, drop a comment below. 

Take it easy

Paul

The Armchair

Cenotaph of my loathe-quarry
lurks in the corner
ominous obelisk of misery-grey fabric 
stained by stagnant-self
                    arms grubbier than a plagiarist in an inkwell.

It haunts my body
memory-foam cushions twisted
around my depression
                      like an alligator in death-roll.

                                  If perching, it’s only for seconds
dread at comfort swallowing me whole
or falling over the feet clumsily
                                 delivering self-recrimination
that plunges me into that dark brutal chasm
                                                                                   - again.

The armchair is a sound-hollow
negative echoes only
so I stay silent near its plinth
  	              ⁃ yet sometimes the pride in victory
my eyes hold
is loud enough to drown
                                              past despair.

The Book Bag – Consolamentum by James McConachie

Welcome back to The Book Bag. Last week, I shared my thoughts on Street Sailing by Matt Gilbert

This week, between a lovely curry at Dabbawal in Newcastle, trying to figure out what the budget means and some windswept hair that had me looking like a combo of Beetlejuice and Cousin It, I’ve been reading…

Consolamentum

  • Author: James McConachie
  • Press: Black Bough Poetry

I’ve heard James perform at Black Bough open mic nights in the past, his pieces always elicit a strong sense of place and pack a punch. When his new book was released in October, I ordered it the same day and waited (im)patiently for it to arrive from Amazon. While I waited, I watched some promotional videos that indicated that the book would be something special.

James gives the rugged landscape of his home in Northern Spain voice and personality throughout the book. Poems such as Cusp Of The Last Cold Moon, Off Grid 414ppm, Granada and Mientras Podamos are full of vivid imagery. When reading, my mind drifted to these scenes as if I were there, such is the level of detail. 

Rich representations of the people and culture are delivered in pieces like Yula, Tres Mujeres and Montauban. This is such a clever book and it made me so nostalgic for Spain (I was lucky enough to have done work experience in the South of Spain including at a residence used by Ernest Hemingway when I was just out of school). I stayed with a lovely family from Spain and we communicated in broken English and Spanish. 

Some of the poems in this collection shine a light on today’s wrongs, none more so than Tensile Strength that grips you in a headlock as you read it, coming out the other end with a dizzy feeling of unease and sorrow.

Read this book if you want to go on an emotional journey through the wilds of Northern Spain with some postcards from the UK. Or if you’re a fan of exemplary poetry, chock-full of imagery. This is a great debut.

Favorite Poem:
Liebre or Pig – two very different poems. Both class.

One More Thing…
The poem, Summer of ‘23, was recently featured in issue 2 of The Madrid Review.

Finally…

You can see the launch of Consolamentum live on Zoom on Sunday 2 November 2024, tickets are free and available via Black Bough Poetry on Eventbrite. See https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/black-bough-poetry-online-launch-of-james-mcconachies-consolamentum-tickets-1059127612199. 

Find more information on James McConachie and Consolamentum and read testimonies here; https://www.blackboughpoetry.com/consolamentum-james-mcconachie where you can find links to buy his book.

Next Week’s Read

Looking ahead, here’s what’s lined up for my book bag next week;

  • Title: Elemental
  • Author: Helen Laycock

That’s it for this week’s reading roundup! If you’ve read any of the books I’m sharing or have recommendations for what poetry I should be reading, drop a comment below. If you want to read some of my poems, have a look around the site.

Take it easy

Paul

An Affair of Pipistrelles

Shrouded in the half-light 
of a crow-dusk sky and ruby streetlamp blur 
I observe hidden lovers 
tango in mid-air 
wings outstretched ready to hold the earth  
                                   in their lust-love 

time is stolen by the passion of the near-night  
                          and silent melody of the harp-moon 

until the crackle of burnt leaf-beacons
warns of a stoat’s prying eyes
               
         endangered by discovery
         the paramours bow into the shadows 
leaving only the gentlest echo of their romance 
                                                           
                                                                           to the dark.

The Book Bag – The Language of Bees

Welcome to a new feature on Paul Writes Poems. Every Sunday, I’ll be sharing the poetry pamphlet, anthology or collection I’ve been reading that week! Each week will feature a different book and I’ll let you know how I enjoyed it.

On a week where the only weather I didn’t have was snow, I spent my breaks and downtime reading; 

The Language of Bees

  • Author: Rae Howells
  • Press: Parthian

After reading Rae Howell’s, This Common Uncommon (which I recommend if you believe that wild spaces should be kept and not built upon), I wanted to read more. Her characterisation and smart word-play in This Common Uncommon had me going page to page and almost devoured it in one sitting.

In my opinion, The Language of Bees is an outstanding collection, (an opinion shared with lots of others, including the judging panel at Wales Book of The Year 2023) that talks about the importance of bees to humans and climate change in an engaging way. The way insects are used to discuss personal themes including loss, loss love and other deep human tragedy is tremendously done with care taken over each word. 

I’d highly recommend reading this if you’re a fan of poetry that deals with nature and has very personal and broader themes packed with smart language and incredible imagery. I would say to have some tissues handy as some pieces are highly emotive.

Favorite Poem:
A bit of a cheat here but my favourite is a sequence of poems that are sprinkled throughout the book with the title Dying Bee in a Takeaway Box. 

Find out more about Rae Howells at https://www.raehowells.co.uk/ where you can find links to her other books.

Next Week’s Read

Looking ahead, here’s what’s lined up for my book bag next week;

  • Title: Street Sailing
  • Author: Matt Gilbert

That’s it for this week one. If you’ve read any of the books I’m sharing or have recommendations for what poetry I should be reading, drop a comment below. 

Take it easy

Paul

Community Orchard Picking Party

pears are dangling
silvery earthen-green earrings
inviting to be removed from leafed ears
some have rotted in the intensity of the sun
                                                                     sheen dulled to clay rust 

damson plums nestle into branches
like amethyst hiding in rock
only smoothed
precious stone                          fruit hiding
                                                                    emerald green flesh

braeburns have fallen
comfortable in the flame-kissed leaf beds
and honey golden late summer grasses
                                                                   orbs of sweet promise

the kids are dressed as pirates
wandering with small baskets
ripe with wonder
they gather their               treasures
before a couple of cavaliers
                                                                   spoil their bounty.

Carnivale

rum-wide spacehopper eyes 
staring up at midnight Malagan sky 
discoball stars  glistening 
like a dancers skin 
my bloodstream inferno 
ready to set my beachgrass bed ablaze 
voiceless flame amidst the pulse of revelry 
the forest of ravers surrounding 
                                   will welcome the fire 

I raise myself 
but remember my legs are lost 
to strong liquor and            fatigue 
stumbling into a dance 
floating on the breeze of          second wind 
rotor blade arms almost                take me away 
and what goes up 
must come down 
I’m laughing at myself 
backing track of Faithless 
and howls and cheers 

when I wake 
I want this feeling to be            my cure 
                                                        my comfort 
                                                                  my soul.

Footy Down The Rec

To be twelve again 
drunk on the scent 
       of summer-sweated privet 
eventful walks to the pitches sometimes  
a dog jumping from a garden-strewn manky sofa  
                   or fly-tipped washing machine  
and husbands fighting with wives 
binliner of clothes next to them on the pavement  
                           comedy in tragedy when you’re that young 
we always took a few balls 
best to - if some of the older lads were around 
on lighter-fluid highs - lacking sense 
but the nights of Wembley 
three hours of pelting leather against bare legs  
ball bobbling       along the clumped surface 
bodies skimming the field like           lawnmowers 
     making outrageous crunching tackles 
 ankles twisting like Maradona past Reid
rabid rapture at curling a Mitre Delta into the top corner 
      and green-kneed, mud-stained wanders home
a magic that can never be imitated 
           unlike the knockoff boots and shin pads 
give me that innocence back 
               - that simplicity of fun 
                          with friends.